Shari Turbyfill comforts her husband, David, as he grieves for his son, firefighter Travis Turbyfill, at Fire Station 7 on July 1 in Prescott, AZ. (Photo by David Wallace, The Arizona Republic)
By Mike Kellems (written July 1, 2013)
As I woke up this morning and turned on the news, I was shocked to learn that 19 firefighters were killed while battling a wildfire in Arizona. I immediately reflected back to Sept. 11, 2001, when hundreds of firefighters were killed in the terrorist attack in New York. I was filled with the same emotions: grief and sorrow. I can’t begin to imagine the profound sadness felt by the firefighters and emergency workers still fighting the Arizona fires, which have since quadrupled in size.
Kellems
As the day has moved on, I thought a lot about those 19 firefighters. What horror they must have felt as the fire closed in and they realized there was no escape. There is no doubt in my mind that they started out their day responding to the call, confident in their training and abilities, ready to serve their community while saving property and lives without hesitation.
The last part of that sentence is the hardest part for me, and I hope to emphasize it to our readers … “without hesitation.”
I thought a lot today about the fire service; in fact, I can’t seem to get it out of my mind. We are fortunate in LaPorte County to have so many firefighters willing to respond to anyone’s emergency at the drop of a hat.
There are two full-time “career” departments in LaPorte County: Michigan City and LaPorte. There are 14 volunteer fire departments that serve the tens of thousands of our citizens living in the county. Every volunteer department has anywhere from a dozen to two dozen or more members. They respond to our calls for help, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. They do so for free. They spend hours upon hours training; they do so for free. Many maintain and repair their equipment; they do that for free as well. They are called for car wrecks and house fires and every kind of medical emergency you can imagine. They respond to trees down on power lines, basements filled with water, and the occasional cat in the tree or deer stuck on the ice. Their calls for service vary, however I know a few that average 500 calls a year.
Did I mention they do all of this for free?
In nearly every call for help, our firefighters risk their lives without hesitation. They deserve our help in return. Most, if not all, of LaPorte County’s volunteer fire departments supplement their tax dollar operations with donations and fundraisers. I hope you’ll consider these options.
I’d like to suggest another means of support as well. This Thursday, July 4, as we celebrate our country’s freedom, we here in LaPorte will enjoy one of the greatest parades in the Midwest. Many of our fire departments participate in the parade every year. How about this year, as they roll along the parade route, we show them a little appreciation by standing up to clap and give a friendly smile and a wave or a tip of the hat? These everyday heroes deserve that, particularly in light of today’s horrible tragedy in Arizona.
MIKE KELLEMS is a sergeant with the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office.