Okay, I'm getting sick of seeing NYFD hats and such. Do you know why???

Because thousands of firefighters have died in the line of duty and no one wears their hats.

Do me a favour...

wear a LAFD hat or a SFFD hat or a Miami FD hat or a Toronto FD hat or a Boston FD hat.


Lets show our firefighters and cops we think of theirs lives and not just those that perished to save us on Sept 11.

My uncle is a retired Fire Captain and I know he lost men over the course of 30 years. I also know I could have lost him too.

 

Right.
We shall never foget Sept 11th, but do not forget the people that continue to put their lives on the line for us every day.
Suport your local firefighters as well as your other local heros.

 

I've been concerned about how families of firefighters who got injured or lost their lives prior to 9/11 feel about this outpouring from the general public. It's almost like firefighters never lost their lives in the line of duty prior to that date.

What are we going to do for the families who lose their firefighting loved ones in the future? They're not any less heroic than those who died on 9/11.

I defintely have mixed emotions about it all.

 

i agree with you both. anyone that wears a badge and puts there life on the line every shift they go on is a hero.

 

I tell you what, and I really dont care what anyone else thinks about it. I saw a woman complaining about how much she would recieve from all the charities. The host, Orielly from Fox who I usually love, stated that she had lead an opulent lifestyle before the disaster and deserved to after it. Screw that, many people die, lose their bred winner and dont get a dime worth of support much less millions. I feel for everyone eho lost some one, but give me a break, it a bunch of crap to think they should get millions continue to ask for more while those of other tragedies, OK CIty, The USS Cole, Embassy bombings etc etc etc are left in the wake. We all grieve but my pocket book is now reserved to Church and not the Gestapo Red Cross to dole out as they see fit from familes to the agendas they want to promote with money donated!!

 

I have to ask:

Why are you a "hero" for doing a job that you know is inherently dangerous to begin with?

Now, I don't want to start a flame war but, guys, give me a break. You sign up to be a firefighter, you know that you are willingly placing yourself in harms way of fire, smoke inhalation, building collapses and decidedly "unique" rescue attempts.

As a police officer, you know that you are in an inherently dangerous field were you can, and might, be shot, shot at, maimed, wounded or killed. That is your job, you chose to accept the risks to pursue that career path.

No one calls a waitress a "hero" for serving more customers one day then the next. No one calls the tech support guy you call to complain at about your POS laptop that has formatted itself for the 397th time this month a "hero" because he happnes to figure out that you're attempting to use Partition Magic on a Windows 2000 Advanced Server installation.

Cut me some slack with this redundant patriotism and breast beating. The men, and women, of both those fields do their jobs. If they do them well, they should be commended. But, like everyone else, they are professionals in their chosen fields...not heroes or heroines.

 

From my old Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary:

a: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability

b: an illustrious warrior

c: a man admired for his achievments and qualities

d: one that shows great courage.


I think the members of the PD and FD fit at least two of those categories. Many would fit three of them. A few might fit all four.

 

Jebus, [sorry, I never can spell nicknames from memory] thats what I meant by "other local heros"
A hero to me is any one that takes time out to be unselfish.
How many times when driving an old beater in your teen (lean) years did some one help you by pushing your car or giving you a jump? They were your hero.
Maybe some one picked up your garbage cans that blew accross the road, or found your pet that had gotten lost. They were your hero.
I am sure at some point in your life, some one helped you out in some way, and whether you knew about it or not, they were your hero.
In fact you are probably a hero to somebody else, whether you know it or not.
When I read a story to my 7 year old, I am a hero.
When I stop at the scene of an non-vehicular accident and put my coat around an injured older gentleman (with alziemers) when the police are afraid to touch him for legal reasons, (they told me the ambulance was on it's way -I said so what, it's 40 degrees out, and I am cold) I am a hero.
When I take off work to show up at one of my kids special school events in the middle of the day, I am their hero.
When I used to deliver newspapers at the curb, but would stop the car and get out to put older folks papers on their porch, I was a hero. If it was slippery, I would sprinkle their walks with salt on my way, knowing they would have to get their mail later, I was a hero again.
When I work over time to pay for a designer clothing item that all the other kids have, and will be out of style before a year is over, I am their hero.
When I find someones purse and return it to her, I am a hero.
When a young lady runs out of gas at 3:00 am with no cash on her and I shell out a buck in addition to transporting her and the gas back to her car, I am a hero. (the attendant also chipped in a buck)
When I tell my kids "NO" for their own good, I am everyones hero.

I am not a firefighter.
I am not a crime fighter.
I am not a nurse.
I am not a teacher.
I am not a counseler or social worker.
but I am all those things to my kids.

Sometimes just doing whatever you can do, is enough to be some ones hero.

This is not to discount that firefighting is a career that requires a person to have specialized training, with talent and instinct built in. Not every has what it takes, and it may be best to stay out of the way of those who do.
A firefighters spouse who can selflessly support him or her while they are on the job is also our hero.

 

true, all those things make you a hero. true that the fd and pd know what they are getting into when they take the job. but think about it, can you say that you would run into a burning building to see if someone is in there. to put your priorities aside and run into that building, to not worry about how your family will get by if something happens to you. or a police officer that gets into a shootout or walks into one, can you say that you wouldn't run away.

THESE PEOPLE RISK THEIR LIVES EVERYTIME THEY PUNCH THE CLOCK! MANY OF THEM DO IT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT'S WHY THEY WERE PUT ON THIS EARTH.

Nobody is saying that the people who lost their lives on 9/11 is any different from the guy in canada or any more important for that matter. it just happened on a bigger scale. I have family that are fdny, nypd. These guys had no choice but to work in the rubble. if they wanted a day off to see their families they would have to dig in the rubble for 8 hrs. if not they were doing 16 hr shift's at work. they put their life on the line by just working in the rubble. i was there it's not easy. the air quality was bad regardless of the jiberish the gov't said.

all people who lose their lifes in the line of duty or in devine intent are heros. the guy who stayed behind to help a parapalegic, he a hero in my eyes. he gave his life. my question is would you?
I WILL WEAR A FDNY HAD AND A NYPD SHIRT PROUDLY BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE GAVE THEIR LIFES TO PROTECT MY CITY. THEY REALLY ARE NY'S FINEST AND BRAVEST!

sorry it's just a hard topic for us new yorkers.

 

I'm a Jewbus? Can I trade myself in on a Catholictruck or maybe a Methodistsedan?

All kidding aside, curt raised some questions:

1. Would you, as a person, run away from a firefight?
A: I've, unfortunately, been in two. The easiest way to stay alive is to keep a calm head, supress your emotions and take an analytical approach to the situation. I'm not one to say that I've enjoyed them but I will certainly state that I shan't run from one.

2. Would you, as a person, enter a burning building?
A: Given that it is not my personal profession, my answer is "No". However, that is somewhat mitigated by the fact that were it a family member, then the answer changes to "Yes". The reasoning for that, I would assume, would be apparent enough. Again, we can see further mitigation when various conditions are introduced into the scenario. If I am the only person there, or am the first to arrive, et al ad nauseum.

My general answer, however, remains "No". Outside of a select few, I place the value of my own life above all others. Perhaps that is selfish of me. If so...~shrugs~...I don't particularly see anyone besides myself lining up to care for me, feed, clothe and shelter me.

Not being personally involved with the impacts and detonations in New York City, I fully realize it is very easy for me, 2000+ miles away, to make very analytical and calm judgements. However, I must express my personal feelings that "enough is enough". Will we be rehashing this same, tired issue a year from now? More than likely so, which is unfortunate for people who are attempting to get beyond it and get on with their lives.

I think the comparison to Pearl Harbor was appropraite, albeit only as a non sequitur. My grandchildren will hear about "9-11" and roll their eyes, wondering why the "old people" have to dredge up something time and time again that is now in the past.

 

The members of the FDs, PDs, and other rescue organizations around the world are true heroes. They are heroes because they place the lives of others before themselves. They are the ones who will run to a disaster instead of run from it like the rest of us. They are the ones who will do whatever it takes to get the job done because they know there's nobody else to do it.

I take umbrage with your characterization that they are not heroes because it's their job to do what they do. If that's the case, then they are heroes already just because they went into that line of work.

 

If they're not Heroes then what are they? Gimme a break. Superman doesn't exist. Dennis I'm with ya on another one. :P

 

thank you jebus for not getting offended at my mispelling.

Now I don't belive any one said Fire fighters and Police are NOT heros OK?
Yes, they do do it for a living, and not one of them any more or less of a hero than the millions of firefighters or police that have never gotten their names in the paper.

I have never seen a building on fire except the one I was in, and I did run out on to the roof without my cat (who was right behind me) because when the lights went out, I knew I had only seconds to get myself out. If my child was in there, I would not have left without him.
Would I run into one? Maybe. It depends, I have done some stupid things before. (Not stupid for a trained person)

The fact that fire fighters are in a more fragile position is what makes us more appriciative of what they do.
I think the point of this thread was NOT to forget our other heros, that save our less notable lives everyday.

 

wow, 12 posts on this topic I posted last night. I didn't expect this response, but I obviously hit a nerve.

To me, a firefighter takes the job to save people. They know going into it that they could lose their lives on any call they go on. And yet, they still go out every day and night to stand watch.


Let's everyone give a big thumbs up to all heroes who have given their time, skills, effort AND lives to make the world a beter place.

 

I have nothing but respect & admiration for police, firefighter's & EMT's who selflessly work to protect, defend & save us w/o thinking about being rewarded or even appreciated. Let's face it -- before 9/11, how many of us would approach a member of these professions to say thanks - good job? Not many, certainly not enough I'm afraid.
I can see J-150's point though - the wearing of the FDNY hats has been a bit overdone. Don't forget - they weren't the only ones who lost their lives that day! It seems that maybe because they lost the greatest # of members that they're being focused on. They are getting a statue & I think that's AWESOME - the raising of our flag deserves to be imortalized, just as Iwo Jima was. It's the right thing to do!
Instead of just FDNY hats, I'd rather see a hat simply saying 9/11/01. That way ALL the people who died that day are honored. I grew up in NYC but don't forget - it wasn't JUST NYC that was attacked! What about the poor souls in the PA crash & the Pentagon? Is anyone wearing military hats for them? What about hats w/the flight # from PA? It's only fair that any honor & respect be paid to ALL victims of that day. I sincerely doubt that the FDNY would mind! Their selflessness is apparent - their sacrifice is etched in history & they will be respected always - hats or no hats. That's my take on this.