First Responders, get to know them!

Do you ever think about the people who answer emergency calls, the ones that you see by the side of the road tending to victims of a car accident. Lights flashing, traffic being redirected, we’ve all seen the uniform, but who are those people? Maybe the Naples Police Department, thank them next time you see them. Ever watch a fire truck in transit to a rescue, and are dumbfounded when vehicles in front of the truck won’t get out and stay out of the way?  It’s a puzzle to me as well. City of Naples Fire and Rescue on their way to a fire or medical emergency, it doesn’t matter, it’s all to save a life. Faceless people, just doing their job. Most of the time little thought is given to First Responders until the need is personal, then looking at the person in uniform and actually “seeing them” means everything.  

This time of year we start the traditional “getting ready” for season. We are making our plans to attend Charity events, and special gatherings of friends and family. By November our calendars are nearly full until Easter with Lunches, Brunches, Fashion shows, Fundraisers and especially those where you raise you bidder cards high and often. Halloween runs into Thanksgiving, then the Christmas rush and Hanukkah celebrations, and WOW it’s New Years Eve. 

This year as we blaze through the next few months, take some time to think about those faceless people that we take for granted. The First Responders who have chosen to place the value of other people’s lives before their own.  Who are they? Well for starters they are your neighbors, someone’s son or beloved daughter, parents and grandparents, they are US!  Most of all they are the voice of reason when we’re in panic mode, the never failing action figure that jumps when you need them most. Have you ever placed a 911 call and doubted that someone would respond to your plea, of course not. Given much thought to how safe our County is, probably not, but now that your reminded, thank the Collier County Sheriffs Office. Because they worry, you don’t have to. 

As we prepare over the next few months to think about others, take a minute to think about these everyday heroes. Thank them, don’t be shy, write notes of thanks, drop them off at their stations, it’s encouraging to be appreciated. Take some cookies, a pie or a cake to one of their stations, tell them how awesome their service is, work that most of us would not be willing to tackle. Make today your day of gratitude, be a blessing.