Thanksgiving is the time of year when families gather to celebrate life and take stock of what they are most grateful for.
We suggest reserving a spot in your prayers for our volunteer firefighters, who we refer to as the ultimate volunteers.
Many families are together this past weekend in large part to the vigilance of our first responders.
And with the exception of Town of Westlock fire chief Stuart Koflick and Westlock County protective services manager John Biro, every man and woman who drops what they’re doing to answer a fire call is a volunteer — check out our Fire Prevention Week Section starting on Page 11 of this week’s edition to put names to the faces of these volunteers.
They have no way of knowing what they will face when they reach a scene. All they know as they scramble to get their gear on and get out of the fire hall is that they’re heading to an emergency.
And no matter the time of day — be it the early hours of the morning, or in the middle of supper — these brave men and women charge head first into the face of danger without question, or complaint.
And they’re always looking for ways to improve the service they provide.
In the last year, the Westlock News has reported on several new initiatives organized by our local fire departments, including training in administering Naloxone to combat the opioid crisis and in animal resuscitation.
Even with a full plate, many go the extra mile, taking the time to help collect donations for the food bank, running marathons in full equipment to raise money for charity and even taking the time to let students play in the water at the end of a school year.
Certainly, any form of volunteering is a noble effort.
But coaches, or board members rarely find themselves in the face of danger and if they do, it’s the fire department that comes calling.
So when you count your blessings, remember our firefighters.
