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Letters: In praise of firefighters

By Staff | Jul 31, 2002

I first want to commend the Klinkenbergs for their fast action in saving the life of one of their neighbors.

All too often we read and hear about people looking the other way and not acting when something is wrong.

That is what the cops and firefighters get paid for to handle any of the emergencies that may arise during our lives.

Whenever an emergency arises all we have to do is pick up the phone and dial 911. In a matter of minutes an officer will be at your door most likely followed by the paramedics and EMTs of Leavenworth County EMS.

If needed the firefighters from the local fire department will respond to help alleviate the emergency.

Oh and by the way did I mention that about 95 percent of the firefighters in Leavenworth County are volunteers.

Yes that is right: volunteers.

These people get not one dime for coming into your life and helping you and other citizens in the county with any and all types of emergencies that arise. The deputies and the paramedics and EMT’s get paid for coming into your life to help you during an emergency. They get paid to attend training to be better prepared to help.

The firefighter who arrives to help in an emergency has paid out of his/her own pocket to attend training to be prepared.

I have been a volunteer firefighter is this county since 1996.

All too often when a newsworthy item comes along the volunteer firefighter is most of the time forgotten. We give praise to officers for pulling drunken drivers off our streets in the county. We give praise to EMS for giving life back to a loved one. We hardly remember the firefighters.

I commend your paper for doing the story on the Reno Township Fire Department. In this county we have 10 volunteer fire departments. In these 10 volunteer fire departments we have specialized rescue teams also. These firefighters also respond to be weather spotters when needed.

Thank you to all volunteer firefighters in Leavenworth County for giving so freely of their time and lives to help out their neighbors.