First responders

When you read the phrase First Responders, what comes to mind?

Many of us will think of TV shows such as the Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med. Those shows depict first responders who are providing aid to people who are in trouble. First responders are the police officers, fire fighters, and paramedics who respond to 911 dispatch calls on the radio. We call 911 when our lives or the lives of friends or loved ones are in danger. More times than not 911 calls can be about life or death situations.

Unlike TV shows that depict first responders responding to emergencies the real-life first responders that come to our aid are faced with situations that most of us could not fathom. Unless you have worked as a first responder in real life you have no idea the things that the men and women of law enforcement or the other public agencies that respond to life-or-death situations is truly like.

In real life you see humanity at its best and at its worst. More times than not when you witness humanity working as it should sometimes that is not what you are responding to. When someone dials 911 they are in a crisis that requires the assistance of professional first responders. It can be anything from the neighbors kitten being stuck in a tree to an active shooter event in your local mall.

The focus of this article is to highlight the importance of first responders as a profession and to appreciate the work that they do day in and day out. The other thing I want to bring into focus is the fact that YOU are your…