One Person's Memory

My family used to be very involved in the fire and rescue department in our small town. Mom was in the first class of women EMT’s in the county. I was for a while the youngest EMT in the county. Dad became Chief for a couple of years and my sis and her husband are still active in a small town down the road. We had assigned nights to answer calls so that not everyone on the squad would show up and cause a bigger mess than was already there. I can’t ever remember being on the scene and working with either of my parents. Not sure why but it just worked out that way. Mom and dad have gone thru some health issues the past few years and we have called for the rescue squad a couple times and it can be somewhat of a reunion. It is nice to know your loved ones are in good hands. I was at Lowes and ran into an old squad mate that was on call with me for a couple years. He asked about mom and dad because he had been on one of the calls to their house. I assured him they were doing pretty well and thanked him again for their service. He said that’s what they are here for and related a story I had never heard.
They had responded to an accident where a large truck had lost control and overturned, pinning a woman in her car. They did not have the equipment to raise the truck enough to extract her so they called in a crane and rigging company. The woman was not seriously injured but was panicking and it would be a while before the riggers arrived. My friend said dad lay on the cold ground and held the woman’s hand while praying with her for an hour until the equipment arrived and she was removed from the wreckage.
I was touched to hear that is what someone’s memory of my dad is. That’s the kind of folk mom and dad are as well as those that continue to volunteer lots of hours to help us in our time of need, at any time, in any weather. Thanks to all those who answer that call.