What would your reaction be?

You hear gunfire, do you run toward it? You see a house on fire, do you run into the building to look for survivors? You hear cries for help, do you run to their aid? For most people, the natural reaction is to hide, stand outside and watch or turn the other way.

The cop on the street or the firefighter on the job, their natural reaction is to go toward it. Investigate it and solve it. Why we do what we do is hard to explain. It's unnatural to seek out the woes of the world and look for a solution. It's unnatural to put ourselves in harms way. But that is exactly what we do, everyday.

We get up daily and do our routines. Feed the mutts. We shower and shave, or do our hair and get dressed just like everyone else. We kiss our kids, kiss our mates and off we go. That's where our day starts to differ from the average person. We suit up. We either put on our protective vests and uniforms or don our fire garb. We prepare for a day that may very well be our last. But, we do it because someone has to. We do it because we are called to do it.

We cry when our friends die in the line of duty. We rally around those that are injured or the families of those killed. We aid them financially, mow their lawns, get groceries, help raise kids and do the daily mundane tasks that are now monumental ordeals. What makes us do that? Would you be able or even willing to do that?

The next time you ask why a cop or firefighter does why he or she does the job, ask yourself what your reaction would be. Would you run toward the danger...?

'Til next month...

Anthony Arnold