Public Safety Insights Newsletter: Thank You for Your Service

Thank You for Your Service
Public Safety Insight:	Public safety professionals have a special place in the hearts of those you assist, even though you often don’t get to hear from those people personally.

Public safety professionals often don’t know what happens to a person or family after they leave the scene of an incident. While they deal with people who are experiencing the initial emotions and shock of a traumatic event, they aren’t there to observe what happens next. As a Red Cross volunteer Disaster Action Team leader, I do get to witness the aftermath, and I’d like to share my experience with you.  

The first call for what would become a three-alarm fire came in at 3:35 a.m. on Thanksgiving day. By the time our Red Cross team arrived on the scene of this condo fire to assist displaced residents, the fire department was in the process of red-tagging thirteen units. People were in shock. Yet as we worked with the affected families, I heard over and over again expressions like, "We’ve been so blessed" and "Thank God for those firefighters." That outpouring of gratitude was not unique to this incident. Once people work through the initial shock of their loss and begin to deal with their new reality, they see the world through a new perspective – one that includes an enormous amount of gratitude for the first responders who came to their assistance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a family displaced by fire say, "I wish I had been able to thank those firefighters." There was the little girl who was so grateful for the firefighters who saved her puppy from the fire the day before her 11th birthday. There are many who are grateful that the damage was confined to the room of origin, making their recovery so much easier. There are those who are grateful for the kindness shown them, such as when firefighters help board up their homes, or call the Red Cross to assist them when they don’t know where to turn.

On behalf of all those grateful recipients of your services, I’d like to pass along their heartfelt thanks for your service – not just for being there for them on the worst day of their lives, but also for demonstrating such high levels of professionalism, compassion, and caring. You always have a special place in their hearts, even if you don’t get to hear it personally.

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To find articles and resources that may be of value to you, I invite you to visit my web site at www.PublicSafetyInsights.net.

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©2014 Pat Lynch | Public Safety Insights