Finding A Way To Say Thanks To Our First Responders

According to the National Day Calendar,  today, October 28th is National First Responders Day. It's a day to honor the men and women who act quickly when an emergency is at hand. In 2019, the United States Senate passed a resolution designating October 28th as National First Responders Day to honor the men and women putting their lives on the line.

As the calendar background puts it..."First responders dedicate their lives to saving lives. They are the people who run toward a crisis while the rest of the world flees.  The Department of Homeland Security says 4.6 million career and volunteer first responders support the communities where they live. They are firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians (EMT), paramedics, and 911 operators. In an emergency, they’re the first on the scene. These dedicated professionals answer the call when a crisis arises, often putting their own lives on the line."

My Families First Responder

My oldest daughter Sarah (she has the "H", my wife Sara doesn't) married a man whose dad was a Pierce County deputy.  That planted the seed in young Justin's mind that he wanted to go into law enforcement someday... and he did.  He walked the straight and narrow path through high school to keep a clean record for the future, which was great for Sarah who is a couple of years older than he is.  They started dating in high school and she had to behave because he did!   He became a Washington State Highway Patrolman and now at 35ish, he is the head of detectives in the WSP Vancouver, WA area.  He is such a good man, strong and strong of character, great attitude and personality.  He is the kind of man every father wishes would marry his precious daughter.  He has my total respect as a husband, father, and first responder.

The First Responder Day is meant for guys like Justin Maier.

"We pay tribute to their endless hours and around-the-clock service provided to their communities. As one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, the day also pays tribute to the fallen first responders.  Often, the very people saving lives are our neighbors, friends, and family members. And their families know the price they pay for their dedication to the job. And even though they are an integral part of our communities, their sacrifices go beyond the hours they work. They face high stress, often daily. The trauma they see wears on them both mentally and physically"

The King of Country Music Appreciates The First Responders

Country music superstar George Strait gets it. He wrote about it and recorded a tribute song to law enforcement officers with “The Weight of the Badge,” a song from his new album, Honky Tonk Time Machine. He wrote the song after an encounter with an officer during the ceremony honoring him with the Texan of the Year Award.

Strait says " And I just got to thinking about that (badge) because it really wasn’t that heavy until you put it on it and then it means, it really gets heavy...So, that was one of those things I thought was a really important message,  especially these days and times.”
Watching our backs, facing our fears
Lord knows it ain't no easy task
Keeping us safe under the weight of the badge                                                              He swore that oath to protect and serve