The last several weeks have been difficult for our communities, our state and our nation. Although bitter political fighting dominated headlines, our nation paused for a moment to remember all those who were killed or sacrificed their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Whether it was the president at ground zero or Lt. Gov. Brad Little in Idaho, we appreciate that our leaders recognize the sacrifices made by first responders and by the men and women of our armed forces.
It was a particularly special and bittersweet day for me. My three sons are veterans of the current conflict overseas, and one of them received a Purple Heart after being wounded in Afghanistan. Their commitment to this country fills me with pride, as well as hope that we will see more stability and resolution in the future to the terrible conflicts that have consumed so much of their lives.
As a firefighter for the city of Pocatello, each Sept. 11 brings pain and sadness as I remember the brothers and sisters we lost that day. The community of firefighters is a small one, and our unique work gives us many opportunities to meet folks from around the country. In 2002 I had the honor of traveling to New York City to participate in a special memorial service, and I will not forget meeting families who lost loved ones on that terrible day.
Like many first responders, it is not hard to find a connection to those who sacrificed their own lives that day, and we cannot forget their faces, their families and their eternal membership in our firefighter brotherhood.
I know that the people of Idaho share similar feelings. During the last few weeks, my fellow firefighters have relayed stories to me from around the state about the commitment all of you have to supporting your local firefighters. I know they appreciate that support, and count on it as they go about the technical, challenging and dangerous work of protecting us all.
I am also heartened by the stories I hear about events having nothing to do with 9/11. Whether it is legislators visiting their local fire station for a friendly lunch, principals inviting a crew to visit an elementary school or the city council recognizing heroic work by a young man or woman from their city department, there is more support than ever for Idaho firefighters.
As president of the Professional Firefighters of Idaho, it is a privilege to hear these stories and share the good work of my fellow firefighters. People call us a union, but we are so much more. The work we do and the way we do it is uniquely and critically bound to the people we work with.
When we rush into a burning home, it is critical that we know those around us are well-trained, that they have the right equipment and that they will put themselves on the line for anyone in the building. It is about trust, at the deepest and most basic level. And that trust is why we work so hard to help, support and watch out for one other. It is truly a brotherhood, of men and women alike.
That is why we are a union. We work together and with our communities to set standards of training, equipment and pay. We work together to keep petty politics out of the fire station. We work together to decide on the sacrifices we can make to help communities meet their economic challenges head-on in these tough times, whether that means agreeing to reductions in our own compensation, volunteering to paint the houses of the less fortunate or filling the boot for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
We are proud to be part of the communities where we live and work, and we always will be. We appreciate your support for the work that we do, and look forward to your help in protecting the public policies so critical to keeping Idaho safe.