Letter: Emergency workers’ job is a huge sacrifice

Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007 | 6:55 a.m.

As a wife of a Henderson firefighter/paramedic, I am alarmed that more people are not aware of how much of a personal sacrifice it is to serve the public. There are many holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and medical appointments that my husband has missed because he has been at work.

He and his co-workers risk their lives going on calls, including standing on the freeways cutting crash victims out of their cars, being present on scenes of shootings, going into drug houses, putting out house or car fires, and every time they race to a call with lights and sirens they are risking being hit by an unobservant or irresponsible driver.

Sometimes the crew doesn't sleep all night, sometimes they don't get to eat lunch or dinner, sometimes they don't get to see their families for three days. However, let us not forget all the lives they save every day.

Anyone who runs a successful business knows that for it to be profitable one must put in hard hours and personal sacrifice to receive the fruits of his labor. I ask anyone, what price would you pay to have your loved one with you on a special day? What value do you put on your irreplaceable personal items that could be lost in a house fire? What is the dollar amount of your husband, wife, mother, father, son, sister or friend's possibly dying to help or save someone else?

My husband and his co-workers love their jobs and helping others. Most of the public must be grateful, because of all the notes, cards, e-mails and letters his crew has received thanking them for their help. Making a good living is about personal sacrifice, commitment, hard work and long hours - it is not about welfare. And for most of us, work isn't about risking bodily harm, either.

Lori Turner, Henderson

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