A little about this photo…this image has decades of experience by dedicated WPFD volunteers at a recent structure fire. The significance is that the two old guys Nathan and Phil, are career firefighters with lots of experience and a young officer, Josh on the right, gives it his all to be a better firefight and junior leader at his station.

Each of them are working for free, for you, and taking necessary risks to protect lives and save property. They use those skills working for their neighbors in the community they live in and we can’t do what is needed without guys (and gals) like them. Do you also donate your professional skills pro Bono, when you get home at the end of a long day at the office or your job? They sure do.

Because of their professional schedules, rarely are all three of these guys on the same fire at the same time. Another career guy not pictured was in the call too but wasn’t near by when the photo was taken.

We never celebrate the damage or loss that our neighbors face on a devastating wreck or fire. But a photo of the job, our work, our temporary office can indicate the monumental scale of the task and effort.It is part of the story we try to share.

You might notice not much smiling (ok, Nathan on the left has a slight grin from tired delirium or habit for a photo, but it isn’t a smile) here after 5 hours of fighting a flame-throwing dragon while attempting to save as much of a home or property as possible. They are tired and grateful to save as much of the home as they can. We are all grateful.

This photo captures just a few of our warriors at the end of a battle, not trophy hunters at the end of a hunt. They are seeking success at their assignment, not glory.