|
An Ice Sculpture... a Tribute to 9-11
|
Fireman Prayer
|
|
God, when I am called to duty,
Whenever flames may rage;
Give me strength to save some life,
Whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person
From the horror of that fate
Enable me to be alert
And hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out
I want to fill my calling
And to give the best in me
To guard my every neighbor
And protect his property.
And if, according to my fate,
I am to lose my life,
Please bless with your protecting
My children and my wife
- Author Unknown
|
"Funny thing about firemen, night and day they're always firemen." Firefighter Movie quote from "Backdraft."
|
Courage from a Firefighter's point of view...
|
|
Very few people get the opportunity and privilege to have an impact. I like to think that each day I do my job in some small way I have changed something for the better. It doesn't need to be anything huge; when I was six it was as simple as getting my cat from the top of a tree. What equated to moments out of a normal day for this man became something extraordinary to me.
Now that I've become what I admired, I've had to learn to deal with situations that are both unexpected and difficult. There have been times when I've seen something so powerful the tears begin to fall before the emotion even registers. It's during those times that I fall back on memories. The difficult experiences in my life make every other moment better than it would have been otherwise.
Why do I do what I do? Because I need to find the moments that change the places and lives around me, and more importantly the moments that change me. It's what I live for. The desire to walk through each day with that ultimate goal in mind is the only fire that burns forever.
Courtesy of the Foundation for a Better Life
|
WHAT IS A FIREMAN?
|
He's the guy next door - a man's man with the memory of a little boy.
He has never gotten over the excitement of engines and sirens and danger.
He's a guy like you and me with warts and worries and unfulfilled dreams.
Yet he stands taller than most of us.
He's a fireman.
He puts it all on the line when the bell rings.
A fireman is at once the most fortunate and the least fortunate of men.
He's a man who saves lives because he has seen too much death.
He's a gentle man because he has seen the awesome
power of violence out of control.
He's responsive to a child's laughter because his arms have held
too many small bodies that will never laugh again.
He's a man who appreciates the simple pleasures of life -
hot coffee held in numb, unbending fingers - a warm bed for bone
and muscle compelled beyond feeling - the camaraderie of brave men -
the divine peace and selfless service of a job well done in the name of all men.
He doesn't wear buttons or wave flags or shout obscenities.
When he marches, it is to honor a fallen comrade.
He doesn't preach the brotherhood of man.
He lives it.
|
Courage
|
Saint Florian
|
|
Patronage
Against battles, against fire, Austria, barrel-makers, brewers, chimney sweeps, coopers, drowning, fire prevention, firefighters, floods, harvests, Linz Austria, Poland and soap-boilers.
Profile
Saint Florian was a 3rd century officer in Roman army stationed in modern Austria. He was a Military administrator of the town of Noricum, and a closet Christian. Said to have stopped a town from burning by throwing a single bucket of water on the blaze, and thus his association with firefighters and those who protect us from fire, including chimney sweeps. When ordered to execute a group of Christians during the persecutions of Diocletian, he refused, and professed his own faith. Martyr.
Representation
Young man, sometimes in armor, sometimes unarmed, pouring water from a tub on a burning church; with a palm in his hand and a burning torch under his feet; bearded warrior with a lance and tub; classical warrior leaning on a millstone, pouring water on a fire; boy with a millstone; on a journey with a hat and staff; beaten; thrown into a river with a millstone around his neck; lying dead on a millstone guarded by an eagle; with a sword.
Died
c.304; scourged, flayed alive, a stone tied to his neck, and dumped into a river; body later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch; relics translated to Rome in 1138; part of the relics given to King Casmir of Poland and the bishop of Cracow by Pope Lucius III, which led to Florian's patronage of Poland and Upper Austria.
Memorial: 4 May
|
|
|
It has been a real pleasure sharing some of my love of Panama
as I remember it. I also remember the great firefighters I had the pleasure to me.Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts, and We are never, ever the same. I honestly feel that firefighters are a bit like that... Feel free to check out other pages.....you'll be glad you did! So take care and drop by again. We will all be here, God willing. Hasta la Vista.... See you on the flip side.
|
Photo Credits: Author,Bill Fall, NYFD Files, CZ & PCC Archives and US Navy Archives
|
Escape To My Panama...
|
Yes! Let's do it now ...escape to my Panama at the crossroads of world commerce in the heart of the universe...Let the magic begin.
|
|
|
 |
|
Sing and rejoice, tra-la-la, for fortune is smiling upon you!
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |