Firefighter's wife - This job is about caring for others

To the editor:

I have read many comments lately regarding the Cape Girardeau Fire Department. My husband is a firefighter. Firefighters not only put fires out, they help anyone who calls 911 with a medical need. They also keep all of the equipment in good working order. They clean the tools and the trucks. They spend many hours in training and preparing for an emergency. They also teach the public, mostly schoolchildren, about fire safety.

The most important job a firefighter does is on the spur of the moment. They go into a blazing fire wearing 30 pounds of gear and carrying a 40-pound air tank on their backs to save someone trapped inside or to save as much of someone's house as possible. Hours later, when it's all over, they pack up and clean up the equipment and trucks.

My husband became a firefighter to help others. Along with so many others, he is constantly working and learning to find better and safer ways to do his job. When he gets off his shift, he becomes a volunteer firefighter in one of the area fire departments. Just like his father and grandfather, this is not just a job. It's a way of life.

There is a certificate on my living-room wall reminding me what my husband's true job is. One day he went into a burning house and pulled out a man who was not breathing and helped save his life. All firefighters know this is their duty.

PAMELA ALLEN

Cape Girardeau