COMMENTARY | While on the way home, an ambulance passed with lights flashing, there was an accident ahead. One car had the front damaged but another was completely overturned. Fortunately no serious injuries occurred this time, it seems everyone got to go home alive. Not only is this accident a matter to report on, but I can recall last year where a new ambulance service was expected to come to Stillwater. Called Life Net, it was expected to surpass the older service by meeting budget cuts and updated services. At first there were some problems, all said to have been worked out by now. This happens when something new is started, it takes time to adjust and develop to meet all things. Recent indications are much better reports, but this accident reminded me of the need to have such services on call. So when the next budget cuts come around will anyone of use remember them then?
Stillwater, like all communities, has it share of problems so we need those in our community who will offer help. Home to the International Firefighters training school is but one example of such existence here. With so many people around to offer this aid we feel very safe, maybe that is why accidents happen so much. Feeling safe we are willing to take risk, knowing if something happens we can count on others to help us out. The training the emergency services personal go through is to develop standards and means to meet those needs. Because when anyone of us has messed up we want the best to help, not the second best.
But we also complain about these services easily enough when it comes to budget cuts. Forgetting easily the reason we have need of them to begin with, just to insure cuts are gained for other services. Our focus changes as the times and situations around us change, we believe so strongly in those services personal still being there when we need them. Yet they too have needs, the right to lives and protections for their families as well. To help in our mistakes, takes such courage and develops heroes of those who do. But it also means they must risk for us, thereby deserving a life of their own if anyone one of does. So even when our focus has changed, we need to remember those who came in our hour of need and deserve the same respect.
Some say they are only there after the events take place, suggesting such services should be there beforehand. But unless one has a wee-gee board or a crystal ball to predict such how would they know beforehand? No…we can not have them standing over our shoulders 24/7. The police, firemen, and medical personal cannot be watching us every day all day long. This would limit our freedoms, taking away our rights to make free choices. Nor would any of us like the lack of privacy such would leave in our lives. So the only way we can gain help from them is when we call, they know we need them and come. It is certain our focus will change after such, directing our attention to other matters in life. But they rarely make demands on us; instead they become the heroes of our lives every day.