There are plenty of people who help make communities safe places, where everyone can live and thrive. There are EMT and medical professionals who treat you when you’re sick, and county clerks that keep everything in line. And alongside them are firefighters who brave some of the most dangerous situations anyone can imagine, just to rescue people.
Firefighter appreciation should be intrinsic — who wouldn’t appreciate someone who literally walks through fire to save them? Yet, sometimes communities want to do something to remind firefighters how important they are. Finding the appropriate way to express your appreciation can seem challenging, though.
Appreciating someone is never easy. Finding the right way to do it can feel like walking through fire. Yet, just like how it’s always worth it to firefighters to brave the flames to rescue people, so should you. They’re cornerstones of any community, and they are the people who deserve our support.
And to learn the best ways to support firefighters, just keep reading below!
Go to Firehouse Events for Fun and Friendship
Most firehouses host community events during which the community can come together to enjoy some barbeque food and make memories together. They’re a time when you can express just how much you appreciate all the things firefighters do. And all it takes is for you to show up at an event.
When people show up at an event, firefighters can see for themselves exactly what all their work is for. They can put a face on the community through the people they meet at community events, which will help them remember what they face the flames for.
Most of all, by going to firehouse events, you’ll put a face on the firefighters who protect your community. By being able to put a face on them, you’ll feel more connected to your community as a whole and will know exactly who is at the frontlines of danger.
Free Food and Training Isn’t Something to Pass Up
Firehouse events aren’t meant to just be opportunities to meet firefighters. They’re designed to be fun gatherings where families can come together to share good fun and experiences. Most events feature games that would be commonly found at any community gathering, like horseshoe or cornhole.
Yet, they can also be educational. The firefighters there may recognize an opportunity to teach people about fire safety, and you may have a chance to learn how to stay safe in a fire. You may even get to see firefighters put out controlled fires, which is always a bright moment of the day!
Firefighter Appreciation Starts With You
Firefighters are the unsung heroes of every community; they don’t receive nearly as much recognition as other emergency services. Police even have their own flag that people casually fly to express their support of police, among other things. What do firefighters have?
The answer is simple: they have you. Firefighter appreciation begins when you take the lessons they teach to heart. When they show you how to prevent fires and how to stay safe during one, you should try to commit that knowledge to memory. To firefighters, they don’t really want gifts or recognition; it’s more important that you stay safe.
Most of all, you can appreciate firefighters by learning their most important lesson of all. Firefighters are the ones who brave danger and death to be there when people need them. While you may not need to brave something as dangerous as fire, you should always try to be there for people when they need you.
By taking lessons from firefighters to heart, you express a more genuine kind of support than any flag could ever represent.
Don’t Commercialize Your Appreciation — Just Express It
Most people’s appreciation of firefighters ends online. Once people post their support on social media, they usually forget about firefighters, and that isn’t really supporting them.
To compensate for social media’s inability to convey genuine appreciate, some people have taken to selling firefighter-themed merchandise. Some people may purchase flags that have firefighter logos, for example. Most of the time, these products come with a false narrative that displaying them is brave.
In reality, commercializing support for firefighters is a reminder that they aren’t genuinely valued. It’s a way of exploiting all that they do to make a quick profit, and so that consumers can enjoy a false sense of connection to firefighters. Just because you buy something with firefighter themes doesn’t mean you actually support them.
To genuinely show your support, you should try to genuinely connect with them. Treat them to a drink or a meal every now and then as a way to give back. That way, you’ll get to learn about them as people and understand why they do what they do.
Give Tokens of Your Appreciation to Friends
If you know a firefighter personally, it can be hard to show much you appreciate their service. Any measure of support can be seen as an appreciation of your friendship, rather than of their service. Letting them know that you appreciate their efforts as a firefighter specifically can be challenging.
Luckily, there are personal gifts you can give that highlight your appreciation for what they do for the community. Giving a firefighter challenge coin, for example, is a good way to demonstrate how much you care about the firefighter in your life. These personal gifts let them know they are more than just your friend or family.
They are a firefighter and as one, they’re one of the strongest assets of the community. And giving personal gifts with a firefighter theme will demonstrate that.
What Would Your Community Be Without Firefighters?
Without firefighters, there would be no one to come to you at your most desperate moments. When everything seems to fade into ash, they are there to pull you out of the fire and into safety. And with such an important role, it makes sense that communities should find ways to demonstrate firefighter appreciation.
Make sure to not let police or medical services get all the love for emergency services. They may not be as active, but when it’s time for them to take action, you know it’s serious! So make sure you show the firefighters around you that you cherish them.
All it takes is a few lifestyle changes to do that. And for tips on how to change your lifestyle to support firefighters more, just keep reading our blog.
