Knowing Your Local Fire Station
“Firefighters don’t go into burning buildings because they want to; they do it because someone has to. They are the everyday heroes who never ask for recognition, but deserve it.”
Practice
Know Your Fire Station – Locate the closest firehouse to your home. You may already walk or drive past it regularly.
Walk In – Stop by with a smile, share your name, and ask their names.
Express Gratitude – Bake cookies or bread, and include a handwritten thank you.
Sirens as Bells to Pray – When you hear sirens, pray for those who are responding.
There is a high probability that on your commute to work, taking children to school, or going to the grocery, you pass a place dedicated to the safety of your neighborhood. It is the local fire station. Their very existence, tall doors rolled open and trucks parked neatly inside, offers a sense of stability in a community. A way to love your neighbors and neighborhood is to know not only the location, but the names of the men and women whose work is providing that sense of safety every day.
A fire station’s role extends far beyond fighting fires. Crews respond to medical emergencies, hazardous spills, car accidents, and natural disasters. They provide fire safety inspections and teach fire prevention at neighborhood schools. In many ways, the local fire station is a neighborhood’s safety net. It stands as a steady presence—a reminder that safety, service, and sacrifice is the job description for those who serve as first responders. Your connectedness to place deepens when you know the names of the people who are responding to emergencies. A fire truck passing with sirens blaring and lights flashing cannot go unnoticed when you know the names of the men and women inside the truck.
Mark Nord retired from the Denver Fire Department after 35 years. With a warmth in his voice, he shared how much he and those at the station appreciated when people would stop by to express their gratitude for their work. Often, it was an individual or family they had served in some way. But on rare occasions, neighbors would walk in with homemade cookies or freshly baked bread, with handwritten notes to simply express gratitude for their presence in the community. Mark commented on how often those initial acts of thankfulness would begin a friendship between the fire station and the families.
In a moment where so much of society can feel polarized, choosing to connect with your local fire station is a reminder that community safety is a shared responsibility. First responders and firefighters are acknowledged for heroic actions. The practice of knowing those who work in your local fire station cultivates gratitude for those who provide safety for your neighborhood every day. This week, take a short walk or drive to your fire station. Walk in, say hello, and offer a thank-you in some way. When you hear the sirens sound, you’ll know the names behind those showing selfless bravery in your neighborhood.
Thank you to Mark Nord and Tom Willard for their contribution to the article and their years of selfless and sacrificial service with Denver Fire and Thornton Fire.
