International Firefighters’ Day is observed each year on 4th May. On 4th January of that year, a tragic wildfire claimed the lives of five firefighters in Australia. Soon after the event, a firefighter named JJ Edmondson sent an email to his colleagues calling for an international holiday that would honor the sacrifices and triumphs of firefighters everywhere. On 4th May people all over the world celebrates the first International Firefighters Day.
Firefighters dedicate their lives to the protection of life and property. Sometimes that dedication is in the form of countless hours volunteered over many years, in others it is many selfless years working in the industry. Fire prevention and the need for more intensive and thorough training is one of the main aspects of International Fire Fighters Day. Our firefighters continue to work quietly holding out hope that we as a community should recognize them and come to their side when that is needed. Their job is among the riskiest one may have come across, but the fire fighters continue to perform their duties day after day without receiving their due accolades.
Vinod C. Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
