Grateful

Once again I was hit today with how grateful I should be to fireman, first responders, police, EMT, etc. I am taking a 26 hour CERT course. It is a volunteer corps that goes into disaster areas and does the work that first responders shouldn't do so that they can do the work they are qualified to do. In other words, CERT personnel access areas, do triage, put out small fires, turn off electrical and gas sources, evacuate, do necessary medical aid to stabilize (different than first aid - we don't do CPR cuz if they need it, it is too late for us to help them). I hold the record for putting out a house fire in 6 seconds! We used a simulator on a video screen with a fire extinguisher; wearing the safety gear with buddy back-up! It was hard to understand what our first responders really see and experience. At one point I did. I had to declare a five year old girl dead while she still had a pulse. The tears came as I realized these guys do this every time there is a disaster. What they see and have to turn away from hurts. How much can the heart hold? My mother was an EMT. She was a woman of great compassion. I am grateful.