
I can relate to these men and women who serve so faithfully in often deplorable conditions, when the rest of us are curled up by a fire or under blankets at home safe and warm, they are out in the elements day and night helping those who are stranded or injured and working to maintain and/or restore the power to our homes. I once worked as a paramedic and a volunteer firefighter and can remember many a frosty day crawling around in and under trashed cars and trucks to rescue someone who didn't have the sense to stay home. While in the Navy I participated in a mostly unsung role in providing the defense of our nation by providing the electrical and motive power for the ballistic missile submarine I was on so that the 'stars' of the show would be able to perform their roles if called upon. The missile techs, torpedo men and officers got all the press, but without the nuclear power plant and the men who ran and maintained it, their mission would have been impossible.
Whether paramedics, firefighters, police, or the folks who work to keep power to our homes, yes even those of the Department of Transportation who brined, salted & sanded, then plowed our roads to make a way for us to travel when we really should stay home; to all of you who served so ably and over looked I say a BIG thank you and God bless you for your efforts.