OPINION: Firefighters, Others With Dangerous Jobs Are Special, Courageous

Jun 21, 04:12 AM

Current Headlines: By Warren Bolton, The State, Columbia, S.C.

Jun. 21--The tragic deaths of nine Charleston firefighters reminded me of a car fire a friend and I witnessed while eating at Ruby Tuesday's on Devine Street recently.

It doesn't compare, in terms of the level of danger, to the Charleston warehouse fire. But watching the car fire made me realize how brave and selfless firefighters are.

As my friend and I sat eating, a restaurant employee passed by and pointed out that a car at a convenience store across the street was smoking. Initially, we didn't pay a lot of attention. We thought someone's car had overheated. But minutes later, the smoke had gotten thicker. Flames shot up from under the hood. Customers who had stopped for gas or other items raced out of the store, jumped into their cars and sped off.

People in the restaurant wondered aloud whether the fire would cause gas pumps to blow.

That's when a police officer drove up, followed by a fire truck. As soon as the fire truck hit the store parking lot, firefighters leaped off, grabbed a hose and hustled it into position, close to the car. It seemed like forever before water gushed from the hose and began to douse the flames.

In minutes, the fire was under control. Just watching had my heart pumping fast. I wondered if the firefighters feared for their safety as they confronted the blazing vehicle, which was entirely engulfed. The car's windows melted from the heat.

I turned to my friend and told him I admired firefighters and emergency workers because they routinely put their lives on the line for the rest of us. While the natural human tendency is to flee, save yourself, these brave men and women have signed up to run to the fire. They're special people.

Another friend who is a firefighter later told me there likely wasn't any chance of the car's gas tank exploding. And the store's gas pumps probably had been shut down, he said.

But who knows what might go wrong in an emergency?

Chances are the nine firefighters who perished in the furniture warehouse fire in Charleston didn't think it was their day. Collectively, they had well over 100 years of experience fighting fires.

At one point, after they got employees out safely, it might have seemed Monday's fire, though dangerous and damaging, would turn out far better than it did. But the roof collapsed suddenly, trapping and killing nine firefighters. It was the nation's worst disaster for firefighters since the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Monday's fire also was the deadliest in South Carolina since 11 people died in a blaze at the Lancaster County jail in 1979.

Unfortunately, as prepared and well-trained as firefighters may be, sometimes things go wrong and they find themselves reclaiming fallen comrades from the aftermath of a disaster. That's the sad position Charleston found itself in on Monday.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley called the firefighters heroes for their extraordinary service and effort. "Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters of the city of Charleston have perished fighting fire in a most courageous and fearless manner, carrying out their duties," Mayor Riley said.

"This is a profession that we must never take for granted," the mayor said. "There's a fire raging and they go toward it."

Indeed. Firefighters exhibit uncommon courage, honor and determination despite facing extreme and difficult conditions. The 340 who were killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 rushed into crumbling buildings in an effort to save others.

Chances are there will be those, even among firefighters themselves, who might critique the Charleston tragedy, wondering whether there was some way to prevent the loss of life.

But this happened in a flash. It was no one's fault, but it's all of our loss.

Yes, these brave souls joined with full knowledge that this is a dangerous occupation. But it takes special people to willingly agree to risk their lives for the greater good. They certainly don't do it for the money. It's a call to serve; God wired them that way.

But while firefighters, like military personnel, police officers, prison guards and many other public servants who do dangerous jobs, know what the risks are, none of them go to work on a given day thinking "This is my day." And none of the rest of us look forward to a life being lost even if it's on our behalf.

But that's what happened at the Charleston warehouse. Those firefighters were responding to a call to serve and gave their lives in the line of duty.

We must remember these gallant men name by name -- Bradford Baity, Mike Benke, Melvin Champaign, James E. Drayton, Michael French, William Hutchinson, Mark Kelsey, Louis Mulkey and Brandon Thompson. We must keep their families in our thoughts and prayers.

And even while heralding those brave hearts that gave their lives in service, we must cherish those who will suit up today and in the days and years to come to protect life, limb and property.

Reach Mr. Bolton at (803) 771-8631 or wbolton@thestate.com [mailto:wbolton@thestate.com].

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