Value of Support

[mrsdragnfly]

Auxiliary workers are undervalued in general beacuse our work is not as seen as important next to the emergency service worker. We do not save the lives or property of people. We do offer support to the Firefighter, the EMT and even the cadets. We raise money for uniforms,lobby for the safety fair to educate the children and adults of the community, help the churches, run the weekly or awards dinner, make sure the residents are kept"fed",craft or quilt for the hospitals, raise money for the burn units,hold fundraisers to get the Emergency Workers the extra things(that the budget never funds),we feed the guys on the line,learn everyone's name and offer a sense of comfort when there's no one else there. Those that can not see the value of the Auxiliary-you have not noticed what we do. We don't ask for thanks just a value in the lives of those we touch.

[F52Westside]

Our dept. does not have an organized auxillary. Those of us who have been around awhile do value the support of some of the F/F's wives who have supported us. We have had wives show up on the 3 am working fires making coffee and setting up drinks and getting food. They were there in the snowstorms and cold for us. When one was taken from us, the dept. as well as neighboring depts. turned out to pay tribute.

More and more the Red cross and Salvation Army are also there for us and the residents who need them.

Believe me there are many who really do value the people who help us keep others safe. Some take it for granted, even myself at times.