Firefighters: They're always around if you need them, but are hardly thought of otherwise.
That was until the day that changed Americans' outlooks on a lot of things, when on Sept. 11 the unnoticed heroes attracted a spotlight of attention. Finally, their work, not only in New York, but on a smaller scale all around the country, became more appreciated by everyone.
"We always have a lot of pride and tradition and 343 men and women in New York showed people this is what we do. We go into buildings knowing they're going to come down on our heads. They weren't stupid. They knew they were coming down and they did it anyway," said Thomas Stauffer, volunteer firefighter and paramedic with the Berwyn Fire Company.
"We have pride in their sacrifice. That's our job. That's what we do, manage situations people aren't equipped to manage," he said.
It may not be burning towers holding thousands of people, but on a day-to-day basis, firefighters around the country risk their lives to save others.
In Chester County, most firefighters are volunteers who take their free time to do a service to the community.
"We're unpaid, but we're still bonded together as firefighters," said Captain Mike McCarthy of the Fame Fire Company.
"We're low-key, blue-collar guys who all have jobs and families, but it's something we enjoy doing," Stauffer said.
"I'm modest, we're not in it for the glory. We love what we do and that's why we do it," he said.
"Fame Fire Company was here 163 years before Sept. 11 and will probably be (here) another 163 years after Sept. 11," said John Stout, president of Fame Fire Company.
Jack Trego, an emergency medical technician with Brandywine who volunteers to ride the trucks with Martin's Corner Fire Company, agreed. "We've been here for many years. A tragedy shouldn't make people feel they suddenly should recognize us."
"It felt good having people recognizing us. We'd go into the middle of town and college kids would give us the thumbs up and it feels pretty good," Stout said.
"We've always been here, now it's a little more prevalent," said Fire Chief David Bottomley of Longwood Fire Company.
"We're out to help the community, I don't think of it as being a hero at all," Trego said.
Many of the local companies have also gotten some new invites to community related events as well.
"It's more demand on time of fire companies, for events people are holding who want the fire company there to recognize their services," Bottomley said.
"It's nice to be recognized and now we're starting to get the financial support the fire service needs," Stauffer said.
"Our donations increased with the local and national governments trying to get more money for things we require," he said.
McCarthy said he noticed a few extra donations in the mail immediately after Sept. 11 as well.
With banquets and letter drives as the sole source of income for many of the volunteer companies, the extra money was well needed.
But aside from the added occasional public appearances, extra checks, cakes and cookies found at their doors, local firefighters have not noticed near the overwhelming attention New York City departments have received.
In Lower Manhattan, when a fire company responds near Ground Zero, firefighters have to stop on the way back to sign autographs and work the crowd, said firefighter Tommy Narducci, a member of Engine 10.
"Anytime we're near the rig, forget it," he said. "It's photography central."
John Hemsley was tired of being a hero.
He spent his vacation in Myrtle Beach, S.C., trying to hide. Hemsley dodged questions about what he did for a living and wore no paraphernalia associated with his work.
"I spent my week trying to be incognito," Hemsley said.
As a New York Fire Department captain in an Upper East Side firehouse that lost nine men in the attacks, Hemsley was thrusted into the strange limelight of the post-Sept. 11 world, in which ordinary men suddenly became icons.
He's done a high school graduation, a grammar school moving-up ceremony, multiple church groups and too many benefit dinners to count. He's signed autographs, posed for pictures and given hugs. He's polished and re-polished his speech, thanking the public and praising the American spirit.
"I felt an obligation to do it," he said. "But it was still overwhelming."
He said by the time summer arrived, "I was barely limping across the finish line."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
