Good afternoon from the jumpseat on this special day in American history. The Fourth on July symbolizes our nation becoming a free country and we should all take the time to be thankful to the men and women who serve to protect this freedom.
Also during this special day in American history we should take the time to honor the people who protect us everyday from emergencies in our communities. The fire service doesn’t take holidays off; neither do the emergencies.
So many of you will be spending this day not by the pool or with your families, but rather honoring the tradition of Independence Day by protecting your communities so others can enjoy the celebration.
From small town to downtown the American Fire Service stands ready with our red trucks and blue uniforms prepared to handle any type of situation that may come. It’s our job to remember these folks as we celebrate a free nation on the Fourth of July.
Let’s honor America today with fireworks, cookouts, and a huge thank you to every man and woman around the world who has answered the call to serve. From the armed forces to the fire service we all can enjoy freedom because of your service.
Happy Fourth of July everyone, be safe!!
Ryan Pennington
RYAN PENNINGTON is a 22-year veteran of fire/EMS. He currently serves as a captain/paramedic with the Charleston, WV, Fire Department, where he has served for the past 12 years. Pennington has lectured and trained thousands of firefighters across the United States and internationally at conferences, including Firehouse Expo and Firehouse World, and has been published in many fire service publications.
