May 1 – “That’s a lot of stressors”

It was a very early morning call.  Actually, the call for the ones who mattered came much earlier still.  Mine was not until around 4:30 a.m.  The fire chief was letting me know about a particularly tough call our guys had to make around 2:30 a.m.  It was difficult in numerous ways.  Every structure fire has its challenges, of course.  But this one involved the family of two of our fire fighters.  Always tougher when it’s someone you know.  It also involved children.  And two fatalities.  That’s a lot of stressors for our fire fighters to handle.  Our crews once again did everything they could, and they did it admirably, I might add.  I was, and am, more than proud of this group of young heroes.  They will be working through this one for a long time, though.  Please keep praying for all these families.

 

Around 11 (felt like much later), we loaded up our car and headed for … Jamaica Beach.  Yeah, I know.  Doesn’t sound like the romantic adventure you expected, does it?  Well, give me a minute.  First, we were heading to lunch.  A group called Tailgate with a Hero was providing a barbecue lunch for all the Galveston area first responders and their families.  The group usually feeds just vets, but this was their first excursion into the first responder world.  Two of the crews from Galveston Fire Department came, as did several of the Jamaica Beach volunteer guys.  I also saw several vets wearing their respective service hats.  We all enjoyed the meal greatly.  Thanks so much to all the folks who put it together.

 

After we ate, we hit the road … finally.  Right around 1:23 p.m. we were turning onto I45, about to leave the Island.  Goal for the night?  Biloxi, Mississippi.  That meant six and a half or seven long hours of driving.  Chris proved up to the task, though.  She hung in there all the way until it got dark.  Then I took over and finished the route on into the hotel.  I still had my FD uniform on, and as I was returning to the car to get our luggage, a random guy in the parking lot stopped me and asked if I was really with the Galveston Fire Department.  Come to find out, he lives in Galveston, too.  Small world.

 

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

 

Father, please watch over the Jones family.  Walk with them through the seemingly impossible days they face.  Surround them with your love, and with the care of family and friends.  Amen.