Twenty-four, seven

Making a Difference: A series of thoughts and reflections on living a life of purpose. First responders are there, every hour of every day, all year long. There is never a time when law enforcement personnel are not ready to “Protect and Serve.” Firefighters literally live at the station, prepared to respond at a moment’s notice, to save lives and property. Volunteer firefighters are always on call. Medical staffs are constantly on hand to care for patients in the hospital or respond to emergencies. They care for people in retirement communities around the clock. Military members are on duty day and night, around the world, to ensure our freedoms and national interests. But wait! There’s more! Beyond those mentioned above, there are countless people in innumerable jobs that work to save lives or maintain our welfare. Here are a few I can name. I’ll bet you know many more. Consider all those who are “on call” to respond to an emergency in the private sector businesses. City workers, ready to fix a broken water main or power outage. Air traffic controllers and other airport staff, who work around the clock. Computer technicians, who respond when technology crashes. Tow truck drivers, who show up when your vehicle breaks down. Plumbers on call to dry your flooded basement and replace the leaking hot water heater. Power plant operators, who keep electricity flowing to homes, hospitals and other necessary locations. All these, and so many more you could name, perform life-saving tasks all the time. We don’t always see their work or appreciate them, but they are making a difference.