Can we just take a moment to acknowledge / thank all of the 1st Responders in Boston

[KauaiK]

Last edited Mon Apr 15, 2013, 08:09 PM - Edit history (1)

When you view at the video feed & photos - look at the police, fire, emergency medical responders - and remember they are putting their lives on the line. They are not paid nearly enough as far as I am concerned!

Remember this when some idiot politician wants to downsize, de-fund, demote, privatize or ban collective bargaining of fire, police, and emergency responders!

[myrna minx]

1. Hear. Hear.

[2naSalit]

28. +1!!!

[Tien1985]

2. k&r nt

[BumRushDaShow]

3. K&R

[graham4anything]

4. Yes. Good union people putting their life on the line, like so many did 9-11 and every day.

I thank them.

[arcane1]

5. And the fellow runners who assisted, too! :)

[justiceischeap]

10. And the medical staff that were on hand to help runners. nt

[uppityperson]

6. The only good thing I see is that there were a bunch of them around for the marathoners and thank

you responders for being there.

[RainDog]

7. k&r n/t

[barbtries]

8. thank you

first responders. stay safe, amen

[Squinch]

9. Kick

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. First responders are selfless and will run towards danger

Did that for ten years. Many are volunteers, not even paid.

[warrprayer]

12. k&r

thanks to them all.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

13. Thank You to one and all!

[actslikeacarrot]

14. Thanks to all of them!

I would like to add some National Guard Servicemembers helped out where they could! Bless them all.

[etherealtruth]

15. Most definitely!

[Zoeisright]

16. It's simply amazing to me that those people

run INTO danger to save lives. Anyone who thinks those first responders should have their salaries or benefits cut should be forced to work at scenes like those in Boston today.

[PoiBoy]

17. Kick..

Total respect for their selfless service...

[Mr.Bill]

18. I imagine we will be hearing stories in the coming days

about ordinary citizens' bravery also.

[nolabear]

19. Yes. We can't thank them enough.

[Gormy Cuss]

20. You mean all those people who react by running TOWARDS the disaster rather than away?

Yes, thank you to every one of them, and thankfully there were many first responders within blocks of both explosions.

[AtheistCrusader]

21. Hell Yes.

They ran in right away. Ignoring the common understanding that secondary's are likely when dealing with terrorists. Every single one of them chose to risk their lives to help.

[City Lights]

22. Hear hear!

to everyone who jumped in to lend a hand! Simply amazing!

[Ilsa]

23. Heroes and Heroines! nt

[Sissyk]

24. K&R

To the first responders who ran into the danger.

[NastyRiffraff]

25. Absolutely.

They are aqll heroes. Personally, I couldn't do whqt they do.

[mbuch64]

26. They are not paid enough

and these are the people that the right wing wants to lay off
because they are paid too much and are the cause of our
deficit problems. What the hell is wrong with our country?
Mass shootings on a regular basis and now this act of insanity.
I'm just speechless.

[Blue_Roses]

27. Amazing

I am in awe of how they just jump into action with no hesitations or qualms. Awesome.

[Liberalynn]

29. Thank you to all First Responders for your courage and sacrafice

Stay safe!

[freshwest]

30. +1,000. Love and respect for those who do so much for all of us!

[Boomerproud]

31. Politicians should view these tapes of first responders every day

and hang their heads in shame. Thanks to all firemen, EMS, police...everyone.

[OhioChick]

32. Big K&R n/t

[JPZenger]

33. Particularly brave to help when more than one explosion - because there may be more

There have been incidents in the Middle East with one explosion, and then a second later explosion that is purposefully designed to kill first responders.

Fortunately, these bombs in Boston appear to be a little amateurish.

[defacto7]

34. Big K&R

Thanks and welcome to DU

[WinstonSmith4740]

35. Excellent point.

Of course, they don't want to downsize in THEIR districts, just everyone else's. These heroes deserve our praise and support. They go in, without concern for their own safety, where those cowards who try to take away their funding wouldn't THINK of going.

[mrsadm]

36. Absolutely, K&R

[Lady Freedom Returns]

37. K&R!

[Lifelong Protester]

38. total agreement K & R

[one_voice]

39. K&R

[csziggy]

40. The bravest people I know! nt

[politicasista]

41. Kick

[cliffordu]

42. K&R.

[idwiyo]

43. K&R

[cordelia]

44. K & R

[JDPriestly]

45. First responders: Good government at work.

The people who made sure the first responders were there, so readily available and so competent also deserve applause.

The individuals who rescue and help when we need them are wonderful. But all would be chaos if we didn't work together every day, communicate with our neighbors and fellow citizens and support the government authorities who keep the infrastructure, the police, the fire department, the ambulance service, the medical profession, everything regulated and running smoothly.

Thumbs up for good government.

[The Wizard]

46. k&r

[FailureToCommunicate]

47. Yes of course, BUT, the actual first responders were, as usual, regular, brave,

helpful people. Of course it was great that so many police and medical people were right there. But as often happens in similar tragedies, it is everyday people who rush in to help long before the professionals arrive.

They deserve much thanks as well.

[truedelphi]

62. Thank you for pointing that out.

I know when the 1989 Earthquake shook the Hwy near Oakland, Calif., everyday working class people of color were out there in minutes, attempting to get people out of the wreckage etc.

And the one tragic occurrence I was in, when the El train crash occurred in the late Seventies in Chicago, everyone on the train car in which I was trapped acted superbly. One person took control; a middle aged guy. He let us know what to do - woman with infant to be considered first, women with kids next, older people, then everyone else. No one felt themselves to be above anyone else - people really wanted to do the right thing by each other.

It's always tragic when people have to endure such a bloody catastrophe as yesterday's event, but people in their hearts can often be heroic.

[FailureToCommunicate]

64. People's true colors show themselves in such events...

A fascinating book I just finished was about how ordinary folks respond (well) to catastrophe:

"The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why"
by Amanda Ripley

The reason I spoke up for the everyday heros from yesterday is because my son was **almost** there. He had gone over -at my urging - to take in "one of Boston's best events". But luckily he and his buddies were lagging behind another Emerson college group who were injured by one of the blasts. (They were treated and released)


Sounds like you could have added a chapter to her book.

[undeterred]

48. There was an ER Doc among the spectators

who was amazingly unharmed. He started helping people right away and never stopped. His wife was in the race and could not finish so each did not know that the other was ok until later.

But it was fortunate that this doctor happened to be right there to help with the trauma immediately after it happened.

[slackmaster]

49. Not just the official first responders. Many runners and bystanders rushed in to help the injured.

Our tradition as Americans.

[sarge43]

50. Blessed be.

Extraordinary people routinely doing the extraordinary. Hand salute.

[raging moderate]

51. Thank you, First Responders!

You were magnificent in this emergency. As always! You are the Real Grown-ups!

[drm604]

52. K&R

[hamsterjill]

53. My sincere thanks to the 1st responders.

It takes a special person to put himself/herself in jeopardy without thought in order to save another. I salute each and every one of them.

I also salute the "average Joe's", the citizens who stepped in and helped.

[Babel_17]

54. My humble thanks

Thank you all!

[Eleanors38]

55. Trained to run toward danger. And that they did.

[calimary]

56. Definitely.

THIS:

"When you view at the video feed & photos - look at the police, fire, emergency medical responders - and remember they are putting their lives on the line. They are not paid nearly enough as far as I am concerned!

"Remember this when some idiot politician wants to downsize, de-fund, demote, privatize or ban collective bargaining of fire, police, and emergency responders!"

[calimary]

57. Totally.

Totally.

Remember that quote from Mr. Rogers? "Find the helpers. Go find the helpers." He issued that advice to children in the event of a calamity near them.

[npk]

58. BIG Thank You

Thank you for all you do and all you did yesterday for the victims and their families.

[rhett o rick]

59. k&r and thanks for posting

[colsohlibgal]

60. Amazing Bravery By So Many

Not only were official first responders brave, the runners and other race observers/officials who ran into the smoke immediately post explosions showed brass you know what (of whatever kind, some women were among them I think), not knowing if other explosions might be coming. Guts on parade, thanks to all those courageous souls who did what I would hope most of us would have done in that horrific situation.

[limpyhobbler]

61. yes k&r nt

[VA_Jill]

63. That's a big

HELL YEAH!