It's in the dead of winter
A cold and silent night,
When in the distance a fire alarm
And the sky is lit up bright.
My wife is rising from our bed
To calm our young sons' tears,
As I swing my legs over the edge
And pull on my turnout gear.
The cold night air slaps me in the face
As I head toward my car
And I think to myself, Why am I doing this
I probably don't know who they are.
But my adrenaline is flowing
God gives me the strength that I need.
No matter whose house it may be
I know I must succeed.
Engine One has responded,
Tanker One is near.
I hope no one is in the house
As I put on my breathing gear.
The fire blazes around us
As we crawl along the floor.
We hear muffled choking cries
From behind a bedroom door.
We enter the room and find a boy
About the age of mine
Thank God that we have reached him
Barely, just in time.
And when the fire is over
And the damage has been done,
I return home tired but thankful
That I can still hug my wife and son.
Author: Vernon P. Anderson