About thirty years ago my husband did a heroic act, and his actions were recognized this week at the Fire Departments 80th Anniversary.

Joe has been a volunteer fireman for 45 years serving as Chief, Assistant Chief, and many other positions on the Fire Department. For the majority of those years he placed his life on the line to fight fires and rescue people in need. He did all that, without receiving monetary compensation or recognition, and if the fire was during the day when he was at his day job leaving for an emergency meant a loss in his paycheck. Still he answered calls morning, noon, or middle of the night. He did it, because it just needed to be done. While the city firemen receive a handsome pay with lucrative benefits, the townships surrounding the city rely on the courage and kindness of highly trained volunteer men and women to fill the void of emergency services.

The actual event that gained him the recognition he deserves was a fire that took place in a local trailer park. The fire call went out, and as usual Joe who was Assistant Chief at the time responded, as did others on that day. Upon arrival to the scene the firemen were told that there was a two year old that was still in the trailer that was 'fully involved' with the fire. The child's mother was at church with her older child and the father was in another trailer visiting a "friend" leaving the small child alone. A coffee pot shorted out and resulted in a horrific fire. With no entry possible through the door, Joe volunteered to be boosted up through a small window to the rear of the trailer by his fellow firefighters. While those around him questioned whether he would fit through such a small space with his helmet, turnout gear, and air pack on he was certain he could do it. He made it through the small opening and searched through the bedrooms where the child was supposed to be sleeping to no avail. By that time his fellow firefighters had the raging fire in the front of the trailer knocked down to where they could access the trailer. Unfortunately the child was found hiding behind a chair in the living room with part of the ceiling collapsed down on him. That child's death and the memory of that day have stayed with Joe all these years. He set aside the risk of losing his life by going into a building completely engulfed with fire to attempt to save the life of another. And to be recognized for his heroic efforts thirty years later was something more important than all the paychecks in the world.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines voluntarism as the principle or system of doing something by or relying on voluntary action or volunteers. While I hear much talk and read many articles on the topic of voluntarism very little comes close to the example that my husband has set.

Do you have what it takes?