In 2020, An estimated 64875 firefighters sustained injuries, 140 of which were fatal, in the line of duty.
I’ve always admired firefighters’ sense of “in the line of duty.”
Not just what their duty is, but the fact that if one of their own is injured, they get it—this is what they signed up for.
When it happens, they galvanize. They come together, and many times so does the community, to honor that person with a respectful and well-deserved memorial.
No one is happy. People’s lives rip apart. It’s not what anyone wanted. But they get it — it comes with the territory.
And they sign up for it anyway.
To me, that is not only inspiring but a lesson on what “in the line of duty” really means.
The lesson of “in the line of duty” extends to all vocations and pursuits of any kind. Luckily, most vocations do not include life-threatening or bodily harm in their line of duty. However, all vocations come with downside risks. One shouldn’t complain (too loudly) when the downside risk happens in the line of duty.
Whatever pursuit you engage in, make sure you know the downside risks of “in the line of duty.” If the worst occurs, handle it like the firefighter community — with grace and recognition.
