When the smoke clears...
by Dan Titus on 2001-09-18

A Fire Fighter's Prayer

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When I am called to duty, God,
Whenever Flames may rage
Give me strength to save a life
Whatever be its age.

Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person from
The horror of that fate.

Enable me to be alert
And hear the weakest shout
And quickly and efficiently
Put the fire out.

I want to fill my calling
To give the best in me
To guard my friend and neighbor
And protect his property.

And if according to my fate
I am to lose my life
Please, bless with your protecting hand
My children and my wife.

Author Unknown

Just wanted to post that in honor of some great people working around the clock to aid in rescue efforts in New York City, as well as the Pentagon in Washington DC.

I awoke the morning of September 11th 2001 not knowing the world would be a radically different place from the way it was when i went to sleep the previous evening. I staggered from my bed around 7am, and given that I only have two mornings a week I can sleep in past 2:30 am due to work, flicked on the TV to find something to catch my interest. Yes, I am 25 and can still watch Bugs Bunny or the Flintstones, but when I passed CNN, The Pentagon was on fire. Then they said a plane hit it. A plane? Are you kidding me? The horror was only beginning. I am still seeing the WTC collapsing every night in my dreams. I say dreams because the carnage that unfolded can't possibly be real,can it?

Some people are preaching that our US neighbours need to try and find a peaceful solution to the crisis. But there is really no way to stop what has been set in motion. Not with a death toll that will number in the thousands. Action must be swift. Action must be sudden. The action taken must have a note of finality. It will never replace the void left in the hearts of those who lost loved ones, but the perpetrator must be brought down. You can see a cold fury in the eyes of Americans, and the cold fury has become a bloodlust.

To those who lost loved ones, I pray you find inner peace during this unimaginable time

To the rescue workers, I hope the day comes when your services are never needed for this type of work again

To those who masterminded the atrocity, your day with whatever God you believe in is coming soon. I pray he gives you mercy, because the retailation you are about to recieve will show none

And to my family and friends, I wish peace and happiness, nothing more, nothing less.