From police officers, to firemen, to everything in between, our men and women of public safety risk their lives for our community each and every day. When there is a danger or a threat to our personal or public safety, they are the first to respond. With a Fire Captain father who has been in the fire service for more than 20 years, I have seen the struggles that our public safety officers face each day. Their jobs play a huge toll on their lives. With this being said, what can we do to encourage our public safety officers?
First, we can start off by:
1.) Thanking our public safety officers
Yes. It’s as easy as that. Thanking our public safety officers seems like the simplest thing to do, but we often forget to do it. We see our policemen, firemen, and other public safety officers on the streets almost every day. A great way to encourage those in public safety is to say a quick “thank you” when we see them out shopping or out and about. If it’s been a difficult day, a simple “thank you” can be such an encouragement to our officers.
2.) Sending prayers and good thoughts
Each day, our public safety officers put their lives on the line to help those in our community. The next time we see our public safety officers flying down the street with their sirens on, maybe we can just say a quick prayer or send some good vibes their way. We don’t always know what kind of scene they are about to approach. Sending some good thoughts their way is a more personal way to encourage our public safety officers.
3.) Bringing them treats and snacks
If there is one thing that I’ve learned about firemen over the past few years, it is that they love when the community brings homemade snacks and goodies to the fire station to say “thank you” for all that they do. I mean, who doesn’t love food? This is a great way to encourage our officers if they need a little “pick me up” throughout the day.
4.) Getting involved
Most of our county fire departments or police stations have Facebook, Twitter, or even Instagram accounts. It’s so easy to search your local departments and give them a quick “like," "share," or even a simple post saying "thanks." Let’s let others know about the great work that our public safety officers are doing in our communities all while staying updated on what is happening locally.
5.) Showing respect
There it is. Respect. This is probably the best way to encourage our public safety officers. Our officers have been tested, trained, and put in our communities under the law to protect and serve. They do their jobs each day and return to a family and the ones that they love each night. Although sometimes it’s difficult to picture, public safety officers are just like us. Like my parents always told me growing up, “give the respect you want to get.”
