2025: The Year of the First Responder?

Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com via AP

On Monday, with Donald Trump's presidential inauguration just a week away, Washington, D.C., leaders held a live public safety briefing. During that press conference, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith announced that the entire police department will be active for the events surrounding the day.  

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But that's not all. She also stated that approximately 4,000 police officers from around the country had volunteered their time to help as well. She added, "I'd like to pause and thank those officers who are coming to our city, taking time away from their families to ensure the safety and security of this event. Their commitment to our country, to this city, and their law enforcement partners are admirable. They deserve praise from us all."  

They deserve praise indeed. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to come to D.C. for the inauguration, including those supporting Trump and protesters, and that in itself calls for a lot of extra security. But the fact that it's coming just months after at least two people have made very public attempts to assassinate the president and at a time when the country feels more divided and angrier than ever means that security may be more important for this inauguration than it was in the past. 

Knowing that these thousands of police officers are volunteering their own personal time to ensure that the president and all the people in D.C. are safe on Monday is something everyone in this country should appreciate. Just like the firefighters who are rushing to Southern California. 

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While a lot of us are busy arguing the politics of it all and pointing fingers, many brave firefighters from other states and even other countries have flown in to help. The Texas Division of Emergency Management sent both personnel and equipment, as did the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Hundreds of firefighters from Oregon, Utah, Washington, Colorado, and Nevada are also in California. 

I've always felt that firefighters were a special breed. They go into a job knowing that it's not just dangerous, but also that they're at a higher risk of developing health issues like cancer. They rush into burning buildings, witness the most gruesome of situations, and put their lives on the line to save others without expecting much in return.   

On New Year's Day, we also witnessed the bravery of first responders during the terror attack that unfolded on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. After plowing his truck into a crowd, the terrorist began firing a gun, but Sergeant Nigel Daggs, Officer Christian Beyer, and Officer Jacoby Jordan jumped into action and shot and killed him before he could kill anyone else.  

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I know we're only a couple of weeks into 2025, but I'm ready to make it the year of the first responder. While politicians grandstand and complain and argue and act like buffoons, the real backbone of this country is out there putting in the work, saving the lives of those in danger, and keeping the rest of us safe. God bless them for doing it.   

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