h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think that the firemen and policemen that responded to the World Trade Center Attack proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that heroism is alive and well in our age. And in everyday people no less.

But they're not really celebrated still. Consider how many names of the firemen you know, and then how many names of pro-sportsmen you know.

There's a retired fireman living in my neighborhood who
has saved the lives of about 20 people. I consider him
a hero. There's a fireman who sings in a choral society
I belong to, and I've made it clear that I admire what
he has chosen to do with his life. I felt this way before
Sept. 11, and I'm more outspoken about it now.

I don't know about other states, but Massachusetts has
had some high-profile disasters involving firemen
in the last 25 years: The collapse of the Hotel Vendome
in Boston, which killed four firemen; also, an abandoned
warehouse in Worcester a couple years ago which killed
six firemen. In the 1970s, I watched a TV series about
firemen-paramedics. It was called "Emergency," and I
never missed an episode.

I could not do what firemen do. All I can do is keep
reminding people about how dangerous and necessary
their work is. The disaster in New York helped underscore
that.