There's something to be said about seeing a grown man cry. If that doesn't tug at your heart strings and make you cry as well, your heart is of steel. Those of you who were in attendance of last night's meeting of Wilkes-Barre's Council know exactly what I'm speaking of. I'm not referring to the 11 co-workers who have been furloughed. I'm referring to the gentleman from Parsons who sat in tears and addressed city council to explain how, on 2 separate occasions, he had gone into cardiac arrest and was there to thank the members of the fire department whose quick response and expert care allowed him to still be here to see the birth of his first grandchild. I'm referring to the retired fire captain who wept as he spoke of his years on the job and the impacts he has seen on the lives of so many throughout the years. I'm referring to the letter from a South Wilkes-Barre resident who thanked the fire department for their prompt response and wonderful care after he found his mother unresponsive at home. I'll also refer to a time years ago when I, myself, carried a little girl to a waiting ambulance after her lifeless body was found by co-workers and pulled from her second-floor bedroom as her house burned. This isn't about the firemen, this is about THEM, as they are all still here! To the cowards who felt the need to hide behind a screen name and write senseless, ignorant, uneducated comments under the newspaper's online stories: I pray for you. I pray for the day when you or a loved one is in need of emergency care. Whether you reside in an area that provides a tax-based service or is covered with the skilled care of admirable volunteers, perhaps you, too, will realize the importance of how minutes or seconds matter. This isn't about the men who are fighting to get their jobs back. They are fighting for people like you! They are fighting to provide the care & services the taxpayers deserve! This is about YOU!!!
Angela Patla
W-B Paramedic
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