Something About Nothing by Julie Seedorf

It’s no secret I love watching television and going to movies. I have heard the criticism and the advice that sitting in front of the screen glued to my favorite shows is a waste of time, but I don’t care. It must be the writer in me because I analyze the shows as I watch them, especially my soap operas, and change the storyline to what I think would work better.

I watch a variety of different venues such as home and garden, cooking shows (thinking I might actually learn to be a better cook), soap operas, crime, reality TV and action and adventure. I also love the 20-20 and Dateline shows.

I do not view most of the programs I watch as reminiscent of real life today except perhaps when I have recognized the same scenario which played out on one of my shows and then reading of a real-life murder that seems to mimic the show. Apparently, there are some people who do not know the difference between fantasy and reality and tried to bring the same crime to real life.

One of my favorite programs is “Chicago Fire.” It follows the fictional characters of Firehouse 51 in Chicago. The storylines have heart and also bring excitement to the risks the firefighters in Firehouse 51 take when fighting a fire. Another show that recently premiered is “911.” It follows fictional 911 operators and emergency crews from the moment a call is made until the call is completed.

“Chicago Fire” became very real to me one day this past winter as I sat by my living room window looking out into my neighborhood. I saw what I thought was steam on the roof of a house down the street and quickly realized it was a fire as fire crews and ambulances and police pulled into my neighborhood. Not only was the Wells Fire Department responding, but they called in other area fire departments to assist. I counted five different cities fire trucks.

I had a front-row seat to the action, and my heart jumped into my throat as I watched the firemen put a ladder to the burning and smoking house, and one firefighter climbing the ladder to the porch roof to the window on the second floor. You could see flames shooting out the window. I watched more firemen running into the downstairs of the home.

The smoke engulfed the firefighter as he reached the window. He disappeared at times in the smoke. I prayed for that firefighter and the others. I was scared for all of them. They are a volunteer fire department. Most have jobs they leave to fight fires. They are trained volunteers, but it is not their main career to put themselves in danger and harm’s way of a fire.

I watched my television show “Chicago Fire” come to life in my neighborhood. The difference was that I knew this reality, and I knew many of the emergency personnel. I also knew the outcome wasn’t going to be summed up in an hour, and there wouldn’t be a happy ending for my neighbor. His house was gone.

That brings me to the new “911” show. I never give a thought to the 911 operators that are the heart of getting help to someone in an emergency. They too are heroes, and I feel they could be the forgotten heroes. “911” operators are at the forefront of heartbreaking scenarios, many of which do not have good outcomes. I imagine they do go home with their hearts broken and situations that live with them forever.

In small communities like mine we do not have paid full-time fire departments or ambulance crews. We have volunteers who take the time out of their lives to become certified and trained so they can be our lifeline in an emergency. If the fire call or ambulance call comes in during the day, they leave their jobs to answer the call. If it comes in the middle of the night they get out of their warm bed and leave their families, never sure what the call is going to entail. They didn’t choose to become a full-time firefighter or an EMT. It probably wasn’t on their radar when they chose a career but in a small town these men and women saw a need and unselfishly volunteered to help others.

Watching that firefighter on the roof and the others enter the house, I was thankful we have dedicated people willing to risk their lives so that others’ lives might be saved.

I will never watch “Chicago Fire” or “911” again without thinking of the real-life firefighters and emergency people whether volunteer or paid, without feeling thankful. We have silent heroes in our midst, and we take them for granted. If you want to show your kids a hero, point them to one of the emergency men or women in your community.

Wells resident Julie Seedorf’s column appears every Monday. Send email to her at hermionyvidaliabooks@gmail.com.