Submitted by: Megan MacKay

Dave you are an amazingly talented artist and you should be very proud of this song and video, what a tremendous tribute to the everyday heroes who don’t get thanked enough. I’ve watched the video a number of times and am deeply moved every time.

 

I owe my life to several firemen and EMTs as I was in a house fire when I was just 12 years old. By some miracle I got out of the house on my own but I was far out of danger as I suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns from the back draft explosion when the door was opened. There is no question that the care I received from the firemen and EMTs that cold winter night in 1976 saved my life and I will never forget them. I never got the opportunity to actually meet and thank my heroes, however, I hope that where ever they are today they hear this song and know in their hearts that the little girl in the house fire along with countless other people whose lives they saved are forever grateful.

Thanks Dave for honouring these heroes in such a wonderful way and for being the voice for all of us who have never gotten the chance to shake the hand of our hero and say THANK YOU.

Submitted by: Johanna Burton

In May of this year I had a heart attack. I was alone and had no phone. I made it next door and asked my neighbor to call 911. The sweetest sound I’ve ever heard (next to the sound of my baby’s first cry) was the sound of the siren coming down the street. I knew that help would arrive shortly. It was the sound of relief. Thanks to Don Carroll for the job he does and to Dave for setting the story to words and music. Thanks guys in the fire engine, ambulance and other first responders that day!!!!

Submitted by: jeff

hey dave i love ur song…i live in ontario in canada and my heros r the fire dept. police and ems in my town……..i was in my apartment watching t.v when my bro came runnin in saying the guy who lives beside me apartment was on fire…..me going to be a firefighter ran out the door to see heavy smoke coming out the back door with a garden house runnin in side the door…then it hit me that the guy was in tehre trying to put out the fire. i ran down the stairs to the ground floor where his apartment was and just ran in following the garden house to find him. i found about 10 feet in side the door trying to put out the fire. i pulled him out and ran to teh front of the build just as the engine was arriving. the firefighters got off the truck and i helped pull the 1inch 3/4 attack line off and then drops to my knees and had a hard time breathing..even in the rush of the fire i had 2 firefihgters help me to my feet and take me to the amblance. a couple days later the engine from the near by fire station stoped by my apartment to see how i was doing and to call me stupid but also to say i was brave for doing wut i did and that i was going to make 1 hell of a firefighter and that they would help me in any way then can to get on the fire dept……they didnt have come back to see how i was but they did and that just wowed me and rite then and there i knew i want to be a firefighter and i am going to look up to these guys and i just hope i will be just as great as them

Submitted by: Susan Bonner

I have many Hero’s in my life, my story is one of great respect and admiration for all of them. From my oldest brother a Staff Sergeant on the Police Force, my Sister in law also a Sergeant, my Nephew a PC, and my Brother in law a Captain with the Fire Department and sadly a Fallen Firefighter. To know each time a call comes in they are risking their own lives to help others is one that many of us cannot understand.

I remember the day I gave my Brother a Police Angel Pin and made him promise to carry it with him while he was on the job, it gave me a sense of peace knowing he was, in around about way being watched over. I have listened to many of the situations they have been faced with and continue to face each and everyday, I am very proud!!

When my Brother in law passed away 3 yrs ago it was very humbling to see the Firefighters, Police and EMS in attendance and line the streets to honour one of their own! The respect they had for not only my Brother in law, who was their Captain, Friend and Brother, but for my Sister and Nephew was very much overwhelming, I never thought in my life I would be saying Good-Bye to one of my hero’s
Firefighters stand behind their belief that “Everyone Goes Home” I do believe my Brother in Law is now Home.

My respect and admiration also goes out to the spouces and children of the heros in my life, with my Sister topping the list! I believe it makes going home after their shifts are done a lot easier.

So whenever I see a Fire Truck or a Cruiser racing to a call I say a silent prayer for them, knowing they too are someone’s hero!

 

Submitted by: Luanne Donahoe

Hi Dave!

 

Thank you for your 911 Song – it is so well done and such a great tribute to First Responders! My story is two sided really.

Firstly, my husband was a firefighter for 25 years and was always passionate about his career. He loved it and he did his job well! Like all firefighters, he was in many situations over the years and some didn’t have good outcomes while others did. I remember one time he received a lighting bolt pin for the first time he and the crew he was one used the defib machine to save someone’s life. He was so proud of that pin and what it represented. He was never one to boast about what his accomplishments were but this was different because they had saved a life.

After being on the department 20 years my husband developed CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) an occupational disease. He was a Captain at the time and it was devastating for him to have to admit that he could no longer do his job. He was always happy and smiling and often visited the fire hall and ‘his’ crew. During his illness he was hospitalized 8 times with life threatening strep and sepsis and every time he managed to pull through.

I remember asking my husband at one point, “If you knew when you got onto the Fire Dept. what you know now – that you would develop this disease, would you still have been a firefighter?” and his response without any hesitation was, “Yes – absolutely!” He never had regrets with the career he chose and loved his job.

The second side to my story is that my husband died from a massive pulmonary embolism 3 years ago and the night he died, I had to call 9-1-1 for him because he couldn’t breath. I will never forget that night for many reasons but I can tell you that just knowing that fire, police and ambulance were on their way and as you said in your song – hearing the sirens as they approached the house helped me get through. I had to give my husband CPR until they came and knowing that our 9 year son was crying in the living room, it was all I could do just to get through the nightmare until help arrived.

That night made me realize that others must have felt the same way whenever my husband and his crew were on their way to help them.

As I said, my story is double sided – my husband was a hero for all he did for others and for dying in the line of duty and the night my husband died the fire, police and paramedics were ‘our’ heros. They took care of my family when we needed it the most and although my husband never pulled through – I cannot express how much it meant to have them there for us.

I have lived the life from both sides and I have the utmost respect and gratitude to all First Responders and to my husband who will always be a hero to myself and his son!