From the Publisher

Don’t block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There’s a battle outside

And it is ragin’.

It’ll soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin’.”

Yes they are!

First responders, our every day heroes in fire, rescue and EMS are seeing things, going places, doing more and at more risk. This requires more training and skills than ever before.

Watch the news. Sadly another school shooting, an alleged peaceful demonstration goes bad and innocent people are injured or even killed. And right there on the news our courageous friends and neighbors — strong as they are — weeping at what they see. Another terrorist, homegrown or otherwise has invaded a peaceful community. Someone has to go, do what he or she can, save a life or two and clean it up. These scenes are much too frequent. God forbid, I do hope I’m wrong, but you can expect more incidents before it gets better.

Our military will keep American safe and in time get the job done. We can help by making sure our fire, rescue and EMS departments have the equipment and training they need for a new and tragically different 911 call — tactical equipment, protection gear, training for the horrors they may be called to. The Times They Are A-Changin’ and we must respond. 

Heroes emerge every day in the Carolinas’ fire, rescue and EMS departments. I must mention the incident at Townville Elementary School, a small town in the mountains of western South Carolina. A teacher called 911 and Townville volunteer firefighter Jamie Brock was one of the first on the scene. Brock engaged the gunman and “took him down,” until deputies arrived. I am sure some of you thought as I did; but for the grace of God and the courage of firefighter Brock, we could have been looking at another Sandy Hook right here in our backyard.
God bless you Jamie Brock.

RB Knight