Firefighters, EMT and Family

My heart is full tonight and I am feeling very blessed. I got a phone call from my brother tonight telling me that my grandparent's house was on fire. It took me right back to the phone call I got in November of 2007 when my parent's lost their home in a fire. I thought there was no way it could be true, because I thought for sure there was a fire quota and that our family had met their lifetime quota. Apparently not.

As we rushed out to Grandma and Grandpa's house, we found the lane to their house full of vehicles owned by the Fremont County Volunteer Fire Department and our family. Shortly after I arrived the ambulance and crew arrived and cared for my Grandparents. They are a little shaken up, but they are going to be ok. The fire never broke out into a full blown fire with flames, but smoldered in a good part of the ceiling. Apparently it started near their wood burning fire place and had started earlier in the day. They didn't know it until an employee from the power company came to see why they didn't have power and noticed the smoke. There is a lot of smoke damage and some damage where they had to tear into the roof to get to the smoldering insulation. My grandparents are staying with my parents for now. We will know more of what lies ahead of us tomorrow when we can assess the damage in the daylight.

We are very lucky that it happened in the day and that they were able to get out. It could have been a lot worse. I am so grateful for volunteer fire fighters who drop everything and come when called upon. Some of them had their wives and kids with them because they came so quick. What would we do without them? Our family has needed their services more than once and can not say enough good about them. The EMT's that checked my grandparents out not only provided the needed medical care, but gave them a listening ear and a comforting word. They will never know what that means to our family. What great people we have in our community!

So the hand of God has been very apparent in my life today. It makes me want to hug those I love a little longer, check my smoke detectors, practice our family fire drill with fire ladders and thank my Father in Heaven for watching over my Grandparents today. I feel a family unity building experience coming on with the cleanup we have ahead of us. That will be good. Hopefully my grandparents could feel the love that all of their kids and grandkids have for them tonight. Life is Good.