Each year on October 28th, the day is set aside as National First Responders Day to honor the men and women who act quickly when an emergency is at hand. In recognition, students at Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary and Quitman High School were visited by members of the Jackson Parish Ambulance Services, Fire Department, Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Town of Jonesboro Police Department, Louisiana State Police and Pafford Air Ambulance Service this past week.  Representatives of each agency spoke to the students about how 911 services work and gave tours of the various pieces of motorized equipment tha tis used in the daily effort to preserve lives and respond to emergencies. 

First responders dedicate their lives to save lives. They are the people who run toward a crisis while the rest of the world flees. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 4.6 million career and volunteer first responders support the communities where they live. They are firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians (EMT), paramedics, and 911 operators. In an emergency, they’re the first on the scene. These dedicated professionals answer the call when a crisis arises, often putting their own lives on the line.

Serving as a national day of gratitude, we pay tribute to their endless hours and around the clock service provided to their communities. As one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, the day also pays tribute to the fallen first responders. According to the CDC, 97 firefighters and 155 police officers die each year in the line of duty. Additionally, their rate of occupational injury is higher than the national average. Often, the very people saving lives are our neighbors, friends and family members. And their families know the price they pay for their dedication to the job.

Below are a few scenes from the visit to the schools.

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