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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
The United States Postal Service, in cooperation with the Somerville Police and Fire Departments and Cataldo Ambulance Company hosted a special dedication of the recently released First Responders Forever Stamp on Wednesday, September 19 at the Post Office at 18 Bow St. in Somerville.
USPS Postal Service Operations Manager Jerry O’Connell, Somerville Police Chief David Fallon, Somerville Fire Chief Charles J. Breen Jr. and Danny Riendeau of Cataldo Ambulance were all in attendance at the public ceremony.
Emergencies of all varieties and scales occur in our communities every day, from crimes and medical incidents to accidents and fires. These critical situations require men and women who possess the training and knowledge to rescue the endangered, treat the injured, and restore safety and order.
First responders are found throughout our society, from small townships to the federal government. They include a wide range of law enforcement professionals and public safety personnel, from air marshals and transit police officers, to ski patrollers, park rangers, and fish and game wardens. For many, it is a volunteer job; for others, it is their full-time occupation.
The Honoring First Responders Stamp is issued as a Forever Stamp, which means it will always be worth the price of a one ounce First Class Postage rate.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
— Photos courtesy of USPS
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It’s a nice idea, but just putting a stamp out isn’t really doing much for our First Responders. They’re not going to see a dime from this, are they?
Everyone who serves the public and risks their lives for the protection of us all deserves to be recognized. It’s just sad that they don’t earn the amount of money they should for what they do.
We pay athletes way more than these people. Is that fair? Sure, they work hard and practice, and do whatever they do. But I doubt they’re doing it out of a love for humanity. I know I might get some argument about this, but you can’t deny that they make way too much for what they do, compared to people who do what first responders do.
Let’s start paying our police, firefighters, EMTs, everyone who risks their lives in the service of others, what they truly deserve. They are the real heroes here, not athletes who are simply doing a job because they want the money and fame that goes with it.
Caring for my late mother, I have had the sad experience of needing to call for an ambulance, and I have always been grateful for all the people who not only got my mother the help she needed, but did it in a compassionate and reassuring way.
I cannot thank them enough for what they do, and I know I’m not alone in that. We need to do more than just put them on a stamp to express how important they all are in our lives.