Covid vaccines began yesterday for first responders in Mineral County. Several members of the Short Gap Volunteer Fire Company received theirs. It is called the SGVFC because it has been a fire company from its formation. Today, the name is a misnomer because the EMS side likely covers 90% of the calls they receive. And about half the EMS calls are currently Covid cases which explains why they are among the first ones in the county to be offered the Covid vaccine. Almost all of the active call runners are taking it, which is not surprising. What might be surprising is the “why”. I do not think any of them are taking it because they are afraid of getting Covid. If they were afraid of Covid they would not be have been running ambulance calls all year. They are taking the vaccine because that is just what they do. I know it is cliche, but they really are a group of people running toward the emergency when others are running away. They get up at 2 am to come to your emergency. They know the meaning of sacrifice. They lead by example.
One of my favorite things to say as one who has been the Chaplain of the SGVFC and pastor of the local church since 2013 (a golf ball hit from each other) is “Sometimes I wish the people at the church were more like the people at the fire department and sometimes I wish the people at the fire department were more like the people at the church”.
As followers of Jesus Christ, the church is supposed to be running toward the emergencies in peoples’ lives – standing outside the gates of hell warning and plucking people from entering. The church is intended to leave their comfort and safety and branch out in the community and make a difference and lead by example. The SGVFC members do a great job of that. And taking the Covid vaccine is just another way of leading by example. (Can the church meet everyone’s expectations? Of course not. But we can always do better.)
As for ways I wish the people at the fire hall were more like the church, let me begin with the language at the fire hall…. (haha – nobody is perfect but Jesus).
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Scott Knowlton's Blog 