Crapo Seeks To Honor Firefighters, Responders

Washington, DC - Firefighters, medical personnel and other law enforcement workers would receive a day of national recognition under legislation co-sponsored by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. Crapo is joining a bipartisan group of Senators seeking to designate September 25th of this year as "National First Responder Appreciation Day."

"Our firefighters have gone above and beyond the call in Idaho, as recent events have demonstrated," Crapo said. "The response to the Oregon Trail fire in southeast Boise, the Castle Rock fire last year near Sun Valley, the Murphy Complex fire across south central Idaho and even this week's fire that destroyed parts of downtown Ketchum have shown us once again the invaluable service firefighters provide to our communities. I have had the opportunity to visit fire camps and speak to these heroes who, like our veterans, often endanger their own lives to save the lives of others. Likewise, our EMTs, medical personnel, law enforcement and others put their lives on the line daily to help others and those efforts deserve recognition before the United States Senate and the American people."

Crapo said the resolution also notes the heroic efforts of first responders to Hurricane Katrina, the war against terrorism, and the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in April 2007. The measure credits paramedics, law enforcement and others, and states that "there currently exists no national day to honor the brave men and women of the first responder community, who give so much of themselves for the sake of others." Crapo was joined by 30 of his Senate colleagues in co-sponsoring the National First Responder Appreciation Day Resolution, which is expected to be voted on later in the week.