Kindness
Witnessing the kindness and generosity of our local emergency services this week reminded me of the top class and outstanding service they bring to our communities.
Under normal working circumstances members of our local garda stations, fire service, the National Ambulance Service, the Irish Coast Guard and the Civil Defence regularly put their own health at risk caring for others.
However on Monday last they all showed a different side to their skill sets when they visited three year-old Joey Moss at his grandmothers home in Bianconi Drive.
It was an emotional moment, even for the most hardened of individuals who turned up to cheer and clap as young Joey met his heroes as a birthday treat.
Nothing was too much trouble for our emergency service members. Their visit was brilliantly planned and coordinated and their kindness to young Joey and his family was a joy to behold.
They arrived in unison, flashing the lights of their emergency mobiles, blaring sirens in sequence like never heard before. It was a moment that stopped time for a period, certainly long enough for the Anderson and Moss families to forget about the health condition of their beautiful Joey. His smile infectious as friends and neighbours gathered to cheer and clap.
It reminded me of the value of community spirit and what the community means to our emergency service teams. It’s easy to forget and criticise them when it suits our own particular agenda but it should never be forgotten just how important these people are.
Their blaring sirens and flashing lights won’t always signal an event of celebration. In fact it seldom does and it just might be worth remembering that the next time we hear the blare of their sirens.
Yours
Jamie O’Flaherty
Published by The Premier, South Tipperary News, 18B Dudley’s Mills, Clonmel