Very few professions combine the acts of putting oneself in physical danger and rescuing other people. Firefighters make their living by putting their own lives on the line in order to save others.

They head out every day -- weekends and holidays too. They work in sweltering heat and in the cold of winter. The truth is, these men and women are heroes every day of the year simply for opting to perform challenging, dangerous work in an effort to keep the rest of us safe.

Small towns and rural areas often make use of volunteer firefighter squads. These individuals don't even collect a paycheck for the work they do. They are on-call and always available, even though most of them hold full-time jobs.

What all firefighters have in common is that they are willing to run into danger to save you and me.

Please, take a moment to thank a firefighter.