June 16, 20261 min read
Random fact: Did you know fire stations are one of the few places that carry a pediatric…
Random fact: Did you know fire stations are one of the few places that carry a pediatric blood pressure cuff? I had no idea until our daughter needed her blood pressure checked twice a day, indefinitely.
We became regulars at our local fire station.
A new routine formed seemingly overnight...
- walk to firehouse
- call dispatch
- watch the garage doors open
- chat with paramedic and team while they checked her blood pressure
- take a photo of the machine's readout
- exchange a few pleasantries
- walk home.
Then we’d do it again that evening.
Twice a day. Week after week.
Before long, the firefighters across every shift knew our daughter's name. They even began counting down with us.
As they unpacked the pediatric cuff, they’d ask some version of:
“Three days until surgery, right?”
“Two more days.”
“Tomorrow’s the big day!”
Then, the day after surgery, we got an INCREDIBLE surprise.
…this video from the entire crew at the Smyrna Fire Department.
It’s been six years and I still can’t watch the video, or tell this story, without tearing up.
Support isn’t just about a meal, a ride, or a donation.
The most meaningful support can be something nobody would have thought to ask for... and maybe that's the point.