A simple act of kindness by firefighters gets a lot of attention
Many times it’s the little things a person in uniform does that are every bit as important as the big ones. The crew from Manchester (NH) Fire Department Engine 6 saw a problem in the middle of Thursday’s snow storm that was meant for a Boy Scout. No Boy Scouts were around, but some firefighters were. The lieutenant gave the order to block the traffic and the crew sprang into action. And unknown to these firefighters a number of people with cameras took notice.
Firefighter Tom Faucher, who was assigned to Manchester Fire Department’s Engine 6 during the storm, saw an elderly woman having difficulty crossing Elm Street on Thursday afternoon. Heavy snow throughout the day made the trip difficult, so he got out of the apparatus to help her across the street.
Faucher said it was a collaborative effort between everyone on the engine. His commanding officer was the first to notice she was having a problem crossing the street, and the engine’s driver positioned the truck so Faucher could safely help her across the street.
“The lady seemed to be having some trouble getting up the road,” he said. “She had stopped at a snow bank right at Elm Street. I just asked her how her day was going and (asked) ‘How much further to you have to walk?’ and she said, ‘I’m doing good. I just got to get back across the street and I’ll get on my way.’”
“Whether we’re on duty or off duty, I assume everybody would do the same thing, help somebody out when they need a hand,” Lt. Steve DesRuisseaux said.
