There are times I really get tired of my job. You probably know the feeling; you wake up one particular morning and your head hurts at the prospect of another day at the office.
Yet though I might complain from time to time and have days where all I want to do is stay in bed and watch TV, I never have to worry about my work putting me in harm’s way.
There’s a lot to be said for that, even if it’s not something most of us stop to consider every day. Indeed, it’s easy to forget that there exist professions out there that aren’t just mentally challenging, but also actively hazardous for the people who do them.
Being a firefighter is one. Personally, I don’t think firefighters get enough credit for the bravery they show simply in turning up for their shift each day, but there’s a photo doing the rounds online at the moment that quite rightly pushes firefighters – and awareness as to the insane conditions they’re sometimes expected to operate in – to the fore…
When I was younger, I dreamt of being a firefighter – if my NBA career never took off, that is – but these days I’m rather happy to have other people doing it in my stead.
Call me cowardly, but there are few things I’d relish less than the task of charging headfirst into a burning building.
Fortunately for society, not everyone is of the same mindset as I am. There are brave souls who regularly risk their lives to save others and limit casualties whenever fires break out or serious accidents occur.
And we’re not only referring to pulling people out of burning cars of entering apartment blocks engulfed in flames – both heroic acts, it must be said – but also those times when firefighters are tasked with combatting one of nature’s most terrifying, destructive forces: wildfires.
If you live in a country where wildfires occur, you’ll likely be all too familiar with the damage they can cause. Of course, they don’t simply stop burning on their own, and left to run riot they will destroy virtually everything in their path.
That’s where firefighters come in. Instead of fleeing the affected areas, as everyone else is advised to do, they charge in to do their utmost in an attempt to halt the advance of the fires, saving countless lives in the process.
A few years ago one such wildfire was raging in Portugal, requiring the skills of a combined 1,150 firefighters to slow its spread.
The apocalyptic scene was frightening to behold, but it did produce a rather incredible photograph that paid testament to the incredible work firefighters do to keep people safe.
As per reports, a man named Pedro Brás posted the image, along with the caption: “After a night and a day fighting the Góis Forest Fire we were entitled to 25 minutes of river beach, although it was covered by smoke.”
The picture in question showed a group of firefighters sleeping on a lawn, so overcome by exhaustion that they had pretty much dropped where they stood in order to get some rest.
According to Pedro, the firefighters took a short break of 25 minutes after working nonstop for 24 hours to fight the wildfire.
Texas man smashes autographed Taylor Swift guitar after buying it for $4,000
A Texas man is going viral after bidding on a guitar signed by Taylor Swift and then smashing it with a hammer.The video, which has since been shared on multiple social media networks, shows the man grab the guitar after placing the winning bid of $4,000 and attempting to break it into pieces.
“When the man announced his intention to smash it the camera phones came out,” an event attendee told The Independent.
The viral moment happened at the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner in Waxahachie, Texas on September 28. The event acted as a fundraiser to support agricultural and rural education for the local youth.
Tickets to see George Strait and Chris Stapleton, an African safari, a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and the Taylor Swift guitar were among the prizes being auctioned off.
When it came time to start the bidding on the Taylor Swift guitar, one man offered $3,200 for the signed guitar. According to the event organizer, the winning bidder paid $4,000 for the item.
In the viral video, the winner can be seen approaching the stage to claim the guitar. As he grabs the guitar, he is also handed a hammer which he takes and swiftly begins hitting against the instrument.
Some viewers have suggested the man beat the guitar due to Swift’s recent endorsement of Kamala Harris, though according to TMZ the guitar was donated well before Swift made her announcement.
The man’s actions sparked a debate with some people applauding him for destroying the guitar and others saying he should have donated his money directly to charity.
“What a waste of money,” one person wrote.
“It wasn’t a waste of $$ at all! The $4,000 he spent did go to the kids. The proceeds for the dinner went to the Future Farmers of America,” another chimed in.
What do you think of this man’s actions? Let us know in the comments.
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