As firefighters and emergency service workers, we face the possibility of responding to "The Final Alarm" every day. It’s not something we think about often or try to dwell on, but we know deep in the back of our minds it is always a possibility that this could be our final alarm.

Most of our days are filled with the routine tasks of checking out the trucks and equipment, cleaning the station, preparing the day’s assignments like public education, turning hydrants, doing inspections or pre-fire surveys, and the list goes on and on. But once the alarm sounds everything changes. Everyone from the engineer who drives the fire truck, to the firefighters who ride in the jump seats, to the captain in charge, listens to the radio and the call. Every firefighter, from the "probie" to the most "seasoned" firefighter, is preparing a mental checklist wondering what they may be called to do as they listen to the radio dispatcher giving the address and the call. No one at this point is really thinking the worst, but thinking of working as a team, of accomplishing tasks and safely returning to the station. As firefighters we are accustomed to the interruptions of the day, usually at mealtime, and just chalking it up to "just another day" around the firehouse.

One day for someone, (and only the Lord knows who and when), it may not be "just another day" around the firehouse. For today might be the day that he or she is called upon to lay down his or her life in the line of duty.

September 11, 2001, will forever change the way we look at our jobs, ourselves, and the way those in the community view us. On that day our brothers and sisters stood proud and ready to meet the challenge at hand. No one could have imagined the horror of that day and the number of fire and emergency service workers who would lay down their lives.

The Bible tells us that no one knows the future or what tomorrow holds. However, we can know and trust the one who holds the future, our future, in his hands. That one is God. The God who loved us enough sent His only son Jesus Christ to earth to pay the price for our sins. The Bible also says: if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all our wrong doings.

Here are five steps that can help lead you to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. One: God is love, (John 3:16); two: man is a sinner, (Romans 3:23); three: sin has a penalty (a price), (Romans 6:23); four: Jesus paid the price for our sins, (Romans 5:8); and five: by grace you have been saved, through faith, (Ephesians 2:8,9) (Romans 10:9,10.)

Don’t delay. Trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. For today might be that day when "The Final Alarm" might sound for you.