Firefighter Who Soothed Screaming Toddler After Wreck Says, “This Is Why I Do The Job.”

Firefighters are often called upon to go above and beyond the call of duty.

These brave men and women are the first to respond to devastating scenes, from house fires to car accidents. They never hesitate to put their own lives on the line in order to serve and protect their community. For firefighter Chris Blazek of Chattanooga, Tennessee, nurturing the people he comes into contact with is not just second nature, but the reason he does what he does.

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One Saturday evening, Chris had just returned to the station after putting out a house fire when another call for help came in. This time, Engine 6 was dispatched to a car accident on a nearby highway. When Chris heard that the accident involved a pregnant mother and her three small children, his heart sank.

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“It adds a certain urgency to the call,” Chris explained. As a father of four children himself, Chris was filled with trepidation as he approached the scene. He and his crew quickly assessed the damage.

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Later, Chris described the scene on Facebook:

The mother was hysterical because she was having abdominal and back pain. The children ranged in age from 7 years to 4 months. Both big girls were fine, but the baby was screaming hysterically too. So I took her out of her car seat and did a quick physical exam to make sure she was okay. She immediately laid her head on my shoulder.

Shortly after that I decided that my guys had the scene under control, so I decided to sit and take a break with my new friend. She immediately fell asleep in my arms.

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Fellow firefighter Kyle Vradenburgh snapped a photo of Chris holding the exhausted and traumatized little girl. Although the photo went viral, Chris was quick to state that for him, this was all in a day’s work.

Mom was transported and Engine 6 personnel stayed on scene with the children until they were turned over to family members. It’s moments like this, that I am reminded, this is why I do the job.

This is yet another reason to feel gratitude for the service men and women like Chris, whose love and compassion for humanity can never be understated.

Please share this story to say thank you to Chris and all the other firefighters out there.