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Holy cow this morning firefighters did some intense rescues at a big 25 story apartment building fire.  They did rooftop evacuations with a helicopter but the craziest was rescuing a man who had climbed out of a 6th story window and was climbing horizontally across the building!!! They used one of their ladder trucks to reach him.  They also used their ladders to reach other people who were trapped.  This video is like something I've only seen in tv shows and movies...I'm thinking Chicago Fire ;).  

However this is real life! They saved real lives today just like they do every day.  So grateful this video was caught so we get a glimpse of what they do shift after shift.  Firefighters were fighting this fire from the inside as well as rescuing people from the outside...think about that in the burning building there are people willing go in and make sure everyone is out safely as well as prevent it from spreading.  That smoke, the heat, the darkness, the chaos...It seems like something most of us would only experience in a nightmare.  Their courage and willingness to sacrifice for complete strangers is something we should all be so grateful for! So to all the firefighters and fire families...know we are ever appreciative of you!!! 

When she says...there was a little hesitation...can you even imagine having someone else's life literally in your hands!!! Such an amazing rescue they did today.  

We'll be sending some giveback shirts out to LAFD...will you join us? If this video doesn't show the lengths firefighters go to for other people...I don't know what will.  Deliver a giveback shirt of your own and tell us about your experience! 

Thanks and Live Loyal

Ryan and Amanda 

This past week we have been thinking so much about those who have given their lives for others.  Last Sunday in Hawaii two police officers were shot and killed while helping a woman who'd been stabbed.  These two officers are absolutely heroes. They left for work that morning just like they had hundreds of other days.  Their families were fully expecting them to come home...just like they had hundreds of other days.  Tragically they responded to a call of a lady who'd been stabbed.  Officer Tiffany Enriquez and other officers found the lady and as she was being transported to the hospital they approached the home, but were met with shots fired.  She was hit.  Officer Kaulike Kalama responded with a second group of officers and as that group approached the home he too was hit.  

Both officers were wearing ballistics vests and were rushed to the hospital, but the wounds were too great.  The loss of life is awful and heartbreaking, but the way they lived their lives and their willingness to put their personal safety aside is what we are focusing on.  They had each saved countless lives in their years of service.  

Officer Enriquez served in the Military and had been with Honolulu PD for the past 7 years.  She loved her boyfriend, 3 daughters, and 2 year old granddaughter fiercely and they will miss her so much.  Her boyfriend (Jonathan Danial Baba-a fellow LEO) said "Tiff was also the most hardworking, amazing, and fiercest Officer that I have ever known. My heart is shattered as she was my love, my rock, and my strength.  I am devastated as she has paid the ultimate sacrifice of any Law Enforcement Officer, but take solace in the fact that she died doing what she loved, Serving and Protecting the people of Honolulu" that says so much about her.  Her celebration of life will be this Thursday with a final salute after that at the Honolulu police station.
 

Officer Kalama had served for 9 years with Honolulu PD and took great pride in being one of Honolulu's finest.  He was frequently picking up extra shifts to help cover expenses, but ultimately his friends and family said "being involved in that community and serving and city and county of Honolulu was just who he was."  

He was known as a definite family man and a quiet hero, serving and helping wherever he could.  Officer Kalama will be honored with a candlelight vigil tomorrow night.  

Our men and women in blue truly put it all on the line every single shift and we want to make sure they does not go unnoticed.  We truly never know how things will turn out and it is heartbreaking writing about these two fine officers and thinking of all the things they will miss, but what sticks out the most is how much they loved their work.  They loved serving their community, they loved keeping others safe, and they took pride in making a difference.  That mindset is something we hear so much from our law enforcement officers...for most it is not about them or about the power, but about a life of serving and helping.  They don't just talk about helping, they actually take action and do it day in and day out. On shift or off they are ready to help.  

How will we give that same dedication? How will we choose to show up? Will we just talk like so many do? Or will we take action to let them know their service and sacrifices do not go unnoticed? For us (Ryan and I and our kids) it is simply not a choice any more.  We will reach out, we'll wear our shirt with a blue line because it symbolizes that we stand with them.  We'll deliver giveback shirts so they have something tangible to hold on to when it seems like all they hear is opposition.  Send us a message and let us know what it is you will do...because every little bit matters and makes a difference! 

Live Loyal,

Ryan and Amanda 

Last weekend in Lubbock Texas there was a snowstorm...like we have here in Utah today. And just like there are countless officers and firefighters would will be spending the day out in the cold and in the snow assisting drivers with slide offs and serious car accidents police and fire/EMTs responded to a single vehicle rollover crash Saturday morning. Tragically while they were at the scene of that crash another vehicle towing a trailer came across the median and rolled only 25 yards from the first crash.  As they were working on that second crash yet a third car came across the median and crashed into them Officer Reyna and firefighters Hill and Dawson.  Officer Nicholas Reyna died at the scene, Lt. Eric Hill was pronounced dead at the hospital, and Firefighter Dawson was in critical condition, but survived.  These men gave their lives serving those around them.  

"The people who put on this badge, the people who put on that badge, they give their life to their communities. We are true servants. To my family here in Lubbock, my police department and fire department family, hearts go out to them," Lubbock Police Chief Floyd Mitchell said.

They lived their lives seeking ways to serve the citizens of Lubbock, TX and their willingness to do so is what we will focus on.  They died as a result of that choice and that will always remembered, but we also want to honor the way they lived!!  They chose to put the uniform on because they wanted to take action.  Officer Reyna had been with Lubbock PD for 1 year, Lt Hill had been a firefighter/EMT for 10 years!!! In that time they have helped and served more people than we could count in so many different ways...that is what is truly heroic! 

There are people just like Officer Reyna and Lt. Hill who will answer the call regardless of the risks in the job, because they want to make a difference.  They want to help and serve however they can...taking action on behalf of others whenever and wherever they are needed.  That dedication and willingness to sacrifice is why our goals for SRVS are 1-to increase support and respect for those serving and 2-inspire YOU to take action.  Don't just say you're grateful do something! Whether that is buying a shirt so you can wear your support and delivering a giveback shirt so someone serving has a tangible symbol of your appreciation? Or something else you? Take action...because they always will!

Live Loyal,

Ryan and Amanda

Early Sunday morning a lady woke up to the smell of smoke and realized her house was on fire. She was unable to get out and called 911. Unfortunately the call footage is not available anymore.

Officer Mitchell Porter responded and knew from the 2 people who’d escaped the house and from the 911 call that she was still inside.  He started doing whatever he could to get in the house, but because of how thick the smoke was he couldn’t enter through the front door. He went around to the back and broke a window. Miraculously the lady inside could hear his call outs and used those to find her way to him. Once he grabbed her hand he was “tapped out” so other officers who’d responded were able to pull him out and get her out as well. Truly incredible to hear these officers talk about just “doing their job” not realizing what heroes they are.  

 When asked what was going through his mind during the rescue Officer Porter responder “nothing was going through my mind, I was just trying to get somebody out of that house.” When he was asked how it feels to be a hero...he gave the all credit to the other officers “I was just doing a job. I had other officers who pulled me out of the window well. If they didn’t show up and help me, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything"

These officers put their own well being aside to rescue her...and they do things like that regularly because that’s what they do and who they are.  

We are so grateful for all those who are ready to serve and help-they come at a moments notice with no thought of the impact it has on them.  Sadly most times they only hear the negative feedback, the loudest people are typically their opponents so it is extremely important that we take action in letting them know they are appreciated.  We are honored to have a visual symbol of our support... the blue line tee that we can wear and giveback shirts we can deliver to they also have a tangible reminder that people care! 

We hope you’ll join us in letting them know there is support and respect for them and the job they do!!  

Live Loyal, 

Amanda and Ryan

This body cam footage is so telling...we rarely see the emotion officers feel on calls (especially when kids are involved).  They operate in stressful situations and are working for the best solutions possible for everyone.  

This day they received a call from a frantic mom whose 8 year old daughter had just been kidnapped while they were on a walk in their neighborhood.  The manhunt started immediately and continued for hours.  Dispatchers combed through countless tips trying to determine which needed to be followed up on.  Officers responded to call after call including an extended stay hotel where the suspect was reported to be.  Unfortunately they didn't find the girl...until hours later when there was another tip to that same hotel.  This time they were able to get the driver's license of the man who'd rented room 333...and it matched the description the mom gave of the kidnapper.  

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Sometimes it is so easy for us to just think of police officers as the uniform we typically see-as an officer who shows up when called and does what needs to be done.  We don't see the people they are under the uniform.  We don't see the struggles they have dealing with what they see and go through.  We don't feel the feelings of helplessness on some calls or the elation of in this case finding the girl safe, arresting the kidnapper, and returning her to her family.  

We have to start seeing our police officers as people first who are trained and willing to do a difficult job.  What they see and do on the job doesn't go away after they are off shift.  They are spouses and parents.  You or I typically can't imagine the horrible things we hear about on the news, but they are responding to them and dealing with them.  The terrible cases involving kids? They are there for those.  The awful things people do to each other? They are in the middle of that.  They are on life and death calls regularly.  Those calls stay with them for the rest of their lives.  

Let's do our part to let them know we see them and we appreciate them and we will stand with them.  As we increase our support as a community and civilians the pressures don't go away and the struggles don't go away, but they realize they don't have to carry it alone...and that is huge.  Seeing someone wearing a "Thin Blue Line" tee is a strong symbol - same with a Blue Line decal.  Receiving a Giveback shirt? Now they know every time they wear it that they aren't alone.  They know that SRVS gear is a symbol of support and respect for all those serving so every time they see someone wearing SRVS gear it is a reminder.

In our society there are so many loud opponents, but this visible symbol shares an even stronger message without you even saying a word.