WO Magazine Fall 2013 | Page 31

BY: KATHRYN KORCHOK FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE BECOME ABSOLUTE ROCK STARS LATELY. FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, AND COPS, HAVE ALL BEEN THRUST INTO THE LIMELIGHT BY RECENT NEWS EVENTS AND RECOGNIZED AS THE HEROES THEY ARE. They face life and death situations regularly, and their stories of everyday valor and courage have become part of our national conversation. Images of first responders doing their jobs - essentially protecting us and saving lives - fill the pages of newspapers, dominate the internet, are dramatized on television shows, and, more humorously, are glorified in beefcake calendars. To do their jobs, first responders must to be in shape physically, be focused mentally, and be steady emotionally. Their community relies on them, their families rely on them, society cannot run without them. As two of White Oaks’ finest will show, being a first responder is not just a job, it’s a way of life. In this issue, we highlight a firefighter and a paramedic who reveal how staying fit keeps them at the top of their game. Lifestyle MEMBERS RESCUE ME fall 2013 | wo magazine | 29