Let me begin this visit with you by expressing my sincere wishes for a very safe, happy and healthy Holiday Season for all of you out there in the emergency service world. No matter the manner and way in which you profess your faith in Deity, I wish you sincerest regards and heart-felt felicitations of the holiday season from the gang at Respondersafety.com.

Let me now turn my focus to an extremely important message. It is critical for us all to remember that what may begin as a time of joy and celebration, can very quickly deteriorate into a time of sorrow and regret. In the rush of daily life, far too many people tend to think increasingly of themselves and decreasingly of the other people who live in the same world, and travel the same highways as them.

Literally in the blink of an eye, tragedy can crush the hopes and dreams of many for the future. For me, the highway safety issue has become a daily personal event. Since I live close to our local post office, I like to start the day with a brisk stroll over to the postal facility. I do this so that I can check the Carter family post office box. Lately, I have noticed that a lot of folks in my area have just stopped paying attention to pedestrians.

Just a few moments before sitting down at my computer to compose this missive to the masses, I almost got whacked while crossing the parking lot of a convenience store, located just two doors away from my home, and across the street from the post office. This latest episode of Harry dancing the pedestrian tango came on top of yesterday's ducking and dodging competition a few feet further east. What in the world is going on?

Have we so little regard for human life in society that we are willing to run people down on our way to the barbershop? Is painting your nails, or munching on a cookie, while operating your precious motor vehicle, more important than ME OR MY LIFE? From the actions of my fellow travelers in society, it would seem like the old admonition of "every man for himself" (every person for themselves, to be politically correct and address some of the people who have almost eliminated me from the living side of the human ledger) is now the order of the day.

Let this be a chilling reminder of the highways upon which we ply or trade as emergency service workers. In line with that warning, let me share the story of a real close call in my hometown of Howell Township, New Jersey. This is particularly personal to me, in that it involved a friend of mine on the local police department here in Howell.

Patrolman Andy Kudrick, Jr. is our local K-9 patrol officer. Andy is also an associate member of the Adelphia Fire Company. He took associate membership when his police duties began to consume ever-increasing amounts of his time. However, he remains a strong supporter of the fire service and a good friend.

While he was out of his vehicle on a traffic stop last week, he was struck a glancing blow by a passing motor vehicle. That kindly soul chose to speed on down the road, away from my friend. While Andy was not seriously injured, it is only through the good fortune of luck that he was not more seriously injured. Police are still looking for the errant motorist who nearly killed a friend of mine. Imagine how quickly things went from good to bad: literally in the blinking of an eye.

All of us need to be more aware of what is going on around us. During the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays, many amongst us in society will attempt to wipe away the sorrows of their daily lives through the mechanism of alcohol consumption. There will be others out there who are just so darned happy with how life in general is treating them, that they will take a celebratory libation to show their joy with the world in general. The downside in each case can be painful to ponder.

Sadly, there will be those poor innocent souls who will be killed and maimed by those who choose alcohol as a legal drug of choice. Some will be mom's returning home to cook Christmas dinner. Others will be the dads who are struggling to get home from their last minute shopping chores. Others will be innocent little children who have the misfortune to be struck by the alcohol-powered missiles, piloted by the low flying, alcohol-powered louts operating them. Unfortunately, it is also possible that a hard-working firefighter, police officer, or EMS worker will become the victim of these intoxicated idiots.

The results in every case will be the same. Tears will be shed, fingers will be pointed, a summons or two will be issued, and penalties assessed. No matter how it plays out, there will be part of the whole equation that cannot be swept away. The dead will remain dead. The crippled and paralyzed will long remain that way, and we will all continue to sit by the side of the road, scratching our heads and wondering. Once the damage is done, that's it.

Quite simply, I say to you that the time for wondering is long past. The time for proactive training and education is here. It is up to us to do what we can to be sure that we do all that is within our power to create a better-educated, more safety-minded force of fire, police and EMS troops.

The cost of ignorance is really high. Go for the safety and security that adequate training and knowledge can provide. Remember, it is better to light one small candle of knowledge than to waste your valuable time cursing the darkness of ignorance and stupidity.

Please, for the sake of countless tens of thousands of emergency service workers, choose to light the candle of knowledge within you organization. Please step to the fore and show the way toward a safer holiday season