Leonard Gray-The Gray Line Tour

The Baloney family in Garyville was stunned on New Year’s Day by the total destruction of the family matriarch’s home by fire. Surely, one of the most horrifying events which could affect a family is the loss of the family home by fire, flood or similar disaster.

Not surprisingly, the friends and neighbors of Ophelia Baloney turned out, volunteerng food and clothing for her and the family members who shared a home with her. It is typical of most communities here, to reach out to their neighbors with a helping hand when needed. It is a long-standing and firm tradition here, which is not shared by many other areas of the country.

While it is not known how much the difficulty in getting enough firefighters and equipment to the scene affected the outcome, it does demonstrate that St. John the Baptist Parish is more than ready for paid firefighters. Fortunately, paid firefighters will be on board in every fire department, as the tax revenue approved by voters in 2003 are received and the personnel hired and trained.

The very fact these volunteer firefighters exist is a credit to our community. These are people who sacrifice and contribute to our safety and well-being more than almost anyone, on a level of our law enforcement personnel. Most people simply do not have it in them to become firefighters, especially volunteer firefighters.

Our hearts go out and our prayers go up for people who deal with the devastating losses caused by fire, but also to those who serve us as firefighters.

Our community is the richer for these men and women who serve.

LEONARD GRAY is assistant managing editor of L’Observateur, and may be called at (985) 652-9545.