These firefighter quotes will show exactly why we should appreciate and respect those that serve and protect us each day.
Heroes come in all different forms. When some people hear the word their minds go instantly to superheroes. And while they may be a type of hero that’s fun to watch on TV or read about in comic books, they aren’t the real heroes.
Why should we appreciate firefighters?
The real heroes are those that are working to protect us and keep us safe each day like firefighters. While they are often overlooked in the community, they never hesitate to come running to save people in all kinds of emergency situations. And, that’s why we need to show appreciation to our firefighters.
In honor of our hometown heroes, below is our collection of firefighter quotes and sayings, collected from a variety of sources over the years.
Don’t forget to also check out these service quotes about country and community.
Firefighter quotes celebrating firemen
1. “The funny thing about firemen is, night and day, they are always firemen.” – Gregory Widen
2. “Every firefighter knows that he is always susceptible to this type of tragedy. They go to work every day knowing that they are doing something so positive, that people really respect them and appreciate them.” – Thomas Von Essen
3. “Firemen never know what they will encounter on each call but proceed with the same level of commitment and service.” – Byron Pulsifer
4. “I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do believe that his is a noble calling. Our proudest moment is to save lives. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even of supreme sacrifice.” – Edward Crocker
5. “In fire, you can plan everything out to the minute, and a minute before that, everything changes.” – Dan Felix
6. “When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work.” – Edward Croker
7. “Firefighters go where they’re needed, sometimes ignoring the dangers even when no one is inside a burning building to be saved.” – Bill Dedman
8. “Nothing cries out for compassion, concern, and danger as a fire engine screams by carrying firefighters ready to do battle without flinching from any demand.” – Byron Pulsifer
9. “Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control your fear, & how to be free from it, that’s the point. Necessity of action takes away the fear of the act, and makes bold resolution the favorite of fortune.” – Francis Quarles
Firefighter quotes to show appreciation
10. “When fire is cried and danger is neigh, ‘God and the fireman’ is the people’s cry; but when ‘tis out and all things righted, God is forgotten and the firemen slighted.” – Unknown
11. “All men were created equal, then a few become firemen.” – Unknown
12. “Firemen never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved.” – Susan Diane Murphree
13. “Firefighters are indispensable foot soldiers here at home.” – Christopher Dodd
14. “But sound aloud the praises, and give the victor-crown to our noble-hearted Firemen, who fear not danger’s frown.” – Frederic G.W. Fenn
15. “Firefighter appreciation isn’t just a once a year affair because firefighters are there for each of us every day.” – Byron Pulsifer
16. “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” – Maya Angelou
Also check out these hero quotes and sayings that will inspire you to make a difference.
Firefighter quotes celebrating their bravery
17. “I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.” – Kurt Vonnegut
18. “Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.” – General George Patton
19. “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
20. “True courage is being afraid, and going ahead and doing your job anyhow. That’s what courage is.” – General Norman Schwarzkopf
21. “Real heroes are men who fall and fail and are flawed, but win out in the end because they’ve stayed true to their ideals and beliefs and commitments.” – Kevin Costner
22. “Being a firefighter is as close as you get to being a modern day soldier in your home country.” – Tom Dawson
23. “Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.” – Franklin P. Jones
24. “More often than not, a hero’s most epic battle is the one you never see; it’s the battle that goes on within him or herself” – Kevin Smith
25. “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.” – Thucydides
26. “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve
27. “People are always asking me how is it that firefighters run into a burning building when everyone else is running out. Courage is the answer. ” – Chief Kennedy, Ladder 49
28. “You have to do something in your life that is honorable and not cowardly if you are to live in peace with yourself, and for the firefighter it is fire.” – Larry Brown
29. “What firefighters and people in our military and cops do is separate from what the rest of us do; basically these people say, ‘I’m going to protect all these strangers.’” – Denis Colin Leary
30. “The hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen.” – Andrew Bernstein
31. “Courage isn’t that you can see what lies ahead; courage means you will advance not knowing but doing at all costs”. –Byron Pulsifer
More firefighter quotes
32. “Aspire rather to be a hero than merely appear one.’” – Baltasar Gracian
33. “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” – Bob Riley
34. “Firefighting – one of the few professions left that still makes house calls.” – Unknown
35. “Firefighters are some of the most selfless public servants you will ever encounter.” – Denis Leary
36. “To me, there’s only 5 real jobs in America: Police Officers, Teachers, Firefighters, Doctors, and the Military Service.” – Charles Barkely
37. “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” – Joseph Campbell
38. “Man is the only creature that dares to light a fire and live with it. The reason? Because he alone has learned to put it out.” – H.J. Vandyke
39. “As the member of a firefighter family myself, supporting the widowed families of rescue workers is an important, personal cause of mine.” – Mark Sanchez
40. “Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brace by doing brave acts.” – Aristotle
These hero quotes will inspire you to great action.
Firefighter Quotes about their Heroic Service
41. “A hero has faced it all: he need not be undefeated, but he must be undaunted.” – Andrew Bernstein
42. “I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do believe that his is a noble calling. Our proudest moment is to save lives. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even of supreme sacrifice.” – Edward F. Croker
43. “But aloud the praises, and give the victor-crown. To our noble hearted Firemen, who fear not danger’s frown.” – Fredric G. W. Fenn
44. “Firefighter is one of the few jobs kind enough to warn me away by containing two words I’m not interested in, unlike the deceptive bookkeeper.” – Joel Stein
45. “My dad’s a firefighter, so I know what it’s like for policemen and firefighters to be on their own on Christmas Day.” – J. J. Watt
46. “The special ops guys and the firefighters around the world have this great phrase. They say, ‘Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast,’ and that is true. Everything I’ve accomplished in my life has been because of that attitude.” – Jeff Bezos
47. “It’s an interesting thing to play the heroes of our society, like cops and firefighters. They’re the basic heroes that, as little boys and little girls, you look up to as the first heroes of your small, specific community.” – Omari Hardwick
48. “My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place – police, firefighters and members of our armed forces.” – Sidney Sheldon
49. “Our firefighters are our last line of defense, baby.” – Jack Scalia
50. “If crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight?” – George Carlin
How can you respond?
If you are serving or have served as a firefighter, then you’re already doing your part. If not, what can you do to respond after reading these firefighter quotes? What can you do to show appreciation to the hard work and bravery that these men and women have?
Take some time and read over the quotes again. Think about the sacrifice that they make and the risk that they take each day in order to protect you. Then, think about what you can do to show the firefighters in your local area how much you appreciate what they do for you.
Which of these powerful firefighter quotes resonated with you best? Do you have any other inspirational quotes to add? Let us know in the comment section below.
