A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 11/14

Worcester, MA Firefighter Lt. Jason Menard and his crew were fighting a fire on Stockholm Street at 1:00 a.m. Wednesday when additional calls came in concerning a woman and a baby possibly trapped inside on the third floor. Lt. Menard, along with his crew from Ladder 5, were making heroic efforts to search for the reported trapped resident along with the baby when they were trapped by heavy fire conditions while trying to make their way to the third floor. Lt. Menard heroically and selflessly saved his crew, helping a probationary firefighter to the stairs and then returning to rescue another trapped firefighter, assisting him out the window. Fire conditions overtook the third floor at this time and Lt. Menard was unable to escape.

Lt. Menard and his wife and three children were to have left on Wednesday for a vacation at Disney World...

Greater love than this no one has:
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
- John 15:13

All 'round the clock, Lord, 24/7/365,
men and women are standing guard,
keeping vigil, their lives on the line
for the safety and welfare of all...

All 'round the clock, Lord, 24/7/365,
at a moment's notice they'll spring into action,
the first to respond
to the depths of danger, distress and disaster...

All around the clock, Lord, 24/7/365,
I'm shielded, protected, cared for and served
by the courage and love of brother and sisters
ready to lay down their lives for mine...

Hold them, Lord, in your strong, loving arms,
embrace and protect them in all that they do,
let angels surround them and keep them from harm,
24/7/365...

Amen.