On this particular Labor Day, we owe much to all our essential workers who, during this strange COVID-haunted time, daily risk their own health to make life more livable for the rest of us.
We also owe a daily debt of gratitude to our frontline health workers, and to our first responders, law enforcement, EMTs and, right now, in particular, our firefighters — who also include those firefighters from the California Department of Corrections.
We are grateful to each of you for the risks you take in our behalf.
Finally, we are also mindful of the difficulties faced by those who are out of work right now. Our thoughts are with you.
Stay safe everyone.
Post Script
In honor of Labor Day, the San Francisco Chronicle has an excellent photo feature called “Portraits from the pandemic’s front lines.” Take a look if you can. It’s worth your time.
And while we’re on the topic of photos, the photo at the top of the our story is courtesy of the California Department of Corrections (CDCR), and dipicts firefighters from the new Ventura Training Center (VTC), which was created by The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Conservation Corps (CCC) and the CDCR, in partnership with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC).
For those unfamiliar, he VTC is an enhanced firefighter training and certification program located at the Ventura Conservation Camp (VNT), in Ventura County. The VTC trainees are formerly incarcerated people, who have recently been part of the trained firefighting workforce housed in the state’s fire camps or institutional firehouses operated by CAL FIRE and the CDCR.
Through the 18-month VTC program participants receive advanced firefighter training, certifications, and job readiness support to create a pathway for graduates to compete for entry-level firefighting jobs with state, federal and local agencies, and all of which will hopefully lead to a professional career in firefighting.
And now, here’s some music for Labor Day 2020 — in all its facets.
And a huge thank you to all law enforcement who are being unfairly prosecuted and vilified for fighting evil.
Good will always overcome. Stay strong.
Yes Happy Labor Day to all frontline employees but a big shout out to Law Enforcement. They have endured unwarranted ongoing attacks by this website but incredibly by other unionized laborer, most noticeably Teachers Unions. Law Enforcement has endured accusations of systemic racism. When leftist are done with cops, who do you think is next? Teachers…. oh yes and I will be adding my voice the the shouts of racism against Teachers, Nurses, Social Workers and journalist…. why not! Truth and facts mean nothing. Failures in our society are all about systemic racism, right. They are all part of the system.
“We also owe a daily debt of gratitude to our frontline health workers, and to our first responders, law enforcement, EMTs and, right now, in particular, our firefighters — who also include those firefighters from the California Department of Corrections.”
Thank you Celeste for noting the contributions of many first responders – including law enforcement.
It’s tough times for so many; kindness is appreciated.
Much agreed!
Whether WLA is loved or hated, it is read by many on a daily basis.
C, you finally got it right…