While most people are at home with their family enjoying a Thanksgiving feast, a few are hard at work making sure their community stays safe.

First responders like firefighters, police officers, paramedics and even hospital staff sacrifice time with their own families to make sure that everyone else is having a safe holiday.

The old saying “somebody’s got to do it” rings true for the local heroes who put their life on the line to protect others.

“That’s something that’s always helped me get through, especially as I got married and had kids,” said Selma Fire Captain Chris Horton. “If my family is ever in trouble, and I’m not there to help them, I want somebody to help them.”

Unfortunately bad things happen every day of the year, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s why these brave men and women are ready to do whatever they need to, to keep the community safe.

“A lot of people don’t realize we’re here until you’re standing there needing help,” Horton said.

Working on a holiday can be hard, especially when those working know their families are at home.

“When I first came here, I naturally didn’t like working holidays because all your family is together,” Horton said. “Then I got married and had small children. I feel like it’s tougher on any of the holidays for people with small children. You miss them, and you feel like you’re going to miss something,”

The firefighters working on Thanksgiving and Christmas are now allowed to take a two-hour break to go home and visit with family, making the workday a little easier.

In years past, different shifts have gotten together and cooked a meal to share at the fire station.

“We have cooked,” said firefighter Will Dailey. “My first or second year we had a full Thanksgiving meal.”

Dailey said that although he wishes that he could be at home with family on Thanksgiving, his fellow firefighters are like a second family, and he enjoys spending the day with them.

“We have a good time. We are family,” Dailey said. “[We] just hang out, just like everybody else is doing on Thanksgiving.”

Even though first responders are not at home with their families, they are still there for people that truly need them if something terrible were to happen.

“It’s really the same feeling everyday,” Dailey said. “You get to help people every day.”