December 15th - Firefighters typically respond to anywhere between 2,300,000 and 8,700,000 fires yearly. They save millions of lives and millions of dollars in property. We need not go too far in history to discover the challenges they face or the bravery they display in performing their duties-- afterall it is human instinct to run away from a fire, however you'll usually find these folks doing the opposite. Truth be told I owe my survival through my college roommate's culinary experiments to firefighters, so don't hold a grudge just because your girlfriend loves their outfit -- say thank you to a firefighter if you meet one today.