LAWTON, Okla_While most
people were enjoying a nice holiday off, it was just another day in the office
for many others in the work force. Labor Day was designed to give the hard
working a day off, but for local law enforcement, fire fighters, dispatchers
and many more it was just a regular day.
Most every
officer, or firefighter said Labor Day was just like any other day, they have
been on the job long enough to know that holiday work just comes with the job. Fortunately
for us, they work around the clock 24/7 to make sure people are taken care of.
Firefighters
were called out several times Monday morning checking out a possible structure
fire that turned out to be nothing, but they're always answering the call and
making sure something small doesn't become something big.
"It never
stops, because people are prone to accidents I have a job, and so it's every
day of the year, there's no break from that," Assistant Fire Chief Juan
Rodriguez said.
Since the fire
department is a union, he has the chance to use the holiday to reflect on why
he has a job. He said working on Labor Day for him is a celebration, giving him
reasons to be thankful to have a job.
"It's a
celebration of everybody so we are that, we observe it, but we just do it at
the station."
Labor Day for
the Lawton Police Department was no different, Monday morning. By 1 pm LPD had
recovered two stolen vehicles. Something that innocent people would still be
without if the cops weren't hard at work on this holiday.
"Its been
busy, anytime you have a three day weekend people are off it's busy, but right
now were winding down, people are getting ready to go back to work, the lakes
are slowing down a bit, but over all its been a busy weekend," Lieutenant
Jim Cowley said.
Lawton police and
firefighters were fully equipped with men and working hard today, but they
couldn't do their job alone. 911 dispatch works 24/7 around the clock 365 days
a year as well.
"Everything's
the same on the holiday, sometimes even worse. You've got more people home
being that it's hot outside, it kind of aggravates the situation and people
just want to party and have fun," Paula Pierce said.
Pierce has
worked for the Lawton
911 dispatch center for 30 years, she says she has never had a Labor Day off
and doesn't mind it.
"It's a
job, somebody's got to do it."
Both the Lawton
police and fire department said on big holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving
they rotate who has to work, but said it's still another day where somebody has
to come in.
