Here’s a prayer for the men and women fighting the wildfires in Northern California. It was written for the 15th anniversary of 9-11, when firefighters showed the world the true commitment and bravery. This prayer echoes themes of the traditional “Fireman’s Prayer,” written by Firefighter A.W. “Smokey” Linn. Here’s a link to a “Liturgy for 9-11.”

For Firefighters
The heat, the flames, the wind.
The inferno rages
And you rush in.
G-d knows your mettle,
G-d knows your strength,
A child will live,
But you may fall.

G-d of the selfless,
G-d of the strong and the brave,
Grant Your loving care to those who dedicate their lives to our safety,
Men and women who’ve answered the call
Of honor, duty and service,
Who risk life and limb to fight fires,
In our cities, towns, forests and country-side,
Those who risk life and limb among the first responders
To natural disasters and man-made terror.
Grant them Your protection.
Grant them wisdom and skill when split-second decisions mean life or death.
May they stay alert in the face of fatigue.
May they stand true in the face of danger.
Let them return in wholeness and peace.

Bless the souls of those who’ve died in our service.
May their memories be sanctified with joy and love.
Bless their families with consolation and comfort.
Bless their colleagues with solace and support.
Grant Your healing to all who grieve.

Rock of Ages,
Stronghold and Shelter,
Bless our firefighters with Your care.
In their work, bless them with fortitude and resilience,
Insight and judgment.
In their lives, bless them with joy and health,
Security and well-being.
Let their deeds resound with passion and courage,
The calling of their profession,
A source of blessings in our midst.

© 2016 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: The core of this prayer parallels my prayers “For Police” and “Memorial Prayer for First Responders.” Here’s a prayer “For First Responders.”

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