Whether it's snail-mail or e-mail, what do you do open first? Pitch the junk and delete the spam, stack the bills and savor the handwritten cards or e-mails from friends that don't have "Fwd:" in the subject line. Whether it's a mailed card with a 39-cent postage stamp or a friend's e-mailed note to just me, it takes priority. For just a moment, there's a little rush and pause in time for a friend.

Even with Thanksgiving falling a week earlier this year, it's scary with how quickly the holidays are approaching. For the past two years, we have asked for and posted the postal and e-mail addresses of firefighters who are serving overseas in the military, and it's time to ask again. I was reminded of this fact by Fire Chief Robert Edmiston, who is stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq.

Edmiston, a native of Northeastern Pennsylvania, wrote, "I was wondering if you were going to solicit the names of firefighters/soldiers serving overseas again this year? Last year several of our firefighters participated and were pleasantly surprised when they received several touching e-mails and care packages from people back in the states."

Unfortunately, time is short for snail mail and packages. According to my local Postmaster Jackie Sanchez, "First class to military is Dec. 11, and the APO and FPO are Dec. 4 because of distance. Express mail for military is Dec. 19, and they are guaranteeing it will get there by Christmas." However, last year we had almost as many e-mail addresses for our double-duty buddies as we had postal addresses.

Is late mail better than no mail? We still can send holiday greetings to firefighter/soldiers before the New Year, the Russian Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7 or Chinese New Year. (The Year of the Pig begins on Feb. 18.) For that matter, Valentine's Day is Feb. 14.

If firefighters, EMTs or other emergency services members from department or family are serving overseas this season, please send their names, postal addresses and/or e-mail addresses to me as soon as possible. We'll post these names at www.firechief.com www.firechief.com so others can send their greetings to our men and women away from home for the holidays. In the past two years fire departments have responded graciously with packages, letters, department patches, magazines and e-mails. It's never too late to say "thanks" to our servicemen and women away from home.

Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
janet@firechief.com?