Also the “Thank you for you service” thing I don’t know how to respond to either. To me, it feels the same as me thanking them for their service for whatever job they do.

I mean, I say thank you to guys for help at Home Depot or restaurants or whatever. There’s nothing wrong with a thank you, huh? You can just say, “you’re welcome, thank you for your support, and remember to test your smoke detectors.” If you’re wearing a FD shirt and someone wants to buy your lunch, then be gracious for their act of compassion towards a fellow human.

People have different ideas of who they consider heroes. Skim through this article and see why people may consider firefighters to be heroes. Selflessness and kindness and empathy and being ready to answer the call are traits of heroes. Keep doing what you’re doing and have a clear conscience. Just my opinion as a Red Cross volunteer that’s been to a few dozen fires...