It's not just a title or a hobby - it's a way of life. As a volunteer firefighter, I do this work alongside my work and family commitments. In every call, in every smoke, in every tear or handshake, I feel that I do it to help people in their most difficult moments. When all else fails, when there is no time to think, we step forward.
I have been through a lot over the years, but I will never forget my first intervention. There was a car accident. A young person's life ended prematurely. As I stood there in the midst of the chaos, surrounded by people and with tears in my eyes, I knew that this job was not only a physical effort, but also an emotional ordeal. That was the first time I really felt what it meant to be there for people in their most difficult moments. Sometimes you can't save a life, but you can be there; for family, for friends and for the community.
I was not discouraged by this experience - quite the opposite. It made me stronger. It helped me understand why I chose this path: to help. To be there when things are hard. To bring something of hope, of warmth, of humanity.
During Covida-19, my path also led me to a retirement home, where I volunteered to help the elderly. There I got to know the other side of life - slow, quiet, often ignored. I learned what it means to be alone and helpless and how precious a simple presence is.
Throughout my volunteer and firefighting work, I have been guided by the same principle - to be human. To hear, to see, to understand and to help. For me, helping others is the meaning of life. Not because I want recognition, but because I believe that we humans are made for community - to see, hear and stand side by side. That's me. A firefighter. A volunteer. And above all - a human being among human beings.
Tatjana Serdinšek
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