2020 has not been easy for anyone. Many people’s lives have been affected by numerous events all year long. But when we look at the most prominent issues, it is obvious that first responders have had one of the busiest years of their careers. From COVID-19 to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, to California’s fires, they not only have to worry about themselves and their families but about everyone else as well.

The first and biggest obstacle brought by 2020, the coronavirus, has kept health professionals busy for the last ten months. Despite the public’s concern and attempts at following precautions, the number of cases continues to rise keeping doctors and nurses working in the hospital.

While we are all very sick of staying home, these doctors and nurses must also be sick of staying in the hospital. It is still incredibly important that we continue to follow the rules and guidelines. It is an understatement that we miss normal life and occasionally going out. But first responders in the hospital do not have the same luxuries to relax when they are sick of the pandemic. Amber Han (11) adds that “people need to remember that the pandemic is still going on and doctors and nurses are very busy. If not for ourselves, we need to follow rules for the safety of others including medical staff working with COVID patients.”

After the unfortunate death of George Floyd and the momentum behind bringing awareness about numerous other black people, protests flooded the streets all over the world. These protests advocated against police brutality and a common acronym used was ACAB, which stood for “all cops are bad”. Whether one supports the movement or does not, it cannot be denied that police officers have had many interactions with these protests and were kept very busy during the time of the movement’s peak.

Recently, for California, the winds have been picking up and fire season is here again. According to Eunice Ahn’s article “Fires Here, Fires There, Fires Everywhere!”, locally, we experienced the Blue Ridge Fire and Silverado Fire in October and three more near Riverside, Silverado Canyon, and Corona Airport just recently. For those who had to evacuate during the fires in October, hearing about more fires is the last thing we want. Although we can depend on our firefighters, it is important to remember that while it is their job, these men and women are still putting their lives in danger and are tirelessly working to keep us safe.

Of course, we are all well aware that this year has been tough. But imagine the pressure of everyone in your community depending on you to make things better. First responders do not have the privilege of staying home during these tough times. They are the ones working every day. So when you look back at 2020, think about the stress and sacrifice that these firefighters and health professionals have made.