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Residents heap love on firefighters By SARAH LEMON They may work 24-hour shifts, poised to answer a call any time of the day or night, but sometimes firefighters do get to stop and smell the roses. A dozen red roses tied with a red, white and blue ribbon showed up at the White City station of Jackson County Fire District 3 on Friday. The gift came right after firefighters returned from a Medford memorial ceremony honoring rescuers who lost their lives following terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. "It was very touching and very heartwarming," said Fire District 3 staff assistant Lesa Best. She couldn't identify the donor, saying only that the buds arrived in a car with a florist's logo. A red, white and blue bouquet lends a patriotic atmosphere to the Fire District 5 station in Talent. A picture drawn by schoolchildren and several cards accompany the echoes of well-wishers who stop by the station just to say "thank you." A local woman presented District 5 with the flowers as thanks for rescuing her horse 20 years ago, said District 5 office manager Lori Keim. "And that's very nice," she said. "(Firefighters) really appreciate that." In part to show their appreciation for flowers and cards they received, Ashland firefighters plan on giving their community a memorial. A potted 10-foot-tall Red Sunset maple will stand in front of the Ashland Fire and Rescue station by the end of the week, said Division Chief Greg Case. Cards sent to the station in the past week will adorn a picket fence surrounding the tree, he said. "It's in support of the community and for our family - the EMS family." The tree will be planted when construction of the expanded Ashland fire station on Siskiyou Boulevard is complete, Case said. "We'll have the tree as a lasting memory." For now, black mourning bands still cover firefighters' badges, and the American flag will fly at half-staff at Oregon public buildings for another week. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.