Readers of The Valley Times-News may have noticed a theme with Thursday’s edition of the paper, specifically an abundance of stories featuring or related to first responders.

From recognizing a new Valley police officer to discussing the condition of the Chambers County jail to a photo of Lanett officers and paramedics helping an accident victim during a torrential downpour, the front page was filled with content about those that put the lives of others above all else.

Interestingly, this serves as a bit of a preview to something special that has been worked on in past weeks.

The upcoming Saturday edition of The Valley Times-News will include a surprise for readers, the 2018 First Responders special section. This year’s section will be filled with photos and stories detailing the experiences of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and EMT’s in the Greater Valley Area.

The men and women who work in these fields do so at great risk and with much sacrifice and should be recognized for that.

First responders are everywhere and should be recognized for their efforts. They do not have an easy responsibility and should be commended for the work they do. These are the people we turn to during any sort of emergency, a shining light during a dark period.

These people should never be forgotten and the release of the 2018 section is just another way these heroes are being honored.