In the midst of tragedy, our neighborhood friend Mr. Rogers tells us to look for the helpers. Look for the policemen, the fire fighters — the ones who are on the scene, ready to rescue us.

As we all looked on in horror Monday as two bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, I think most of us were glued to the blood and gore of the scene. Images of bloodied faces and severed limbs flooded our television sets and computer screens.

While driving home from work Monday night, my mind filled with images from the marathon, I encountered another scary scene — right here in Selma. Driving up to my home, I smelled smoke. Four fire trucks lined my street. Of course, my first reaction was fear. Was my house on fire? Where is the smoke coming from? These were just some of the questions that fearfully entered my mind.

Almost instantly, my reporter instincts kicked in. I searched the scene to see where the fire was coming from and if anyone was injured. The first people I saw, who were of course out in full force, were the Selma Fire Department. They were all there — ready to minimize danger and keep residents safe. Thankfully, the home that was on fire was vacant and no one was injured.

Staying on the scene well past midnight, the fire department remained diligent —making the safety of others their top priority. These are the people who I like to call “the glue” of the community. In the middle of messy situations, these first responders come in and glue the pieces back together. Without them, things would fall apart — things would get messy.

And while putting their lives at risk is in their job description, I believe these first responders have a special calling to do what they do. In the face of danger, they keep their hands steady and try to search for a solution. Similar to the first responders who swept in at the Boston Marathon Monday, Selma’s first responders arrived on the scene instantly Monday night to protect the community.

I extend a large “thank you” to all of Selma’s first responders. While it may be easy to only see the gore in scary situations — like a terrorist attack or a house fire — I think we should all follow Mr. Roger’s advice and look for the helpers. Tucked away in these scary situations is a small light that continuously shines — and that’s our helpers, our first responders.

I can just picture our friendly neighbor, Mr. Rogers, in his crisp sweater saying, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in the world.”