Police officers and firefighters are natural givers, and garnering their support can be incredibly effective.

By Christine Weiser

Long before 9/11, firefighters and police officers were considered heroes. And they should be. Consider these statistics from the National Volunteer Fire Council:

Volunteer rescue workers comprise 73 percent of firefighters in the United States.

Communities served by volunteer firefighters depend on them to be their first line of defense for many types of emergencies.

Services contributed by volunteer firefighters save localities across the country an estimated $37.2 billion each year.

Their brothers and sisters in the police force are also putting their lives on the line every day. The average police officer makes just $46,290 (www.salary.com) working long hours in environments that can be cold, hot, wet — and dangerous.