When you are involved in an accident, or witness an accident, it feels like an age after the emergency services have been called before you see them screaming up with lights a-blazing and fluorescent jackets shining. But once you see them, don't you automatically relax? You know these people are adept at dealing with the situations that would panic the rest of us. You know that you will be taken care of, that you will be in the best possible hands and that you can let them take over and look after you and your loved ones.



For those who have ever been in a position where they felt threatened, whether it be personally or by threat to their property, the work uniform of a policeman is a welcome sight. Despite the restrictions of the law courts, we still hope that justice will be served and we still feel a degree of protection once we see that uniform. Wherever there is a public situation that could possibly get out of hand, we feel reassured by the vision of a policeman's uniform.

Even children have this instinct for the authority and power of an emergency service work uniform. When they are in hospital, they automatically trust the nurses and doctors to fix them, as we all do. When out in the street, they feel, at least most of them do, that they should behave better if they see a policeman's uniform approaching.

The work uniform of a fireman holds great power, probably more than all the others put together. They represent strength and rescue. Everyone knows that a fireman risks life and limb to rescue others and in a world with a deeply ingrained 'me' attitude, that is a rare quality. These men are trained to go into situations that the rest of us would run away from.

They also have that added ingredient of being deeply attractive to women who like the damsel in distress/rescuer feeling and many of them like to milk this added bonus!

The crew of the lifeboat are never mentioned as frequently as the other emergency services but no doubt play a huge part in saving the lives of many, many people every year. If you were stranded out at sea with dusk approaching and no sight of land, to see that lifeboat coming towards you would fill you with immense relief.

Of course, there is a certain element to society that don't like the sight of an emergency service work uniform. There are those that just live for trouble, that like to hide from the authority that they have no respect for and the last thing they want is the long arm of the law coming down on their shoulder.

Fortunately, these people are still in the minority and most UK citizens are law abiding people with a healthy regard for all emergency services and recognise them as ordinary people doing their best to help society keep law and order and to stay safe.