Do you remember back when you were in preschool and your teacher taught you about the “people in the neighborhood”? These are the firefighters, the doctors and nurses, the police, the hair cutter, the mailman, and so many more. These community workers make up your unit. They make life convenient for you at every turn. They make sure that you have someone to take care of you when there’s a medical emergency and when someone tries to get into your home. We often overlook them when we start adulthood. We’re so consumed by our lives that we forget all about these community workers.
Who are they now in the 21st century? When you’re a kid, the world is so small and all you know is that the neighbor next door makes amazing chocolate chip cookies. You don’t think about the implication of what you do every day to these ordinary folks. But it’s about time that people begin appreciating these people more. The work they do enables you to arrive on time at work and pass by roads that are safe and secure.
Drainage Workers
The only time people think about the drainage system in the area is when there’s a sudden flood in the streets. You complain to your congressman, senator, and governor about the lack of a proper drainage system in the area, but have you ever stopped and think about the fate of workers there? There’s so much work that needs to be done to ensure that there’ll be no flooding accidents in a city or province. Imagine the kind of work that these people must do.
Thankfully, they now use water-resistant manhole lining to make the inside of the manhole fit for human work. The things that pass through these tunnels are not for the faint of heart and weak of stomach. So, it’s also important for local governments to do what they can to make the working conditions safe.
Road Construction Workers
Who do you think painted those warning lines on the road at night? How do you know what’s a carpool lane and what’s not? These are the works of road construction workers. They patch the potholes and cracks on the road while you sleep soundly at night. They put their lives in danger working in horrid climates and hours just to make sure that tomorrow when you wake up, you have a safe road to drive on.
Governing bodies and agencies put into law policies that will ensure the safety and protection of workers. Those who work in road construction must be in protective gear. They must also use the proper equipment to warn motorists that there’s construction work ahead on the road.
Traffic Engineers
Who do you think manages the traffic system in your city? Who decides what to do when vehicles have been stuck on the road for hours? Traffic engineers do that, and their work is not exactly enviable. They have to decide on important matters such as which roads should be opened, and which can be closed when there are construction projects. They have to manage the peak and off-peak hours, making sure that everyone will get to where they need to be.
Can you imagine how much work goes into managing the entire road system? From the subway to above-the-ground train lines to the roads, traffic system engineers have to be at the top of their games. If not, accidents may happen, as well as a traffic jam that will not seem to decongest anytime soon.
Utility Workers
Power, water, internet, and cable TV… these are the conveniences at home that you don’t normally notice. People feel entitled to access all of these when they are not normal in places like Africa. When was the last time you actually thanked the person who fixed your electrical line? Of course, the internet guy is usually the subject of your rants when the signal is weak. But for the most part, people always forget about those who make sure that they have power, water, cable, and internet.
When you walk or bike or drive to work in the morning, take time to appreciate how things are moving smoothly. At night, when you go home and chill in your bedroom while watching a series on Netflix, take time to think about the tireless people who make sure that your internet signal will not buffer. Yes, you pay for these things but also yes, there are people who make sure you get to enjoy these conveniences.
