--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were 11,000 firefighters in the…" description: "\"“There were 11,000 firefighters in the department.”\" — Lauren Tarshis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg" --- # There were 11,000 firefighters in the department. ![“There were 11,000 firefighters in the department.” quote by Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg) > ““There were 11,000 firefighters in the department.”” [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A hyperbolic statement highlighting the massive scale of a firefighting force, possibly to emphasize urgency or capacity. **In simple terms:** Huge number of firefighters. Key Takeaway Large resources available. Themes scale urgency capacity Mood serious informative Type factual explanatory When to use this quote - emergency response - policy discussion - media reporting Key Concepts resource management public safety Questions to Reflect On - How does scale affect perception of safety? - What are the limits of resources? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firefighters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firefighters/) ## Related quotes > [In the 9/11 Commission Report, one of the things they point out is that firefighters saved just about everybody below the fire. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/in-the-9-11-commission-report-one-of-the-things-they-point-out-is/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [“I had to stop him from arresting an old lady who let her dog urinate against the fire hydrant that was in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goldberg/i-had-to-stop-him-from-arresting-an-old-lady-who-let-her-dog-urinate/) [Lee Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goldberg/) > [When you think of the sacrifices our firefighters make, think about the service of soldiers in foreign lands and listen to their lives, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/when-you-think-of-the-sacrifices-our-firefighters-make-think-about/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [Anytime I get to help the firefighters, I will. I'm real lucky to be in a position to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferrara/anytime-i-get-to-help-the-firefighters-i-will-i-m-real-lucky-to-be-in/) [Adam Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferrara/) > [My dad's a firefighter, so I know what it's like for policemen and firefighters to be on their own on Christmas Day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-watt/my-dad-s-a-firefighter-so-i-know-what-it-s-like-for-policemen-and/) [J. J. Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-watt/) > [When President Trump got out of the Paris climate accords, we got 412 cities to say we will do it instead, because we're on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/when-president-trump-got-out-of-the-paris-climate-accords-we-got-412/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [“Wildland firefighters do not enjoy the cultural prestige that structural firefighters do. They do not wax their fire engines and cruise down the local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/wildland-firefighters-do-not-enjoy-the-cultural-prestige-that/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [No other agency is scrutinized like the police. Everything we do is in a goldfish bowl. We are not the most popular people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/no-other-agency-is-scrutinized-like-the-police-everything-we-do-is-in/) [Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/) > [There are terrible, terrible memories of September 11th, things that I saw, people that I lost, the devastation, the identification of bodies. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/there-are-terrible-terrible-memories-of-september-11th-things-that-i/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Fire itself is very beautiful, and there's an attachment to fire that firefighters have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/fire-itself-is-very-beautiful-and-there-s-an-attachment-to-fire-that/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [The police officers and firefighters who ran headlong into harm's way on Sept. 11 and lost their lives didn't die because they were in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/the-police-officers-and-firefighters-who-ran-headlong-into-harm-s-way/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [My father's a firefighter. He was my whole life. And my brother-in-law and several family members are firefighters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/my-father-s-a-firefighter-he-was-my-whole-life-and-my-brother-in-law/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [In terms of people who we call heroes - and I don't tend to like that term, and firefighters don't consider themselves heroes -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-spencer/in-terms-of-people-who-we-call-heroes-and-i-don-t-tend-to-like-that/) [Jesse Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-spencer/) > [It is critical that firefighters and emergency responders have the proper equipment, training and staffing to do their jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lamb/it-is-critical-that-firefighters-and-emergency-responders-have-the/) [Conor Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lamb/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) ## More by Lauren Tarshis > [“But Jess had outgrown that. And anyway, the twins weren’t so exactly alike. Eddie was quiet and serious. Sam never shut up and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/but-jess-had-outgrown-that-and-anyway-the-twins-weren-t-so-exactly/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“Tower of London, where they used to chop off your head if the king didn’t like you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/tower-of-london-where-they-used-to-chop-off-your-head-if-the-king/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [Many writers are afraid of writing something bad, so they dont try or give up when their efforts dont lead to a masterpiece right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/many-writers-are-afraid-of-writing-something-bad-so-they-dont-try-or/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“There were nine dogs on the Titanic. They stayed in kennels, but their owners could take them out onto the decks for walks. Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/there-were-nine-dogs-on-the-titanic-they-stayed-in-kennels-but-their/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [In quiet moments, I love to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/in-quiet-moments-i-love-to-read/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“There are plenty of bad people in the world,” he said. “Too many to count. But there are good people, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/there-are-plenty-of-bad-people-in-the-world-he-said-too-many-to-count/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“And as it quickly became clear, there were not very many survivors to find. Only fourteen people were pulled out of the rubble alive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/and-as-it-quickly-became-clear-there-were-not-very-many-survivors-to/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“Colleen had this idea -- a faded, crumpled, smudged idea -- that being nice counted for something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/colleen-had-this-idea-a-faded-crumpled-smudged-idea-that-being-nice/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“The girls smiled and swayed as though Colleen's happiness was their favorite song.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/the-girls-smiled-and-swayed-as-though-colleen-s-happiness-was-their/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“That was how it always was with Colleen: No matter how sad she felt, there was always this little bit of hope - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/that-was-how-it-always-was-with-colleen-no-matter-how-sad-she-felt/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“But eleven-year-old Max Rosen was determined to stay alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/but-eleven-year-old-max-rosen-was-determined-to-stay-alive/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“Sometimes we must all fall out of a tree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/sometimes-we-must-all-fall-out-of-a-tree/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [“Being in love is one of the most powerful experiences anyone can have. I think that's why we have crushes when we're younger. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/being-in-love-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-experiences-anyone-can-have/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [Many writers are afraid of writing something bad, so they don't try or give up when their efforts don't lead to a masterpiece right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/many-writers-are-afraid-of-writing-something-bad-so-they-don-t-try-or/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) > [The most important advice I can offer is that writing is a craft that you can learn by practicing. If you keep writing, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/the-most-important-advice-i-can-offer-is-that-writing-is-a-craft-that/) [Lauren Tarshis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) [Explore all 21 Lauren Tarshis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/) ## More Department quotes > [ \[States and the Federal government are\] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/states-and-the-federal-government-are-coordinate-departments-of-one/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Personal shoppers in big department stores are seriously under-used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-reardon/personal-shoppers-in-big-department-stores-are-seriously-under-used/) [Kate Reardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-reardon/) > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I prefer department stores. In boutiques, they come up and ask you if you need help. I can't get lost in the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-netrebko/i-prefer-department-stores-in-boutiques-they-come-up-and-ask-you-if/) [Anna Netrebko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-netrebko/) > [A poet could write volumes about diners, because they're so beautiful. They're brightly lit, with chrome and booths and Naugahyde and great waitresses. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/a-poet-could-write-volumes-about-diners-because-they-re-so-beautiful/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [The hair department on 'Game of Thrones' is incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/the-hair-department-on-game-of-thrones-is-incredible/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [One of the big first computers was called SAGE, which was a missile defense, the first missile-defense computer, which was, like, one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/one-of-the-big-first-computers-was-called-sage-which-was-a-missile/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [Perhaps we have failed as human beings. Perhaps we have embarrassed ourselves to the natural world. We have been rigorous and willful in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/perhaps-we-have-failed-as-human-beings-perhaps-we-have-embarrassed/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [Every name in a TV show has to be run by the legal department first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/every-name-in-a-tv-show-has-to-be-run-by-the-legal-department-first/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [The director makes the movie. The director has to have the story in their head, has to know the style of the piece, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/the-director-makes-the-movie-the-director-has-to-have-the-story-in/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [Throughout my career, when I was finished with the drawing for one film I would go up to the story department and help develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-davis/throughout-my-career-when-i-was-finished-with-the-drawing-for-one/) [Marc Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-davis/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Trust God for the impossible-miracles are His department. Our job is to do our best, letting the Lord do the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/trust-god-for-the-impossible-miracles-are-his-department-our-job-is/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) Browse all 1,212 Department quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There were 11,000 firefighters in the department.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Tarshis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-department/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Department" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-department/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-tarshis-25744_department_there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-de_197388.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There were 11,000 firefighters in the department.” — Lauren Tarshis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lauren Tarshis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tarshis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There were 11,000 firefighters in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-department/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tarshis/there-were-11-000-firefighters-in-the-department/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```