There are people who work around us every day that epitomize the title “everyday hero.”

When we’re sitting in the dark with no air conditioning because a storm has knocked out our power, these men and women are outside trying to get power up and running again.

They know it’s not just inconvenient to be without power. They know no one wants to have food spoil because the refrigerator or freezer has been off too long. They don’t want anyone to have to miss work because they couldn’t take a shower or see to get what they needed.

They also know some people depend on power for medical equipment, and for security. While hospitals certainly have backup emergency power sources, they need power restored as soon as possible. Someone who depends on powered medical equipment at home needs it, too.

A more immediate need is often the fact that power lines are down and pose a great danger to people. But these guys are out there among the danger to keep it from us.

Sometimes it’s while the storm still rages.

There are also the ambulance personnel, the emergency management association, fire department, police department, sheriff’s office, and highway patrol.

There are the neighbors who check on neighbors to make sure they are okay and have what they need. People who go into a home to help evacuate those who cannot get out on their own.

Chainsaw and other equipment operators who do the heavy lifting and the cleanup. Those who keep watch and make sure others don’t go where they could suffer injury or loss of life.

People who offer a cup of coffee or bottle of cold water to those working.

To all of these, and anyone I regretfully may have omitted, “Thank you” simply doesn’t seem like enough. But, we say “Thank you,” anyway.

Our heroes aren’t supermen or superwomen, but are everyday people.

“There goes my hero — watch him as he goes,” a song from a few years back says. “There goes my hero — he’s ordinary.”

News editor Brett Campbell can be reached at brett.campbell@dailyleader.com.