They show up in movies and in television shows, nearly always portrayed as heroes.

In real life, firefighters are often the guys or gals next door. Few would consider themselves heroes.

But in reality, the men and women who wear those odd helmets, that bulky, hot clothing and those high, funny boots are heroes, at least in a sense.

Earlier this week in Jay, a fire erupted in the building that houses the school department’s fleet of buses. Unable to open doors to the garage, firefighters put on heavy airpacks and masks, then climbed into the buses to rescue the vehicles.

In all, a food service van and seven of nine buses were saved, despite the fact that the first vehicles out had to crash through the doors.

OK, so it isn’t as dramatic as saving a youngster by ladder as she gasps for air from a third-floor window.

But the steps taken by those firefighters saved the town a bundle – and probably a fair amount of time and energy – by getting out the vehicles out.

It’s just another example of how our ordinary neighbors sometimes do extraordinary things.