The guest-firefighter who came in here early on put so much in perspective so well; but his wording pointed up some of the differences in the definitions and connotations we may bring to the word "heroes". "I wouldn't want to go in..with a hero". I certainly wouldn't want to "go in" with someone who didn't respect the dangers involved enough to exercise all due caution and judgement. Neither would I want to go in with someone who didn't have the guts to remain reliable under the conditions. And I personally couldn't plan to put myself in that position. You could get me "in there" only if I was too blinded by emotion, say driven to get some kid out, to consider what I was doing.
If I embarrass any firefighters, so be it; I consider those who died that day heroes.