Yes, what he did is heroic but here are many heroic things that happen daily.
The man who drives the garbage truck and the men who work at the sewage facility save countless lives. Without them, we would live in a world of filth with hundreds if not thousands dying daily.
The men that work the oil rigs, man the tankers, and run the refineries risk a great deal to provide us with warmth and transportation and other goodies. You can throw coal miners and lineman in this mix too.
I read of tragic farming deaths weekly. How many long time farmers have all their limbs?
The list is a long one of who we owe thanks to and yes, especially a firefighter that helped many escape certain death.
Garbage collectors = unionized NYC employees who do a dirty job for *very* good pay (and benefits).