Lancaster Firefighters Offer Displaced Family to Stay at Fire Station 117

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Over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, 2012, Fire Station 117 in the City of Lancaster extended the ultimate "hometown attentiveness" to a family of 15, after a fire at their home left them displaced.

"With the high desert temperature at 35 degrees –close to freezing– and so many kids and little babies, there was no question we had to help this family," said Fire Station 117 Captain Lester Fuzell, Sr. "We provided the comfort of home at our fire station home until American Red Cross representatives arrived to support the family."

The Saturday evening garage blaze quickly spread into the attached home, causing extensive smoke and fire damage. Sadly, the family dog "Fancy," a six-month-old pit bull, died of smoke inhalation after charging back into the burning house, likely trying to warn the family.

"Unless you live here in the high desert, you just don't know how extremely cold 35 degrees feels. Fuzell and his firefighters graciously extended the ultimate 'reach-out' to this displaced family, and I am nothing but proud of them," says Acting Assistant Fire Chief Gerald Cosey.

The American Red Cross was able to provide the family with four rooms at a local motel for three days. The local Home Town Buffet restaurant provided hot meals, and Wal-Mart provided toiletries, shoes, clothing and baby necessities.

"You know, we're doing OK. I believe in God, and I think He will work something out for us," said Richard Callaway, head of the household.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but the source of the hometown attentiveness was easy to pinpoint.

Republished with permission of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. View original article here.



Author:LACoFD