Spencer Residents Hailing Firefighters As Heroes

Adrianna Iwasinski, News 9

SPENCER, Oklahoma – Many homeowners are thankful for the hardworking firefighters who helped saved their homes and land during the recent wildfires.

Luckily these firefighters rotate shifts, so the crews who were fighting the fires Thursday's got to take a break. But the ones who were fighting the fires on Wednesday were back out near Spencer Friday to check for hot spots and making sure no new fires were flaring up.

"It can be very taxing," said Oklahoma City Fire Battalion Chief Bobby Lax. "Our crews that worked on Wednesday, most of us we were out here since the time it started."

But the fire station makes sure to rotate their firefighters every two hours so they can catch a breather between every call.

"You know we just have to try to get rest when we can. We try to eat when we can and we try to stay hydrated as much as possible, that way we're ready should something happen. Then we'll be physically prepared to handle the situation," said Chief Lax.

These crews never know when or where their next call will be. But they make sure their ready and are always willing and able.

"Most of us honestly we would probably be out here doing this job even if we didn't get paid," said Chief Lax.

And of course a lot of the people who live out here are calling those brave firefighters heroes for saving their homes.

Olen Glover's property may be burned up, but his house is still standing and said the firefighters who saved his home are his heroes.

"I figured the house would be there because its brick," said Glover. "I imagine if they hadn't done what they did it would have been a whole lot worse. So I thank them for what they done! You just do all you can that's all you can do."

"Yeah I think they are heroes," said Charles Wells. "Thank God for them you know."

Charles and Laqueda Wells are building a house right across the street from Glover and they feel lucky their home was spared.

"We appreciate all the hard work that they are doing for us," said Laqueda Wells.

But these firefighters say it's all in a day's work.

"Aww, we're not heroes. You know we get paid to do a job. It's what we do, it's what we love to do," said Chief Lax.

Two firefighters encountered some injuries fighting those wildfires. One of them suffered an electrical shock and had to be rushed to the hospital. He was treated and released and has been cleared to returned to work. Another suffered some chest pains and was also taken to the hospital. He was held for observation, but was also released.