Randy Rice - Fire Fighter

Randy's Most Memorable Moment

The best memory I could recall since there are too many to list is the house fire one week before Christmas. This was with my first Fire Dept back in Texas, I had been in about two years, it was one week before Christmas at about 8:30 p.m. We got call out to a house fire in town. So as I responded to the station to catch a truck the fist officer on scene reported to us that we had a working structure fire heavy fire and smoke showing. As we arrived it was a single story structure flames vented through the roof and front of house. After about 30 minutes we had the fire just about out. The family was out for dinner and returned to find us there doing what salvage and overhall we could. The home was a total loss.

I remember the two young children that lived there with sadness on their faces, and one of them saying that now Santa could not come and leave toys for them. When we returned to our station I told the members what I had heard the young child say, so we took it on our self to make it a good Christmas for this family. We went out and purchaced toys for these kids. We knew they were staying with family in town, so on Christmas Day we loaded the Engine with the toys and a Santa and delivered the gifts to them. We pulled up with lights and siren and when the kids saw Santa and came running up to the truck it put a big smile on everyones face, and the parents thanked us and said eventhough they lost everything they had, that what we had done made it the best Christmas for them and their children.

I have made a lot of calls in my sixteen years as a Vol Firefighter, but I will never forget this call.