PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Members of the Unified Fire crews who have been battling fires in Southern California for the past two weeks believe they see light at the end of the tunnel, hoping they'll need to work just one more full shift before heading home.
"They started to let some of the residents come back in and having the first chance to really see their homes," shared firefighter Jeremy Robertson from South Jordan.
Utah firefighters were part of a particularly moving experience Tuesday in the hardest hit area of the Pacific Palisades, sharing how they helped a woman and her son sift through the debris and find some treasured possessions.
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"They had moved to the United States from Russia, built that home and raised their family in that home, and a whole lifetime full of memories were in that house," Robertson added.
Unified firefighters assisted the family in hopes of finding anything that survived the fire. Some priceless heirlooms like china were found in the damage, as well as jewelry and photos that were recovered inside a safe, but the family lost everything else.
"We are here to do one job, but we can be there to help those who are hurting," said firefighter Paul Story.
Utah heroes have become the shoulder to cry on for so many, such as a woman standing next to a grand staircase that was left of what was her beloved home.
"That’s a very unique experience that I’ll remember for the rest of my life," Story shared.
The firefighters themselves did not realize the extent of the devastation until they had their own boots on the ground.
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"Just the complete infrastructure failure like roads and trees downed and in people’s yards, power lines down, water and structure down," explained firefighter Cameron Sessor. "The gravity of it all, it brings you back down to earth. It’s pretty serious here. I’m happy to be able to help try to get people back to normal."
Crews are thankful for those in California who have treated them with such kindness, respect, and appreciation.
"Super supportive," said firefighter Chandler Kingsbury, "and a lot of the businesses around where our camp is, they’ve opened up their gyms and allow us to shower and decompress on our off days since there is so much destruction."
The destruction, they all agreed, is worse than anything they’ve ever experienced.
"There literally is nothing for some of the evacuees to come back to, and they’re quite literally picking up and moving to where they have families," said Robertson.
Unified Fire crews often serve with Utah Task Force One, helping with other natural disasters across the country like hurricanes and floods.
"Trying to save possessions that are maybe wet or muddy, but this is a fire and it’s totally consumed, it’s burned right down to the foundation," Robertson added.
It's why Story said moments like the ones in which his crew help salvage at least a bit of a family's history offer so much hope.
"It makes you realize the human connection that we all have."
