right More than 100 firefighters battled the Castle West Apartments blaze with 28 pieces of fire department apparatus in the wee hours of January 16, 2007. Eighty-five residents were rescued with ladders, most from balconies or upper story windows.

ABOVE AND BEYOND
in times of national tragedy, the CsFD has
reached beyond our city. in the aftermath of Hur-
ricane Katrina, they sent firefighters to Missis-
sippi to help restore telephone communications
and power.
the CsFD even played a key role in working
with victims of Katrina. “We processed 2,000 vic-
tims that were assimilated into our community,”
Cox said. “our goal was that no one would spend
a night in a shelter.”
they achieved that goal.

THE PERSONAL TOUCH

the city has twenty fire stations, but other districts provide services to the region as well. one such is the broadmoor Fire Protection District. Located behind the broadmoor Hotel, the broadmoor Fire rescue has six full-time firefighters and a chief.

“We’re like a small town department,” Chief ruckdeschel said, “with an emphasis on emergency medical services and wildland fire fighting, and we work closely with the CsFD.”

“We’ll do anything for our residents,” firefighter Noel Perran said.

over the years, they’ve met presidents and world leaders. they’ve also had their share of sad calls, from teen suicides to AtV accidents and strokes. but some small moments tugged at their hearts.

Like the day they responded to a call and found an eight-year-old girl in tears. Her kitty was trapped 30 feet up in a tree, its collar caught on a branch.

“there was no greater reward than handing that cat to that little girl,” Perran said.

Firefighter Fred Monroe remembers another call. “A lady had been involved in a car accident the day before. she was still very upset. she just needed a hug.”

VALOR IN ACTION

Whether it’s battling blazes or giving hugs and saving kittens, our firefighters are always there to help.

“it’s all about customer service,” Cox said, “the willingness and unselfishness to put the community first.”

And that’s what they do. every day. Not for personal glory or fanfare.