ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — While many people get to spend Thanksgiving with friends and family, for some first responders it is another day of work.
The crew at Golder Ranch Fire Station 380 started their 24-hour shift at 8 a.m.
“So we started the day off with a big breakfast,” said firefighter and EMT, Jacob Lopez. “It was just hash browns, bacon and eggs.”
Unlike most professions, crewmembers had to be ready at any moment to respond to a call.
Lopez explained that he doesn’t mind working on the holidays, because it allows others to be off and spend time with their families.
"For me, a big part of my family is here,” Lopez said.
Engineer Rob Morse explained that while he wasn't able to celebrate the holiday with his own family, he would still be with his second family.
“We're with these guys 10 days out of the month, 24 hours at a time, so we still have our celebration here,” Morse said.
Between calls the crew was able to watch football, workout and prepare their Thanksgiving meal.
While they may have been able to participate in some of the holiday’s traditions, their goal for the day remained clear – serve the community.
“The community will always come first for our job,” Lopez said. “That's why we're here right now.”
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
