MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A South Florida firefighter received a warm welcome home Tuesday morning after he returned from a volunteer stint in Israel amid its war with Hamas.
Hollywood Fire Rescue Capt. Anthony Vera arrived at the Miami International Airport, having spent two weeks in Israel serving as a volunteer firefighter.
He was one of 21 other American firefighters sent to fill the boots of Israeli first responders called up to serve in the war. Israeli officials assigned Vera to a station in Jerusalem, where he responded to fires caused by terrorist missile strikes.
“Life is a little different over there,” Vera said. “It’s a little difficult over there because one minute you’re fighting fires, and the minute a siren sounds and there’s a rocket overhead, you have to duck. So it’s a little crazy.”
Despite having no ties to the country, Vera said he felt compelled to help out.
“I went over there to help out knowing what they had been through,” he said. “It’s basically their 9/11.”
Vera served in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“A lot of people asked me, ‘Why did you go over there if it’s not your country?’” he said. “Well, Afghanistan wasn’t my country either, and I dare say I have more in common with Israel than I do with Afghanistan, so it was second nature to me.”
Vera documented his time in the Middle East through a series of photos released by the Hollywood Fire Association.
His boss, Chief Dan Booker, praised his passion for service.
“That’s Anthony,” he said. “I mean, Anthony is always there -- when something happens, he’s always there. He’s everybody’s hero. We look up to him a lot, so we’re just glad to have him back.”
Vera said he’d go back to the region again in a “heartbeat.”