DANIA BEACH, Fla. – After being sent to the Florida Keys for eight days, some members of the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue returned to Dania Beach on Wednesday.
These brave men and women faced their own hardship, without power or running water during sweltering days — but they tell us they remained focused on the task at hand.
“We were there eight days and you look back and we see how much has already changed in that time frame. Our fire station got back water two days ago, it’s nice to have a hot shower and see some of the residents get their electric on,” Battalion Chief Don Galloway said.
He said the hardest hit areas are going to be “feeling it for a long time.”
One moment that captured the hearts of so many was when a rescue lieutenant gave water to a very thirsty Key deer that emerged from the rubble of a collapsed home.
"We cracked open a bottle of water and it was drinking right from the bottle," Lt. Nicholas Johnson said. "(The deer) drank four bottles of water, so it was definitely thirsty. It was nice help the wild life as well as the community."
While some firefighters came home after aiding with Hurricane Irma, others were sent Puerto Rico ready to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.