By Clare, Leo, Kirk, Nels and Miranda Webber

The Webber family wants to extend a huge thank you to the Los Alamos Fire Department. The responsiveness and professionalism that was on display the evening of June 6 was a balm to our concerns and worry over the lightning initiated fire to our residence.

We were amazed at how concerned each and every one of the fire team seemed to be regarding our personal welfare and the ensuing damage to our home.

The Fire Chief and the Fire Marshal kept us apprised of every step of the fire fight and what actions they were taking to address both the fire and the hazardous buildup of smoke. They even advised us of their decision to chop holes in the roof (we, of course, insisted that they do everything they deemed necessary to salvage the home).

At the end of a very long night most of the crew came over to apologize for the “mess” that they made as they had to take the fire hoses in through the front door to access the second story, the attic, and the roof. Days afterward when we were able to obtain limited access we were again amazed and grateful to see that the fire fighters took the time to remove fragile and expensive items from their path and attempted to “sop up” some of the standing water that had pooled on the ground floor.

We were further thrilled (and yes – again amazed) that when the fire marshals returned the next day with a ladder truck to resume their investigation that they directed some of the fire fighters to access the roof to cover the holes with tarps to prevent further damage to the home.

We had always understood how important it was to the town of Los Alamos to have a top notch firefighting team. Their heroism and dedication was well demonstrated when they fought two major wildfires during the last 16 years, keeping  the devastation during the Cerro Grande Fire limited to burning “just” over 400 homes. Due to the evacuations the affected homeowners could not see firsthand the faces of these firefighters and how personally invested they are in preserving life and property, from forests to buildings.

During our “Act of God” fire we were treated to an up close view of these fire fighters in action and could not have been more impressed, even considering the circumstances.

We now have a deep understanding, incorporating both heart and mind, why the Los Alamos Fire Department is rated one of the best in New Mexico!

Thank you Los Alamos Fire Department for saving our family home.