CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Three Corpus Christi firefighters have recently returned from assisting with putting out the wildfires in California. For these brave men, it was an experience they won't forget.
Pete Maldonado, Scott Marsh and Robert Cruz with Corpus Christi Fire Department are no strangers to disaster zones.
"We were at Beryl in Houston last year a couple of times and wildfires,” Cruz said.
On Jan. 11, this team of three got the call to head to California where they would have boots on the ground for 18 days, working 24-hour shifts.
"Part of our jobs we were part of the overhead team in charge of medical operations for the fire,” Marsh said.
Joining 6,000 other firefighters, 166 of those from the Lone Star State - all there to help with the Pacific Palisades Fire.
"That fire burned hotter than anything I’ve ever seen,” Battalion Chief Marsh said.
Marsh said as the fire spread everyone worked to contain it.
"Every day was a new challenge because the terrain would be different, trees fell and sink holes,” Maldonado said.
Facing each challenge and making friends with other firefighters along the way
"We did do some instructing out there of the way we do things and it seemed to hit home,” Marsh said.
CCFD continues to put in the work by getting firefighters their certification to be able to respond in an emergency.
