CALISTOGA, Calif. (KRON) — A symbol of America threatened to go up in flames in the Glass Fire.
That is until firefighters from the Bay Area took action. On Friday, those firefighters spoke exclusively to KRON4’s Haaziq Madyun.
It was a split second decision to save the American flag captured on video that has gone viral.
“Firefighters do this often,” Fremont Fire Capt. Mike Laughlin said. “If we see an American flag on a property and it is going to be lost, we are grabbing it.”
It was early Monday morning when Capt. Laughlin of the Fremont Fire Department and the four person crew of Engine 558 arrived at the Fairwinds Estates Winery in Calistoga.
“Fire was all around it. Winds were blowing probably 40 to 50 miles per hour. We found the hydrant, we were able to get a little water out of it but the fire pump ended up shutting down on us,” Capt. Laughlin said. “We did what we could with but unfortunately we weren’t able to save the building.”
“I was standing next to Captain Laughlin. We kind of looked at each other and said hey let’s grab it,” Scott Hall said.
Hall is the first Fremont firefighter you see in the video. He and firefighter Rusty Ehrler secured the flag.
“You did everything you could to save the winery. You couldn’t do that,” KRON4’s Haaziq Madyun said. “Talk about why it was important before you pulled out of there to grab that American flag.”
“We saw it and we made it happen. Later on we kind of thought with everything that’s going on in America, this is one thing we all represent,” Hall said. “One nation under God. I think it’s a prideful move and we’re here to serve”>