Oklahoma Firefighters Remember Their Fallen Brothers

Nine firefighters lose their lives trying to put out a fire in a South Carolina furniture warehouse. The deaths make it the nation's deadliest single disaster for firefighters since the 9-11 attacks.

Tuesday, June 19th 2007, 7:43 pm

By: News On 6

Nine firefighters lose their lives trying to put out a fire in a South Carolina furniture warehouse. The deaths make it the nation's deadliest single disaster for firefighters since the 9-11 attacks. Firefighters here in Tulsa are also taking the loss hard. The News On 6â€™s Ashli Sims went out with some firefighters from Tulsa's station #5. She reports Mondayâ€™s deaths are a tragic reminder of just how dangerous being a firefighter can be.

Every time the fire alarm sounds and the truck takes off firefighters are putting their lives on the line.

"I dunno that any of us think about it,â€ said Captain John Dyer with the Tulsa Fire Department. â€œWe just go do our job."

The day after nine of their fellow firefighters were killed in the line of duty in South Carolina that job is a little tougher.

"The whole community is hurting, and we're hurting all over. We're grieving with them," Dyer said.

Captain Dyer says the grief hits close to home because he spent some time in Charleston, South Carolina.

"You feel a kinship with any of them,â€ he said. â€œWhen you've spent time there, I don't know that I know any of them, but we're all brothers."

They're a tight-knit group, working 24-hour shifts every third day. They know the risks when they head into a burning apartment building, but they say they do it because they love it.

"We're doing it because we want to, and I don't think anybody here thinks we're doing it any other than we're just doing our jobs," said Dyer. "Our hearts go out to those families and members of those departments."

The U.S. Fire Administration reports 106 firefighters died last year in the line of duty that's down slightly from 2005.

Watch the video: Oklahoma Firemen Mourn Their South Carolina Brethren