TULSA -- Emergencies never take a break, and for those working on holidays being away from family is not an easy task.
“It bothers you a lot but it’s also our job so we’ve got to be here we’ve got a job to do, so you just kind of suck it up and do what you’re supposed to do," said Allen Pugh, Firefighter with the Tulsa fire department.
Christmas was not a silent night for these Tulsa firefighters after getting called to an apartment fire.
“You don’t want anything bad to happen ever especially on a holiday especially holiday like this Christmas you really feel for them," said Pugh.
Luckily no one was severely hurt. The family was thankful for the firefighters spending their day helping them when they needed it most.
“It’s different because they could be at home with their families instead of being here but they’re here," said Valnavia Pearson, one of the people who evacuated the apartment.
Which is also an important lesson the firefighters teach their kids at home.
“They understand that we’re just helping people, so dad needs to be somewhere else on this evening,” said Pugh.
But that didn't stop one family from bringing Christmas to their hero.
It's not quite cozying up by the fire, but putting up a tree and opening presents gives some holiday feel for the firefighters.
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“It’s our second home so if we have something that feels more like home it’s helpful to some,” said Captain Eddie Mangold with the Tulsa fire department.
They didn't go hungry on Christmas, thanks to a local business donating a glazed ham for the firefighters to chow down on the holiday.
“It’s stuff like that, how people say thank you to us for being here,” said Captain Mangold.
One family in particular was thankful whose Christmas could have gone up in flames if it wasn't for the first responders.
“I thank you guys so much, and Merry Christmas,” said Pearson.
It's not just the fire department, you also have law enforcement, EMSA, and other medical professionals spending their Christmas making suer you and your family are safe.
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