Seattle Ladder 8 Capt. Dana Caldart, Firefighter Josh Materi and others recount rescue of seven from roof of a well-involved dwelling.

Companies in District 7 had the rear porch and all floors well off prior to collapse. Plus, video of a small job in District 11 just prior to Christmas and a reshowing of when “The Bravest” came to Beantown.

On the heels of laying two of their members to rest, Chicago firefighters rescue squatters and tenants from two different fires.

Tense moments during roll call after second floor collapse.

Residents escape early morning fire in first floor garden-style apartment.

I suppose Christmas and the few days after might have been just another day, another day alive or dieing, struggling. Rest in peace old timer, you are no rat no more.

44 puts holiday on hold to stretch in at a first due fire.

From box to three alarms in 10 minutes, Chelsea firefighters take in a Christmas Eve worker.

“I was just trying to stick with my officer, Lt. Matt Camara,” he said. “I was listening to him and doing everything he told me to do. He is a great officer, so I didn’t have to do anything except listen to him and do what he said and stay close.”

What stood out in the Captain’s story was the things that went right, and the potential for things to go so wrong. The first due companies arrived on scene to find nothing showing. These words alone often cause us to drop our guard, to become complacent.