By FireRescue1 Staff
TOLEDO, Ohio — A firefighter managed to save a U.S. flag from a Vietnam vet’s burning home after spotting it on the porch.
FOX News reported that Toledo Fire and Rescue Firefighter and Navy veteran Allen Skomer was teaching a rookie an extinguishing technique while battling the defensive fire when he spotted the flag amidst the flames.
“That kind of set off a little bell in the back of my head saying ‘hey, that’s not right,’” he said.
Skomer took the flag and rested it on the bumper of a fire truck so that it would not be damaged in the blaze.
“I knew we were going to do a controlled burn and let the structure burn down safely,” he said. “So I didn’t want the flag to go up with it. To me, the flag is a symbol of a lot of the freedoms we enjoy and sometimes take for granted. Deep down inside it means something to me. The flag is a representation of that feeling, so I wouldn’t want to let it just go to waste.”
Soon after Skomer saved the flag, the roof of the house caved in, destroying the home and everything inside of it.
“Patriotism is something that I think is overlooked these days,” TFR Spokesperson Sterling Rahe said. “That flag is the core symbol of our citizenship and we should be thankful for the freedom and what that flag represents. It’s a proud moment. Respect for the flag runs deep within our department. It’s a great moment for Al to take be able to respect the flag and do what he did. What you saw in that video is who he is.”