MESA, Ariz. — The Mesa Fire Department is the first in the country to win an Emmy award after producing three public service announcements to prevent drowning.
The powerful PSA uses interviews with mothers recalling the day their children died in drowning accidents, according to the report.
“We definitely didn’t think we would win an Emmy, much less get nominated,” Laura Mcelhatten, Public Information Officer for the Mesa Fire Department told AZFamily.
The department was awarded a 2013 Rocky Mountain Emmy on Saturday for the “I Remember” PSA campaign.
“The message of the PSA was to always remember to watch your kids around water, but also to remember these two little boys who passed away from drowning,” said Mcelhatten.
The mothers in the videos are chillingly straight forward and movingly emotional.
“I remember being angry because I had done the very best to protect my kids and it was just a matter of a minute or two and my baby was gone,” says a mother whose son, Ian, drowned in 2010.
No other fire departments in the country have ever won an Emmy, according to the report.
“I think what set this PSA apart was these mothers were so brave to be able to share their stories with the audience members,” said Mcelhatten. “We’re still shocked that it happened.”