COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A firefighter tasked with shooting footage from inside Colo.'s Waldo Canyon Fire described the experience Monday.
Firefighter Steve Schoepper, a 36-year firefighting veteran at the Colorado Springs Fire Department, told Fox 21 News about being “scared and nervous” just before entering a firestorm June 26.
“You could see that mountain billowing up just like a volcano, and I thought ‘Oh man, this is going to be a bad day,’” Firefighter Schoepper said.
“I think I uttered something I always say when something bad is about to go down, ‘Forward into the breech,’ and that is what we did.”
His emotions at the time overwhelmed him, he told Fox 21.
“You know I was praying, I was so sad for those who were losing their homes, I wanted it to stop,” Firefighter Schoepper said. “I thought we need to find out where this is going to stop, so we kept moving.”
He said he saw hundreds of firefighters battling the flames as he continued to film.
“It was determination, every one of them, I never saw fear in their eyes,” he said.