The solitude of this peaceful West Virginia town was interrupted on a frigid Monday night in February when the smoke and fire alarms shrieked at 11:30 p.m. inside the fire department. The source of the alarms was the local elementary school boiler room. Since the call emanated from a school, the alarm went out to several of the adjacent fire companies. In all, six fire companies responded to the call.

It amazes me that these brave individuals choose to run into a building when everyone else is running out. The fire department broke through the outside door and carried its heavy equipment down the long hallway to the boiler room door. Once open, the firemen were greeted with heat and what was thought to be white smoke.