WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. – A firefighter found himself battling a blaze all by himself after budget cuts led to a reduction in staff in the fire department.
The video above was shot in Washington Park, Illinois, and it shows firefighter Dontay Brooks fighting the fire solo.
The department reportedly laid off seven firefighters last year due to budget cuts, and now there is only one paid firefighter—the rest are volunteers.
Brooks worked unassisted for about a half an hour before crews from another department arrived, and he said he stayed focused on preventing the fire from moving from the vacant home to the house next door, which had people inside.
"That was my main priority,” he said. “I wasn't worried about the house, and I was protecting the home and the family next door."
See the video above for more information, as well as footage of Brooks fighting the fire.
