WILLIAMSVILLE, NY — Matthew Zak, Michael Zak, and Nathan Knolhoff helped the Main Transit Fire Department rescue stranded drivers during the Christmas Blizzard.
For the lieutenants on the active crew, it showed the teen's true colors.
"They got a taste of some of the non-glamorous side of things. You know it's not all hooking up the fire hydrants and answering the calls of a motor vehicle accident. Sometimes it's just helping people in ways nobody ever thinks about," said Lieutenant of EMS Christoper Watson.
Matthew, Michael, and Nathan worked for hours inside the fire station, helping with food, and even went out into the blizzard in snowmobiles to bring people to shelter. "I like to help the community. It is a big part of my life, and everything is just about being able to help everyone," said Michael Zak.
The three teens were called into the fire station at 2 p.m. on Friday and worked until 10 p.m. that night, rescuing over 55 civilians, Erie County Sheriff deputies, Border Patrol agents, and even another fire department.
"It was almost like a surreal experience sitting here, and it was pretty tiring. As that day went on," said Nathan Knolhoff.
The experience made the boys want to continue to serve their communities and reassured them that they would continue to be first responders in the future.
If you want to become a volunteer firefighter or a junior firefighter for Main-Transit you can find more information here.