American Fork Firefighters Fix Gas Leak, Then Family’s Dinner
Aug 20, 2019, 9:20 PM | Updated: 9:20 pm
AMERICAN FORK, Utah – It wasn’t quite the rescue of a cat in a tree, but firefighters in Utah County have gained notoriety for stopping a gas leak – and fixing dinner.
Life as a firefighter means long work shifts and being ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice. It also means cooking and eating in the fire station.
Firefighter Scott Willmore of the American Fork Fire Department told KSL he regularly gets his turn to cook.
“The engine was in charge of lunch, and for dinner the ambulance is going to cook. Everybody knows what you eat on Tuesdays, so it’s going to be ‘Taco Tuesday’ tonight,” he said.
Monday night at the station, there was no home-cooked dinner, at least, for the firefighters.
Saving a family from danger and their dinner! You won’t want to miss this story on what firefighters from @AmericanForkAFC did on a call. Watch @KSL5TV at 6. pic.twitter.com/RUoAj8itee
— Sam Penrod (@KSLsampenrod) August 21, 2019
“My son was helping me with dinner and he had just put the frozen dinner on the stove and just turned it on (when) we heard pounding on the door. It was a neighbor saying… there’s a gas leak,” said Cindy Kieper, who called 911 after evacuating her family.
The firefighters shut off the broken gas meter and then went inside to make sure it was safe in the house.
“(Firefighter) Jared Peterson noticed the stove that was on and the food that was cooking, and went so far as to stir the pasta to make sure it cooked evenly. Then I saw the picture of the food afterwards. It looked pretty good,” said Willmore.
Yes, the firefighters made sure someone else’s dinner was ready to eat!
“They cooked it just right and my kids kept saying, ‘They’re such good cooks, the firemen are the best, they cooked our dinner so perfect,’” said Kieper.
For the firefighters, it was no big deal. Saving a family from danger and finding any other way to help – even fixing dinner – is just part of the job.
“Always be on the lookout for the ability to serve the public. We are public servants, and if it’s as simple as stirring food, we’re happy to do it.” Willmore said.
