CHARLESTON, S.C.-- Chief Rusty Thomas didn't just lose nine firefighters. He lost nine friends.
"I know it's probably not like this in departments throughout the U.S., but this a hands-on operation here. I knew these men. I hired six of nine of them. The others were already here."
Wiping away tears, Thomas said the past few days have been the toughest. "I'm not an office guy. I was out there."
Recalling happier times helps. "Talking is good. It's the quiet time. . ."
The chief said his men and women will draw strength from each other, and he is poised to face the most difficult challenge in his life.
"They are looking for me to help heal. I can do that. No, we will do that. We will make it."
There are no words to describe his reaction when he learned some of his finest firefighters were missing.
The man who's been at the helm for 15 years cries as he talks about the massive blaze and collapsing building that came down on his firefighters.
"I thought I could be strong," he said, shaking his head. "These were my friends."
The outpouring of support has been overwhelming. The phone calls and messages have come from around the world. "We're a big family, the fire service."
Sitting at his desk in an office decorated with pictures of blazes, model fire trucks and other memorabilia, Thomas says he knows there's discussion underway about the operations.
He stands behind his crew. Two pumpers, a ladder and battalion chief responded on the initial call for a possible building fire. Seeing smoke from the rear of the building as the approached, the officer said it may be a trash fire.
"When he arrived, however, he found out differently. And, it went from there. The crews knew their jobs. These were experienced men."
He pointed out that a recall of off-duty firefighters was never needed because the crews showed up on their own. "That's what we do here. We back each other."
The chief -- who celebrated his 31st year in the fire service last week -- said there will be a critique, a measure that takes place after every major incident.
"They're talking. I've heard it. . ."
Thomas said he hasn't even thought about listening to the fire ground transmissions. "I was there. I lived it."
The chief wiped his tear-stained face with his hand, and leaned forward in his chair. "It should be all about these nine guys, my friends. They are the story. Look at the contributions lost, their combined expertise. . ."
Thomas said he will continue to make sure the fallen heroes remain the focus. "Their families and the Charleston firefighters they left behind are the most important things to me."
