JFRD crew helps animals in need while fighting fires in panhandle

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department sent crews to help fight the Santa Rosa Swamp fire in Florida’s Panhandle.

“We have been out every day driving around, looking for hot sports and flair ups, trying to mitigate that and keep anything away from structures," said Justin Smith, a JFRD engineer.

On Friday, while investigating some smoke from behind a house, a fire crew found some animals that needed some help.

Some chickens and ducks were been left behind on a farm. When the crew found them, their food and water bowls were empty, so the firefighters took some time to help the animals in need.

“Looks like they had been back there for a few days without anything. Their food bowls and their water bowls were empty, so we decided to top them off for them,” Smith said.

The crew expects to continue battling the Santa Rosa Swamp fire for another day or two as they focus on putting out hot spots and flare-ups.


About the Author

Jamal St. Cyr is an award-winning sports anchor who joined the News4Jax sports team in 2019.

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