GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. – Fire communication really paints a chaotic picture of the aftermath of the deadly Grand Blanc Township church attack.
Calls between crews reveal the bravery of the men and women who rushed to save as many as possible.
“We have an active shooter at the church and PDs on scene saying the building is also on fire,” the fire dispatcher revealed.
The shocking call of a mass shooting and arson at the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints caught firefighters by total surprise on Sunday (Sept. 28) morning.
Fortunately for those first responders, the alleged shooter has already been taken down.
“They have one in custody right now. They’re trying to confirm that there’s no more,” the dispatcher called out.
In the meantime, local crews are scrambling to get there in time.
Once they arrive, they must make a split-second decision about which task to tackle first: the fire or the victims.
But they quickly realize it’s going to take more than them to help save the day.
“I need manpower ASAP. I have people trapped in the building.
Repeat: People are trapped in the building. We got children inside, too,” One firefighter explained as he eagerly called for backup.
Surrounding Departments from all over also race to the church, as more and more people are revealed to be injured while the smoke clears.
“Get EMS to the door. I need EMS to the door. Alex, slow down. I can’t understand you. I’m operations,” another firefighter shouted.
However, not everyone is accounted for.
Another issue adding to the race against time is the roof that’s literally falling apart due to all the damage.
“The roof’s collapsing on my side. Pull everybody out,” an additional firefighter expressed while trying to make it out of the building.
While crews rescue as many as they can, they continuously need water until the very moment the flames are out.
Investigators are still seeking a motive for this incident.
That’s something Local 4 will continue to stay on top of.