CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — Firefighters are returning home after helping with recovery efforts from Hurricane Idalia.

What You Need To Know

  • Firefighters from Citrus County Fire Rescue return home after helping Hurricane Idalia recovery efforts in Dixie County

  • Both firefighters — driver engineer and paramedic Nathan VanBuren and Lieutenant Jesse Mullis — came from differing stations in the county

  • Responding to the call in a different county was a first for both firefighters, an experience they say they won't soon forget

Citrus County Fire Rescue firefighters heeded the call when their neighbors to the north needed it most. It's an experience that will leave a lasting impact on their posts.

At Citrus County Fire Rescue Station 24, driver engineer and paramedic Nathan VanBuren goes about his normal shift.

“I just always enjoyed helping other people and serve in the community,” he said.

But just weeks ago, that normal was flipped after getting a call — a call for help during Hurricane Idalia.

“Me and another firefighter for the county went up there to Dixie County," VanBuren said. "We were stationed on horseshoe beach on a tanker. During the hurricane, I guess their hydrants weren’t operating at full capacity so their water wasn’t great. We were up there in a tanker just to provide extra water in case there was a fire to happen.”

VanBuren was joined alongside Lieutenant Jesse Mullis with Station 3 in Homosassa.

“The first town we went into was the city of Horseshoe Beach," Lt. Mullis said. "That’s where it started hitting with the destruction. They got hit pretty hard.”

Swiping through photos, you can see some of the damage firefighters witnessed, but they don't show the full extent of what was left by the storm.

“Some of the pictures don’t really do it justice," VanBuren said. "You can see a truck washed into the canal there.”

“It was definitely kind of shocking to see something so damaging, so close to our community," he said. "But it was refreshing to see the people up there. We were up there shortly after the hurricane went through and people were already cleaning up and everybody that we spoke to was in really good spirits. It was cool to see the community come together.”

But out of the storm comes some positivity.

“The comradery that we were with other guys that we had never met before," Lt. Mullis said. "Truly, friendships were made with the networking and it was cool seeing everyone come together.”

It's experience he says that you can only get firsthand. 

“Going up there and seeing the damage and devastation, knowing that we could have to deal with something like that at a moment’s notice really kind of opens your eyes," VanBuren said. "To being operationally ready and really getting behind that and standing behind it.”

It's something they will take with them on each call.