A team of “Hotshot” firefighters from American Samoa went to California to help put an end to the wildfires that have ravaged the countryside all summer. While coming down from Shasta-Trinity Forest, after a long day of work, these men were in high spirits and decided to sing the Samoan hymn “Fa’afetai i le Atua,” which translates to “Thanks Unto God” and is sung to the tune of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
The video begins with their strong, clear voices coming in from the distance and almost sounds like a group of highly exuberant monks. The 20 members of Crew 61 from the Helena Fire Department in Northern California slowly come into view, looking tired yet elated by the company of friends.
In case you didn’t know, “Hotshots” are the firefighting elite. Shareably.com explains:
According to National Geographic, there are approximately 107 hotshot crews in the United States, with Dick Smith, a retired firefighter explaining (via National Geographic): “In the world of wildland firefighting today, the hotshot crews are similar to the Special Forces in the military. They’re highly trained and can meet the highest physical requirements.”
These courageous men set a great example of how to end a stressful day singing praise to God. They seem like a really fun crew and can be seen here dancing in their car, no doubt on the way to fight another fire.
And today we celebrate...