05/21/2026
On every call, our number one priority is the safety of our firefighters, those involved, and the bystanders around us. We are incredibly grateful that there were no injuries yesterday. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted. We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our entire community. There is no way to individually name every person, business, department, and agency that stepped up to help, because the list would be in the hundreds — and we would inevitably miss someone. The support shown by this community was truly remarkable.
Community members helped keep roads and the scene clear, which greatly improved safety for everyone involved. Many also provided food, drinks, supplies, and encouragement throughout the day. Thank you as well for conserving water during the incident so we never faced a shortage while battling the fire. Our department is fortunate to serve a community that continually supports us with the equipment, fire hall, and gear necessary to do our jobs effectively.
Some facts about yesterday’s response:
We were dispatched to the scene around 2:30 a.m. and remained there until after 6:00 p.m.
3 buildings were directly impacted by fire with numerous others by smoke and water.
Eleven area fire departments responded to assist, along with numerous farmers and local businesses that answered calls for help in the middle of the night. State, city, and county personnel also played critical roles throughout the response. We cannot thank them enough for their willingness to answer when needed.
During the fire, more than 1,000,000 gallons of water were used. At certain points, crews were flowing over 4,000 gallons per minute. Five pumper trucks and one aerial truck operated simultaneously with more than 4,250 feet of hose supplied by three separate hydrants and six portable tanks at the height of the incident. In total, eight pumper trucks were utilized. Twenty-five fire tanker trucks, along with 17 additional tankers, hauled water from 11 different locations. More than 105 firefighters were on scene throughout the response.
Our goal was to minimize the spread of the fire as much as possible, and given the conditions, the buildings involved, and the magnitude of the incident, we believe our crews performed exceptionally well. As we continue to review and evaluate the response for areas of improvement, we still struggle to find many scenarios where the outcome could have been significantly better than where we are today.
Finally, we would like to specifically recognize and thank our first responders — every department and agency involved in any capacity.
When those pagers go off, it means someone is experiencing one of the worst days of their life, often under extremely difficult conditions. Creighton is fortunate to have 32 active firefighters who are deeply committed to serving others. The countless nights, weekends, and hours spent training for worst-case scenarios are what made yesterday’s response possible.
30 Creighton firefighters worked for more than 16 hours in full bunker gear, pushing themselves physically and mentally while operating as one unified team. That level of dedication is only possible because of the hard work and preparation they commit to long before emergencies happen.
But none of it would be possible without the support of their families, friends, and employers.
Every firefighter on scene sacrificed time away from families and work— just as they do many other days throughout the year. Our families were also there supporting us, making sure firefighters had food, water, medications, dry clothes, and other essentials. When you leave home in a rush at 2:00 a.m. for an emergency, you do not always know or take time to prepare for the conditions you will face over the next 16 hours.
Our families make these responses possible. They support us, sacrifice alongside us, and rarely ask for recognition. They are the quiet heroes behind every firefighter.
So, to everyone who helped in any way — THANK YOU!
