Yuba City firefighters celebrate Christmas at fire station after welcoming 15 babies
YUBA CITY — The greatest gift 15 Yuba City firefighters received this past year did not come with boxes or bows, but instead babies.
"We didn't really realize how many it was until we got to about halfway through it and we started forecasting," said Yuba City fire engineer Justin Johnson.
Spending Christmas at the fire station is a tradition for most firefighter families, but it is even more special this year for Yuba City Fire.
"We are a family atmosphere every day, but it just gets a little bit bigger on the holidays," said Johnson.
First-time father Johnson has his wife Alexandria and little one Olivia spending the holiday at the firehouse with him. Johnson told CBS13 that his fire department already has about 30 or so kids, and now they just added 15 more.
"A lot of play dates in the future," said Johnson. "Our bigger events that we do are going to be crazy."
Yuba City Fire invited their loved ones to the station for Christmas to enjoy a feast that included prime rib and pozole.
"Sometimes, we're in and out, though, and our family ends up hanging out here while we are out running calls," Johnson said.
The calls were steady for Yuba City Fire on Christmas with crews mostly responding to vehicle crashes, stove fires and medical calls.
Even though duty called, the first responders still had the time to focus on family, food and football.
"At one point, I was one of those 15 babies and I have always wanted to be on this side of it, and now that I am here, it is really accomplishing," said Yuba City firefighter Max Wiley.
Spending holidays surrounded by big red engines is nothing new for Wiley, who comes from a firefighting family. His father worked for Chico Fire, so he would spend a lot of time in firehouses.
"I see how awesome it is to grow up here, in a fire station that is, so it's pretty cool to see full circle," Wiley said.
Johnson said there may be some future firefighters in the fifteen babies, but for now, it is all about living in the present this Christmas.
"Enjoy the little things," said Johnson. "You know we hear that a lot and it all goes by super-fast, and it does."
All five of the Yuba City Fire stations were fully staffed for Christmas just like they are every day with crews ready to respond in the case of an emergency.
