Opinion

San Antonio lost a hero in Scott Deem

The San Antonio Fire Museum added another name to the list of line of duty deaths on Friday after Scott Deem, a 31-year-old man who had served the department for six years, died in a 4-alarm fire in the Northwest Side. less The San Antonio Fire Museum added another name to the list of line of duty deaths on Friday after Scott Deem, a 31-year-old man who had served the department for six years, died in a 4-alarm fire in the ... more Photo: Caleb Downs / Caleb Downs Photo: Caleb Downs / Caleb Downs Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close San Antonio lost a hero in Scott Deem 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Scott Deem was a father, husband and firefighter.

When a four-alarm blaze engulfed a strip mall on the Northwest Side Thursday night, Deem, 31, rushed into the inferno to rescue anyone trapped inside. He never made it out alive. Deem died and two other firefighters were injured in the blaze at the Ingram Square Shopping Center.

Deem had two children and a baby on the way. He was a graduate of Southwest High School in 2004 and joined the San Antonio Fire Department Academy in 2011. He is the first San Antonio firefighter to die in the line of duty in 20 years.

Across the city, various impromptu memorials have arisen to honor Deem and the two injured firefighters. There are no words that could ever adequately describe such a loss, much less console his family’s pain. But these are honest and heartfelt displays of gratitude to the city’s firefighters for all they do, at high risk, to keep residents safe.

While the fire’s cause remains under investigation, we know Deem and other responders arrived to a strip mall engulfed in flames. They saw vehicles parked outside the Spartan Gym, and went on the offensive, sending in teams with fire hoses, to rescue anyone potentially trapped inside the building.

Within minutes, though, a firefighter called out for help, and a frantic search ensued. Thick smoke reduced visibility to zero, making the search next-to impossible. At one point, firefighters thought they had rescued Deem only to realize they had rescued another firefighter. The heat was intense. It was a struggle to open doors and clear the air. A burning roof threatened to collapse.

Eventually, Chief Charles Hood called off the search. It was the right decision, even if it defied the raw emotion of the moment. The risk was too great for the other firefighters.

“It was my decision that I could not lose 10 or 15 firefighters because the men and women of this organization would continue to pour into that building and risk their lives to pull their brother out,” Hood said. “It was one of the most difficult decisions of my life, but there are no regrets for doing that because we saved lives.”

Donations to help Deem’s family and those of the injured firefighters can be made with Generations Federal Credit Union. A funeral is set for Friday.

Firefighters rush into dangerous, fast-changing situations when the rest of us try to escape. We expect such bravery and heart — and can often even view it as routine, despite the risks

Deem lost his life in service to San Antonio, and we are grateful. All of San Antonio grieves with his family in their immense loss.