LOUISVILLE, Colo. — Hundreds of families are trying to figure out what to do next after their homes were destroyed in the Marshall Fire.
One of the people who lost his home is now helping lead the recovery effort – Louisville Police Chief Dave Hayes.
Hayes said he lost his home of 32 years in Louisville during the fire. He lived in the home alone, as his kids are grown and moved out.
The chief said he got word at about 9 p.m. the night of the fire, and decided he wanted to go check on his house to see what it looked like.
"I kinda had some idea. I was here that night with deputy chief Jeff Fisher. As we were getting ready to leave, I said I was going to check on my house," Hayes said. "He is a good friend of mine and he pulled me aside and said, 'I need to go with you. I don't think it's there anymore.'"
Hayes said what used to be a house had collapsed into the burnt-out basement, and the car he had parked in the driveway was melted.
He said he was only there for a few minutes and left because he didn't like to see his house like that.
Hayes said he raised kids and grandkids in the house.
"As we start to rebuild, then I'm going back, because we are going to rebuild," Hayes said. "And this may sound like a crazy idea, but I want the same exact house back and the same rooms where they are. The furnishings will be different, but I kind of like things the same."
Right now, Hayes is working nonstop trying to help others in his community. He's still working in the only clothes he had on the night the fire started, and a change of clothes his friend brought to him.
"At some point I'll get to me, but it's important, as it is to the men and women of the Louisville Police Department, that we continue to provide good service and safety, and I would like to think that I was needed in Louisville and that's my plan that we're going to get through this," Hayes said.
Hayes said at least one other member of the Louisville Police Department lost a home in the fire. He reflected on the perspective this wildfire has given him, saying it certainly provides him with more perspective and empathy for the fire victims.
"I would never say that the other things we have been through, including COVID, is good, but it's certainly taught us how to be resilient," Hayes said. "And I wouldn't want to learn resilience without having some experience at it before this fire, because it absolutely tests you, but more importantly it certainly has tested me."
"It's not about me, it's about our community," Hayes said. "I just want to make sure it's not just about me."
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