The men and women of the Demopolis Fire Department had a busy week, answering three large blazes that claimed parts of four structures.

A week ago today, fire claimed a house in the downtown vicinity. On Friday, a fire that appears to have originated in a vacant house destroyed that structure and caused damage to two other structures, leaving one family without a home.

And finally, on Saturday evening while many people were finishing their dinner, fire fighters rushed to vacant Southern Pride Catfish on Hwy. 43, where one of the ponds filled with grease and oil from discarded fish parts caught fire.

In every case, the men and women &8212; local and from out of town &8212; who responded worked feverishly to contain and extinguish the blazes. Damage could have been far more extensive than it was. In each case, additional structures or forest area was threatened by fire.

After such a week, it is quite clear that our city is blessed with a capable department filled with people passionate about their jobs. Leadership was evident. City leaders should be mindful of this as they make their decision about a new chief.