A resident creates a sign thanking response crews for their work in controlling the Waldo Canyon fire / FOX21 News
By Jamie Edmonds
It's something that warms your heart: seeing signs out there thanking the firefighters for all of their hard work this past week fighting the Waldo Canyon Fire.
You can drive down any street in the Colorado Springs area, and you're bound to see at least one of them.
"My sign says 'God bless you firefighters, we can't thank you enough,'" said an artist who goes by Epykology on Twitter.
From windows, to marquee's to highway overpasses, there are numerous signs of gratitude for the firefighters' efforts.
"I made it for the firefighters," first-grader Addison Janczuk said. "It says 'God be with you.'"
They range from the homemade like Janczuk's to Jake Vanlanschoot's which he picked up at a store.
"I think it's definitely important," Vanlanschoot said. "It shows the firefighters that the community is behind them. Without them, we wouldn't be here."
You don't have to be an artist to make one, but "Epykology" is one artist who's made a few signs thanking the firefighters so far. We found him Wednesday making a massive sign at 31st street and Highway 24.
"All their hard work stopped what could have gone a lot further," he said.
If you're wondering, the firefighters are noticing them.
"Some say 'thank you for saving our home' and you see a little girl holding it up," Colorado Springs firefighter Aaron Moriuchi said. "It's nice to see that. It absolutely makes us feel like we're making a difference."
There's no doubt about that, as residents continue to display their appreciation for a job well done.
The firefighters at Station Nine tell FOX 21, another thing they really appreciate is the hundreds of people who've been lining the streets during shift changes. Hearing that applause, they said, kept them going during those 70 to 90 hour shifts these past week.