VIDEO: They skip holidays and family dinners -- and put their own lives on hold to protect others.
On Thursday night, Oct. 10, those who go above and beyond with their selfless, heroic acts were honored. It was the special ceremony held for the Milwaukee Fire Department.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett called the event the "Academy Awards" for first responders.
"The reality is, our firefighters whether they're in the role of firefighters, or EMTs or lifesavers in general, go into situations where the rest of us turn and run," Barrett said. 911 dispatchers were also honored.
Officials with the Milwaukee Fire Department say they handle more than 93,000 calls for service each year.