The emergency calls still come in, even on Thanksgiving, and thousands of first responders, including in Sacramento, spent the holiday working.

CBS13 visited Sacramento Metro Fire Station 50, where firefighters were spending the holiday with both their families and the fire family. 

Metro Fire responded to several calls throughout the day, including a house fire sparked by unattended cooking, medical calls and hazmat situations, but they also found time to feast. 

They had a large spread, from a deep-fried turkey to side dishes and desserts. 

“This is like a family that we spend a third of our life with,” said Taylor Silva with Sac Metro Fire. 

Metro Fire Battalion Chief Parker Wilbourn has been with the department for 15 years and is thankful to work even on the holidays. 

“A lot of the time we get asked, ‘What are you thankful for?’ And I look back on the 100 or 1,000 or so calls that we have had an impact in their lives,” said Wilbourn. “The folks that have Thanksgivings and Christmases to come because we are able to save their lives.” 

He looks forward to the hundreds of thousands of calls to come, no matter the time or day. 

“To be able to help people in their time of need is a tremendous honor,” said Wilbourn. 

Metro Fire said all its 41 stations were fully staffed. It was slower with emergency calls during the daytime, but calls picked up a bit in the evening.Â