Several firefighters who have been battling the brush fires in Los Angeles County will be relieved of their duties. A Kern County firefighter shares how he’s looking forward to returning home to his pregnant wife. Annette Arreola reports for Today in LA on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.
As out-of-state emergency responders return home after lending a helping hand in battling the Eaton and Palisades Fires in Los Angeles County, one neighboring firefighter is returning home with the new excitement of expecting triplets.
Zachary Griffin of the Kern County Fire Department was deployed to LA County along with dozens of other firefighters from his department. He said he left as his pregnant wife was slated for her 12-week ultrasound, but the couple was prepared for his absence.
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“We’ve been gearing up for twins for about a month now, so I knew when I left the station, there was a chance I was going to miss the ultrasound appointment,” Griffin said. “My wife and I knew I signed up to help people and we decided to do it over FaceTime.”
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Griffin’s wife was accompanied by a friend, who called him via Facetime as he was in the firetruck. Things were going smoothly as expected until one thing was noticed.
“I heard my wife in the background say, ‘Is that what I think it is?’ and I was like, ‘Hey, include me in the loop, please.’ Like, what’s going on? And I heard the ultrasound tech say there’s three,” the firefighter recalled.
Griffin said he was initially caught off guard by the revelation since the couple thought they were only expecting two babies.
“I thought I was getting punked for a second,” he said. “I got to see the ultrasound, the three sacs in and my jaw dropped. I was overwhelmed with excitement, but I was shocked more than anything.”
With his team slated to return home, as are many out-of-state crews, Griffin said he’s eager to get back to his expectant wife’s side.
“We’re super excited and it’s a blessing,” he said. “I’m going back home and I’m excited to see her whenever we do get back home.”