In what might just be the most heartwarming piece of holiday viral content, the firefighters over at Savage Fire Department have flambeed the internet with their "Savage Fire Station Vacation" video – a cheeky riff on the classic yuletide flick "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" that’s raked in over 1.4 million views on TikTok, according to CBS News Minnesota.
It's not often you see a group of firefighters going viral for something not involving cats and trees, but these aren't your everyday heroes folks, for these Savage firefighters know a thing or two about lighting up social media, chalking up over 49,000 views on Facebook, where the holiday spirit mixed with a bulb of humor sparked a serious blaze of attention behind its release on the December 25 – Sam Dockry, an SFD firefighter who's not used to this newfangled internet fame, told CBS News Minnesota, "It's just kind of a weird thing to hear, 'we saw you on our TikTok page.'"
The SFD has spent past Christmas seasons recreating other film favorites like "Elf" and "Home Alone", turning this spoofing spree into somewhat of a Yuletide routine, and it's not solely for laughs – they have a real purpose, public outreach to warm hearts, secure smiles and build bonds with the people they serve. Sam Dockry emphasized the connection these videos forge in a statement obtained by CBS News Minnesota, saying, "They get a face to the service and they feel a little more comfortable when they are responding to their house."
But the video's lifeline extends past mere cheer; it's a gateway for recruitment and retention, a beacon for community spirit, in fact, there's talk from people high on the video wanting to pack up and move to Savage, drawn like moths to a flame by this sheer fun fest – video participant Pass told CBS News Minnesota, "We've had quite a few people comment saying they want to move to this community because of how much fun they had watching the video," and I'll say that's a pretty cozy fire to curl up to.
The Savage squad wasn't alone in their festivity, other departments like the Red Wing Fire Department and Wyoming Fire Department also got into the holiday groove, proving once more that when it comes to spreading cheer, firefighters know how to turn up the heat. You can catch the full video goofs and all, on the department's Facebook page.
