"Controlled chaos."
That's how Southgate Police Officer Zachary Zielinski described the effort to rescue elderly residents trapped in a fire at the Southgate senior living facility, WXYZ reported.
"You're OK, honey. Just hold on to that wheelchair for your dear life — don't let it go," an officer can be heard telling a resident.
Newly released video of the rescue effort showed 39 officers from 11 law enforcement agencies and dozens of firefighters from 14 local departments were involved.
Zielinski pointed out: "At that point, there is no real organization. It's, everybody knows what they're supposed to do. All of our training kicks in. Everybody goes and does exactly as they're supposed to do."
Officer Juan Pablo Gomez Llanos was among those carefully helping residents down the stairs.
"I had no thoughts other than getting there and helping as many residents out as possible. Some of them were sleeping, in pajamas, no shoes, no socks, nothing. So many of us grabbed blankets."
The officers don't consider themselves heroes.
"We're just normal people at the end of the day. I don't see myself as a hero. I signed up to do this and I will happily continue to do it until I physically can't do it anymore," Zielinski said.
