Remarks to Firefighters and First-Responders in Colorado Springs

[The President's remarks were joined in progress.]

----just to say thank you. I know that everybody here has been working nonstop. We just had a chance to see one of the subdivisions that have been obviously devastated by the course of this fire. But we also had a chance while we were there to thank some guys who were on the site who had just saved three homes.

And what I told the press earlier, in natural disasters like this, the Federal Government, our job is to provide all the resources possible. What we've been seeing is unprecedented coordination between Federal, State, and local resources and personnel.

I want to thank the mayor, Mayor Bach, as well as Governor Hickenlooper for the great work they've been doing. We've been doing some unusual stuff using military assets for the first time in a different kind of way to help leverage some of the resources that you guys already have.

But the main thing I said was no matter how much equipment you have, no matter how many resources are provided, we don't provide you with the courage and professionalism and stick-to-it-ness that all of you guys show every single day. So I want you to know that not only is this community grateful for your work, but the country is grateful for your work. And I want you to know that we're going to stay on it. The job is obviously not done yet, but the country has got your back. And just remember, each and every day, despite all the sacrifices--and what I got to assume is some pretty weary bodies--that you got a lot of people out there who are grateful and families whose lives are going to be better because of what you do every day.

So thank you very much. And with that, all I want to do is go shake some hands and say I appreciate you.

Thank you, guys.