Firefighters called on to wear pink socks in solidarity for injured Oakland firefighter
Oakland Firefighter Jenn Mathis
OAKLAND, Calif. - Less than a week ago, several Oakland firefighters were injured in a residential high-rise fire.
Fortunately, no one suffered life-threatening injuries, including residents who suffered smoke inhalation from the harrowing ordeal. This was the fire on the 6th story at an Oakland Housing Authority Building at 7th and Market.
Firefighters from multiple surrounding departments, including Berkeley, assisted with the battle. On Monday the Berkeley Firefighters Twitter account gave an update on one of those injured firefighters who is still in the hospital.
They wrote: "One of these three firefighters is still there and needs our support more than ever."
That support goes as far as a call for solidarity to wear pink socks. They note that Jenn Mathis, the firefighter still hospitalized, wore pink socks on the day of the fire. In fact, a KTVU camera at the scene when the story broke, captured Mathis, prominently wearing those pink socks, while she was being loaded into an ambulance.
Berkeley is showing their support this Wednesday for Mathis and the rest of the Oakland Fire Department by wearing pink socks. They are wishing her well and paying tribute to her with the vibrant sock statement.
There were no specific details of Mathis' condition