Sandy Hook fire chief talks about tragedy

NEWTOWN, Conn. (WTNH)-- It's a call he'll never forget. Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead says he heard there's a shooting at the school and it's not good.

"I happened to be here when the call came in, actually I heard a lot of sirens," said Halstead.

He came out of the firehouse and saw an EMT motion for help with a wounded woman

"And the lady had a hand injury and I think it at her thigh, and she wanted me to help her out or the car, so I helped get the lady out of the car, and we got her on a stretcher, and got her in the ambulance," said Halstead.

They set up triage for more victims.

"We were set and we got to treat one lady, another came out with a gunshot wound," said Halstead.

The survivors filed out of the school, his ex-wife was one of them who hid in a closet for hours, but they waited on the walking wounded. No one came.

Halstead said, "we got word that no one else would be coming out of the building."

The families were told the horrific news at his firehouse.

A memorial reminds him steps away from their door. Despite his hard work and his volunteer staff, he says the true heroes are the teachers.

"They shielded their children, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but the big thing was getting those kids out of the school in an orderly fashion," said Halstead.

The other heroes he says are the police who selflessly went in uncertain conditions.

"If this guy got out with that gun and continued throughout the school, without those guys going in there, we could be burying 40-50 people," said Halstead.

He says the outpouring support is overwhelming from his small town of Newtown, the state, and the world.

"It's unfortunate that we're getting all this attention, but it's really nice people are willing to help you," said Halstead.