Firefighters from New York City's Engine 245 are heroes in our eyes, and not just because they put their lives on the line for people in need.

When asked to participate in a publicity stunt for Ringling Bros. by washing one of the circus's elephants, the firefighters resisted.

Unfortunately, while this engine company might have realized that Ringling was resorting to a cheap stunt in the hope of finding something—anything—that would distract people from the circus's abuse of animals, city officials weren't on the same page.

Despite the fact that it's the firefighters' job to protect the public, not to hawk circus tickets, the higher-ups in the city government pressured the NYFD to go along with Ringling's scheme.

franklinnow / CC

So, for trying to do the right thing and for staying focused on their (vitally important) jobs, PETA is recognizing Engine 245 with our Compassionate Fire Department Award.

As for those folks at City Hall who decided that the best use of firefighters' time is to shill for Ringling, what the heck were you thinking?

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Thank you "soy" much!

Eight raging wildfires have consumed more than 140,000 acres in California over the past week. While thousands of people have been evacuated, crews of brave firefighters have headed in to battle the flames.

As a way of thanking the courageous firefighters for all their hard work, PETA sent a contingent of "cuties" to California with delicious, dairy-free Tofutti Cuties frozen desserts.

If only the fires would disappear as quickly as our tasty treats.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

the-proper-pitbull / CC

The Gulfport Fire Department in Mississippi has received a PETA Compassionate Fire Department Award for its efforts in rescuing a dog who was trapped 16 feet underground. A crew working on a gas line heard Pepper's muffled barks and wasted no time in raising the alarm. The fire department and Gulfport Animal Control found the stuck pup in a small drainage pipe desperately holding her head only inches above the gushing water. Rescuers looped a catchpole over her head and lifted her to safety.

Ah, shucks—who needs Lassie when we've got firefighters? Share some love with our heroes by commenting below.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

For those of you who don't live in Massachusetts and need a reminder not to move there, the video accompanying a news report about three Hingham firefighters who braved icy waters to rescue a dog will serve as a cold dash of New England winter reality in the face.

The firefighters responded to a call for help from a woman whose rascally dog, Ollie, ran out onto ice-covered Hingham Harbor in hot pursuit of a seal. The seal apparently escaped unharmed, but Ollie plunged through the ice and was trapped in the frigid water. Enter our heroes, who valiantly swam and crawled through the slushy muck to reach Ollie and then painstakingly dragged him back to shore. It was obviously exhausting work, and one of the firefighters was taken to the hospital afterward as a precaution. A tired but grateful Ollie was taken to a veterinary hospital where he was treated and released.

We've honored Ollie's rescuers with a "Compassionate Firefighter Award," and we also threw in some PETA mugs and vegan hot cocoa mix to help them survive the rest of Massachusetts' merciless winter.

And let this be a cautionary tale for anyone who is tempted to allow a dog off lead anywhere near a frozen body of water. As The Boston Globe wisely points out, fuhgeddaboudit.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

After hearing stories from around the country about firefighters and police officers who are so overweight that they are having difficulty fulfilling their job responsibilities, PETA's concerned Lettuce Ladies decided to take action. The Lettuce Ladies paid a visit to the country's largest all-volunteer fire department on Friday—armed with delicious Tofurky® sandwiches and emergency copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" to hand out.

Yowza! If this doesn't make you crave a salad, nothing will!

The très sexy Lettuce Ladies let the fine gentlemen of the Ossining, New York, Fire Department know that a vegetarian diet is the best way to stay healthy and fit so that they can save more than just the lives of animals! As you can see, the guys loved having the ladies there … and they loved the sandwiches too!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris