Remember the time when a Milwaukee County Transit System bus driver picked up a homeless man in the middle of winter and took him to an emergency shelter? How about the time when an MCTS bus driver rescued a lost baby from a freeway overpass? How about the time when two MCTS bus drivers rescued two children on the same day? How about…well, you get the idea.

Yes, Milwaukee bus drivers are pretty awesome. (MCTS is awesome, too, and you should ride it every day.) And thanks to the ever-growing MCTS Excellence program, these awesome drivers and their awesome stories of everyday awesomeness get the publicity they deserve. Need more proof? Look no further than today’s superhero-esque story:

“MCTS Driver Spots Fire, Rushes into Burning Apartment”

Good grief. While MCTS Excellence is full of stories both big (“MCTS Driver, Riders Team Up to Push Stuck Car Off Railroad Tracks”) and small (“MCTS Driver Helps Turtle Cross Road in Oak Creek”), we should all stand in awe of driver Chanaye Brown. Per a press release, here’s the time when she got out of her bus and dashed into a burning apartment building:

Chanaye pounded on the front door while screaming that there was a fire. Terrified residents, including multiple children, started to evacuate. Most residents didn’t know about the fire until Chanaye arrived.

Chanaye heard the voices of other kids who were still inside. She decided to run into the burning apartment unit, where she tried using a resident’s fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Unfortunately, the device was not working properly.

Police officers and firefighters pulled up to the scene moments later and successfully extinguished the fire. No one was hurt.

Again: good grief. Here’s a video recap of Brown’s story, followed by a full press release:

MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus driver is credited with helping save residents from a burning apartment earlier this year.

Chanaye Brown was along Route 12 late at night on January 5, 2019, when she spotted flames shooting from the window of a building near 79th and Hampton in Milwaukee.

“The house is on fire,” Chanaye calmly told a passenger as she brought her bus to a stop.

The man pulled out his cell phone and called 911 as Chanaye notified MCTS Dispatchers.

“I’m going to see if I can get somebody’s attention,” Chanaye said as she ran outside.

Chanaye pounded on the front door while screaming that there was a fire. Terrified residents, including multiple children, started to evacuate. Most residents didn’t know about the fire until Chanaye arrived.

Chanaye heard the voices of other kids who were still inside. She decided to run into the burning apartment unit, where she tried using a resident’s fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Unfortunately, the device was not working properly.

Police officers and firefighters pulled up to the scene moments later and successfully extinguished the fire. No one was hurt.

Authorities said the incident is a reminder about the importance of having working smoke detectors.

As part of Fire Prevention Week 2019, officials with the Milwaukee Fire Department are commending Chanaye for her actions. On October 10, 2019, Chanaye will be named “Honorary Chief of the Day.” She will canvas a neighborhood with firefighters and Red Cross volunteers to check for working smoke detectors, and install new alarms if needed. Later that evening, she will be recognized with a Community Hero Award during the department’s annual Meritorious Service Awards Ceremony.

“The Milwaukee Fire Department is proud of the actions and quick thinking of Chanaye Brown, resulting in minimal fire instead of what most likely would have been a full-fledged structure fire,” said Lieutenant Michael Ball, Community Relations Director for the Milwaukee Fire Department. “Because of her actions in calling the fire department first, alerting residents, and attempting to help extinguish the fire, not only was no one hurt, minimal damage occurred to the building — allowing the rest of the residents to return to their apartments rather than be displaced. We commend Chanaye for her quick and decisive action in stepping up and helping when the situation arose.”

“Each and every day, the dedicated men and women at MCTS keep our residents safe and our communities stronger and more secure,” said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. “Chanaye Brown went above and beyond her call of duty and looked past any potential danger she was likely to face when she walked up to that fire. She is a true hero among us, and this commendation is a small way that we can pay tribute for her commitment and dedication to all residents of Milwaukee County.”

And here’s that Oak Creek turtle story: