It looked a lot like a typical summer festival. Vendors served up beer and brats while a rock band played on stage in Wauwatosa's Rotary pavilion.
But there was something slightly different about the crowd. It was made up mostly of first responders and their families from the Wauwatosa Police and Fire departments.
Organized by Dr. Mark Veth, the second annual First Responders Fest aimed to give a "pat on the back" to those emergency workers who often risk their lives on the job.
Veth, whose father spent his career serving the Chicago Police Department, knows firsthand how challenging and thankless the profession can be.
"They deserve a 'thank you.' They deserve to know that the community is behind them, because they're here to serve and protect,” he said.
Click the podcast player above to hear our interview with Veth and Wauwatosa Fire Chief Rob Ugaste.
