Schwarzenegger Honors Fallen Firefighters At Sacramento Ceremony

SACRAMENTO (KCBS) - Governor Schwarzenegger is getting reflective as his seven-year run as California's leader comes to an end. He thanked firefighters who sacrificed their lives on his watch at a memorial ceremony Saturday in Sacramento.

KCBS' Janice Wright Reports:

Schwarzenegger said he rushed back from a trade mission in Europe to be at the annual event, where 31 fallen heroes who died this past year were honored.

"Some of my most vivid memories are from some of California's darkest days. I remember getting a phone call at six in the morning that we had 2,012 fires in the state," recalled Schwarzenegger.

The outgoing leader continued to say, "At times it felt like the entire state was on fire," and that those firefighter's names are engraved in limestone so that their sacrifice is never forgotten.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed)