"I just thought at the moment that it would be a disgrace to let that lay on the ground," said Joseph Schiavo.
A Florida first responder was spotted dashing out into the storm to pick up an American flag as the area was pummeled by Hurricane Irma.
Read: As Journalists Report on Hurricane Irma, Are They Putting Themselves in Danger?
For Joseph Schiavo, who searching for victims as the storm raged, the windswept flag was just as worthy of being rescued.
Schiavo, 42, who was part of a crew of firefighters and trained medics scouting for people in Coral Springs, was caught on dashcam getting out of a vehicle during the storm to pick up a fallen flag he spotted on the streets.
"I just thought at the moment that it would be a disgrace to let that lay on the ground," Schiavo told ABC News.
He explained that when the team saw the flag on the ground, they made the collective decision to stop and shake it off.
Read: 2 Law Enforcement Officials Working During Hurricane Irma Killed in Head-On Crash
“It felt like an honorable thing to do,” Schiavo said. “It just represented every first responder.”
The Coral Springs police department later tweeted video of the patriotic rescue: "Even in the midst of a storm, we are reminded of the love for our country and community.”
Watch: Back-to-Back Natural Disasters Spark Wild Theories: 'It's a Judgment on America'
