The captain of Engine 11, David Holcombe, was reporting that he and his men were on the 30th floor, running out of air. He asked for permission to break a window. Commanders immediately began organizing search parties. And everyone wanted to go. To firefighters, the guy you work with, the guy in the next firehouse - even the guy in the engine company on the other side of the city, they're all like members of your family.
Firefighters are closer to each other than the public really knows.
When they're on the job, they live together, eat together, risk their lives together. Wolfe, assigned to Engine 6, knew all three of the firefighters from Engine 11, particularly Holcombe. But even if he had never met them, it wouldn't have made any difference. He wanted to help. The stairwell up to 30 was mostly clear of smoke.