A grandmother in Mount Vernon got the chance to thank the first responders who saved her loved ones from a burning home over the weekend.

Araceli Garita said she has a newfound appreciation for Mount Vernon's first responders.

They, along with a friend, helped rescue her family from their home on North Macquesten Parkway after it caught on fire on Sunday.

"Thank God for everybody because my son, my grandson and everybody is safe," Garita said.

It's unclear how the fire started.

However, Sgt. Charles Rizzo said the officers were determined to save everyone inside, including a young girl and her mom, who were trapped on the second floor.

"I was the first officer at the scene. I run inside. I go to the second-floor landing. I'm met by heavy black smoke. I'm calling out to the family. Unfortunately, they're not able to hear my calls," Rizzo said.

That's when officers climbed the front porch and then a roof to reach the family.

"[Officer Hunter-Carney] starts talking to the family to give over the toddler. He safely gains control of the toddler. He passes the toddler to me. I pass her over to another officer, he starts to climb up, I help him up. At that point, other officers arrived on scene. They helped me up to the second-floor landing, where me and Officer Carney took everybody else out from the window," Rizzo said.

Sgt. Christopher Grieco said a majority of the officers who responded to the house fire are a part of Patrol Unit 5.

According to Grieco, the unit also responded to an attempted armed robbery on Friday and a suicide call just days before that.

"I've seen a lot of stuff. But, we have each other to lean on and that's how we get through it," Grieco said.

Grieco said the officers were recognized for their hard work by their department leaders on Tuesday.

He added that he's also working to nominate them for a lifesaving award.