Eric Hoffman of Southwest Fire Defense in the company’s bucket truck Tuesday afternoon as he trims trees outside VFW Post 8874 on Deacon Street in Los Alamos. Southwest owner Daniel Martinez provided a crew free of charge to the VFW to trim the trees and rehang the flag pole halyard for the Post. The previous halyard broke due to age. Despite the wind and the colder temperatures, the crew accomplished both missions. Martinez, a former Los Alamos firefighter, was at the time providing assistance to a senior citizen who had branches breaking and falling on top of her roof. To reach Southwest Fire Defense, call (505) 508-3953 or go to https://www.swfiredefense.com/ Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Mission accomplished! Southwest Fire Defense crew members, from left, Eric Hoffman, Jose Gallegos, Alejandro Gallegos and Matthew Alesio chat with Eluterio Garcia, VFW, far left, Jason Morris, VFW, second from right and Justine Frias, VFW. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Southwest Fire Defense employees work removing branches at the VFW to make the area safer. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Both the flagpole and the bucket are higher off the ground than one would think. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com. All Southwest Fire Defense employees are 100 percent certified on bucket trucks, cranes and other equipment. Southwest is also fully-insured for the work. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Matthew Alesio, left, and Alejandro Gallegos get ready to add the American flag and the Prisoners of War flags to the rope. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

The crew hoists the American flag and the Prisoners of War flag to the top of the flagpole. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

All’s well that ends well! The VFW’s two flags blow in the wind. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com