The Gwinnett County firefighters taken hostage by a lone gunman last week used humor to try to keep the gunman calm.

The five, whose service with the department ranges from between a few months to 20 years, say it was only a few minutes inside the home before they realized it was not a routine medical call.

"As I lowered the stretcher down, I heard the perp, or the gentleman that was on the bed, say 'I hate to do this but now for the real reason why you're here' and that's when he pulled the pistol out," says firefighter Jody Moss.

It was Moss who eventually was released to move a fire truck and ambulance out from in front of the house.

Tim Hollingsworth, who calming explained the situation over his radio to dispatch, says suspect Lauren Brown told them he had been plotting his move for four to six weeks.

"He did make the comment that people were not going to believe how well he planned it," says Hollingsworth.   "He said he really had all of his bases covered that it was going to turn out exactly the way he envisioned it."

Hollingsworth says the hostages decided not to attempt overtaking Brown, who remained in bed the entire time, because of comments he made that led them to believe he may have had explosive devices that could be easily detonated.

Instead, they joked with Brown to gain his trust allowing the firefighters to easily move around inside the home. Hollingsworth was able to make coffee while the others remained with Brown in his bedroom at gunpoint.

When out of the room, Hollingworth was able to communicate with S.W.A.T. members, who had surrounded the house, and was aware a rescue attempt was underway.

"I asked them to come on, that we were getting to a point where I thought our window of opportunity was closing, and they gave me the assurance that they were there, that they were coming, and just to stand by," he says.

Hollingsworth was able to alert the others who took positions out of the line of the fire.

When asked what he thought Brown's intentions were, Hollingsworth says he believes Brown planned to tie them up and shoot them before setting his house on fire and killing himself.

As for a motive, Brown apparently told the men he was in financial trouble and wanted his family members to witness the events as they unfolded.

"We tried to outfox the fox, and it worked," says Hollingsworth.