GRASS FIRES PART TWO

Fire Part 2

April 2, 201`6

By Terry Bailey

After a night of sometimes being asleep and sometimes being awake, the Mitchell County Rural Firefighters reported for duty bright and early Friday morning. The first contingent of firefighters consisted to Larry Heidrick, Tom Deneke, Eric LaCoe, and Matt File. But first they visited the cafeteria for a breakfast of eggs and hash browns and sausage and bacon and pancakes and biscuits and gravy. This may sound like quite a feast, and it was, but the men faced a fourteen hour day fighting an unpredictable fire in strange territory dressed in full bunker gear weighing in excess of 60 pounds.

They had arrived right at the changing of the shifts the night before so they were not sent out on the night shift. They all agreed that was a lucky event for them. They gave several examples of local firefighters on the night shift finding ditches, ravines, and fences the hard way. Many of the local firetrucks experienced significant damage chasing flames in the dark over the hazardous terrain.

Hedrick said, “We heard there were people from over 120 different fire departments assisting with the fire. We saw trucks from Colorado, Oklahoma, Atchison, Ks, Des Moines, Iowa, and so forth.”

The chain of command and the division of labor was impressive according to our local firefighters. While they could not say for sure, it was their impression that the Homeland Security Department was in overall command of the efforts. At the command center they saw two semitrailers containing arrays of communication antennas, satellite dishes, and other equipment of unknown purpose.

The command center had their own meteorology department with weather updates provided throughout the day specific to just their exact local area. Full color maps were issued at least twice a day indicating the hotspots and areas of potential danger. Maps were also issued that indicated every hydrant in the town of Medicine Lodge. Several drones were in the air to provide real time information about the fire. Radio batteries were exchanged at a check table morning and night so that communication was possible at all times.

At one point the two thousand residents of Medicine Lodge appeared to be in peril of being overrun by the flames. The hospital was evacuated. The prisoners from the jail were relocated. The word went out that voluntary evacuation was highly suggested. The fire was a half mile from town and being driven hard by the wind. Just when it appeared the fire was certain to engulf the town, the wind switched and blew the fire away from the town.

By Friday the organizers began pairing up local firefighters with the incoming volunteers. This allowed each fire crew to have a native person with them to help navigate the unfamiliar terrain. Once the truck got off the road and crossed over a cattle guard, they were in the wild, Wild West. It was possible to drive 5 or 6 miles in one direction before locating another road. Crews were directed to hot spots by the central command personnel. The day was filled with racing to a fire, using all the equipment to stabilize it, chasing up and down the sides of the ravines with smoke in their eyes, and sparks landing in all kinds of places, until the fire was under control. Then it was off to the next assignment to repeat the same work and then the next and then the next. All day long. All the time wearing the 60-plus pounds of bunker gear. Plus their helmet and an ax or rake or other hand tool for the job.

When the crews departed in the morning, large sacks filled with a noon meal were available. The men said they did not have time to sit down and eat a leisurely lunch but instead consumed their lunches while they were on the way from one fire to the other. There were some community crews covering the area provided extra sack lunches, bottled water, Gatorade and so forth. Heidrick said, “It was amazing how well we were taken care of. We couldn’t have asked for any better treatment. It was our understanding that if a crew stopped at the local Sonic in a Fire Truck, whatever they ordered was free.”

When the crew first left to help fight the fire, they expected to return Friday night but they committed to stay and help on Saturday. When their shift ended at 7 p.m. they went back to the annex and were once again treated to a meal that had no end. To top it off, there were several tables filled with homemade desserts such as cakes, and pies and pastries and so forth. After a shower the weary firefighters found their way to their cots. Unlike the night before when they had trouble falling asleep, that was no problem at all Friday night.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA