This morning I was just headed out the door of the office to go to Martines house when the power went out. We were experiencing some of the fiercest winds Ive ever encountered at the ranch this morning, so we quickly assumed that it was due to the wind. Well, just as I got to the slider gate, I noticed smoke in the vicinity of Martines house, so I quickly radioed her to tell her I saw smoke, then I barreled my car (no 5 mph this morning!) to the end of the road so I could locate exactly where the fire was. As I looked over the cliff I could see that a power line pole was on fire around the base and was rapidly spreading to the surrounding brush. I radioed Martine to tell her the exact location and Matt and Richard were already in the water truck on their way down to the fire. Since the power was out, we couldnt call 911 (no cell service) so I drove like a bat out of hell to get to the Rangers Station for help, but luckily, I came up behind a Sheriffs SUV and honked and flashed my lights and rode his ass like a crazy person until he finally stopped and I was able to get beside him and tell him what was happening! He said he would radio for help and he turned around and I followed him back to the ranch, and all of our compound crew and maintenance crew had already put the fire out and were still there with shovels making sure there were no hot spots. I just wanted to take a moment to say, from the heart, and with tears in my eyes, how proud I am to have these awesome people as my co-workers. They work so hard, and for very little reward, their dedication is truly incredible. They are the true unsung heroes. So, the next time you are at the ranch, please say a kind word, or give a pat on the back, or even better, a big hug to everyone who was integral in keeping our animals alive today. What could have been one of the worst days in all of our lives, ended up being one of the best to me! Im honored to call everyone thats affiliated with the Wildlife Waystation my family!!!
Posted on: Thu, 01 May 2014 00:47:40 +0000
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