Former Strangers

by Michelle Fire Eater
As part of my effort to get to know my County better, I've decided to interview someone every week who contributes to the community. This week I wandered over to High Country Fire Station #2 to chat with firefighter Mark Moyer and check out the cool fire trucks!
Mark has lived in Gilpin for about 11 years, and though he wanted to be a policeman when he was a kid, it was the Fire Department that beckoned when he moved here. "The isolation is nice," he said, "but it occurs to you that if you needed help that it's not immediately available." Since the Fire Department is so close to his home, and fire is such a concern, he took the opportunity to help his community.
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MFE: What is your favorite thing about being a firefighter?
MM: The satisfaction. The community is so grateful and you feel really good about what you've done.
MFE: What is the weirdest thing that has happened while you've been on call?
MM: We responded to a call to an empty house. While the occupants were gone, their vacuum cleaner caught fire, then ignited some newspaper and firewood near the fireplace, and burned up the floor. Next to the fireplace there was a fire extinguisher, which became so hot from the fire that the top exploded and put out the fire. So when we got there it was already out.
MFE: What sort of things can people do to help protect against fires besides littering fire extinguishers around the house?
MM: We have the pine beetle problem here, and while trees near a home is a fire danger it is worse when they are dead. Making sure that fire fuels, particularly dead and dying trees and bushes are cleared at least 30 feet from the home can do a lot to prevent loss of life and property.
MFE: What sort of things can folks in the community do to assist the Department and the Fire Fighters in keeping us safe?
MM: Well, just volunteering to be a fire fighter is number one. We've got some more people in from our recruiting effort, but we can always use more people to volunteer as fire fighters. The Auxiliary is the next line of support for the Department. If you have financial or management experience, volunteering on the Board is another way to help us. We have Board elections coming up soon. And of course, supporting the Auxiliary functions is very helpful.
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I also spoke briefly with Sheila Kambic, President of the Fire Department Auxiliary, who explained what the Auxiliary does and what they need. "We have about 8-10 people now," she said, "including an 82 year old gentleman and a teenager." When fire fighters are responding to a structure fire, they can be on the scene 6-8 hours or more. The Auxiliary uses a phone tree to notify volunteers, who arrive on the scene with water and food to assist the fire fighters. Fighting a fire is dangerous and grueling, so having these volunteers support them is vital to being able to safely do their job of protecting our lives, property and landscape. Mostly the Auxiliary just needs helping hands, and those willing to bring food or water to a fire site really helps. If you aren't much for volunteering, there are others ways to help the Auxiliary, such as stuffing yourself on chili and cornbread! "The year before last we had 127 at our chili dinner, but the last year the wind was so terrible that we only had 87. They were a generous group, though, and we collected more donations from that group than the previous year." The Fire Eaters (since that is a nickname and my husband and I would be useless in a fire situation) are looking forward to the Annual High County Fire Department's Chili Dinner and Silent Auction as a way to mingle with the community and help out our local firemen! An assortment of chilies, cornbread and dessert, and the chance to bid on great services means that the measly $6 ($4 for kids) to get in will be rewarding for both the department and the community. Please come and support your local Fire Department - dinner and auction are taking place at Station #2 (Hwy. 119 at mile marker 17.8) from 5 - 8 p.m. See you there, Gilpin!
(P.S. If you would like to be part of a volunteer effort to help folks get fire fuels cleared from their home sites, come to the dinner and check in with Michelle!)