The boys have become famous on this fire. The Denver Post took a bunch of pictures at the High Park fire they were on and got a couple of our truck and dad in the rearview mirror. Then the Pueblo Chieftain came out and took a picture of them too and did an article on them. It was mostly about our employee Jason because for one thing his dad knows the reporter, but also since this was his first fire and it was such a big one, they thought it would be a good human interest story. So I'm including the pictures and the article so you can see them.
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Dad in Rearview Mirror of Truck
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Our truck in front of house they were trying to save.
Jason is walking and dad is in the driver's seat |
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Back in Pueblo after working on the High Park Fire near Fort Collins are new firefighter Jason Gutierrez (center) and veterans Scott Atterberry (left) and Bob Antle. They are on alert for possible deployment to the Waldo Gulch fire currently burning near Colorado Springs. Photo by Chris McLean 6-28-12
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HIGH PARK FIRE Scott Atterberry of Colorado Wildland Fire Services shot this photo of the High Park Fire burning near Fort Collins while he and his team were helping fight the blaze recently. Courtesy photo
Posted: Friday, June 29, 2012 4:00 am
Baptism by fire
Puebloan's first tour of duty engulfed him in the High Park Fire
Puebloan's first tour of duty engulfed him in the High Park Fire. Jason Gutierrez's introduction to wildland firefighting truly was initiation by fire.
"It opened up my eyes. I pretty much saw and experienced things that I'm told I may never experience again in my life," said Gutierrez, 37, a rookie firefighter who returned Wednesday from his maiden experience at the High Park Fire, one of the state's worst wildland fires ever.
Gutierrez was among a three-person crew from the privately owned Colorado Wildland Fire Service that spent 14 days fighting the massive fire that's been burning near Fort Collins since June 9.
Less than a month after completing a couple of fire science courses at Pueblo Community College, Gutierrez said he was called on to provide firefighting support at the raging High Park Fire, which in three weeks has scorched more than 87,000 acres.
Gutierrez said he and crew chief Scott Atterberry and Bob Antle left Pueblo on June 12 and spent the next two weeks doing structure protection and providing fire support to ground crews battling the massive blaze.
The trio returned to Pueblo on Wednesday and will have two days to rest before the unit can be called back into action.
As contract firefighters, the crew responds to requests for assistance as needed in fighting fires throughout the country.
Gutierrez said he felt prepared for the duties he performed during the long 16-hour days at the High Park Fire, but he admitted he was caught off guard by the strength and relentlessness of the fire.
"It's hard to explain but when you are in a fire, it sounds just a like freight train coming or a jet engine firing up," he said. "Then you see this red glow and the trees light up behind you with an intense heat blowing at you like a furnace."
Gutierrez said much of his time was spent trying to provide protection and mitigation to homes in the path of the flames.
"We sprayed foam on houses and we worked to clear trees, bushes and other debris from near the homes," he said.
2 comments:
I'm sad for the people who may lose their homes or be affected in other ways but I am SO HAPPY for your dad and Scott to be working. I was just telling Bryce that at dinner. Please tell them to stay safe from us! As long as they do that we are thrilled that they are on the job.
Nice article and nice pictures! You're right, they are famous! I'm sure your kids are pretty excited about their dad and grandpa being in the paper.
Yes, please tell them to stay safe from the Joneses! :) That was a nice article and good pictures. The logo on the door of the truck showed up nicely, too! Have they been called back? Our prayers will be with them.
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