Local firefighters head to Texas
Local firefighters head to Texas
22 September 2005
published by www.gillettenewsrecord.com
Texas, USA — It’s early Thursday morning and Campbell County Fire Department’s Station 1 is already bustling.
Six Campbell County firefighters have crammed a pickup and and SUV full of supplies in preparation for a trip to Texas to help out with Hurricane Rita.
The firefighters learned late Wednesday afternoon that the department’s sister station in Ponderosa Fire Department, near Houston, could use some help with the oncoming Category 5 storm. By 9 a.m. Thursday morning, they were headed down to bolster manpower for areas in the storm’s path.
The group is a mix of three volunteer and three career firefighters chosen for their rope and water rescue skills, along with their medical training, Fire Chief Gary Scott said.
Scott has agreed to post them there for seven days. If the storm misses, they’ll come back sooner. If it’s worse than expected, another crew will be sent down.
It wasn’t the first time Campbell County firefighters have worked with those in Texas. The two sister stations have a five-year partnership where several Wyoming firefighters go down to Houston each year, while the Texas firefighters come and help out during the wildland fire season.
