Every time I've driven my favorite "Scenic Route" I go past the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department buildings. The RCVFD is 100% volunteer, and 100% self-supporting.
A year before we came out here the first time the was the second largest fire in Colorado history, the High Park Fire. It was caused by a lightning strike in a meadow, about 100 acres or so, but three hours later it had spread to 3000 acres, and was accelerating. It burned for three weeks before it was considered 100% contained, destroyed about 260 homes, along with other structures, and killed one person. This was the fire where our in-laws lost 3 of their four houses, along with the "big" shop, and most of their construction equipment. Their main house, "The Homestead", survived with some minor scorching.
The video below gives a pretty good recap:
Even though numerous agencies were involved, the RCVFD and the Poudre Fire Authority led the charge.
And they did a magnificent job, as the video described.
So, when I was flipping through the "Local Activities" section of my new AAA magazine, I saw that the RCVFD is having their annual fund raiser, the Rist Canyon Mountain Festival, and you betcha' we're going!
And we're taking The Little Guy. The only thing that gets him more excited than a green-and-yellow tractor or red "Race Car" is a FIRE TRUCK, and there's going to be a whole bunch of them!
And I'm going to sleep with my camera so I don't forget it.
If you're in the area on September 7th and have the time, swing on by and support these guys. We've been going to more of these community events since we got all settled in, and we're lovin' every minute of it.
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Alright fellow readers, what's the over under on him actually bringing his camera? I say 2:1 it stays at the house.
ReplyDelete🤔
Challenge accepted!
Delete;-) some of those relics look like the up to date equipment we had when I was a volunteer back in the day.
ReplyDeleteThere's a thriving culture of "Old Machinery" gurus here, and whether it's a 1910 tractor, a 1928 Fire Truck, an 1800's well boring machine, or an equally ancient hit-and-miss engine, they're all in as-new condition, and are used at fairs, demonstrations, and other community events.
DeleteI'd love to rebuild an old hit-and-miss engine, but I already have enough projects, and I don't have any where to keep it.
Very nice, and yes, tose volunteers DO put their lives on the line every day.
ReplyDeleteThat's why they deserve our support. My wife called the DIL to see if it was OK to take The Little Guy kind of off-schedule, and the DIL said they go every year, and were planning on taking him now that he's at the age where he enjoys this stuff. She grew up in Rist Canyon, way up in the Arapaho & Roosevelt Nat'l Forest, and she knows all these guys, and grew up with them.
DeleteI'm sure we'll feel right at home with these guys!
We have spent most of our lives in communities that had only volunteer fire departments. They were our friends and neighbors and they don't get near the credit they deserve.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why we're supporting them. They did they absolute best during the 2012 fire, and saved a lot of structures, and went door-to-door making sure people were out.
DeleteAnd that's pretty rugged terrain!