Page 43 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Summer 2022 - Online Magazine

FIRST RESPONDERS

volunteer firefighter who a young team. We have
drove the pumper truck. six very capable women
Rand took the tanker volunteer firefighters. We
truck. They were back have six EMTs and two
to the fire in minutes. paramedics. All are well-
The brick and tile-roofed trained, and they believe
house was like a giant that it is important to help
kiln, confining the fire here and in surrounding
inside the house. The communities.”
windows and doors
suddenly blew out in Small communities have
a shattering blast. By tight budgets. The fact that
then, the nearby fire volunteer firemen (and
departments from Site of the 2018 Bricker house fire women) serve without
Buffalo Springs, Idalou, pay is a huge help to a
and Roosevelt had shown up. Soon, the entire roof community's finances.
collapsed into a heap of debris. Thirty-foot flames roared Furthermore, the volunteers often take dangerous risks.
into the sky. The neighbor on the south was pouring They do it because they believe it is important to take
water on his roof with a garden hose in a valiant, but care of their community. Those of us who live in small
fruitless attempt communities that can’t afford to pay for fire protection
to save his home. are so fortunate to have these dedicated first responders
who are willing to look out for their neighbors just
It got a lot worse. because they are their neighbors.
There was a
strong wind
blowing out of
the west. Flying
embers set the
pasture on fire
to the east.
Burning embers
tumbled down
the canyon
wall, igniting a
grass fire below. Homes below were in danger. They
had to save the neighbor’s home to the south, save
the homes below the canyon rim, and extinguish the
grassfire to the east. Rand drove below the rim to fight
that rapidly spreading grass fire. The Buffalo Springs
and Roosevelt VFD fought the pasture grass fires.
The rest worked to save the neighbor’s house. They
poured water on the Bricker house for 24 hours. The
cause of the fire was never discovered.
Rand said, “The saving grace is that everyone from
other communities showed up and helped. It makes
me feel really good. You see, even though we are
responsible for Ransom Canyon, we help anywhere in
Lubbock County. There are 11 fire departments in the
county, and we are obligated to help anytime needed.
The Ransom Canyon Volunteer Fire Department has
22 members. Nearly all have full time jobs. It is mainly

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