I'm a firefighter!

This morning, Christmas Eve, Dad, Andrew, Travis and I set out to make some deliveries to some families in our ward. As we were driving to the bishop's house to make our first delivery, we drove past this scene: two kids trying to put out a field fire and the mother running to their small house while on the phone. Dad says, "should we stop and help." I say yes so we find a place to turn around and go back. We miss the house again and turn back around. I say to dad, "I don't really know what to do." He explains that first we are going to park out of the way so when the firemen get there, they can get through. In the meantime, another man stops. He found a pile of scrap wood that we can use to put it out. So together the 5 of us climb over the barb wire fence and run towards the circle of fire. We all take different approaches and places to put out the fire. I started from the outside and started working my way to the middle and Travis went straight to the big flames. It was crazy! I could see the progress, but also see it spreading. The family was yelling, but everyone else was staying calm. It started heading towards their humble home. Travis went to fight those flames. He slowed the flames, but lost some of his eyebrows and receded his hairline in the process. (picture below) I am just glad he didn't get hurt. After getting the roadside out, I went to the back where it started spreading more. It was harder there because the grass was taller. Luckily the firemen got there soon after because the wind started to blow and the spreading increased. Further back were some woods. The first truck couldn't reach all the way to the back so a backup rescue truck had to come in. As they drove through the field, I stood watching. Then I heard someone yell my name. It was Keith Kolvig, a highschool friend. He was the one in the rescue truck to finish off the fire. His truck had a remote control nozzle on the front that blasted out the flames. The firemen told us that we did a great job containing the fire until they got there. It was exciting, but hard work. There were times when I had to step away because the flames were so thick. By the end, we were all worn out, dirty and coughing. The next day I was sore because it was strenuous work. The other lesson we learned that day: Never play with bottle rockets in a dry field.