Firefighters Receive Outpouring of Support and Thanks

Public Information Officer, Jim Payne showing off some of the Thank You cards they received. (Brandon Neuman / NAZ Today)

Flagstaff (NAZ Today)- Fire crews continue their work to contain the Schultz fire burning along the San Francisco Peaks and Mount Elden.  These firefighting crews have been experiencing an outpouring of support and thanks from residents in Flagstaff and the surrounding communities. Jim Payne, the Public Information Officer for the Schultz fire says “I have worked on dozens of fires and some hurricanes, but can’t remember seeing this kind of outpouring from community members”.

Driving through Flagstaff neighborhoods affected by the fire you can see signs posted on most street corners or at local businesses thanking the fire fighters for helping to save their homes and forest.  Students from the Sturgeon Cromer Elementary School, and other Flagstaff area schools have brought posters to the operation center to thank the firefighters.  They have also received hundreds of thank you cards from various people in the community.

Fire officials having some of the food donated by citizens of Flagstaff and the surround areas. (Brandon Neuman/ NAZ Today)

While the firefighters’ basic needs, such as water, energy drinks, meals and clothing are all provided for by the Forest Service Incident Command, many community members have been coming by the command center located at the Sturgeon Cromer Elementary school to drop off donations.  While walking through the operation center you can see two large tables filled with breads, fruits and an assortment of other foods. Jim Payne explained that they are receiving so much food from community members that “these tables are replenished 2-3 times per day”. Incident Command worker Dona Rutherford said “there shouldn’t be a single chocolate chip left in Flagstaff” they have received hundreds of homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Fire officials are encouraging people that do bring things out, to bring travel sized items that can be more easily distributed out to the fire fighters working around the fire. A lot of the food and baked goods that are being dropped off goes to workers in and around the operation center. The smaller, packaged items “that can be put in pockets” like bags of peanuts, granola bars, candy, and beef jerky are being delivered to the crews on the front lines.

Fire officials help to unload donations from Rebecca Carter's car. (Brandon Neuman/ NAZ Today)

On Monday afternoon Rebecca Carter, an employee with the Flagstaff Unified School District arrived at the Incident Command center toting boxes and boxes of hotel shampoo, conditioner, and soap donated by the Best Western Hotel in Flagstaff. She has been contacting hotels around Flagstaff asking them to donate toiletries for the crews working on the Schultz Fire. She then drove around town collecting the items and bringing them out to the Incident Command center. When asked why she was doing this Rebecca said ” I am so grateful, I hate the thought of the forest burning down, and wanted to show how grateful we are”.

Deputy Incident Commander, Tony Sciacca and Public Information Officer Jim Payne said that they were planning to begin scaling back the operations and transfer command of the fire over to a Type III crew out of New Mexico, which will oversee the mop-up and completion of the fire. Since the Incident Command center would probably be dismantled on Thursday, the last day that people could come by to drop off items would be on Wednesday, June 30th. They also encouraged those who still want to contribute to donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation or the United Way. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation is a group that helps support the families of firefighters that are hurt or killed while fighting wildfires. The United Way is a group that helps to support a wide range of community support groups around Arizona.

Tony Sciacca also said ” We would like to thank them (area residents) for their hospitality, it really means a lot for the firefighters to see that support”.

Posters of appreciation hanging in the Schultz Fire Incident Command Center (Brandon Neuman / NAZ Today)

Medical Unit Leader, George Reyes showing some of the donated toiletries. (Brandon Neuman/ NAZ Today)

Signs of appreciation hung near the Schultz Fire Incident Command Center ( Brandon Neuman/ NAZ Today)