Tag Archives: fire

Power of Love, Prayer and Positive Thoughts

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Here’s the latest update just posted minutes ago to Sean’s care page that was set up for the family to keep in touch with everyone.

Sean had a good night. His ICP (brain pressure) stayed in the teens last night, an improvement from the twenties and thirties of yesterday.

We want to let everyone know how much all of your support and prayers mean to us. We honestly could not do this without all of our friends and family. You are holding us up when we can not stand on our own.

People keep asking what they can do for us. Pray pray pray. Ultimately this is in God’s hands and only He can save our boy. So please pray with all your heart. I know that God is holding us. I feel His presence.

Again thank you for the love.

Thanks to everyone’s outpouring of love, positive thoughts and prayers, Sean’s condition seems to be improving and his family are in hopeful spirits.  It’s crucial to keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they continue to watch his condition, so please do share the links and requests for help. A strong network is important for them and their well-being.

Blessings.

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Former Chico Firefighter Injured In Fire

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This [edited version] came through the pipelines from one of the engineers with City of Chico Fire Department (hence the reference to “I” at the end).

Former City of Chico Firefighter, and current Sacramento City Truck Captain Jeff Helvin responded to a two story residential structure fire this afternoon.  Upon arrival there were no visible flames, but heavy black smoke was coming from the upstairs rear windows.

Captain Helvin and his crew advanced a line to the second story and performed a search.  The conditions upstairs were very hot and smokey with little visibility, but no fire.  Jeff  broke out three windows in an attempt to get some horizontal ventilation.  Conditions worsened and Jeff ordered his crew to evacuate.  Just as he gave the order their hose line burst.

Captain Helvin put out a Mayday as his crew got log jammed on the stairwell.  His crew got out, but Jeff was still trapped on the stairwell.

Jeff stated that he was burning up and there was no way for him to get past the crew that was blocking the stairwell.   He went upstairs to bail out the windows he had earlier broken out, but the conditions had worsened and he had zero visibility.  Jeff was almost out of air, and said that “By the grace of God I stumbled across my hose line”

His low air alarm had been going off for some time, and Jeff knew he was close to being out of air.  He followed his hose line to the stairs and saw what he thought was the front door and sprinted towards it.  It turned out to be a closed sliding glass door.  Jeff smashed through the sliding glass door into the yard, and with his momentum smashed through the backyard fence as well.  He landed in the neighbors yard.

Jeff was transported to UC Davis hospital with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his left hand, 2nd degree burns to his right hand, 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his neck and 1st degree burns over his entire body.

Jeff is in a lot of pain, and is pretty upset, but the Captain I talked to said all things considered his spirits are pretty good.

——————–

Please keep Jeff and his crew (according to the reports we heard last night, several were taken to UC Davis as well, treated and released … except for Jeff) in your thoughts and prayers. 

It’s this kind of report that makes me nervous when I hear a call go out that my husband is on.  Right on down to the low air alarm going off “for quite some time.”

Brothers and sisters, your loved ones are far more precious than being a badass and turning off your low air alarms.  Thankfully Helvin had one on.

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Ghost Hunting and Sight Seeing in Oregon – Part 1

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This is part 1 of an article series.

Cops Writing me a ticketDespite a really bad experience in Oregon several years ago that resulted in a solid year of fighting in court, I decided it was time to leave the past in the past and take the plunge by heading back up the coast into Oregon.

Michigan_SilverLake_Dunes_2007_029Of course, this was motivated by the Pie Dudes.  Continue reading →

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1032 Fires Burning as of Yesterday

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Hubby’s home today.  He said that when the smoke dissipated a bit, they found another fire that had been burning.  Approximately 2,500 acres have been burnt so far by that fire.

Also, on the wire El Dorado county sheriffs are looking for information regarding a suspicious fire.  Apparently a vehicle was found at the bottom of the ravine yesterday, completely torched.  They found the charred remains of a body inside.  This morning more news emerged.  Apparently the body was in the passenger side of the vehicle and up along the road where it appeared the vehicle left the road, there were “blood marks” indicating foul play.  

And the cause of one fire (can’t remember which, but for the love of Pete, can you blame me?) was ruled to be the “exhaust of an idling vehicle.”

The following comes from a fire website.  When it says “what you should do,” this means the firefighters, not John Q. Public.  Interesting stuff, however, and thought I’d share (plus I copied and pasted, less writing for me and allows me to get other things accomplished… woot woot!)

Sorry, no pictures this time.  I’m in a hurry!  (PS: Thanks for the emails and comments, much appreciated!)

CWCG PL  HAS BEEN ELEVETED TO LEVEL 5
1032 Fires burning in the State as of yesterday

Fires: 1,032
Acres: 132,235
Contained Fires: 232
Personnel Committed: 11,989
Water Tenders: 360

California (CFN) — Firefighters continued making progress against raging fires in northern California Wednesday as Cal Fire and the United States Forest service had achieved 100% containment on approximately 35% of the large fires burning in the State.

More than 149,000 acres (60,300 hectares) has been burned so far, destroying nearly 40 structures and forcing the evacuation of more than 900 people.

A total of 7,000 firefighters, 536 engines and more than 50 aircraft had been deployed to pummel the flames, most of which were triggered last week when dry lightning from thunderstorms struck drought stricken tinder-dry forest land.

Quick Look Large Northern Cal Fires:

Corral CA-LMU 250ac 5% containment
Popcorn CA-LMU 3100ac 25% containment
Hells Half Complex CA-SRF 1,142 ac 6% containment
Orleans/Ukonom CA-SRF 500ac 3% containment
MNF Complex CA-MNF 2998ac 20%containment
Peterson CA-LNF 2000ac 0% containment
Yuba River Complex CA-TNF1750 ac 5 % contaiment
American River Complex CA-TNF1300ac ac 5 % containment
Walker CA-LNU 14,000 ac 5% containment
BLUE CA-SRF 175 ac 5% containment
Whisytown Complex CA-WNP 750ac 0% containment
TGU Complex CA-TGU 4629ac 15% containment
IRON Complex CA-SHF 3,200 ac 5% containment
LIME Complex CA-SHF 7500ac 10% containment
SHF Complex CA-SHF 22 ac 60% contaiment
Canyon Complex CA-PNF 4,810 ac 0% containment
LNF complex CA-LNF 500ac 0% containment
LMU complex CA-LMU 50 ac 80% containment
SHU Complex CA-SHU 12,000 ac 5 % containment
Whitehurst CA-SCU 200 ac 95% containment
Mendocino Lightining Complex CA-MEU 19,200 ac 5% containment
Humbolt Complex CA- HUU 950 ac. 40 % containment
BTU Complex CA-BTU 5,000 ac 5 % containment<– this is us
Mad Complex CA SRF 1000ac. 10 % containment
Yuba River Complex CA TNF 2095 ac. 10% containment
Cub Complex Ca LNF 2000 ac. 0% containment
Siskiyou Complex Ca KNF 2000ac 5% containment

Weather: Nor Cal – Dry Lightning will become a big concern by Thursday
Very active weather the next few days. Continue reading →

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Thunder And Lightning = Massive Wildfires

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Well, here we are again contending with numerous wildfires caused by dry lightning strikes.  It’s awesomely similar to the strikes we had back in ’99 that ravaged the canyon and destroyed many homes.

DSC_0457
DSC 0457 by Dain Sandoval, on Flickr

And, once again, we have varying reports about the wildfires. Continue reading →

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