DAY 7

DAY 7 WAS THE DAY WE HAD TO PACK UP AND COME HOME. WE MANAGED TO SQUEEZE IN ONE MORE FALSE ALARM FOR A DWELLING FIRE AND THEN PACKED OUR GEAR TO HEAD OUT. WE HAD LUNCH WITH THE CHIEF AND HIS FAMILY AND CLEANED OUT THE DOUBLE WIDE AND SAID OUR GOODBYES. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED IT WAS A GOOD WEEK AS FAR AS WHAT WE WHERE ABLE TO GET ACCOMPLISHED. THE BUNK ROOM IN THE STATION IS DONE AND READY FOR THE NEXT CREW TO COME IN. THE TRAILER THAT HAS BEEN KNOWN AS OUR HOME IS CLEANED UP AND READY TO BE SOLD. WE HAD ONE GOOD SAVE DURING OUR STAY AND PUT OUT MORE THAN ENOUGH FOREST FIRES TO LAST US A WHILE. IT WAS A LITTLE SAD TO LEAVE THERE BUT THE CHIEF TOLD US WE ARE WELCOME TO COME BACK ANYTIME WE WANT AND THAT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A HOME IN PEARLINGTON.

WE GOT ON THE PLANE TO COME HOME A LITTLE TIRED AND SLEPT MOST OF THE WAY HOME. I WANT TO SEND OUT A KUDOS TO ALL THE FLIGHT CREWS THAT HELPED GET US THERE AND BACK FROM US AIR. THEY WHERE VERY HELPFUL AND EVEN MADE A ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT US WHEN WE LANDED AND THE ENTIRE PLANE CLAPPED FOR US. OUR DEPUTY CHIEF PICKED US UP FROM THE AIRPORT AND TOOK US BACK TO STATION 33 FOR SOME PIZZA FOR DINNER. NO FANFARE OR WELCOME PARTY THIS TIME JUST A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS. I WANT TO THANK ALL INVOLVED IN GETTING US THERE AND BACK AND ESPECIALLY MY CREW THAT WENT WITH ME, YOU DIDN'T ALWAYS WANT TO DO WHAT I ASKED BUT WE GOT A LOT DONE FOR OUR FRIENDS DOWN THERE AND THAT IS REALLY WHY WE WENT.

THANKS AGAIN

DAVID A. PEARL, CHIEF