Grugger’s Way

My First Time to be Trapped in a Fire was scary as hell, and I was fortunate to get out of that mess with no injuries.

I was a television news reporter and there was a big wildfire just on the edge of town, but still within the City Limits.  I drove my car up the road until law enforcement stopped me, along with all the other “looky loo’s” and told me I could not go any further due to the danger involved.  That made sense.  Ok.  So I got out of the car and began walking up the road, carrying my video camera and battery pack.  I was wearing a business suit and walking along the road toward the wildfire when I heard someone yell to me.  Not “At me,” but “to” me.  I turned and saw the town’s mayor and chief of police in the chief’s cruiser right behind me.  I moved over to the side so they could pass.  We were all well-beyond where the other cars had been stopped. 

To my pleasant surprise, they “recognized” me from TV and invited me to JOIN THEM!  Ha!  Far OUT!  Up the hill we went, past all the law enforcement and fire officials, right past the barricades and into the fray!  Wow, it was great.  I thanked them for the ride up and hopped out with my camera and headed toward the thickest smoke I could see.  Great video for tonight’s news was all I could think about.

Fifteen minutes later, I am encircled by fire and smoke!  I can’t get out.  I am trapped in a forest fire!  I can see firefighters beyond the smoke and yell to them.  (Not “at them” but “to” them. Ha ha)  Fortunately, for me, they hear and see and respond.  They beat a path to me so I can escape.

Of course, they challenged me and my sanity and questioned what the hell and how the hell I got up there, but I weasled my way out of that…mumbling something like “the Mayor and Police Chief brought me here.”    

That night, on the news, not only did I have “exclusive” video as we liked to promote in television, but I had a heck of a story to tell, too.  (Rapid City, South Dakota; 1972)

And my suit?  Smelled like smoke. Forever.  Cleaned it more than once too.

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