ANGELS CAMP, Calif. - They hang on banners, flash on billboards and are even stuck on beverage bottles. They’re nailed on trees, tied to horses and inscribed on vehicles.
Pick a place in a small community or town affected by the California wildfires. Drive a dirt or paved road and see various messages of gratitude to California Army National Guardsmen — and all firefighting elements — who have worked tirelessly around the clock in this hot, unforgiving fire season.
“Thank you firefighters,” is the most common phrase of these gratifying displays, “Thank you, God” and “Thanks, dude” are nearly as common.
Draped from the balcony of a house that nearly burned inthe Butte Fire in Calaveras County, California, was a blanket emblazoned with the words “Thank You.” Further north, a 50-foot-long “Thank You, Firefighters” sign lined a main highway heading into Lakeport and Middletown, near the Valley Fire. This sign has been up since the Rocky and Jerusalem fires in Lake County in August.
“Small town, USA,” said Loch Lomond resident Tim Battaglia, who hails from a town of about 400. “When we say thank you, you know it’s from the heart.”
Bret Harte High School in Angels Camp flashes a Thank You California National Guard billboard as Guard members roll by in their tactical vehicles, heading to the San Andreas hills that took the brunt of the Butte Fire.
“We appreciate that. That tells us they know we’re doing something for the people,” said Sgt. 1st Class Joseph White of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment. “Everyone here puts in a lot of work. They work their butts off as much as they can.”
White reminisced on his overseas deployments, when cards, letters and emails were sent from unknown U.S. communities. People sent friendly, general messages, all with the same intent: Thank you for your service and be safe.
“It’s just like getting a care package,” White added. “You get an anonymous gift, you open it and you’re thankful for what’s inside. Same thing here. People understand the hard work we put in by telling us with these signs. We’re very thankful right back.”
It’s also clear, says Timothy J. Williams, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) battalion chief and military liaison, that “Thank You Firefighters” includes the National Guard. CAL FIRE is the state’s fire-fighting leader, but it’s not the only entity battling blazes.
“The National Guard is part of the Task Force’s operation, just wearing a different uniform,” Williams explained. “The National Guard is clearly part of the suppression and action teams. They support our crews out there.”
Williams added, “Those (thank you signs) are for everybody: inmates, fire personnel, police, personal security, first responders, dispatchers and even vendors. National Guardsmen are an important part of the entire firefighting team.”
Therefore, the thank you expressions extend to all aspects of the California Guard’s firefighting force: hand crews, fuelers, administrators, aviators, military police, bridge builders, etc.
“The public sees it as we are all one,” added CAL FIRE’s Suzanne M. Brady, public information officer assistant and information/education officer. “It doesn’t matter what kind of patch you have on your shoulders. We’re all firefighters here.”
Public signs are one of several ways communities show appreciation, Brady added. People provide firefighters with clothing, food, toiletries and other things, “like a (youth football) cheerleading demonstration,” she said. They receive hundreds of drawings from elementary school children,; and some small town businesses, such as a barbershop or restaurant, give free or discounted services as a way of thanking firefighters.
Angels Camp, population about 4,000, even hosted a parade of sorts. As fire and emergency vehicles coursed through main street en route to the Butte Fire, hundreds of residents lined both sides, waving flags and voicing their approval.
Sometimes, it’s the presentation that makes the signs unique. A Lakeport, California, business posted a pizza on its window with the words “Thank You” in pepperoni slices. A San Andreas home spelled “Thank You” with fire retardant-colored rocks. Up the road, “Thank You” was carved on a tree.
The Butte Fire, which affected Amador and Calaveras counties, torched close to 71,000 acres and threatened 6,400 structures. More than 500 residences were either damaged or destroyed. They Valley Fire, north of Butte, had an even greater destruction.
The efforts of all California Guard members to help extinguish this season’s fires deserve tremendous thanks. The public agrees, and shows with its visible signs.