2005 Year in Review

Morrison Fire Fighters Have Returned Home

(L-R) Joe Bielema, Dalbert Wiebenga and Stan Emmert just after they returned home.

As they were going on Route 30 into Morrison.

The three vehicles as they were leaving early Monday morning. (Photo by Gary Cook)

Update: Saturday, September 17, 2005

Morrison Fire Fighters returned home Saturday afternoon around 2 p.m. Two of the Morrison engines met the Morrison and Fulton trucks at the Morrison Veterinary Clinic and followed them into town.

The men arrived as Morrison Paint The Town Festivities were being enjoyed. The ironic part was as the firemen arrived a Louisiana band was playing in the band tent. After a short speech from Fire Chief Bill Conboy and Assistant Fire Chief Joe Bielema the band played "Take Me Back to New Orleans."

Initial Story

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of others.” Charles Dickens

They didn’t have much notice or a lot of time to prepare but early Monday morning, September 5, 2005, three Morrison firefighters left for Louisiana.

“It is not in the still calm of life…that great characters are formed….Great necessities call out great virtues.” Abigail Adams

Following a meeting Sunday evening, which ended around 9:30, Joe Bielema, Dalbert Wiebenga and Stan Emmert, had until 5:30 Monday morning to pack supplies, food, personal items and their gear for two weeks, and be ready to leave.

Morrison fire station is part of the Division 30 MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System). MABAS is a mutual aid organization, which includes over 550 fire departments in 46 divisions. Each division consists of fire departments from the surrounding area that can be called for mutual aid in the event of a situation that a single department cannot handle and gets help to large disasters in an organized way.

Division 30 was limited to 13 personnel to help in the relief of the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left behind. Other firefighters from District 30 who were included in this trip were: Erie Fire Department Personnel – James Melton, Scott Melton, Scott Miner and Chad Miner; Cordova – Louis Sebert III; Coleta – John Caudillo; Fulton – Boyd VanDellen, Kurt Boonstra and Kent Nicolaysen; Tampico – Bruce Anderson.

“The quickest generosity is the best.” Arab Proverb.

Three of the departments furnished equipment for the trip. Morrison Fire Department furnished its Suburban personnel carrier, Erie Fire Department an engine and Fulton Department, a rescue vehicle.

Rock Falls Fire Chief Gary Cook stated, “ They took the microwave from our station and can use the generator on the truck to warm foods. They were requested to take two gallons of water per day, per person. They had supplies stuffed into every available compartment possible in the truck.”

“Character, not circumstances, make the man.” Booker T. Washington

Gary is the President of Division 30, which also seats him on the executive board statewide for MABAS. “The executive director of Fire Marshals stated at a convention, that Illinois is the Model for the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System in the country.

“But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” Robert Frost.

Assistant Morrison Fire Chief Joe Bielema is carrying a notebook with him in which he documents happenings along the way. Just to give you an idea. The meeting at Rock Falls Fire Station ended at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday; left Morrison at 4:30 a.m. Monday headed to Rock Falls; left Rock Falls at 5:35 a.m. to Effingham; 11:10 a.m. arrived in Effingham.

In Effingham the firefighters had a two-hour layover waiting for the rest of the units to arrive. This gave them time to fix tires on one of the vehicles. The fleet pulled into a rest area in Jacksonville, Mississippi to sleep for only three hours and it was on the road again. They arrived in Baton Rouge at 12:26 p.m. Tuesday, 1,012 miles and 32 hours later.

In a conversation with Joe Bielema on Tuesday evening he reported that they were at the Louisiana State Fire Academy waiting their orders as to where they would be sent. They were waiting to be fed and also to receive necessary vaccinations that were needed.

Going through towns people were holding up signs thanking the firefighters or folding their hands in prayer as they passed, while others hollered “God Bless You.”

“When one helps another, both gain in strength.” Ecuadorian Proverb

“Tonight we are going to sleep under the stars,” stated Bielema. “Here come some guys with MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Breakfast is at 0500 in the morning and we need to be ready to possibly be deployed by 0700.”

Joe also stated that Louisiana officials are overwhelmed with the response that is coming from Illinois. This particular group of Illinois Firefighters left with 185 pieces of apparatus and 600 firefighters. They were dispatched, assembled and mobilized in less than 24 hours.

Sixteen state police vehicles escorted the troupe to the Illinois border. They were ushered through major towns, and traffic came to a halt as the unbelievable caravan drove through.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear directly in the face.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Their orders didn’t come through until last night (Wednesday) when the 13 guys from Division 30 were sent to Washington County, Louisiana.

Washington County is approximately 3-4 hours from the academy in which the group was staying. The area is said to have sustained severe devastation and no help had been sent to this particular area as of yet.

“People, human beings with all their creative diversity, are the makers of history.” Mikhail Gorbachev

Update Thursday - 09-08-05 8:50 p.m.

"I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people who are convinced they are about to change the world. I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another." Ellen Goodman

Cindy Bielema (Joe’s wife) called me last night to relay the update on the firemen in Louisiana.

The firefighters are in Bogalusa, Louisiana. This city was not damaged much with water but the wind damage is extraordinary. “This place is all pine trees,” Joe told Cindy. “We have been removing trees and placing power lines out of the way.”

Friday the firemen will be focusing on removing trees and debris from the fire hydrants.

“I am so glad we are where we are,” stated Joe. “These people have had no help so far.” The men have been focusing on humanitarian efforts for the locals by delivering water, food and ice. Their attention has been for the elderly and infants.

They are staying in the city fire station in Bogalusa. Thursday they were able to assist in two fire calls in the city.

“Communication is a problem,” said Joe. “I’m not sure I will be able to call Friday,” as he had to make a collect call to his wife Thursday evening.

While the men were in Baton Rouge they were in a FEMA tent. “They were so good to us,” Joe said.

Bogalusa is situated on the eastern border of Washington Parish in the "Florida Parishes" section of Louisiana on the Pearl River (the dividing line between Louisiana and Mississippi), and is the chief manufacturing and trading center of the Pearl River valley. For a map Click Here.

09-09-05 2:15 p.m.

This is an update received by email from Gary Cook, Deputy Chief of Rock Falls Fire Department.

All,

This is the updated information I have on the Div 30 Deployment Crew in the Gulf States.

They are currently working in Bogalusa, LA. This is the largest City in Washington Parish (County), NE of New Orleans. They found out that they use another thread on the (fire) hydrants than us; they will have to get adapters.

This area suffered major wind damage as compared to the flooding of other areas. 2/3 of all power poles are broken off (No cell phone coverage either). They feel secure as supposedly the Mayor is a no nonsense type of guy. As the unrest of the residents arose, police shot several. That appeared to tell the residents who is boss, as the unrest calmed down.

They state there is a heavily armed National Guardsman on each street corner.

There assignment today (Friday, September 9, 2005) was of assisting the Fire Dept in cutting trees and clearing access to fire hydrants. (However that can change at any moment). Yesterday they assisted in handing out meals and water to residents.

Keep all in your thoughts and prayers for a safe return.

Gary

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday, September 12, 2005 at 11:38 a.m.

This update was received by email from Gary Cook.

All:

As of the information received, it appears that the Division 30 crews are going to be split up.

As of 0900 hours this morning Erie Engine/Crew was awaiting the arrival of a Decatur Engine to meet them at Bogalusa Station # 1. From there,they will travel to St. Bernard's Parish (SE New Orleans) and join Strike Force 1. Unsure of what the exact assignment there will be.

A 2nd Crew of Division 30 will be sent to Pine, a community NW of Bogalusa.

The 3rd crew is being sent to Westwego, which is located directly south of New Orleans.

This information is subject to change at any time.

Again keep the Div 30 deployment in your thoughts and prayers for a safe return. Gary

Update - Thursday, September 15, 2005 3:17 p.m.
Emailed received from Gary Cook

All:

As of 0800 hrs today Div 30 members in Bogalusa, LA will be released Friday September 16th, then will travel to Baton Rouge for debriefing, then head home.

However we have an Engine & crew in St Bernard’s Parish (SE of New Orleans). It is unknown if they will be released also.

Gary

“It is not enough to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others. In this world so filled with problems, so constantly threatened by dark and evil challenges, you can and must rise above mediocrity, above indifference. You can become involved and speak with a strong voice for that which is right.” - Gordon B. Hinckley

Update: Tuesday, September 13, 2005

“We are sore and tired,” stated Joe Bielema Tuesday evening. “We are still doing humanitarian type services from two distribution centers, one in Bogalusa and one in Pine. Basically, we are handing out water, ice and MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat). Pine did have actual groceries. Diapers and formula are another big need.

“We have met a lot of really nice people. We have received so much positive feed back from the community. Some of these people have lost everything and have nothing.”

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

Bogalusa is considered one of the poorest parishes in Louisiana. What we refer to in the Midwest as counties, Louisiana identifies them as parishes Most of the roads are open just enough to get the debris off of the path. “Everywhere you look there are piles and piles of brush,” Joe said. “One of our main concerns is also brush fires.”

Bogalusa is all pine trees. “It reminds me of when you get into Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota,” Joe said. “It is like they just cut a road through the trees and branched off in the placement of houses. Some of the houses are not any bigger than my garage.” Bogalusa has a population of 13,000.

Cell phone service has been hit and miss. Digital cell service is back but sometimes still hit and miss, but according to Joe it is getting better. A fiber optic line was severed in cleanup so that has taken the long distance service down.

Right now the crew is sleeping in the courthouse. “Mayor James (Mack as they call him) McGehee has opened the courthouse for us to stay. We still have to take showers at the fire station though. The Mayor has been really good to us; the door to the courthouse is never locked. We have been eating a lot of Jomboli and Gumbo. A group of Chaplins from Orange County, CA have been doing cooking for us, county, state and local police and the National Guard at the firehouse.

Retired fire chief Dave Wascon and his wife Sherry have opened their house at different times to the men to sit and relax and receive some much needed R&R. The current fire chief Ronnie Manning is a brother to 1970’s NASCAR driver Skip Manning.

"The fearless are merely fearless. People who act in spite of their fear are truly brave." - James A. LaFond-Lewis

“I don’t feel threatened. Things are starting to calm down. The people are trying to resume some kind or normalcy to their lives”, Joe said. Approximately 50 percent of Bogalusa is still without power.

The group has been split; the Erie Fire Department guys have been relocated in St. Bernard Parish where they are conducting door-to-door searches for victims.

Mosquitoes have been a big problem. “They literally have mosquito counters who are people that stick their arm into a bush and see how many land on their arm in a minute,” Joe laughed. “This determines whether or not that area needs to be sprayed.” The spraying consists of a fogger in the back of a pick up truck “There are also these funny looking bugs the people here call ‘Love Bugs’ They remind me of a miniature box elder bug but they fly around locked together. Our truck is black with them. At least they don’t bite.”

“If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them.” - Francis Bacon

“We are starting to pick up the southern drawl,” Joe chuckled. “ ‘Ya all come all the way from Illinoisss down heeeer? Thank ya all so much! We appreciate ya all coming down heeeer to help us,” Joe mimicked.

Editor’s note: I told Cindy (Joe’s wife) that I had never gotten as excited about a call from another man (except from my husband of course) as I do when I hear from Joe. It is just such a reassurance that they are all right.

"Brave men are all vertebrates; they have their softness on the surface and their toughness in the middle." G.K Chesterton

Editor's Note: This story will be updated as news is received.

by Dawn Zuidema, theCity1.com
September 26, 2005