This man in the vest is my hero and a new friend for life. During the firestorm Monday morning, I was on the roof of my home on Deer Trail Rd. with a weak stream of water wetting down my roof, and this guardian angel and his friends pulled up with a small water tank and pump system. They turn a fire hose first across the street, soaking the grounds and trees to the right of the burning home, making multiple trips to reload water, then returning. Their goal was to prevent the fire from spreading south towards Jaylee Dr., the adjoining neighborhood. These heroes live further south, along Brush Creek Rd., and decided early on to make a stand and stop the advancing fire towards their homes.

All around us, propane tanks were blowing up, hot acrid smoke was blowing in different directions, and homes in front of me, behind me, were on fire, along with countless homes up the street. His team eventually moved in front of my home and watered down my yard, trees, home, and roof, where I took this picture. When the water ran out, I ran. 5 hours later, my wife and I returned to find our home still standing.

16 of 39 homes survived the firestorm on my block. Happily, 0 homes on Jaylee Dr. were burned, in part due to this man and his team, and the wind……

Their names are Rodney Sichel, of Empire Asphalt Paving and Engineering, his neighbors Mark Hoyal and Lauren Palmer, and his friend Forrest Isbel. My wife and I owe these local heroes a huge debt of gratitude for stepping up in the face of danger to save their neighborhood.

Arthur Geier
Deer Trail Rd., Santa Rosa