Mo. conservation agents help fight fires in western U.S.

Missouri Department of Conservation agents are fighting wildfires in the western United States.

Wildlife regional supervisor Matt Bowyer and 16 other MDC employees are part of a larger crew who are headed to Custer, South Dakota, after fighting the Pine Tree Fire in northwest Colorado, MDC media specialist Candice Davis said Thursday.

Southeast Region design development superintendent Ronnie Thurston, who works out of the Cape Girardeau conservation office and served on fire crews about seven years ago, was among the 20 or so other conservation personnel who were to deploy to Florida to help recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Thurston, like the rest of those gathered Thursday morning in Cape Girardeau, volunteered for the two-week assignment and said fighting fires was useful experience.

“We’re just wanting to help other folks like we helped people affected by fires,” he said. “We’ve helped in a lot of situations.”

The crews were willing to help, but the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency called off the deployment at the last minute.

Outside of forest fires — and now hurricanes — the MDC typically restrains its relief operations to within Missouri.

“Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” may sound like an odd way to describe a disaster, but the chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of people who face danger and disaster can be just that, protection field chief Randy Doman said.

He spoke of how those who helped in the wake of Hurricane Katrina largely felt the deployment was among the most meaningful work experiences they had.

“Even at retirement functions, they talk about that being one of the highlights of their careers,” Doman said.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573)388-3627