Bokeelia fire
To the editor:
Wednesday June 15 ignited a terrifying event. It is so hot and dry that a small flame sent acres of brush ablaze in minutes. It is amazing that of the eight houses ritically threatened, only two received moderate damages, and no one except a family cat was hurt. We would like to thank everyone who came to the rescue.
Panicked, some of us fled down the road with cars full of neighbors, animals and children. Within minutes of calling on friends for help, Pine Island locals charged towards our homes with their own equipment, machinery and garden hoses to battle the intensifying and unpredictable fire. Running on pure adrenaline, these Pine Islanders stood on our property lines wetting down our landscaping and homes, some climbed atop the roof to fight embers, while others tromped through the woods shoveling sand onto vulnerable areas. Mark Dean from Palm Co. sent his 10,000 gallon water truck and piece of equipment, manned by workers, to create a wet barrier or shove away vegetation that would have inevitably burned onto our homes. The Pine Island Fire Department, backed by six (or was it eight) other fire districts and the Forestry Division attacked the blaze for hours into the night. The Pine Island Fire Department continued to protect and patrol the estimated 150 acre burn for days.
Many thanks to Frank Hample, Bobby, Rogelio and Alex at El Dorado Marine, Mark Dean, the Castaneda family (Jorge and Francisco) at Palm Co., Bob and Jessi Egizi, Meatball, Pete Palmeiro, Rodney, Ashton Henry, the man from Island Girl, the Forestry Division, everyone at the Pine Island Fire Department, notably Tim Larrimore and Gerry Rossman, and the Fire Departments from the other districts, the quick response from LCEC, Dr. Techeira from Pine Island Animal Clinic, and anyone else not mentioned…we cannot thank you enough. We ask that as the Fourth of July draws near, celebrate safely. This could happen to any community.
-The Residents of Sandal Lane/Harbor Drive Community