A show of gratitude

Residents host potluck to thank Deer Park firefighters

By CARLOS VILLATORO
Register Staff Writer

A little over a week ago, firefighters from all over the valley and the state were scrambling through the hills east of St. Helena to combat a raging grass fire that scorched 300 acres and destroyed a home.

On Sunday afternoon, some of those firefighters returned to the area; this time to enjoy a potluck lunch in their honor. About 200 Deer Park and Angwin residents gathered at Foothills Adventist Elementary School to treat the firefighters as well as members of the California Highway Patrol to a down-home potluck.

Josué Rosado, principal at Foothills Adventist Elementary School, said he got the idea to do the potluck when he witnessed firefighters mop up the rest of the incident after flames were no longer a threat. He got together with St. Helena Hospital, Pacific Union College and several churches and wineries to bring the residents together in thanks for the firefighters’ service.

The thanks given to the fire and emergency crews for saving their homes came with a hefty helping of pasta, chicken wings, beans and rice, drinks and desserts.

“These people saved my house and they give their time relentlessly,” said Julie Spencer, a Mund Road resident who was among the many who evacuated their homes in the wake of the fire.

Spencer said she was at work at Rianda House in St. Helena when she got a call from a neighbor.

“She said, ‘What about the fire?’” Spencer said. “I said, ‘What fire?’”

She left her job and hurried home to discover that the CHP had closed Deer Park Road and other roads leading to the fire. So Spencer parked her car near Silverado Trail and walked home she said.

“I found smoke all around,” she said.

Authorities had recommended that she evacuate her home, but it wasn’t until they issued a mandatory evacuation that Spencer, with the help of her sister, cleared out and went to stay with her mother in Napa, she said.

“I felt very threatened (by the fire),” she said. “When you drive away from your home thinking ‘Will it be here or not?’ You just let it go.”

On the following morning Spencer and a neighbor returned and were relieved to find that their homes were still standing Spencer said.

Spencer, as well as the majority of residents, did not have her home consumed by the fire; The McDannald family was not so lucky.

Jesse McDannald was shopping for groceries in Angwin when the fire broke out. It was not safe enough for McDannald to return to the home and it was destroyed by flames.

But even though firefighters were unable to save McDannald’s home, he gave thanks to them for trying.

“(With) an event like this, the word ‘thanks’ doesn’t even come close,” he said. “Especially for the effort that these firefighters put forth that day.”

CalFire, St. Helena Fire, Angwin Fire as well as members of the nine volunteer fire stations that comprise Napa County Fire were all represented at the picnic.

Yadir Payan, a firefighter-emergency medical technician for the Deer Park Fire Department, was among the 1,500 firefighters who fought the Deer Fire. On Sunday, Payan relaxed, chatted with residents and showed children the inside of one of the department’s fire engines.

“It’s important for the community to know their community response people,” Payan said.

Fellow firefighter Cory Worthey said “I think it’s great, something like this really brings the community together.”

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