The very first fire that I ever had to respond to a fire came one evening around midnight some time in the spring of 2009. I remember it like it was yesterday. As Colin Hardgrove drove the engine to the scene and Capt. Pole was on the radio, I remember looking out at the trees up the road and knowing by the way they were glowing that it was going to be a crazy night. I also remember looking at Mitch sitting next to me and wondering why he was so calm.

I remember jumping out of the engine and instantly getting bombarded with heat as I scrambled to hook up to the fire hydrant. Once that was done Capt. Pole told me to go help out Mitch on the bomb line and I thought to myself "you must be crazy". Mitch was standing 15 or 20 feet from the house with the hose over his shoulder spaying water. Once I found my courage I stepped up right behind Mitch and at 6' 3" heaved up that hose on to my shoulders which caused him to instantly turn around and look up at me and calmly tell me to step a few feet back because I was lifting the nozzle out of his hands. After working out some hitches in our method of fighting this fire I remember looking at Mitch sitting on the hose spraying water and feeling the calmness his presence gave off that night. Then to my surprise he turned to me and asked if I wanted to take over on the nozzle which I quickly responded with a YES!!! After more than 4 hrs we put that fire out and I remember how excited I was over fighting my first fire and getting to use the nozzle for the first time. Mitch was a perfect example of what I think a fire fighter should be like. He was cool and calm and more importantly to me he was willing to give a rookie fire fighter a chance to gain experience and grow. I didn't know him very well outside of work but if I can be as half as professional as he was at his job I'll consider myself blessed. Thank you Mitch

Former Lake Valley Volunteer Firefighter
Arthur L. Brown