'We still have a job to do': Stillwater Fire Chief says his crews remain focused

Stillwater is recovering following Friday’s wildfires and strong winds that devastated the area, destroying or burning more than 70 homes. 

Many people left their homes believing they were safe, only to return to nothing but ashes. As the city works to rebuild, local agencies and community groups are teaming together to help those who lost everything.

Stillwater Fire Chief Terry Essary shared the lastest about those efforts.

Q: What is the current situation and your primary focus right now?

Chief Essary:

"You know, you look at the rubble, and we are so grateful that we didn't lose any lives. But you look at this. And just all around these people's lives, they lost everything. Toothbrushes, clothes hangers, clothes, memories, and words. Just really can't say how much we are hurting for them. And we want them to know that we're here to help them recover. But of course, as the fire chief. Right now, my main goal is to figure out what this what's the next right decision. As you can see, the wind's blowing, probably gusting to 30 or 40 miles an hour. 

And the humidity is going to drop today. The temperatures are going to go up. So this fire is, we still have fire crews chasing fires right now. And they've been chasing since Friday at 1:00. So our decision right now is to not let anything else lose. No more structures. Obviously not to lose any lives, but to keep anything contained. So it's not lose anything else."

Q: What is it like knowing the threat isn’t over, and that there could be more this week?

Chief Essary:

"There are so many things to process but now's not the time. I mean, our job is to protect the people of Stillwater and the community, and that's what we're focused on. That's what the entire city of Stillwater is focused on. And that's what we're going to do. I mean, we know this thing’s not over, but we’re gonna keep swinging until we get a handle on this one thing, and the weather turns in our favor. We still have a job to do. And we're focused on that."

Related Story: Wildfires Devastate Stillwater: Key Relief Efforts and Resources You Should Know

Q: Just moments ago, we saw one of your trucks take off, are you still responding to wildfires?

Chief Essary:

"Actually, it was a different fire. I think it was a truck fire. So, in addition to all the grass fires, we're obviously still responding to the normal calls that we have. And we've upped staff to the best we can. And we're gonna be calling for resources outside of our jurisdiction. But the thing is, with the wind and the temperatures today, everybody's going to be battling fires in their home, so sources of resources are going to be limited. But we're going to, we're going to do the best we can with what we have, and we're going to help as many people as possible."

Q: How are you personally holding up amid all this?

Chief Essary:

"You know what I'm doing, okay. I have a great team. Our fire department is the best there is. Our city staff is the best there is, and they're making sure I have what I need. And that my family's been incredible and they’re holding me up through this. But you know, how I'm doing is not important—how this community is doing is what's important to me and all these people who have lost everything."

Q: Are your crews tired?

Chief Essary:

"They're tired. Yeah, absolutely. But, you know, this is what we do. This is why we're here and trying to get the men and women of the Stillwater fire department to rest is, it's not easy because they know there's still work to be done, and they want to be out in the fight, doing what they do. And that's what they're doing. That's their focus and that's going to continue to be the focus until this thing's done."

Q: You mentioned your family has taken in some people who needed help. Can you tell us more about that?

Chief Essary:

"Yeah. Just like so many others have, like, oh, people all across this community, we're reaching out, doing what we can to help each other because Stillwater is a special place. Everybody here is family, you know, and I can't even begin to describe the appreciation that we all have for the support that we've gotten from everybody in the community. We all know we're in this together, and everybody wants to help in every way possible. So we're all doing what we can."

Related: Resources, How you can help Oklahomans affected by wildfires

Q: What's your message to the community right now, any advice for residents?

Chief Essary:

"So, we believe that we've got all the hot spots out with the wind. It can rekindle some things that we are unaware of. So, I would say help your neighbors out if you can—if you see a hotspot, smoking, if you can get a garden hose on it, just saturate the area. If you can do it safely. Obviously, you want to watch out for any type of structural stuff because you still want chimneys and things standing. So obviously you want to make sure you're safe. If you can get water on those hot spots and free up our resources to go fight fires that only they can do, that would be incredible. And just check on your neighbors and make sure everybody's doing okay. Another thing I really want to emphasize is that as the next few days unfold, if we ask you to evacuate, please follow those directions. We will let you back into your neighborhood as soon as we possibly can. Please have everything ready to go—medications, documentation, things for your pets. Just be ready."

Q: What should people know if they need to evacuate?

Chief Essary:

"Yeah, find a place to go and stay there. With the conditions in the smoke in the area, it's extremely dangerous to be driving around, first of all. And second of all, it clogs up roadways where we need to be. It places our first responders at greater danger because of vehicle accidents, because you simply can't see the smoke. We have to make our way through there because that's our job. We've got to get to where we are going, and we don't need vehicles in the way. And it's dangerous for them. It's dangerous for us. And so please stay off the roadways. I know everybody wants to see what's going on, but right now, if you want to help us out, please stay out of these areas. Another thing that you could have to prepare for, for this and any type of emergency, is to have a 'go-kit' or a 'go-bag' with all your documentation, your medications, contacts, glasses—anything that you need right away just to live. Things that you take for granted. Because as you can see, there's lots of people here who have nothing left."

Q: How can residents distinguish when a small ember is manageable with a garden hose and when it's time to call 911?

Chief Essary:

"Okay. And that's a good question. And that's a hard question to answer. But if you've seen flames that have rekindled, you know, they're heading towards an unburned structure, please call 911 immediately. Anything like that. Just let's call in. If it's questionable, we would rather you call. And if we can send someone, we will, and we'll try to prioritize those calls as they come in. And we'll make those decisions the best we can and try to put our resources in the right places to help the most people. But, you know, everyone's on a high alert right now as they should be. And so, if we can keep something in the initial stages, keep something small before it spreads, that's where we've got to be focused on. Because once it gets out of containment, we may not have a shot for quite some time."

Q: When do you think people can finally relax?

Chief Essary:

"Not today, not tomorrow, maybe Thursday. It depends on the weather. The winds will probably shift at some point, but then that's going to create issues that we are not facing now. So, it's hard to say. And I know right now everybody wants to focus on the start to recovery from this thing, because there are so many things to process. But let's get through this first and then we'll work through that together."