RUN RAISED $31,000 FOR FIREFIGHTERS HEAT TAKES TOLL ON PERRY'S 104-MILE TREK.Byline: JUDY O'ROURKE Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, -- A two-day run in early June raised $31,000 for an organization that helps injured firefighters and their families. Crews of hotshot firefighters helped Kenneth Perry finish his 104-mile fundraiser run June 2-3 after he burned out after 57 miles. Perry joined the pack for the last few miles as the group bantered about who would cross the finish line first. Perry, 40, who had revived from heat exhaustion heat exhaustion, condition caused by overexposure to sunlight or another heat source and resulting in dehydration and salt depletion, also known as heat prostration. The symptoms are severe headaches, weakness, dizziness, blurred vision, and sometimes unconsciousness. , did not want it to be him. ``At the end, they all backed away and forced him across the finish line,'' said Melissa Schwagerl, a spokeswoman for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, who followed on her bicycle. ``They all kind of parted and shoved him across the finish line, saying `We're all here to support you, Ken.''' The nationwide group provides short- and long-term aid to firefighters injured battling wildland blazes and their families. Many work seasonally and do not qualify for medical or other benefits. The $500,000 annual budget also helps volunteer firefighters and those who work for federal agencies and municipalities. Members of Saugus' Texas Canyon Texas Canyon is located in Cochise County, Arizona about 20 miles east of Benson, AZ on I-10 and lies between the Little Dragoon Mountains on the north and the Dragoon Mountains to the south. hotshots, Kern Valley hotshots, Rio Hondo Rio Hondo may refer to:
Texas Canyon's Brian Skerston, 26, who began his leg at 3:30 a.m., ran about 28 miles. He applauds people who open their wallets but needed to give something else. ``It meant more for me to run, to put in the work,'' he said. ``When a firefighter's down, we pick him up.'' Perry, a smokejumper smoke·jump·er n. A firefighter who drops by parachute into a forest fire. for seven years who parachuted into forests to battle fires, now works for the federal Bureau of Land Management directing aerial fire attacks from the Fox Air Attack base in Lancaster. His ultra run started June 2 in the California City desert about 1:30 p.m. and was supposed to end at a Valencia fire station 25 hours later. Perry attributed his problem to dehydration dehydration Method of food preservation in which moisture (primarily water) is removed. Dehydration inhibits the growth of microorganisms and often reduces the bulk of food. from running in 100 degree-plus temperatures and an inability to heat-train in the cool spring. The effort of his stand-ins was no surprise. ``It happens all the time on a hotshot crew A Hotshot Crew, or Hotshots as they are more colloquially known, is an elite group of highly trained wildland firefighters. They respond to the largest, highest-priority fires. Hotshots are organized not in "teams" but in "crews. -- you're digging a fire line and get heat exhaustion,'' he said. ``You feel bad your brothers and sisters are out there basically pulling your weight ... but you know that if they were in your shoes you would do the work for them.'' Perry's 52-mile run last year raised nearly $46,000, and while impending im·pend intr.v. im·pend·ed, im·pend·ing, im·pends 1. To be about to occur: Her retirement is impending. 2. back surgery will likely prevent a solo 2007 run, he hopes the torch has been passed. Schwagerl said talk is under way to unite hotshot crews statewide for a 156-mile relay run. judy.orourke(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5255 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) Kenneth Perry, center with white hat, is surrounded by fellow firefighters as he makes his way toward L.A. County Fire Station 126 in Valencia after a 104-mile ultra run to raise money for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation in June. (2 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Kenneth Perry is all smiles after his ultra run in early June to raise money for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation. Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion