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Chuck, Hoss, and All,

 
Thank you all for a wonderful two days.  I believe that there was a lesson that we should all have gotten from the events caused by the fire.  Camp Whitsett is a place, but it is also a spirit that moves within individuals. I felt that spirit when you visited the Hot Springs School and I saw it in the scouts, their leaders, the Whitsett Staff, and the Camp Administrators.

I hope you never need to evacuate again, but Hot Springs School's gates will always be open to your needs.  If any of you are in the area, please stop and visit.

I J Blevens
Hot Springs School

Thanks for trying to help me and everyone else in our troop get merit badges even though it was at a school and not all of us did get the merit badges we worked on. This was a fun experience that I will never forget and I will pass on to my friends, family and kids, when I am old enough to raise kids. I don't think I will ever have a better experience as this at any other camp that I go to in the future. Troop 1042 was one of the troops that you guys evacuated from Whitsett the day of the fire and it was the best experience of my life.

Brady - Thank you for your words about the evacuation. Everything we did as a Staff was for you and all the Scouts in camp that week. Your safety and fun was our first concern. I'm glad you had both.

Chuck Smith - Program Director
 

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Eagle Scout Jamil Coury, Troop 262, Glendale, Arizona
Well this is my own personal reflection and story about the Whitsett fire:

My troop, 262 came to camp Whitsett two years ago and had a blast.  The merit badges, lake, Sentinal Peak hike, mountain biking and stargazing were all a lot of fun.  This year we decided to come back to Whitsett as a troop, as well as a do a high sierra trek.  There were six scouts and two adults in our crew.  After our approximtely 12 hour bus ride from Phoenix, (half of which our air conditioning went out), we arrived at Whitsett around 12:30 in the afternoon.  We were one of the first troops there and we immediately unloaded our packs off the bus and then loaded them on trucks to take to the campsites.  After the Whitsett campers dropped off their things at their camp near the lake, our sierra crew set out for the high adventure camp down the road.

After arriving at the sierra camp, we hiked our packs past the cabins, through the meadow to our campsite.  With the help of our guide we pulled out our cots from the tents and did our shake down where we checked to see if we had all the neccesary equipment for the trek ahead of us.  Once that was finished, we were to head out on a shake down hike for a couple of miles to see how well we would fare.  Once reaching the cabins again, I stopped to put in my contacts.  This is when I looked up into the sky and noticed a small plume of whitish-gray smoke off in the distance.  It was not very big at this time, but we had a feeling that it was not to going to be good.  We immediately began calling for our guide and he was busily talking on his radio.  Right when we saw the smoke, our group knew our trip might be cut short and our trek put on hold, which dampened our spirits.  With our packs still across the meadow, we waited around the cabins, taking some photographs and chatting about what the fire should be named. We chose the "trailblazer fire" as our own name we would call it.

Well, soon the plume grew larger and darker into the sky and we knew that this was not going to be an ordinary summer camp.  The excitement of this movie-like scenario was building up, but at the same time we were a little scared too.  After a while of waiting around and watching the smoke fill the sky, we were asked to return to our campsite and pack up all of our belongins and wait for word of an evacuation.  After our trip back across the meadow, towards the fire, we packed up our things and some of us played cards to calm our nerves while others played frisbee.  We could now look up into the sky and see a dark overcast of smoke with large areas of bright orange spots and pale yellow.  The sky was like nothing I have ever seen before with the brilliant orange and dark black smoke mixed together.  While playing frisbee, we noticed that only two ridges away there were flames coming over the top! This was starting to get serious!!  With only one ridge between us and the flames, and a breeze fueling this fast moving fire, we finally got confirmation to hike from our campsite back up to the Sierra base camp area.  We waited back there for about another 45 minutes watching the flames engulf the entire ridge that had previously been covered in deep green pines.  We also noticed a distinct shift in the fire that was moving it from left to right.

Soon camp staff brought all of the horses down to the grassy meadow and let them run free.  This was the best way to let them survive the oncoming fire.  We hiked to the top of the hill from the Sierra camp and waited at the small parking lot up there.  All we could do was rely on the guidance of the staff and patiently waited as they executed their fire evacuation plan.  We would have left like all of the other troops, but unfortunately we had taken a bus and it was already heading back down to Los Angeles.  Taking a few last pictures of the enormous fire heading our direction, we loaded up our packs on a truck and were dropped off in the main parking lot to meet up with the rest of our troop and wait with the staff for official word on when to leave.  Since we had no bus, we all split up into different staff member's cars for the trip down to Hot Springs school, where we were being evacuated.  With minimal room, sadly our packs had to stay in the parking lot leaning up against a tree.  With official word from Hoss we moved out.  The trip to the school was shocking.  We could see the ferocity of the fire as it engulfed the forest and shot billowing clouds of black smoke high into the air. 

Once reaching the school, we sat around on the foodball/baseball field and played some frisbee to pass the time.  Since we had nothing as gear is concerned we could not change clothing or clean up at all.  We could see the smoke rising up over the mountains in the direction of Whitsett.  That night there was a mass that I attended and then we had a meal of sandwiches and chips that tasted so good after a long day.  At about 9:30 the Red Cross arrived with cots and blankets (thank God!!).  The idea of sleeping on the freezing, damp grass is not too thrilling to me.  Even with the blankets and cots it was still a cold, tossing and turning night. 

After our week at camp had seem lost due to the fire, we got word that they were making arrangements for our whitewater rafting trip scheduled the next day.  Thanks to a couple staff members, our crew got to go whitewater rafting which was a blast.  Ironically, we left the Whitsett fire only to be at another near Lake Isabella where we went to go rafting.  At the end our the rafting trip consisting of class 3 rapids, we got to jump off a 35 foot cliff on the side of the Kern river.  The thrill of jumping off that rock made any inconveniences of the previous day worth it!  Once we reached the end, we received word that we would be travelling back to Arizona and would not be continuing our activities of rock climbing and hiking the rest of the week. 

We met up with our troop at a Motel 6 and were suprised to find our gear there!  I was so happy I went over and gave my pack a hug.  A couple of our leaders had gone with some staff members to brave the fire and smoke, and get our packs.  After spending the night at the Motel 6 with some of the staff members, we set our for home the following morning, concluding our Whitsett fire experience. 

I would like to thank all of the staff members for being so generous and helpful to Troop 262 and all the other scouts during this time even though you still don't have your belongings and are having your own troubles.  I will never forget Whitsett 2002 and it will be one of my greatest scouting memories of how scouts showed their courage and kindness.  I would also like to thank the firefighters for all of their hard work preserving Whitsett and the Sequoia National Forest.  I pray that people will not be so careless and stupid when it comes to making a campfire and letting it get out of hand.  Thank you once again, and Whitsett will always have a special place in the hearts of Troop 262.  We hope to be back again and best of luck with resuming operation!
 
 

 

Chuck I was in the camp when the fire spread out of control. I'm Daniel Morrow from troop # 985. I was only there for about 30 minutes and we had to leave I only saw a very small piece of your wonderful camp.

Thank You so much,

Daniel Morrow

P.S. This was my first summer camp at Whitsett. 

Tim Garrison - Fire Captain

I am not a Scout member but, a Firefighter that was on the McNally fire for 14 days. I sit here and read all the reflections of your members and the good things that are being said about Firefighters. I just want to take this opportunity to say thanks. It is comments like these that keep me positive in dangerous situations like the McNally fire. I am proud to be a Firefighter and protect people such as your self and the people that write to you!! Once again thanks for the uplifting writings!

Tim Garrison
Fire Captain 
Reedley City Fire Department
 
 

Waiting ... waiting and waiting ... trying to do something productive but not being able to concentrate.  Waiting ... waiting ... waiting ...  Checking the Internet for information, updating this website several times a day to keep busy.  But still waiting ... waiting ... waiting ... 

These are the thoughts going through my mind as I sit in Lake Isabella, about 30 miles "as the crow flies" from Camp Whitsett. The sky is smoky. The air smells of smoke. My eyes burn slightly and I observe a slight orange tinge to the light. I am waiting for word on Whitsett, for word that the camp is REALLY safe and not in any danger ... that the staff will be able to return and clean up any mess left by fire fighting efforts by our current heroes: Our Camp Ranger, Jum Uny, and the McNally's Fire Firefighters ... that we can reopen at least for the last two or three weeks for the Scouts and Scouters who are still planning to visit us.

It has been one week since we evacuated from Whitsett. The day started like any other Sunday morning, relaxed and peaceful with expectation for the units to arrive. After the staff meeting we all went to our Sunday duty stations, I looked over the unit list and the Campfire schedule. I guess the staff felt the normal feeling of Expectant Peace.

The first inkling of a problem was a phone call from a unit saying the road was blocked because of a fire at Road's End. We looked south and saw the white smoke that looked like a thunderhead but knew by its movement that it was a smoke cloud. A radio call from the Waterfront alerted us to the fact that a large smoke cloud looked like it was "just over the hills to the south of us". Our Camp Director, Todd "Hoss" McNutt alerted us to all standby for possible fire alert.

Our Camp Ranger, Jim Uny, listening to the Forest Service frequencies, reported that the town of Johnsondale was being evacuated and Whitsett was being alerted. At the same time a call arrived from Margee at the Needles Lookout, saying a fire was approaching us from the south and we should evacuate. "Good luck to you and your camp", she ended. Shortly after Margee's call, the power went out. Our radio ran on battery and we had one phone that plugged directly into the wall. Our cordless phones were useless at this point.

Hoss called for the staff to gather at the Trading Post area. He radioed to all areas to send units back to their sites to get whatever gear they could carry and to prepare to leave camp. Hoss instructed the staff to go to each campsite and hurry the campers along and to have them gather at in the parking lot. Luckily it was early in the afternoon and most drivers had not left yet. Except for the Troop from Arizona, we had plenty of transportation.

In the meantime, I contacted Hot Springs Resort to let them know that we were sending almost 400 people to the area. I asked them to contact the Hot Springs School District for us and alert them also. The woman I talked to said she would make the contacts. She contacted Hot Springs school and they were preparing for us. I hand drew about 25 maps (our power was down so no copier) to give to the Scout leaders and staff to help them find California Hot Springs.

I also contacted the Kernville School District to see if they could open their doors to those units on the south side of the fire, the units who had to return to Kernville. They, too, needed shelter. Kernville opened their doors and posted signs. I told everyone who called camp to go the Kernville school. All of the units made other arrangements, camping in the area or returning home once they found out that we evacuated Whitsett. No one showed up at Kernville School. One interesting tidbit (among ALL this) was the unit from Japan. We were to host a Japanese Boy Scout unit for the week. Their bus was stopped on the south side of the fire, returned to Kernville, and eventually went back to Los Angeles and were hosted by our sister camp on Catalina Island, Emerald Bay.

Several of our staff members left to set up a temporary gathering point in Hot Springs. The cars started leaving. All are to be commended for their orderly withdrawal from Camp Whitsett. No one was hurt nor panicked during this entire process. The boys and adults from the Arizona unit were placed into the vehicles of staff members and other units. The large caravan started the 45 minute trip to Hot Springs.

Meanwhile, a skeleton crew of staff remained at Whitsett to take care of the camp by making sure everything was shut down and closed. Jim Uny got his large generator unit to the main camp thus provided power for our refrigerators and freezer. The horse staff went to the corrals to let the horses loose. Also a caravan of vehicles went to Pyle's Boys camp, 16 miles up the road, to help them evacuate their 150+ campers. Some of the dinner food was heated, for the staff who was finishing up at camp to eat. 

A vehicle was sent to get the group of Whitsett Sierra hikers who were due to come off the trail. They were found and escorted to the road, where our vehicle and those of the Forest Service were used to transport them to camp. We all regrouped, at that point, and the final caravan left Whitsett for the evacuation camp.

As I drove out I looked in the rear view mirror and, in the dark, saw a low line of flames in the distance. I had traveled to the lake earlier and witnessed a helicopter dip its snorkel into our lake to get water to fight the fire. I saw horses running by away from the smoke. I could see billowing clouds in the distance. This was the first time, during this day, that I felt a moment of panic. It passed quickly, but the thought was firmly planted that Whitsett may not make it.

The caravan arrived at the Hot Springs School and found all in order. Pat Smith, the Business Manager for Whitsett, the Commissioners, Jenny McKinsey, members of the Waterfront staff --- in fact EVERYONE had done a fantastic job getting everything in place (that tale is told by others on this page). Bev McNutt, Hoss' wife, contacted her father and brother for porta-potties (both are in agriculture and had several units on hand), thus averting a near catastrophe. She then proceeded to travel to the Porterville area to pick up and deliver those toilets. Special kudos to Bev!

Everything worked as planned. All the Camp Staff, Scout leaders, and all the Scouts were super in their conduct at our  "Refugee Camp" - Whitsett West. We have many people to thank. Included in the Thank You list I must include Jon Mackenzie, our Council Facilities Manager who was in camp for the weekend. Jon supported us every step of the way.  And, a very special THANK YOU to Sherry Christiansen, the Camping Secretary, whose efforts enabled the units who were evacuated and those due to arrive this week (week 5) and subsequent weeks to find places to camp. Sherry took what seemed like thousands of calls, assuring everyone that all was fine. And finally, a super thanks to our Camp Ranger, Jim Uny, for staying behind to protect Whitsett.

When we get back to camp. We all need to reflect this event. Our plan worked flawlessly -- Staff was up and ready at all times -- The directors pitched in to ensure that Whitsett West, our evacuation camp, operated in an orderly fashion. Now we need to evaulate to find any activities that could have been done better.

An Amusing Anecdote in the midst of all this Orderly Termoil. I live in the Lake Isabella area where other small fires were in progress. I received a phone call from my son while at the Porterville Evacuation that there was a small fire about 3 blocks from our home. Helicopters put it out but he was on alert for more. It turns out that a wayward Raven, probably flustered by the smoke, straddled two high voltage wires, fried itself and fell to the ground in flames, igniting the dry grass.
 
 
 

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Jenny "the Queen" - Trading Post

      As I write this, my home is as empty as is my heart.  The sudden loss of "home and family" is devastating emotionally.  It seems a thousand years ago that I brought three staffers back to Whitsett from Porterville.  The morning was peaceful, seeing deer and squirrels and enjoying the cool fresh air.  After completing our trading post inventory and meeting the new man for ordering ice cream and candy, we looked up: the sky was an eerie color.

      We began to experience problems with the electricity (nothing new) and stepped outside of the Trading Post to check the breaker box.  This is when we heard Hoss telling campers lined up at the Health Lodge to be on stand by to evacuate.  As my staff continued to ready the Trading Post to open, I listened to Hoss explain the next step to staff.

      Suddenly, his radio crackled and we could hear Jim Uny stating that Johnsondale was under mandatory evacuation.  Orders were given, jobs volunteered for and staff scattered to begin evacuating camp.  Andrew locked the sea train; we unplugged or turned off all equipment and locked a very quiet Trading Post.  Andrew went with Dick Cayton to man a post in California Hot Springs.  John Alba was with a troop as a guide.  Holly Anderson and I, along with Erik Liston and Jared Minter headed for my van with a quick detour to get my drivers license.

      A quick decision to grab my allergy medication and quiet let me hear Mr. Bob in his trailer.  I stepped over and found him packing saying, "This is bad."  I returned to my trailer and grabbed my suitcase and pillows (still packed from my trip down the hill for the weekend) and overnight bag.

      Holly was waiting at my van with her guitar.  Jared Minter came with his banjo and I believe John Alba with his clip board.  Patty from handicraft crawled in as well.  We exited camp carefully.  The scene was spectacular as we climbed up out of Whitsett.  As we passed campground #2, we could see the ridge toward Johnsondale with huge pillars of smoke swirling up into a blue sky.  How awesome and frightening.  We stopped at the intersection and Johnsondale folk were directing traffic.  We proceeded up the road a few miles and reached a point where we could look back and see Johnsondale bathed in warm sunlight, but the ridge behind was topped with pillars of smoke and flames.  Then I was scared to death.

      We joined a long caravan of vehicles going up the hill.  At the four way stop, a forest service person was directing traffic.  I asked her to send Camp Whitsett campers to California Hot Springs.  In short order, we pulled into the parking lot at the Calififornia Hot Springs resort.

      We began directing traffic into the parking lot and down the street where Dick was double parking staff and campers.  We asked everyone to stay calm and close until Hoss or Chuck came with the latest directions.

      Soon, we were directed to move to California Hot Springs School.  Clyde went first and set up a point to direct people unfamiliar with the area up the drive to the school.  People arrived in an orderly fashion, no one was panicked.  As we began counting noses, Troop 317 from Visalia offered to go down for dinner but I thought troop 132 from Porterville could get it quicker.  (Do you know how long it takes to purchase 100 pounds of meat?  And, finding enough bread on a Sunday late afternoon was not easy, either.) The Red Cross was called and a press release was faxed down to us from camp.  A Scoutmasters' meeting was held with a nose count and cooperation agreed to.  Camp was set up and the wait began. Scouts used the equipment and shared.  Staff played with the campers, walked the staff dogs, or played games found at the school.  The restrooms soon began to overflow at a school for 20 students when 400 people began to use the facilities.  Again, Scoutmasters from the various units helped.  Bob from Visalia made a call for port-a-potties and Bev McNutt called her brother for some as well.  What a great bunch of Scouters.

      The next 24 hours was such a blur.  Driving back into the fire area on Monday morning, not seeing much because of the smoke, collecting gear, eating ice cream, and driving away was heart breaking.  But Whitsett was still there.

      When Troop 132 moms began to arrive, getting a hug from Pam Martinez, realizing we weren't going back into Whitsett any time soon; that was the point that I began to grieve.

      Keeping busy has helped.  Having Holly, Greg, Ben, Eric Liston, and Jared here helped keep the Whitsett spirit alive, and hope high.  Turning Wal-Mart into WhitsettMart on Monday evening, meeting staffers and watching them shop for socks, underwear, shirts and shorts was really funny.  John Steiner trying to sell the kind of socks he likes to Teeter and others was comic relief as was the guys checking out the women’s thong underwear (especially when they found the see through kind) led me to believe that Whitsett is really just an insane asylum for Boy Scouts during summer.

      Now they are gone, and it has become just another summer's day, with household chores to do and errands to run.  I will not cry anymore and I will be ready to go back and begin the clean up operation.  I'm ready for camp to begin again.
 

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How I Survived the McNally Fire: By Gregory Lewis - Dining Hall Steward

Sunday morning started pretty normally: everyone slept in, we ate Fransico’s omelets, and we had our staff meeting. Cody and I sat in the Dining Hall, making “Meal Tags,” filling water jugs, and I was reading “Ulysses”. The troops were coming in and giving paperwork to Bev, who was checking them into camp. I noticed that it wasn’t as bright as it was the day before, and someone told me to look up at the sky. So I got up and went to the edge of the Big Top and looked at the horizon. After a short turn, I saw it: a huge black column of smoke, billowing out from behind a nearby ridge and spreading out over the sky, turning the sun a sickly orange color.

Awhile after that, Hoss, the Camp Director, told the guides (staff members leading an incoming troop through check-in and the camp tour) to keep the troops in their sites and keep their bags packed. Not long after that, about three-ish, Hoss gathered the staff, and, to paraphrase, said: “Staff, here is where we find out how good we really are. We need to get everyone out of camp. Go to the campsites, and make sure everyone is out. If you spend more than 10 minutes in a site, that’s too long. Deborah, stay here and help organize when they come back. Now go.”

The staff went. Groups of two or three split off in all directions, like a small explosion. They went to the campsites they were most familiar with, be they the ones they guided people into that day or last week; I went to Yokuts, I knew no one was there yet, but it was almost the end of camp, and I could check sites on both the way there and the way back. Crow campsite was occupied by an Arizonian troop. They still had their backpacks packed, and except for one kid who needed to put his shoes back on, were ready to go.

The troops had mostly packed and left; they got the word that we were heading to California Hot Springs. The only people left were staff and the Arizona troop: they had been bussed in and the bus had left already. They were quickly given spots in staff members’ cars, and staff fit in elsewhere as Bev did a roll call. We joked about the campfire that was supposed to be that night, or the fire drill the next day, and the air of camp was jovial, though now somewhat ashy. The sun, as Hoss pointed out, was “pasted in the sky like a red wafer” like in Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage.

We left quickly, as Ed Ryan asked for “seven people to ride on the floor of the motorhome who aren’t afraid of m’ dog” (a large Great Dane.) I got in the front seat in Miss Kaye’s Jeep, which stalled out at the second (of two) stop signs on the way down, taking the irresistible picture of the “Smokey says fire danger is VERY HIGH today” sign with smoke in the background. We got to “Hot Springs Hotel” where we regrouped and resumed our way to Hot Springs School.

Now, H.S.S. is very small: three classrooms, about twenty students, and the superintendent is also the principal, a teacher, and the maintenance man. It recently installed a $30,000 playground, and the school has 1.5 computers per student. We parked everyone in a field, and opened the building for the bathroom and phone. With three lines, Pat, Bev, Hoss, or Chuck were making calls to (in order): troops who hadn’t made it up at all, contacts for the troops who had made it up, and then let the staff members call their parents. Of course mine weren’t home. They were getting ice cream, and Mom didn’t have her cell phone. So I left a message and let Holly call on my phone card.

(By now you’ve noticed the large number of female names I’ve mentioned for a Boy Scout camp. Most are staff members’ wives, but some are adult or youth members of troops and crews that other staffers are involved with, or friends of other staffers.) Troop 132 of Porterville—at 40 minutes away, the closest city and home of at least a dozen staffers—made some calls and got to a deli to purchase sandwich makings for 400+ people, and Wal-Mart to donate $500 or so of chips and water, as well as some blankets. Those, however, didn’t arrive until quarter ‘till nine.

The Red Cross showed up about an hour later with blankets and cots and “comfort kits,” with mostly toiletries. The blankets and cots were sucked up by the staffers and campers who weren’t already asleep. After I gave the last blanket to Tim, I decided to stay up another hour for the next truck, then on its way. When it arrived, only about 12 or so of the staffers were still moving around. Hoss then told me he had an offer I “couldn’t refuse:” I was to go with Mike Fisk to Porterville and bring back stuff for a group of campers, who were scheduled to go rafting the next day. So I did.

We arrived at Fisk’s house at about 1 am and got about 4 hours of sleep, when we woke up, showered, collected the necessary items, and went back to camp to breakfast on coffee and Danish rolls. We (Fisk and I) got the whitewater troop together and drove them the 50 miles to the rafting place. After they got under way, Fisk and I went to lunch at McDonalds (after finding the Chinese place closed) and then we napped. I woke up, drenched in sweat (we slept in the van) and I walked about half a mile to a pay phone and called my mom and told her the events so far. I went in the nearby RiteAid and bought some toiletries, since I didn’t know how long we would be out of camp. It turned out to be a good idea, because right after I got back to the rafting place we found out that we had been evacuated from the school.  We took that troop 100 miles roundabout to Porterville and Fisk’s house. All the troops were sent home, except the Arizona troop, who still had no bus, but they were going to be put up in the Motel 6 until we could get them a bus again. We all arrived at Fisk’s house (that was the plan, and then for him to call Hoss to find out what was next.) That he did, and the look he made when he asked if Camp was OK made my heart drop. We were being told that our home was gone, burnt down to nothing.

Thankfully, we were told wrong, and Camp Still Stands. We all were at Motel 6, and then I realized that I didn’t see my little brother. I almost lost it then. I got a phone and called the number on it, Jenny picked up and told me that Ben and others were at her house; I was so relieved I almost fell over. I ended up eating chicken at Jenny’s, and then we went to the Methodist church where others were meeting. After, we went to Wal-Mart to buy clothes, since most of us had not had time to grab much, or anything at all. My brother got a change of clothes and some CD’s, Holly her guitar and violin, and all I got was the clothes I was wearing (which were really dirty by now.) We turned around, and there were more staffers. Soon, about 20 or so staffers were in “Whits-mart,” and were soon all making jokes and standing between the men’s and women’s underwear aisles.

The people rooming at Jenny’s got some air mattresses, and we spent until midnight blowing them up and watching Black Sheep. I ended up sleeping on the wooden love-seat with no blanket and a throw pillow. Not surprisingly, I woke up early. So I walked to a gas station, bought two papers (for 50 cents each!) and read the articles about the fire. I went back to the house, and, since everyone was still asleep, went walking the other way, and found nothing of interest on my three-mile walk. We ate at Ryan’s Restaurant and I even made “Meal Tags” for the staff areas (remember that I was making them on Sunday? Well, I had spares.) We all laughed at that, and parted happily. At six that night, we met at Dave Martinez’ house, went swimming, and ate barbecue.

I concocted a plan to have my dad pick me up so that I could go to NOAC on Friday morning. Then it was decided that he would bring Myself, my brother, Jered, Holly, and Eric down. So I told him to bring the van. We dropped Eric off in Valencia, Jered at his house (a few blocks from us) and then Holly’s Dad picked her up at our house. Then, we settled down, and the next day, I wrote this.

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MIKE "THE LAUNDRYMAN" ROWE

I WAS DOING WHAT I DO BEST, SLEEPING WHEN THE POWER WENT OUT.  SO I GOT  UP AND WENT TO RESTART THE DRYERS AND THAT'S WHEN THE POWER WENT OUT AGAIN.  I  SAW THE SMOKE SO I RAN BACK TO MY CABIN TO GET SOME THINGS AND THEN I FELL DOWN AND STARTED TO PRAY TO THE LORD TO HELP US.  I COULD SMELL SMOKE SO I  RAN DOWN TO THE TRADING POST TO HELP GET THE CAMPERS OUT. THEN WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO HOT SPRINGS TO GO TO THE HOT SPRINGS RESORT, INSTEAD I WENT TO THE SCHOOL TO HELP GET THINGS READY FOR THE CAMPERS. 

ON MONDAY WE PUT ON AN AWESOME PROGRAM BUT I HAD TO CLEAN THE BATHROOMS BECAUSE THAT IS MY "JOB" AND I DO IT WELL, THAT'S WHAT THEY TELL ME. THE ONE THING I DIDN'T LIKE IS THAT I COULDN'T DO THE LAUNDRY. ALL I NEEDED WAS A BUCKET AND A PLUNGER.

THAT IS ALL FOR NOW. HAVE A GREAT DAY!

"THE LAUNDRYMAN"
 
 
 

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Chad Foerster   [before he left for Camp Josepho]

I was sitting at the trading post playing hearts like I typically do on Sundays when I am waiting for the troops to come by on their tour of camp. It was like any other Sunday. Everyone was getting ready for the upcoming week of scouts and leaders. As I was playing and losing hearts badly I heard that a fire was in the area and that you could see the smoke from camp. So I took some time and looked out from under the umbrella and saw the grayish purple smoke that was billowing out from some place down the canyon. At first I thought nothing of it. I assumed it was a spot fire or something that was so far away that it could not be threatening. As time passed the smoke got thicker in the sky turning the sunlight an orangish color making everybody seem like they had a nice tan. It was like in 2000 when the Manter fire laid a thick cloud of smoke over the valley. I was still not convinced that the fire posed any threat until I heard that an evacuation was impending. I heard Hoss tell the troops to all go back to their campsites and wait for news and soon after that Hoss gathered the staff. He said, "Now here is a chance to show how good we really are," and he began to explain the plans for the evacuation.

The troops were told that they could make one trip to the cars with all they could carry. Once they were in the parking lot they would be released to the evacuation rendezvous at the Hot Springs School which was about 45 minutes away by car. The staff were sent out to guide the troops out and to make sure nobody got left behind. I was sent to Tillamook by Bev to check if anybody was left there. I saw no one but I did see many coolers and lawn chairs that were left. I then realized that this was no joke anymore. People were leaving possessions which means that it would happen to me as well.

Once the troops that arrived by cars were on their way, the staff and the troop from Arizona met in the lower parking lot to take roll and to figure out rides. Since I had a car I was chosen to be the driver for one leader and three young scouts. I gladly excepted and after a few more minutes of logistical stuff Hoss finally released us to go to our cars.  As we walked to the cars we could hear the faint roar of the fire which was no more than three miles away. As we made our way to my little Honda Civic, I left the passengers to get my keys in the WT. When I was retrieving my keys I grabbed what little other essentials that I thought I would need. Anything that could fit in the backpack I was wearing at the time, I took. After about ten seconds of rummaging I quickly went back to the car and was off.

As we were driving out we could see the flames on the hillside by Johnsondale and I slowed down to take pictures.  It is not everyday that you get that close to a forest fire. We arrived at the Hot Springs School that day around four and later that night the Red Cross and troop 132 brought up food for the 400 or so evacuated people. I slept outside that night in the playing field of the school among a couple hundred other Boy Scouts. It was a cold night but I was glad that everybody got out safely. I still worried about Camp Whitsett.

The next day we put on a mini program and I helped out with the ultimate frisbee game. It was good fun and the Scouts seemed to enjoy it. At about three that day we were notified that there was an impending evacuation for Hot Springs. The adult staff decided to send the troops home except for the Arizona troop which would accompany us to the Motel 6 in Porterville. At this time there was also some bad news about camp. No one knew the status of camp. All that we heard was that there were flames around Sentinel and that means the fire either went through camp or right by it maybe singeing the edges. It was bad news and many of the staff were upset. But we still continued our plan to head to Porterville. Instead of going to Motel 6 I decided to stay with my grandparents and  I brought six other staff with me. That's where I am now awaiting further news on what's next this summer for Camp Whitsett. Camp Whitsett went through an ordeal.

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Holly Anderson  -  Trading Post

You must forgive me ahead of time. My words are inadequate to fully describe what I feel. But I will try the best that I can to share with you the experience and feelings that I have felt within the past week. This was my first year on the Camp Whitsett Staff, and I have never been happier with this decision. I have made many friends who will always remain close to my heart. I feel like I have been accepted into a second family with open arms and love that surrounds everyone who enters. My words alone cannot express the gratitude that I feel towards every person on staff. If it were not for them I do not know where or what I would do. So thank you to everybody who has made my first year on Whitsett Staff the most memorable experience of my life.

….I woke up Sunday morning to a bright new day, almost excited about the new scouts who were going to be coming in. After breakfast I started work inventorying the merchandise in the trading post. I remember looking outside to find a strange yellow tint to everything. I just brushed it off and kept working. Then I remember Deborah talking about a fire near McNally’s. Again I just brushed it off not really thinking much of a small fire. The power in the trading post began to surge, which again I didn’t think much of and kept on working. I remember looking outside and on the porch was gathered an unusual amount of staff around Hoss.  I could hear them talking about the fire and how it was gradually coming closer. Finally all of the power in the trading post went out, so we turned everything off and locked everything up, not knowing what would happen next. Meanwhile the sky was getting slightly smokier. I sat on the porch with the rest of the staff who were asking if we were going to have to evacuate. Not knowing anything at the moment I didn’t think it was going to be necessary. Until that dreadful moment when Hoss gave the word to evacuate camp and meet at Hot Springs. 

Jenny grabbed Jared Minter, Erik Liston, and me and we headed up to pack what we could carry. As I looked up to the sky to see what the smoke really looked like, I caught a glimpse of the sun, which, had been turned to a crimson red color. As I was walking up to my tent I again decided to look up. I first noticed Sentinal Peak, which was consumed in a red-gray smoke. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw something and decided to turn my gaze. To my right was the biggest plume of smoke that I had ever seen in my life. My heart immediately skipped a beat and I caught myself staring in awe. I couldn’t move or even make a sound. Before that point, I had thought that the fire was only maybe twenty feet in diameter, but judging by the smoke, I was sadly mistaken. I continued to my tent and pulled my backpack out and began to stuff into it the things that I felt were most important at the time: sweatshirt, journal, camera, pictures, wallet, glasses, and other small items. I did not pack clothes. I only thought the evacuation would last a day or two. On my way out I also grabbed my pillow, violin, and guitar. We packed our gear and headed out of camp with the other troops who were probably just as clueless as us.

As we drove farther away from camp we got a better view of what the fire looked like. At that point I was at a complete loss of words. The huge amounts of smoke coming from the trees reminded me of episodes of the Discovery Channel where they explain volcanoes erupting. That is as close as I can describe it: a big erupting volcano. The way the smoke was spiraling around, and the speed that it was moving resembled a tornado. Although I have never actually seen these things in real life, I have seen the movies’ depiction and I thought it looked awfully close. 

We arrived in Hot Springs at a small ice cream parlor where there was only parking for about twenty, but we must have fit about twice as many cars. I began to take down unit numbers and the number of people in each car in my “paper brain” which I had been carrying around everywhere I went. The day was hot and I was confused about what to do. We waited for instructions, and finally they came. We were going to move everybody down the road to Hot Springs School. So we started to guide the caravan of cars further down the mountain. As we pulled into the school we found that the Scouts had discovered the playground and grass area and were surprisingly very calm.

The staff sat together and discussed their feelings and the Whitsett rumors were flying again. Everybody had their own beliefs and stories about what was happening. The Red Cross came and so did the food, and blankets. I had always been in the situation where I was the one helping others, but this was the first time that I was the one receiving the help. It was a very different situation to be in. We all settled down for bed, and eventually fell asleep. My thoughts were still naive and I thought that we were going back the next day. Until the next day when Hoss explained that it could be five or six days until we returned. I remember finishing my lunch while listening to a conversation between a staff member and a senior staffer. Then once again my heart skipped a beat when a voice was heard over Hoss’s radio, which said to evacuate Hot Springs School. We gathered the troops together and informed them of the news that we would not be returning to camp, and so they were off and on their way home. Thank goodness that Camp Whitsett is 50% Porterville [actually about 20% - still a lot - ed.]. The staff divided up to different homes and we tried to relax as best we could. Wal-Mart was quickly turned into Whitsett-Mart due to the fact that we had left a good part of our clothes up at camp, and we didn’t want to wear our already stinky camp clothes around town. I was taunted for saving my guitar instead of a pair of underwear, but I realized that everything that I did get out was everything that was important to me. Especially my journal! I don’t think I have ever saved something so important. If I could have grabbed only one thing, that’s what it would be. That is the one thing that I owned that was completely irreplaceable. Everyday the news would get dimmer and dimmer, but our hopes have never faded. We have never stopped praying and keeping it together. Although I am home now, my heart is still with that staff, and my soul is still at camp, where it will remain until the end of time. I came to camp hoping for a new experience and new friends, but I didn’t get either of those. Instead, I have gotten a lifetime of memories, and a new family, which I will cherish in my heart forever.

From the words of a wise man...... "Friends, I will remember you, think of you, pray for you, and when another day is through, I'll still be friends with you..." I love you Camp Whitsett!
 
 
 

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Max Engoian - Nature

As the day rolls on, the sky and ground turns darker, from orange to black, shadows turn green in the orange sky, and the sun turns a scary red. This fire, my first actual natural disaster besides earthquakes, was probably the most emotional to me because I have spent my energy so much there, caring and enjoying the beautiful forest and people. At first it seemed like nothing, but then as Hoss told me to run to the Hopi campsite, near the lake, I became worried. Some hidden leadership instinct kicked in and I became to myself a powerful leader. I made sure everyone was moving safely to their cars (as my host troop 420 never arrived). And when they left and I saw people crying all I could do is join and try to ease their pain because I knew they were worried. And when I called my dad and told him everything will be all right I started crying, it was just too much too fast. It was only at the last moment I realized I had nothing on me, pictures, even my wallet, and when Mr. Ed let us run, me and Dustin jolted, it was like a movie. I could see myself like in a movie, grabbing as many things I could and shoving it into a duffel bag. we ran and like the stooges we are, Dustin and I came up to a tree and went opposite ways, then hit each other and fell, I think Clyde drive up and told us to chill. So we "jogged" back to Mr. Ed's RV and jumped in and left. On the way, me and Jacob took pictures of the fire etc. And Beast (his dog) for once tried not to kill me. So we get to Hot Springs resort and noticed ...the pool. That pool looked so good I almost cried (which would be a good excuse for how much crying I did that day). But we moved on to the school, I called my parents and told them I was safe. And continued to follow the staff areas, I read that nature (representing) did a good job, thanks to Hoss for telling us about the flora of the school. It was sad as we were told we had to evacuate once again, it seemed after us, like a jealous object trying to get us. I cried (I know touching) when I realized that this might be the last time I see any of the staff, whom I've come to feel like family about. We hopped into James' car and drove down and heard some rock song about destruction and we all smirked at the irony. We ate dinner at the church provided by a restaurant local to Porterville. And then went to the Martinez household (who had chocolate covered raisins, I cried again) and spent the night there. Thank you to all who provided anything for me. The Martinez family, the restaurant for food, friends and family, and especially Hot Springs school and Red Cross. I hope we can get back into Whitsett and do our thing.

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Sam Curland - CIT

As a first time staff member at Camp Whitsett I'm proud to be part of such a great team.  This was a great experience, and an example of outstanding team work.  Thanks to David Martinez for putting us up until we got the official word to return home until we can get back into camp.  I want to get back in to clean up and get the best camp, CAMP WHITSETT, up and running again.
 
 
 

On Sunday, July 21, 2002, the troop I was guiding was late. They were supposed to be at the entrance around 1 or 2 o'clock. But it was not until 4 when troop 305 arrived. Several staff and I saw the fire. When we walked up the hill towards the check in area, we saw smoke a couple of ridges away. We thought it was somthing little so went back to work. Just as I walked down my troop arrived.

I introduced myself and then I showed them where to park. As we were about to go to Cheyenne campsite, Mr. Ed told us to keep all our gear packed and wait. I was somewhat nervous. I thought the fire was far away, but it was not. They called for all the campers to report to Hot Springs School. I was about to participate in my first all out evacuation that was not practice, it was the real thing. So all the campers were leaving and I was trying to show the campers a good impression, like we all were saved. But inside I knew different. I though I was going to lose the place where I can make friends, talk to people I can trust, and over all, a place where I can call home.

After staff grabbed their belongings, whatever they could take by handsfull, they put them in any car they could find. We, as a staff, showed unity and courage. Hoss then called for an emergency staff meeting to tell us what was going on. He told us to stay calm. We then chose rides and got the troop from Arizona out of camp first [they had come to camp by bus] Hoss then told us all to be quiet and listen. We heard loud roars from the fire, that was our cue to leave. 

We all met at Hot Springs School, which is the greatest place to be as a refugee. The Red Cross and troop 132 helped us out a lot and they deserve many thanks. The next day we, as staff, put on a great program considering we hardly had any materials. However, we had heart and encouragement from those who cared, and we all pulled out as champions and we should all get a pat on the shoulder.
 

Scott Brown - Staff 1977-82

Dear Chuck, 

I don't even know where to start! The other night I received a phone call from Bill Gardner in Ohio. I think you remember Bill. We talk a few times a year on the phone just to catch up. In our discussion, Bill mentioned that his brother had found a Camp Whitsett web site. I told him that I had seen a Whitsett Alumni site a while back, but would check it out again. I did a Yahoo search and immediately found the Camp Whitsett Online site. I had not seen this site yet, and was so excited to start looking through it. 

The first thing I noticed was the Fire 2002 link. Chuck, I had no idea this fire had even occurred. Can you believe that! I'm a firefighter and didn't even know what had happened! I felt so stupid. I don't know why, but I did. I feel kind of isolated up here in Northern California and don't hear much from the old gang down south. I remember hearing about a fire in Sequoia, but when I heard it, I remember thinking, nah, not Whitsett. It will always be there. I think that's why I feel so stupid. I should have looked into it. I just assumed it was somewhere else. Needless to say, I know now that I wrong VERY wrong. 

Anyway, back to my story. A few nights ago, I was sitting in my dorm room (as I am now) at the headquarters fire station here in Milpitas. It was about 1130 hours. I had just returned from a vehicle accident. I was wide awake so I decided to look for the Whitsett site. As I mentioned earlier, right away I noticed the Fire 2002 link. When I first saw it my heart started racing a bit. Then I clicked on the link. Chuck, I can't even describe the emotions that ran through my body when the first image appeared on my screen. The image of Sentinel Peak surrounded by smoke and fire, and the bomber dropping it's load, absolutely made my heart sink. My first thought was, "Oh my god, Whitsett is gone!" I just stared at the picture until the image became blurry from the tears that were filling my eyes. Thoughts were racing through my mind and I immediately felt compelled to call you and get every detail, and see if everyone was OK. Before I knew it, it was 1:30 in the morning. I think I read every word, and studied every photograph on the entire site. As I read on, and looked at the photographs, my anxiety slowly faded as I realized that a miracle had saved Whitsett. The fire map clearly showed a pattern around the boarders of Camp Whitsett. Truly amazing! 

I remember when, as a young staff member, we would all stay up late during one night in August, and watch the meteor shower from lawn chairs in the middle of staff hill. I remember how we would all make a wish once we saw a falling star. My wish would always be that Camp Whitsett would be here forever so I could always come back to it. I can tell you about that wish now Chuck because, clearly, it is coming true.  I want to thank you so much for your wonderful coverage and testimonial on every aspect of the McNally Fire. After reading it, I felt so well informed, I could have given a press briefing on the incident! Of all the fires I have seen in my 22 year career, none have made me feel the way I did after reading about the McNally Fire. It was just so personal. Standing at Ground Zero in New York City, and how that made me feel, is probably the closest thing I can compare it too. It's amazing how a place can have such a profound impact on you. Of course with Whitsett, it's as much the people as it is the place. Hearing that all the staff and Scouts were safe was such a relief. It's funny, what I experienced in two hours on the internet, and the effect that it had on me. I can't imagine what you and my other Whitsett family must have been thinking and feeling as you rushed out of camp that August day and waited. I know all to well how hard it is to sit and wait during an emergency.

Scott Brown

 

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Georgia,  John Alba's (Trading Post Staff) mom,

Back to camp to deliver my son on Sunday morning.  Just another Sunday morning at camp.  Helped inventory for a while in the trading post and then time to leave camp and return home.  Passed two fire trucks and a fire crew van on the way home, not unusual.  Passed Hot Springs and looked back I saw the plume of black smoke and still thought not unusual.  Arrived home, did some things in the back yard and looked toward camp, the sky was filled with smoke.  I called camp and talked to Chuck, who talked very calm and stated they were evacuating camp, the fire was 10 miles away, this is just a precaution.  I felt better until I listened to the scanner, that is when my heart dropped. [Forest Service Radio Traffic - ed.]  I heard frantic calls to evacuate camp and remove the Scouts to somewhere safer.  Not knowing exactly what was going on, and listening to the scanner for the first time in my life, I was filled with fear for the boys. I kept telling myself Hoss is with them, things will be all right. Two hours of uncertainty, the longest two hours in my life.  Then the phone call came, it was Jenny, she needed dinner for over 400 scouts, they were safe.  The staff at Camp Whitsett is awesome.  When my son came home on Monday afternoon he brought three Scouts from the L.A. area with him.  I am very sorry the circumstances brought these boys to my home, but I am very happy for the opportunity to meet and spend time with such courageous and fine young men. 
 
 
 

My husband and I arrived home Monday morning after being gone for 5 days. The phone message machine was blinking and the phone was ringing as we unlocked the back door. We learned very quickly there was a fire and that camp had been evacuated to Hot Springs Elementary school. Herb found 2 sleeping bags and wrote a check for food and went to Gray's Air Conditioning business where troop 132 was collecting food, blankets and money. About three in the afternoon Chad phoned and asked if he could come to our house and bring other staffers with him.  He arrived with six great staff.  They slept in our living room until Thursday.  The first night, Neil requested that we bow our heads before eating and give thanks for the blessings of safety, food and a place to sleep. What a mature young man to lead us all in prayer!
 
 

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Carol Moore - mother of Jason Moore, Horse Program

Thank you so much for updating the web site to help those who care keep in touch.  News in L.A. does not cover much about the camp area.  It was especially interesting to read the reflections and see the common theme running through them.

As a parent of a staff member, it is hard to put into words how proud I feel of what Scouting means and how big a part of that Whitsett is for our family.  What a wonderful example of why scouting is such a worthy program was the response to this emergency.  Trained people doing what is needed without panic and able to extend help beyond their own responsibilities to another camp.  Being Prepared just says it all.

From reading the reflections and from Jason, I got the sense that not only were all aspects handled but that there was initiative, cooperation, humor and definitely the approach to making the best of what you have.  I can't think of any better training for life than what Scouting has provided.

A huge thanks to you, Hoss, the Ryans and the Mackenzies and the rest of your staff that I haven't met.  What a fantastic job you all do!  Thanks also for the addresses of those who helped that we all need to support and thank, especially the firefighters.  Above all, I thank God for the blessing that Whitsett was saved.
 
 
 

We (Delia and I) had just finished having breakfast with the Japanese scout troop (we were hosting two of the boys) when we decided to review the troop's medical reports and do the safety lecture before they got to camp to help with the Sunday health lodge bottle neck (seemed like a good idea at the time as I doubt Don read Japanese, and that stuff about all of them speaking English, ........not really). So with the aid of an interpreter, I did my usual "drink water till you pee clear" speech and even got a laugh when I warned them not to throw rocks in camp, "it's a national forest, leave the rocks alone, the rocks are protected!" Our scouts rarely get it!

Anyway, using the excuse "Don will really need us up there for the medical check in" I persuaded Delia we needed to come up for the day and we left ahead of the Tokyo contingent. 

As we drove by Lake Isabella, we saw the obvious coulombs of smoke and flames of the earlier fire and were passed by several forestry service vehicles from the Johnsondale area in support of that effort. 

Arriving in camp we settled down to the usual business of reviewing medical forms and lecturing "don't throw rocks, this is a national forest, the rocks are protected"...dead silence. The only thing that wasn't usual was the sometimes thick coulomb of smoke that rose up toward the south. Don's years of experience as an emergency responder all came together as he began to monitor the local emergency frequencies and piece together what would eventually become our predicament. I truly believe this kept us one step ahead of the game [Our Camp Ranger, Jim Uny, was also in contact with the Forest Service - Chuck].

I don't think what happened next needs repeating, except of course the proof of how good the Camp Whitsett staff was at getting the job done, the firefighters, Jim, the Red Cross, Walmart, the adult leaders from the Porterville Scout troop who delivered the food and I.J. Blevens, the most wonderful man God ever blew breath into, we owe him big time! 

From our Hot Springs vantage point we watched the smoke rise and fall as did hopes of an early return. The next morning it appeared to be better and then the winds of the early afternoon began to take their toll. "That's Whitsett," said Hoss, pointing to a heavy plume, our hearts sank! 

We packed up a carload of staff members and headed for the L.A. area. All the time thinking about my first time at Whitsett ten years past. It was my baptism by fire to Troop 371, I was the new assistant (untrained) scoutmaster and the boys were ready to take advantage of the situation. What they didn't count on was Mr. Ed, Mr. Bob and of course Mr. Chuck who were all there to keep that from happening. They ended up having a great time and I kept my hair a little longer (as opposed to how much is left now). 

That night, the call with Hoss reporting the camp was intact was an unbelievable. Whitsett stands and the urge to get back up there is killing me. So we wait and we thank God. Gotta get back...........gotta make sure the rocks are protected!
 
 
 

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From Cindy Briseno, mother of Shooting Sports staff member Aaron Briseno.

Sunday, July 21st, will be a day that I will never forget.  Aaron had been working at camp for several weeks already and my husband and I went to Camp Whitsett to drop off our other son, Nicolas.  Aaron greeted us and the rest of his hometown troop, Troop 2, from Saugus, CA.  I brought a birthday cake for Aaron to share with his fellow staffers the next day.  He was turning 16 years old on the 22nd of July.  We also had brought up a little refrigerator for the Shooting Sports Team to use and an air conditioner for Aaron to try out in his cabin.  He was going to live the high life for the next four weeks!  We left camp around 1 pm and started down the road to Kernville.  We saw the first big plume of smoke rising over the closest mountain range to the road.  My husband commented that he thought there was a fire in Kernville.  I didn't believe him and we continued on until we were turned around by some river floaters who said that the fire had jumped the road and had burned both sides.  We noted that the fire was still a good distance from camp and turned around and headed down to Johnsondale for water and ice.  The store was totally packed and people were stopping to get an update on the fire's progress.  We were told to leave immediately before the road was closed.  We left with heavy hearts and headed home to Saugus.  Along the way we could see the flames in the distance and prayed that what we saw was not near Camp Whitsett. 

Before we reached home we got a call from Nicolas.  They were being evacuated and he would be home late that night.  I asked him at the time where his brother was, and he did not know.  The last time he'd seen him, was when they left the camp and Aaron was directing traffic so that everyone left and no one entered camp.  My husband then called a pay phone found near the staff cabins.  Aaron had given us the number in case of an emergency! My husband reached a hurried, yet under control, gentleman who informed him that all staff had evacuated to California Hot Springs and were staying in a school for the night.  Relieved, but not yet in touch with Aaron, we waited for Nicolas to arrive to give us his take on the whole ordeal.  It wasn't until Monday, July 22nd, that we heard from Aaron.  He was no longer in California Hot Springs, he was in Isabella with Mr. Smith!  A big thank you to the Smith family for allowing Aaron and the other Scouts they took in, to come into their home, use their facilities and eat their food!  (I understand that the steaks were the highlight of the stay!)  Aaron had a previously scheduled appointment down in Bakersfield to take his driving test at the DMV on Tuesday, July 23rd.  My husband picked Aaron up from the Smith's home and took him, instead, to the local DMV in Isabella to take his test.  He did get his driver's license and we wish to thank the Isabella DMV staff for allowing him to do it there.  I think he had experienced enough stress on his birthday as it was! 

We also would like to thank all of the Whitsett Staff for handling this crisis as well as they did. Excellent Scouts are truly prepared and they all showed the best of what the Scouting program is all about. I am proud to be the parent of two Boy Scouts and to be associated with people like Hoss, Mr. Smith, Whitsett Bernie and all the rest.  It is sad that the boys cannot return to Whitsett this year, but they will be back next year with the same determination and high hopes they had when beginning camp this year!  This is all to the credit of the Camp Whitsett Leadership.  Thank you for keeping us updated on this website, you've made us all feel like a part of Camp Whitsett's history in the making.

Yours in Scouting,
Cindy Briseno

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On Sunday our Troop, #118, from Chatsworth, California was scheduled to arrive at Camp Whitsett. We brought up 16 boys and three adults to remain in camp. We had two additional drivers to bring all the boys, adults and gear up to camp. This camp is in the Sequoia National  Forest.  Our troop arrived at 1:00 PM, by 3:00 the staff was helping to evacuate the camp due to the Johnsondale and Lake Isabella fires.  The fires could be seen from camp, coming over the ridge and down the mountains. The Johnsondale fire spread so rapidly that within two hours we could see the flames leaping over the mountain ridge and it had clearly turned into raging fire way too close to camp. This is the first time in the history of Camp Whitsett that they have ever had to evacuate. To say that the staff, counselors and camp director handled this with professionalism is not nearly enough. They did an amazing job. The scouts, adult leaders, counselors, and staff were all calm, orderly and ready.  I can not tell you how well this process went. It was everything you would expect in such a situation.  I hear that the national BSA guys read this list so I would like to thank Hoss McNutt and Chuck Smith publicly on this list. Hoss McNutt, the camp director, Chuck Smith, John Mackenzie, Mr. Bob, and Mr. Ed (a commissioner) and all other staff are to be ***highly*** commended.  I would never hesitate to send my son back to this camp and I can tell you the boys were equally impressed.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart and from our troop. We are coming back next year.

We were evacuated to a school 20 miles west in California Hot Springs. This is a one-room schoolhouse that has 15 students during the school year. There was one restaurant in town and the nearest gas station another 29 miles away. The camp director was able to make arrangements with the Porterville Wal-Mart to donate food which was delivered by the adults of Porterville Boy Scout Troop, #132. The Red Cross brought in water, and basic necessities. In total there were about 400 boys, 125 adults associated with troops and I don't know how many staffers - but a lot!  The Red Cross brought cots and blankets for the staff who were unable to pack up their gear due to helping all the campers, and one very large scout troop whose bus had already left the camp.  The school was more than welcoming. They allowed adults from each troop to use the school's phone at the school's expense to call a contact person and start the phone tree - cell phones didn't work there. On a personal note - my daughter was at a friend's house and I had been scheduled to drop the boys off and go back home (another 4-hour drive one way) that day. The school and camp staff allowed me to make as many phone calls as necessary to reach my husband who was out of town, call my neighbor to pick up my daughter and make arrangements for her to stay at the neighbors until my husband could catch a plane and get back home.  I had offered to pay for all the calls but both the camp staff and the school teacher/principal said no - not to worry about that. They were all incredibly helpful.

As for all the scouts  - they were great! They played inter-troop games, there was a movie playing in the classroom, some counselors started merit badge classes or practiced knots. A few scoutmasters ran programs for the new scouts to work towards Tenderfoot. The entire field was turned into a mini Camp Whitsett and everyone just did a beautiful job of adjusting. 

At noon on Monday we were told that camp would be closed temporarily and to head home. The Red Cross arranged buses for the troops that need transportation. There were troops from Nevada, Arizona and Japan. Yes - actually Japan! They were to share the campsite next to ours. Unfortunately they never made it into camp and were turned away at Kernville where they had first closed the road.  If any of you know what happened to that troop all our boys would love to know. They couldn't imagine a troop coming all the way from Japan. [The unit ended up going to our sister camp, Emerald Bay, on Catalina Island - Chuck]

Our troop was able to make some phone calls to our DE and he arranged for us to go to another counsel's camp, Camp Three Falls in Ventura County. Our DE was great every step of the way and never stopped calling Three Falls until he knew we were at camp, safe and sound. The staff at Three Falls was gracious in welcoming us when we got there late last night. Our boys have already started their merit badges and are actively involved in the camp activities.  There is one other troop here with us from Whitsett. 

Today when I called our council office I heard that Whitsett still stands and that is in good shape. 

This has been a most amazing experience both for our boys and the adults and parents at home. I am sure as the boys get older this story will take many turns and changes. 

Again I would like to thank Hoss and the entire staff. We were in the care of very kind, concerned and helpful staff. I can't  say more about the staff, Hoss McNutt and Chuck Smith, **** Thank you ****!

Mindy Duff
CC, Troop 118
 
 
 

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A few lines to let you know our thoughts on Sunday 7/21 at Whitsett - Troop 2, Saugus

First of all we would like to thank the staff for the excellent, calm and orderly evacuation. No one panicked and no one was hurt or lost. Considering there were 500 plus people of which 400 plus were young scouts this was par excellent work.

As we were driving up to Whitsett we could see a column of smoke in our rear view mirrors. This was the first fire that had started as we came through the Lake Isabella area. As we started past Johnsondale we could see a large column of smoke behind us again. We were discussing if this was the same fire as down at the lake. 

As we walked from the parking lot to the camp site at Whitsett we could tell this was not the same fire. We unpacked all the gear from the trucks and had the boys select a site. They then changed into their bathing suits. We gathered them around and made a short speech as to rules to be followed. Buddies to go everywhere, that there would be a fire drill within the next day and that when they heard to fire siren to go to the lake. 

We lined up and headed for the big top to check in and do our medical with the EMT. We had just about finished when Hoss told us to go back to our campsite and get our gear ready in case we had to leave. The sky was getting darker and darker. The temperature had dropped 10 or 15 degrees in a few minutes as the sun was covered. Everything had a orange reddish look. As we arrived at our campsite some of the scouts wanted to change. We advised all scouts to get their gear to the roadside. We would change later if things changed. We at this point advised the boys that this was not a drill and they were to stay at the site and not leave for any reason. The scouts were calm and performed with great efficiency. 

Word came a few minutes later to evacuate and get all to the parking area where we would be given directions. We loaded the pickups and marched the scouts to the parking area. At the parking area we were told we were going to California Hot Springs and given directions. We were advised to leave in a troop and make sure we all traveled together. We were one of the first to leave. As we took the road to the hot springs area we could see the flames 30-40 foot Tall sometimes-reaching 100 feet as a tree went up. We estimated it was Somewhere between one and one and a half miles from the road we were on. [Forest Service estimates put the five at over five miles during evacuation]

You could see the front edge of the fire was boiling and rolling out like you see in the movies. It was like something alive eating everything in its path. It was headed for the road at the moment. Several leader told us they had gone down earlier to take a look at Johnsondale and the fire was moving at about 3 miles in 20 minutes. As we passed the fork in the road you could see the fire was headed for Johnsondale. [These were the backfires lit by the Forest Service that were burning toward the fire to prevent it from coming into Johnsondale.] 

We arrived in California Hot Springs and staged along side the road to await additional instructions. Word came and we moved on to the local school. This was a 3-classroom school that was closed for the summer, even the water had been turned off. We parked in fields around the school and had all the Scouts sit at the playground. Several of us scoutmasters got together and discussed our situation. We talked to Mr. Ed [Ed Ryan] and he said they were awaiting word from Hoss and Chuck. It was now about 7:00 PM and we had not had food since 11:00 am and the water we had was what one scoutmaster had brought along. The Red Cross was on their way but would be a couple of hours yet. We decided to head home, 

      1. We had enough drivers with us to take care of our troop.

      2. We did not know exactly when the Red Cross would arrive but estimated they would arrive between 11 to 12 PM, we could be home by then. 

      3. With all the equipment they were bringing in to fight the fire, we estimated we would not get back into camp before Wednesday if at all.

      4. By leaving we could take some of the burden off the staff so they could take care of the scouts that were further from home.

There were several other scout troops that made the same decision. 

On the way out we stopped at Oildale Jack-in-the-box, We simply overwhelmed them. They were not prepared for the load that came their way. They handled the flow in an excellent manner. While there we met a troop that was on the high adventure trek at Whitsett. They were so dirty with soot all over them. We asked what happened and apparently they were out on Mountain bikes when the fire broke out and it was a race to get back to camp in front of the fire. They apparently had a very exciting time. These are all older scouts’ 14-21 venture scouts. [the Forest Service and some camp staff had led the Scouts out. They had stopped at Whitsett and gotten a quick bite to eat before heading out to home]

Again our thanks to the Whitsett staff for a job well done.

Alvin Russell
Whitsett Troop Leader
Troop 2 Saugus
 
 

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Reflections:

I’ve been reading the reflections of others on the website and agreed wholeheartedly with all that was said. I’ll limit my comments to the handling of the evacuation.

I had 2-3 conversations with Hoss McNutt at camp as the evacuation was developing. He was very calm and took the time to answer all my questions as he handled the staff and all other decisions that were being thrown at him. The whole evacuation went so well; every scout, leader and staff member kept their cool and left calmly. There was never a feeling of panic, this came from the top down. 

At Hot Springs Elementary, the camp staff was very accommodating. We were allowed access to the phones, all questions were answered, and everyone, from the Scouts and leaders to the camp staff and camp leaders were calm, polite and patient. What a wonderful group! Wouldn’t it have been a great session!?

We took full advantage of the advancement sessions set up on Monday. We sent our boys that needed Tenderfoot, 2nd class and 1st class rank advancement to the area for “pioneering”. The staff of scouts assisted our troop to pass many requirements. The Nature area and the staff member for Communication MB also did a great job. With the limited equipment and supplies and time, the staff put on quite a useful program.

Our adventure showed what Camp Whitsett is really all about. Despite the fire, it only makes us want to come back another summer. We know that the camp has procedures in place for our safety and when confronted with an emergency implements them well. We also saw how prepared the staff was to put on a great session for the scouts.

Our troop would like to express our thanks and gratitude to everyone at Camp Whitsett and Sherry in the office. I’d also like to thank troop parents from Porterville, the school staff, the Red Cross and any others that help throughout the two days. Perhaps you can post where we can write to thank them directly. I would also like to thank Chuck Smith for updating the website. The information has been invaluable. It is especially helpful to follow the fire information as the forest service website is so busy it hasn’t been accessible on a regular basis.

We hope for the best in reopening the camp.

Sincerely,

Mark Nagayama
Scoutmaster, Troop 693
 
 
 

Shortly after we arrived at camp we prepared for the medical and swim checks, which is as far as we got before the word to prepare to evacuate was given.  We loaded as much personal gear as we could, but were forced to leave coolers and water containers when the evacuation order was given.  I would like to commend the entire Camp Whitsett staff, especially Chuck Smith, Hoss McNutt, and Pat [Smith] from the business office on the manner in which the evacuation was handled.  As we drove from camp we saw the intense flames which were advancing towards the road.  Although the fire was still a few miles from camp, at one point it was only about 300 yards off the road we were traveling on towards California Hot Springs. [These were the backfires lit by the Forest Service that were burning toward the fire to prevent it from coming into Johnsondale.] 

We spent the first night at Hot Springs School at the evacuation center.  When it was obvious that we were not going to get back into Camp Whitsett, we held a meeting with the PLC and asked them if they wanted to go home or find someplace to go camping. The PLC unanimously voted to go camping and we began looking for a place to go. We decided on the US Army Corps of Engineers "Horse Creek" campground at Lake Kaweah. The US Army Corps of Engineers allowed us to stay at the campground for free when they learned of our situation.  We headed for camp and stopped in Porterville for supplies, since we had 55 people to feed.  While getting supplies, a Scout Leader from Porterville saw us and loaned us two Coleman stoves, a cooler, and cooking equipment. After arriving at the campground, we set up camp and began to provide a camp program for the boys. Using the adults with us who are registered merit badge counselors, we were able to conduct classes in First Aid, Emergency Preparedness, Camping, and Astronomy Merit Badges. Some of the older Scouts were able to work on partial requirements for Personal Management Merit badge. With the assistance of the Army Corps of Engineers, we were able to provide some service hours and several boys completed Mammal Studies Merit Badge.

Thanks to having an Assistant Scoutmaster who also happens to be the pool director at our council camp and two BSA Lifeguards, we were able to provide a safe water activity for everyone. Unfortunately, we could not complete the requirements for Swimming Merit Badge since we were swimming in the Kaweah River where it comes out of Sequoia National Park.  Some of the older boys were able to work on BSA Lifeguard, but were unable to complete some of the requirements due to the facilities.

We spent one day in Sequoia National Park, climbing Moro Rock, touring Crystal Caverns, and visiting the Giant Sequoia Trees. We took a group photo in front of the General Sherman Tree, which was a noble substitute for our traditional photo in Hoss McNutt's "Ewok Village."

We left "Camp Refugee" on Friday and returned home a day earlier than planned, which a lot of memories to last a lifetime. In spite of it all, the boys (and adults) had a great time, earning several merit badges and rank advancements. I would like to thank the Whitsett staff for their assistance and we look forward to returning to Camp Whitsett in the future. I would also like to thank my Assistant Scoutmasters Mike Davis, Carlos Torres, Guy Gilbert, Jim Fuson, Robbie Melton, Jason Shoemaker, Committee Member Anthony Gilbert, and Committee Chairman Karl Hamrick for their support and tremendous effort to make our camping experience a success. I would also like to recognize our SPL Garrett Fuson, ASPL's Dan Allen and Josh Van Baarsel and all the Patrol Leaders, Troop Guides and Instructors. Together, we showed the younger Scouts what teamwork and hard work can accomplish. Quitting was never an option.

Special thanks to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, the Visalia Times-Delta, and all of the many individuals and businesses that assisted us with their generosity.  Thank You doesn't seem like enough.

Ron Melton, Scoutmaster
Troop 210
Moreno Valley, CA

For a photo taken during our evacuation, visit the following website:
www.visaliatimesdelta.com/news/stories/20020726/localnews/305404-photos.html
 
 

 

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Troop 262 arrived on Sunday July 21, we bussed in from Glendale Arizona approx 12:30, shortly before camp "officially opened. Our High Sierra group trucked/hiked off to their own campsite. We unloaded for camp at our tented site and following camp tradition got ready for our swim checks. As we prepared for our swim we saw a "small" plume of smoke heading skyward directly in front of us approx 2 to 3 miles away. Afterwards during our tour the smoke grew and the wind shifted it seemed toward our area. We were then advised that evacuation was possible/probable, a real time fire drill.  We returned back to our site, at the far end of the lake across the dam and gathered either a backpack or duffel bag. One item per Scout and Scouter, and were asked to head to the parking lot. Since we were without any personal transportation we stayed together and put our trust and evacuation arrangements into the Camp staff's hands. We could not have had a better option. Our High Sierra group joined us to cheering a short time later.

As we waited with the staff in the parking lot "Boss" Hoss asked us to be silent for just a minute. We could hear a low roar in the distance, something between a train and a wind storm, at that point, he said, people it's time to go. We were paired up with staff members at this time and we loaded up in staff personal vehicles and went down the hill.

After a somewhat white knuckle drive down, and seeing up close and personal some of the fire raging across the valley to our left, we arrived at Hot Springs school evalcuation site. We formed up and got all of our Scouts and Scouters together. While staying at the school site, our nomad Troop from Arizona kept busy Sunday playing some team games etc. We were kept up to date constantly and hoped for the best as we saw billowing clouds of smoke growing where Camp Whitsett stood. We were fed, given cots and blankets that night, almost all of our essential gear was still at camp, either in the parking lot or at the campsite. By the way, it appeared to be a great site area.

After spending a cold night, to our AZ blood anyway, we gathered up for breakfast. We knew that our Sierra group had left earlier from camp "Hot Springs" to at least get in their day of Whitewater Rafting. At our current camp, the Whitsett staff put together a great mini Merit Badge Roundup type to keep the Scouts busy and productive. Again working with Hoss and his staff our leaders worked on setting up our own evacuation plans back to Glendale AZ.

At approx 10:00 am our leaders were told that two of us, with a few others were given permission to return to camp Whitsett to gather up as much gear as we could, load it up and bug out. Thanks to another Troop that provided both people and trucks, along again with staff members, we traveled back up the hill to camp. Driving thru dense smoke, temperature drops of probably 20+ degrees we arrived at camp. We ran, dragged, threw and piled on all of the gear that the trucks and van could handle. Unfortunately, we did leave behind a orange igloo water cooler. Hopefully it did find use with the firefighters.

We returned back to Hot Springs, got the gear back to our troop and continued to wait. We finally got bus connections compleyed to pick us up at Hot Springs to return to AZ.....But WAIT...we got the word..again. We had to evacuate Hot Springs..no immediate danger but on to Porterville. We met up with our High Sierra group there. Spent the night at Motel 6, showered, fed the Scouts, and Scouters. At 8:00 am Tuesday morning we were packed bused and headed back to Glendale AZ.

We cannot say "Thank You" enough or more sincerely to the complete staff at Camp Whitsett. They showed us every concern, help and support to our Homeless Troop. Their dedication was not that they were asked to do this, but they truely wanted to .. they were concerned, and dedicated to do this.

To everyone in California who showed their help and compassion to us. Who showed the true Spirit of Whitsett and Scouting,  Thank You.

Sincerely,
Troop 262, Glendale Az.
Ken Zawarus, Scoutmaster
 
 

Paul Raab     ASM  Troop 243

We were smoked out of Camp Whitsett. We were hoping the camp would reopen in time for us to go the first week of August Session, but it was not to happen. There was still too much smoke in the valley and the fire was still burning on three fronts. We were told late Wednesday the week jus before our Session that the Camp would remain closed. 

Frantic phone calls to find that many other scout camps were not able to take us on short notice. However Camp Chawankee (Sequoia Council) accepted us with open arms. They even arranged to do an intercouncil transfer of funds so that we did not have to dig up any extra money. The 18 boys an 4 adults went to camp, had a great time and brought home 60 merit badges and the younger ones all advanced in rank as well. Every day while at Camp Chawanakee we could see the smoke high in the sky from the fire still raging many miles to the south.

There were a few other troops that were at Chawanakee who were originally headed for Whitsett. I had heard that Camp Three Falls in Ventura County took in some misplaced troops.

This shows the true spirit of scouting that these camps would make extra room in time of a disaster. I am certain that someone had to go out and get extra food to accommodate us on a very short notice.

My thanks to the staff of all these camps for showing what scouting is all about!  The Scouts being able to go to camp. We hope to go to Camp Whitsett some time in the future.

Thanks !!!

 [NOTE: Sherry Christensen, the Camping Secretary, also worked with units and other Councils to ensure troops had a great summer camp experience] 
 
 

Return to Camp Whitsett

(Troop 693 was one of the groups evacuated from Camp Whitsett on July 21st.)

On Friday, August 9th, three of us from Troop 693 returned to Camp Whitsett to retrieve the equipment and other personal items that we had to leave behind as we evacuated camp on July 21st due to the McNally fire in the Sequoia National Forest. 

As we drove up through Lake Isabella, we could see the smoke from the fire still hovering over the valley.  Approaching Kernville, we saw the large, water dropping helicopters sitting next to fuel tanker trucks, evidence that the battle against the McNally fire that had begun nearly three weeks earlier was still on going. 

After passing through Kernville, we began to see the devastation of the fire burned brush and trees, white ash spots scattered throughout scorched, blackened ground, rocks that were once gray, blackened by the fire and smoke.  As we continued up the mountain along the narrow road, the vastness of the devastation was beyond imagination.  Upon reaching Road’s End, we were amazed to see buildings completely burned standing right next to buildings that looked untouched - certainly the result of hardworking, heroic fire fighters. 

As we neared Camp Whitsett, we were surprised to see how green and unspoiled the forest was.  Had it not been for the smoke, we would have not even known that a fire had been so near.  After making the final turn toward Camp Whitsett, we saw the campsite where we had stopped to have lunch prior to checking in to camp.  We saw Sentinel peak, it’s face slightly orange from the fire retardant, overlooking the camp.  As we entered the camp, it was wonderful (and amazing) to see that Whitsett had somehow survived the devastation of the fire that had destroyed so much along its border. 

Camp was just as we had left it, except the sky was clear and it was quiet and empty.  While we had heard that the camp had survived, we were expecting that at the very least there would be ash all over the ground.  Indeed, the camp was even better than we had left it. 

Our trailer was right where we had left it, parked between two trees in the parking area.  All of our gear was safely stored for us.  Except for the fact that the bears had torn up a few coolers looking for food, everything was fine. 

Since we did not have the opportunity to see much of camp on our first trip to Whitsett as we were evacuated hours after we arrived, we decided to spend some time walking around camp.  The mood was certainly different from the last time we were here.  It was so peaceful walking around camp as opposed to the feelings of concern and excitement as we were evacuating.  We could imagine what a busy place Whitsett must have been after we evacuated and the fire fighters moved in, making Whitsett their base camp. 

It was so quiet and peaceful standing by the lake that lay perfectly still in the early morning sun. We imagined that the lake would normally be full of activity with Boy Scouts in canoes, swimming, and kayaking.  It was eerie to see the swim board with a section reserved for Troop 693 with no swim tags.  It was very sad to think of the week lost.  We had all been looking forward to a week of achievements, experiences, stories, friendships, and fun in the wonderful outdoors.

Venturing to the outskirts of camp, beyond the lake and horse stables, we saw how close we came to losing Camp Whitsett to the fire. Just beyond the stables, within a few hundred yards of the center of camp, the ground was scorched, trees and shrubs were charred. Amongst all of the destruction, however, we saw signs and assurances that the beauty of the forest would return. In the center of a clump of charred grass arose sprouts of new growth - new green leaves. Just as Whitsett has come alive with the arrival of new scouts for their week of summer camp, so too will the forest return to its majestic beauty.

We of Troop 693 would like to thank the staff at Camp Whitsett for their help in making the best of our experience.  We appreciate that you were prepared for the emergency and made sure that all of us were safe. Thank you Hoss McNutt for your outstanding leadership throughout the ordeal -- you made us all feel more secure in a very uncertain situation.  Thank you Chuck Smith for keeping the website current with information on the fire and Camp Whitsett.  Thank you Pat Smith for opening the camp store for us so we could get our Camp Whitsett 2002 hats and T-shirts.  It was a pleasure meeting all of you.  We will see you in two years when Troop 693 will be returning to Whitsett for Summer Camp 2004.

Thank you.

Glenn Nishibayashi
Assistant Scoutmaster - Troop 693 
Cerritos, California
 
 
 

This was to have been our fourth summer at Camp Whitsett, beginning with the reservation we made last July while at camp.  We had promoted the camp in our handbook. The parents of one our younger Scouts who had been  transferred out of the Las Vegas area with the Air Force, arranged for him to come in from Colorado Springs to attend camp.  I had also arranged with Mr. Chuck to teach the Communications merit badge for the third year during our week at camp. With much anticipation, our 14 Scouts and 5 adults left Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas at about 7:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 21.

We were a little slow getting to camp, which probably helped in the end  since we did not unpack.  We observed the fire in the Lake Isabella area on our way to camp with fire equipment heading in that direction. As we headed up the Kern River valley, we observed a large fire that appeared to be growing. We stopped once and then proceeded to McNally's where other units were also stopped. The road ahead was blocked by the fire and you could actually see the fire from this location with trees exploding into flames.  What really struck me standing in the McNally's parking lot was the rush of hot air from the fire as the winds appeared to pick up.  We decided to leave before we were ordered to and proceeded to a commercial camp ground on the east side of Porterville where we spend the night.

The next day, we drove to Camp Whitsett Hot Springs where we hoped against hope that camp would re-open. A reporter from the Fresno ABC affiliate interviewed our acting senior patrol leader after interviewing Mr. Chuck, and a reporter from the Fresno Bee interviewed one of our younger Scouts who was then quoted in an article on the fire that appeared in the Tuesday edition. We let the guys vote on whether they wanted to go home immediately, spend a night in the Sequoia forest, or go up to Yosemite. The guys were so bummed that the vote was to return home. The adult leaders intervened and we arranged to spend the night at the Frazier Mill campsite in the Sequoia Forest north of Springville.  One of the adult camp staffers [the clarinet player from the sing alongs] was must helpful in sharing a Tulare County map and in describing the campsite.

After purchasing food in Porterville, we found our way to the campsite.  It was truly beautiful as we camped in a tall-growth pine forest. The next  morning, we hiked up from the campsite to a wonderful grove of Sequoia  trees, including one that our group could walk inside as described by the  camp staffer. We left our campsite, circled past other groves, returned to  Porterville and then made the long and hot trek back to Henderson.

I could tell from witnessing the staff at Camp Whitsett Hot Springs that it  was very emotionally to leave camp and deal with the cancellation of what turned out to be three weeks of camp.  This was especially true of Mr. Chuck. I never thought that after a three week break, Whitsett would  reopen. It is a tribute to all the staffers, young and old, that Camp is up and operating. Best wishes for the rest of the 2002 season and for the  coming years. We had already committed to attend Emerald Bay next year but I am sure that we will return to Whitsett in the years to come, in no small part because of the dedication of the staffers who make summer camp an event that our young men remember for years to come.

 - Steve Wamser, Troop 420 CC, Henderson, Nevada
 
 

 

Chuck, just wanted to spend a moment and pass along my thanks to the staff for an incredible job.  My troop (616 / 655) was coming back in from 2 different treks the afternoon of the fire.  I must say that it was the most memorable bike ride I think any of us have ever had...watching it go from a whisp of smoke in the distance (when we began at the trailhead) to a full blown WOW, wondering if camp would be there when we got back. Our guides were awesome, very professional and calm, focused on what needed to be done. That certainly made a difference in how we all felt as things progressed.   For us, the fire actually came on the last day of our trek so we had our full (and absolutely wonderful) time at Whitsett Sierra. We met many of the troops on our way back that had just come into camp, and ended up missing the Whitsett experience. There was much praise of the staff and the manner in which things were handled.

The pictures on the website were great. That burned campsite in Sierra was actually ours!  We were all thrilled that so little damage was sustained by the camps. We will be doing our court of honor later this month, and I was wondering if it would be ok to share those pics with folks?  If you're interested, I've got a few in return shot from the gate, bike shed, and the Sierra parking area as the flames were coming down the hillside. 

Don't know if you're a 'Monty Python' fan, but the words from their movie certainly came to mind as we took those...."Run AWAY!!!!"

Thanks again for everything.  Hope to see y'all again soon.

Wes Thoroughman
Asst. Scoutmaster
Troops 616 & 655 - Irvine, CA

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We Had to Flee the Fire...
     (With apologies to Billy Joel)

Arizona, Major Payne, Left at night, bus is lame, 
California, map quest, hot ride, what a way to go. 

Arrive Whitsett, heave a sigh, unload the troop, then bus goodbye. 
Set off to site, Sierra Camp, check our gear, tent row.

Sentinel Peak, Boss Hoss, meet the staff, lake to cross.
Sunday, the time do fly, and not a cloud in the sky.

Merit Badges, planned for, unpack is our first chore.
Swim check lake stop, water cooling, hit it hard belly flop.
 

CHORUS
We had to flee the fire.
The trees were burning
And the sky was churning.
We had to flee the fire.
No we didn't light it
But we had to flight it.

Camper cooking, eat hot dogs, lunch is now burning logs! 
Road's End dying, smoke arising, fire takes parting shot. 

Time stop, pack for loss, card game and frisbee toss. 
Fire raging, troops staging, now evacuating. 

Roll call, find staff, should we cry or should we laugh. 
Ash is falling, driver count, no room for packs, flee the mount.

Copter wash, flat tent, sun is hidden, relent. 
Cars in line, heed the sign, California Hot Springs.
 

CHORUS

Group again, take a count, 400 plus is amount. 
Walmart, help in loss, American Red Cross.

Troops came through, 317 and 132.
Cold weather, no more sun, blanket thin we froze our buns.

Sierra Fisk, raft trip?, have no gear, he equips.
Left at dawn, two cars down, Mike, Greg drove to town. 

Raft the Kern, class 2 and 3, rock leap, gravity. 
Got our gear, Camp closed, Motel 6, bus for home. 
 

CHORUS

Glendale, Arizona’s Troop 262 would like to thank the great staff of Camp Whitsett for their selfless dedication and help during this tragic event.  We rejoice with Boss Hoss and his staff that the camp was spared and has reopened!

Stan Zalewski
Chartered Organization Representative
Troop 262
 
 
 
 

Dear Chuck and the gang, 

As a former camper of Whitsett, I have no words to describe how I feel now that I know that everything is OK. Since the end of the McNally fire, I sincerely believed that Camp Whitesett was destroyed. I remember watching CNN and all the other news stations that were reporting on the fire, depict the horrific damage that was unleashed on the area. I never really paid a lot of attention to the story until I heard about Johnsonville, but even then I still didn’t pay as much attention until I heard that Camp Whitsett (yes, CNN did mention Whitsett specifically) was evacuated. From that moment on, I was glued to the TV in order to hear the words that Whitsett was OK. Unfortunately, (and I don't remember which network said this) I also remember hearing a few days after the fire: "the fire destroyed a local area Scout camp." My heart sank and I think I got a little misty. Immediately, I thought the worst, Whitsett is gone. I looked almost everywhere on the internet that had anything to do with the McNally fire and found no confirmation nor rebuttal of Whitsett's fate. (Of course, I forgot to check the Whitsett website ... duh  :S)

I never worried about the campers that were staying there at the camp, because I knew that they were safe. For the seven years that I was in Scouting, I have been to a lot of summer camps. Never have I found a staff more professional, more responsible, nor more well trained than those staffers at Whitsett. I knew that the troops staying at Whitsett were in the best hands that Scouting could provide. Whitsett has a power over people, whether they know it or not. And that power is that special something that brings out the best in everyone who attends that camp. You cannot travel to any other camp and find a more close-knit staff, nor can you find a camp that makes you feel like you’re a part of a family, even if you stay for only a week.

As I said in the beginning of this letter, words cannot describe the overabundance of relief and joy that I feel to know that Camp Whitsett remains, [and is] able to provide the best summer-camping experience in the nation, in my opinion, for future generations. I don’t have to say this, because everyone who is a part of Camp Whitsett will do it anyway, but keep up the GREAT job that you all have been doing! And hopefully, my troop will return to Whitsett again so that I can experience Whitsett once more (only this time as a leader) and so the newer Scouts in our troop can experience that Whitsett magic. : )

Yours in Scouting,
Joseph A. Sacco
Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 6, 
Las Vegas, NV - BDAC
(Attended Whitsett - Summer '00-'01)

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... Concerned Leader/Mom who did not make it to Camp Whitsett that day.

By Lorri Newman

My perspective on this whole ordeal is a little bit different than the actual "refugees", but I thought you might be interested in a look at  it from the "outside".

I have been a Cub Scout Leader for about 7 years, and even though my older son is now a Boy Scout, my focus has remained with the Cubs. This  year, our troop (#413 from California City) was in need of another leader to attend camp with the boys, so I volunteered, looking forward to spending a week with the "big boys".  But as it turned out, our Cub Scout Resident  camp (Camp Verdugo Oaks) overlapped our week at Whitsett by one day. So my husband agreed to take a couple of days off work, help get the boys up to camp, and give me a chance to get home, do laundry and repack for  another week of camping.

So Sunday morning, the Boy Scouts left home at about 9:00 AM, and my Cub Scout, J.B. and I got home early in the afternoon.  Cleanup and packing chores were started right away so that we would be ready to go first thing Monday morning.

At about 4:30 I got a very obscure cell phone call from my husband, John (puts a whole new light on the "can you hear me now?" commercial).  The  only thing I could get out of the phone call, was something about a fire, he had Zack, Joey, and Travis in the car with him, and they were OK.

So now what do I do?  I tried to call our troop's contact person, no answer. I agonized over whether or not I should call Joey and Travis' parents, but decided the limited information I had would just create more questions and worry (they later agreed with me on that). So I waited. And waited.  And I packed up as if things were normal, and I was gonna go to camp  tomorrow.

Finally at about 9:30 pm, I got a phone call from another parent who helped shuttle the boys up the hill to camp, and was still around to help evacuate the camp. She filled me in on what the fire was all about, and they were evacutated to California Hot Springs School.

Then at 6:30 am Monday morning, I got an official call from our troop contact with a few more details, but she couldn1t tell me if I should  go on up there or not. She did say that they switched vehicles around, so that they had enough room to get both adults, the eight boys and all the gear back home if that is what they need to do. So I decided to wait. And  I waited some more.

While I waited, I asked my mother-in-law (who lives in Visalia) to watch the local news up there, and let me know if she hears anything.  Soon after noon, she called and said it was on the TV news and they said the Boy Scouts were going home. So I waited some more, and watched the big smoke  cloud to the north of us (Whitsett is only about 60 miles from us as the crow flies). Not long after that I got a "real" phone call from John, and he gave me the ETA for home, and asked me to call the parents and let them know.

Finally at about 5:30 pm, with parents waiting anxiously, the troop drove up, and eight Boy Scouts were disappointed, excited, but home safe.

This will be an experience none of us will ever forget.  Even though communications were frustrating, in this day and age of cell phones, things went as well as could be expected.  I would like to thank the camp staff for being on top of things, we need to remember as ugly as this fire is, it could have been much uglier if the right decisions were not made in such a timely manner.
 
 

I thought that I would give another story from the other side of the fence so to speak....My son and I are due to attend camp on August 11th so my husband thought that it would be a good idea to take a drive up to the camp to see what it was like (he also wanted to be sure I knew how to get there just in case I forgot how to read a map). As we were heading out of Bakersfield toward the mountains, on the Tuesday following the start of the fire, we couldn't help but notice the eerie plume of thick black smoke emanating from the direction that we were headed in. My husband also had plans to check some other camping areas in the Isabella area so onward up the mountain we crept. Our first indication there was trouble ahead was a news report that said a boy's camp had been evacuated and that the fire was out of control and had burned about 9,000 acres so far. As we continued on up the Mountain along the beautiful Kern river the news reports continued to change. I had a knot in my stomach and a lump in my throat as we came in to the town of Lake Isabella. The sunrise was a spectacular dark orange orb in the eastern sky as it rose over the just arising town of Lake Isabella. I have never seen anything so beautiful yet so ominous. The smoke was thick, the air acrid, ashes swirled around us everywhere, and the news now said that it had burned over 15,000 acres. We stopped for breakfast as our very anxious Boy Scout in the back asked, "Mom, what do you think has happened to the camp? Are we going to get to see it today?" I told him that I didn't think it was looking very good at the moment. After breakfast we drove through Kernville and up towards the camp. At the roadblock we spoke with three very nice CHP officers who told us what was going on and that yes the camp had been evacuated, safely. We turned around somewhat disappointed and then headed up towards some other camping areas out of Wofford Heights. As we drove along a dirt road we passed an old Boy Scout Camp that was only accessible by 4 wheel drive vehicles, motorcycles, quadrunners, mountain bikes, and hiking. It still had its now long rusted Scout symbols on the front gate with the famous motto of BE PREPARED. It made us think of how lucky we actually were because I believe that our troop was originally scheduled to be at Whitsett around this time in July. The people in charge of Whitsett did an awesome job evacuating everyone in a timely manner and you are all to be commended on a job done above and beyond anyone's expectations! You were PREPARED for the worst! I pray that Whitsett will be open again in time for our camp. After stopping for lunch by a creek we headed home hoping for the best....yes our scout is disappointed since this would have been his first year at camp as a boy scout....but he is thankful for all that everyone has done trying to protect the camp and also trying get it reopened in time for our trip...we wish you all well in your efforts!
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-   The Medarts BSA Troop 179, Ventura, Ca
 

Dear Mr. Smith,

I wanted to say thank you to you for keeping the Whitsett website updated on a routine basis. We are very sorry that you have to remain closed for another week but I do believe that even if you can not re-open this season it only means that it will be that much better next time around! We were informed at our Scout meeting on Tuesday night that your Council is arranging for alternate camps for all of those scouts that were supposed to be at Whitsett and we appreciate all of the efforts and endless phone calls that must be being made on not only our behalf but of all the Scouts involved in this terrible tragedy.(...all because of a hot dog....I'll never look at one in the same manner again...).and I will never understand the stupidity of some people in this world that lack the common sense to respect fire and use it only in an appropriate enviornment. Thank God for the Boy Scouts that are out there because they have been given the skills and the knowledge to respect fire. I can only hope that this entire tragedy has some magic meaning that will come to me later in life. I know that our troop gave a sigh of relief as we all realized that we could have been one of the evacuees as we were originally slated for the 21st of July. We now know that although we were disappointed with the change in our dates that it happened for a good reason. God has good things in store for Whitsett...I can feel it!!! Good Luck to you and the staff as you try to get back to some normalacy in your lives!

Sincerely,

Lynn Medart
BSA Troop 179
Ventura, California
 

Hello there Chuck!

It was a pleasure to meet you at camp last week! My son, his troop, the other parents and myself had a remarkable experience despite the fire and the occasional smoke! Thank you for all of you efforts to put on a  great program for the scouts! 

The food was complimented by many on the drive home Saturday even to the point that those boys that had attended Emerald Bay in the past stated that the food at Whitsett was much better!! Hats off to your kitchen staff!!! 

Also I would like to take this opportunity to extend my personal thanks to David Martinez (scoutcraft director) for his patience and caring attitude with my son Kevin! We had experienced some problems with the Pioneering Merit Badge Counselor and David took my son under his wing and helped him accomplish everything on the list so that he could come home with a full Merit Badge in Pioneering! 

I also would like to extend special thanks to Christine and Becky in the Archery area! They were very patient and  kind in all of their dealings with the kids! Kudos to them !!!

Another fine area was the Rifle range which ran exceptionally well under the direction of the rangemaster and his accomplices! Thanks to all!!!

Karen in the health lodge was very nice when I had to bring an injured scout her way! Mr. Bob took care of a Bat problem as soon as he was told about it!! Thanks from all the kids that didn't get bitten!!! Your wrangler staff.....well you can just let them know that Yellow Five and Blue eyes will be remembered for a long, long time!!  My son would like to come back and visit the horse he rode real soon!! 

We had an awesome time and my son was able to earn five merit badges!!!!  Not bad for a first time at summer camp!!!  I would also like to thank Eric for taking extra time to work with Kevin on lashings and the H-frame!  I would also like to extend thanks to Tim our dining  host...not a day went by without him asking how we were doing or how our day was going!!! 

Your staff did an AWESOME job coming back from three weeks of not knowing what would happen!!! Thanks again from the bottom of my heart for making my son’s first Boy Scout Summer Camp such a wonderful experience!!

Sincerely,

Lynn Medart, R.N.
BSA Troop 179
Ventura, Ca.
 
 
 

Chuck:

We were so concerned about the fire danger when my son went up to attend Week One of summer camp, with Troop 282 from Gilbert. It was a primary concern for the parents as we dropped our boys off in the church parking lot, listening to last instructions and reminders from our scoutmaster about the "No fires, no flints, no lighters". Somehow we all felt lucky they 'd be there the first week, knowing how high the fire danger was and wondering how long it'd be before they had to cancel future weeks of camp.

We were so thankful they got home safely and then the fire hit just a few days later. We've been very interested in these pictures. They "bring the fire home" to our boys. We are so very thankful that the camp survived as it did!

Stay safe up there!

Laurie Haun
Troop 282, Gilbert
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