By Jeremy Goldmeier
Abilene Reporter-News
PALO PINTO COUNTY, Texas — For Chief Ronnie Ranft and the rest of Possum Kingdom Lake’s volunteer firefighters, April was a month of hell.
Wildfires swept through the region, forcing evacuations and destroying 149 homes in Palo Pinto County. Ranft and his crew of about 27 volunteers on the lake’s east side had to perform way beyond their resources. They had outside help, but when it came to getting people to safety and containing the blazes, they were all on the front lines.
The grind was constant. All the firefighters and their equipment got beat up along the way. Lives and livelihoods were forever altered.
“It was our own 9/11 as far as the way it disrupted the community and everyone’s lives,” Ranft said.
Amid such hardship, silver linings are hard to find. But in the aftermath, the communities of Palo Pinto County emerged hardened and eager to start afresh.
“It changed our community,” Ranft said, “but it also brought us together.”
Still, even the most optimistic residents couldn’t have anticipated the latest development in the area’s ongoing rebuild.
Five top-line country artists are uniting Saturday for Buckets and Boots, a concert in Graford benefiting Palo Pinto County communities and their fire departments.
Organizer Craig James and three of his ranch neighbors got the idea while assessing the fallout, realizing that the county needed a funding and morale boost. And they were uniquely positioned to make it happen: James is a college football analyst for ESPN, and his friends have connections in the music industry. The show came together about as quickly as it possibly could have. Artists Pat Green, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Lee Ann Womack and Stoney LaRue all came on board one after the next.
Organizers found a solid outdoor venue in the Rocker B Ranch near Graford, a venue with enough space for 5,000 spectators. James said the goal was to put on a great show at “bare bones minimum” cost, to maximize the amount raised for the region. The goal is to sell a few thousand tickets at $100 a piece.
Already, James said he and fellow organizers are collaborating with the county judge and area fire chiefs to figure out the best way to spread out the profits.
“It would be easy to distribute the funds to the 11 fire departments in the county, or buy a $150,000 building,” James said. “But we want to think of ways to be creative and raise money for the fire departments for when it’s needed.”
For his part, Ranft is giddy about the prospect of the show. Just getting the recognition for the work he and his crews put in is honor enough, but extra money could go a long way toward upgrading equipment and ensuring that his department is ready for the next battle.
Between radios, helmets, boots and other equipment, Ranft said it costs about $3,000 to outfit a new volunteer. Benefit funds could go toward those equipment costs, or help pay off the loans on one of the department’s trucks, or even provide self-contained breathing apparatuses for firefighters.
“I just hope we’re worthy of everyone’s efforts,” Ranft said.
At the very least, it’s going to make for a great show. Many firefighters are big country music fans just like a lot of other people, and this show’s all for them.
“It’s amazing,” Ranft said. “You know the names of the people coming who are going to perform. I can’t describe it.”
Copyright 2011 The E.W. Scripps Company
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