The Elite Apache Hotshot Crew Fighting Wildfires

my dad told me you know everything he learned about fire was from Apaches Apaches were were well known to be you know Warriors Fierce last to surrender to the government at the same time Fire doesn't care who you are you know it'll it'll take you out whenever it wants to and we're just in the way people probably think you're crazy you know like wow we're running away from the fire but you're running in you know that's kind of weird you know people still don't you know know what we are we've gotten you know we soccer team you guys a basketball team or you guys assassins and you know he said no you know we're wild and firefighters and you know we're the Hot Shots some folks that look towards the fire and they see this big column of smoke and they're thinking the worst is going on over there well we're in there enjoying ourselves fighting this [Music] Wildfire so dral hot shots are a tman crew based out of St Carlos Arizona we represent the St Carlos Apache tribe we are assigned to fight the most intense fires in the nation being on the Hot Shot crew you're able to get up and close personal with fire and do the most intense work the guys that are here you know they love fire they they have to physically you know it's it's it pushes you every day the hills don't get any you know less steep the fires you know aren't any smaller not a lot of sleep walking that 10 15 20 miles to get to the fire just to turn around two days later and walk all the way back sleeping on the ground that could be pretty hard we're carrying 50 lb packs you know 16 hours a day no shower living off of military Meals and it's non-stop the main thing about my job is that I really get to help people out there I get to save their properties save lives that I don't even know out there Montana Idaho Washington we're able to travel we're able to go to many states you're gone you know two weeks at a time and home for two days I haven't had a summer in 11 years it's a sacrifice 6 months out of the Year we're gone you know we see each other more than we see our own families not a whole lot of people on the reservation get to travel that's how I you know motivate people you know there's about 15,000 in Old tribal members and what I tell them is that you're the 20 chosen to do this job all right guys um my name is Jeff Belo I'm with the Jal Hot Shots I've been there for uh going on 11 Seasons now originally started with the engine crew out of high school we'll go ahead and get started uh unit 4 I like teaching kids that you know are willing to uh learn about our job or or want to do what we do and I encourage that to any of them your mom your your dad your uncles your your brothers sisters cousins whatever one of them probably fights fire that's one of the more stable jobs here it means a lot to you know I don't know how to say it you know to come out of an environment where it's just polluted you know alcohol and drug abuse is was big you know growing up as a kid you know see it everywhere you know and just because there is no employment there is no housing there's no not much opportunity growing up as a child to live in an environment that's still somewhat like that and be able to be in charge of a crew and see what they're capable of doing it's it's beautiful what I tell people here is that do the best you can at your job you know do the best on this fire not everybody can take on Mother Nature you don't just represent yourself you represent your people you represent your family and if you have that in your heart you'll be a great firefighter really only Apache hot shots in the entire United States and this is it right here 21 [Music] people when we go on a fire we want to leave a mark you know Dono did that they came in here they put that out those guys are [Music] Apaches [Music] [Music]

Channel: The Atlantic

Views: 1,065,245

Keywords: Apache (Ethnicity), Fire, Firefighting, Wildfire, Firefighter (Profession), Rescue, Wildlife, Forest Fire, Badass, Cool, Native Americans In The United States (Ethnicity), Interagency Hotshot Crew, Amazing, Remarkable People

Id: 106tOoXVsxQ

Length: 5min 22sec (322 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 12 2014