www.berlincitizen.com
Local firefighter aids in wildfires By Devin Leith-Yessian Record-Journal staff
With over a decade of volunteering for the East Berlin Fire Department, Derek Wnuk is well versed in responding to service calls, car crashes and structure fires, but traveling to Colorado to combat wildfires has shown him a new side of firefighting.
Kensington pastor retiring By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
"It's another aspect of firefighting, it's definitely a lot different than structural fire fighting. Out there you're walking miles of land and there's hardly any water around for you to use, so you're basically mostly using hand tools,” he said.
After more than a decade of leadership marked by the creation of new programs and a fostering a steady parish as church enrollment falls in surrounding churches, the reverend of Kensington Congregational Church has announced her retirement.
Joining a team of 15 other firefighters from Connecticut and two from New Hampshire, Wnuk helped contain the 748 acre Buttermilk Fire, near Crawford, Colorado and the 53 acre Green Mountain fire near Gunnison. The team returned on Aug. 13, two days before another crew went west to continue their work.
“After 40 years in ministry this is the time we’ve decided to move on,” said Reverend Olivia Robinson, 66, who came to the church 11 years ago. While the parish’s energy and committRobinson ment to outreach made it the right place for her, she said the time is right to move back to Branford to spend more time with her husband, Peter Robinson, and their seven grandchildren.
Although they had support from helicopters and planes dropping water and retardant, ground crews can do little to directly combat a fire spanning acres, so they circle around the inferno trying to prevent it from spreading. Wnuk said it involves "a lot of cutting down trees as well as digging lines, so the fire wouldn't spread any more. As well as what was called cold trailing, which was searching for hot spots as well as making sure burned areas were cold to the touch.” This was his second time traveling across the country to assist in wildfire operations, however he said the scale of the fires made it a Volunteer firefighter with the East Berlin Volunteer Fire more impactful experience. After being Department Derek Wnuk traveled to Colorado with a team trained as a wildland firefighter by the Depart- of Connecticut and New Hampshire wildland firefighters See Fire, A15
Thursday, August 23, 2018
to combat two wildfires.
Image courtesy of Derek Wnuk
THE FuTuRE oF CHILDCARE AND PRESCHooL IS HERE!
During her time in Kensington, she said the congregation has grown more vibrant with the introduction of the Festival on the Hill, Night in Bethlehem and celebration of its 300th anniversary. Robinson’s also expanded the church’s outreach programs, such as the Family Promise Program, which gives shelter to See Robinson, A15
Serving families since 1986
We are excited to welcome you to our family! 9 High Road, Berlin, CT 06037 l 860-580-5353 l www.EducationalPlaycare.com
79676-06
Volume 22, Number 27