18-Year Old Volunteer Leads Group to Safety During WildFire.
October 22, 2024 by By Cathy Stack
NORTH OKANAGAN, British Columbia, Canada—Colleen Knull, 18, found herself thrust into the role of lifesaver when a wildfire broke out at Jasper National Park in the middle of the night in July 2024. She had been working her summer job as part of the kitchen staff at one of the park’s lodges when park officials issued the evacuation order. She looked outside to see billowing smoke on the mountainside and sprang into action.
Colleen urgently knocked on guest room doors to notify guests of the evacuation order and to provide instructions.
In addition to her summer job at the lodge, Colleen volunteered as a firefighter. She knew her firefighter training, her navigation skills and her extensive knowledge of the location could provide value to the search-and-rescue effort. She knew she could help any panicked, stranded tourists unfamiliar with the area.
As conditions were quickly deteriorating, Colleen extended her search for guests into the forest. During her search, she came across 16 sleeping hikers oblivious to the mounting wildfire danger. She directed them to quickly gather their gear and then guided them along a four-hour treacherous trail in the dark to reach the designated safety zone.
“There was more intense smoke, my eyes were burning, there was ash falling constantly,” said Rebecca Tocher, a hiker in the group. “[Colleen] was an amazing leader and was just making sure that everyone was working together."
Colleen explained her knowledge of the trail from previous work on horseback. She and her employer had cut down logs that would be marking the route, and she used those logs to navigate through the thick smoke.
“There were 67 logs, so there would be be 67 cut logs on the way down … So I used my tracking skills – following horse tracks, horse manure…”she recounted.
Colleen communicated with rescue crews to notify them of the group's ongoing status and location. Once she led the group to safety, she then drove them out of the evacuation zone in her pickup truck. Thanks to Colleen’s quick thinking and guidance, each hiker escaped without injury.
“I do it because, at the end of the day, I know I’d want to go home, and I’d want somebody there to help,” shared Colleen when asked about her motivation to risk her own safety to assist with the search and rescue.
The event inspired Colleen to pursue a career with the fire department so she can continue to help others in need.
“I like to be able to help people,” she said. “I like the fact that what I do in my work does good.”
The Foundation For A Better Life and PassItOn.com believe that Colleen is a hero. Her action is a great example of the value of Bravery. She used her skills to steer others out of harm's way and, in the process, discovered a career that was a perfect fit for her. Please help us celebrate Colleen by sharing her inspiring story.
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