The northwest section of McCook, Neb. was evacuated due to a quickly moving grass fire on March 6. The Work Ethic Camp (WEC) was in the direct path of the fire, which originated about a quarter of a mile directly north of the facility.
While close, the fire did not impact the facility. WEC team members and incarcerated individuals were not in danger.
“Thankfully we did not have to evacuate,” WEC Warden Pam Morello said. “It was closer than any of us would have liked. Someone was truly watching over us.”
At 60+ miles per hour, winds were among the highest in the state on March 6. It is believed that a house just north of the facility caused enough of a shift that the fire skirted around the north side to the east side of WEC. Drone footage provided by McCook Public Schools shows just how close the fire came to the facility. See this footage at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk4Mt4IRT-w&feature=youtu.be.
WEC remained in normal operations throughout the incident. WEC road crews helped clean equipment at the safety center.
“At this time, neither the city nor county has requested any further assistance from us,” Morello said. “But we are ready if they do.”
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) would like to thank the many WEC team members who helped manage this incident, along with the fire departments involved. We appreciate your dedication to NDCS’ mission – Keep people safe.