Velte returns from firefighting in Colorado
By Sandra Marcano

Doug Velte returned early from his fire-fighting mission in Colorado, after he broke his leg. Velte and Tyree Albright, both from Newark, left during the last week in July. Albright is due back this weekend.

At first the men were under the direction of the federal government, but as the fire was tamed, the State Forest Rangers took charge. Velte and Albright were in Eagle, Colorado, in the White River National Forest. There were about 400 people, military personnel and some firefighters from Canada, battling the 530-acre fire.

To date, there are 65 fires in 11 western states, burning close to one million acres.

After about a week on the job, Velte broke his ankle, stepping over a log. "I've sprained ankles before, but this one I heard snap," he said. An EMT and paramedic on site evaluated the injury and put his boot back on to contain the swelling.

His buddies had to carry him down the mountain, a descent of about 90 minutes. When they reached a meadow, a med-evac helicopter took him to another location where he was transported in the back of a Suburban, two and one-half hours, to a hospital in Eagle Valley, near Glenwood Springs.

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