Stories

By Kevin Raney

This book is for anyone who has ever wanted to be a park ranger, forester or wildland firefighter. At the ripe old age of 30 I ask for help to grow up. You will read about problems and solutions, illness and healing. I have written this book because I believe my experiences are interesting. I believe you will be interested too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477210260

Kevin Raney

My name is Kevin and I am 59 years old. I have a bachelor and masters degree. These stories are based on my life even though they are fiction. I feel my life has been and is interesting. I live with my Mom in Little Rock, Arkansas. I am one of Mom's caregivers.

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© 2012 by Kevin Raney. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

These stories are fiction based on fact. Names have been changed. The author used the Internet as reference for 35% of presented factual information.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/24/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-1027-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-1026-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012909192

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Dedication

Background

The Chattahoochee National Forest

First Wildfire

Oregon Wilderness Wildfire

Local Wildfire

Work

Accident, Reprimand, Appeal, Psychology

Growing Up

Back to School

Allergies

The Kaibab National Forest

Work

Shortest Wildfire

Allergies Revisited

Developments

North Kaibab Wildfire

Change

Finances

Kanab Taxi And Delivery

Finding Work

Hotshot

California

Psychotic Break

Suicide Attempt

Work

CANCER

Medication Problems

Financial And Medication Problems

Problem Solving

Losing Jan

Changes At Work

Surgery

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my parents and especially my mom.

Background

My name is Jane. My mother and father met on a blind date when they were both in college in North Carolina. My father was at Davidson and Mom was at the Women’s College in Greensboro. Mom was getting a degree in voice and Pop was getting a degree in business. For two summers Mom studied at the Juilliard School of the Performing Arts in New York City. After graduation Mom went to New York to work. Pop fought in World War II. He was in the Battle of the Bulge and with the troops that entered Berlin. Mom sang on the radio when radio was the only broadcast entertainment. She was in the chorus of the now famous musical ‘Oklahoma’ when it first appeared on Broadway. She was understudy for the lead in another Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ‘Carousel’ when it was first staged on Broadway. She was in ‘Barefoot in the Park’ Off Broadway. In the publicity photos taken of her at that time she reminded me of Vivian Leigh who played Scarlett in ‘Gone With The Wind’. When Pop came back from the War Mom had been asked to do screen tests for Warner Brothers and Paramount. Mom and Pop decided to marry and move to Pop’s home state of Arkansas. Pop worked in his family’s investment firm. Mom planned to continue singing and acting. They both wanted a family. I was born in 1952, the third child and second of three girls. When I was little Pop was on the road selling bonds. Mom raised us.

My senior year in high school Pop told me he would pay for college. He expected me to get a good job and be independent after graduation. He also wanted me to marry and have children. Mom helped me pick out and visit three good colleges. The problem was I had no idea what school or what degree I wanted. I asked Pop to give me two years in the Women’s Air Force to grow up. We were in Vietnam then and Pop said no. I enrolled in a small private college in Pre Med. I had to drop out of Calculus before I flunked out. My grades were not good enough to get into medical school and I dropped out of school. Pop got me a job at the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. For a year we worked to find the right career path and the right school. In 1972 I entered Colorado State University. I graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Outdoor Recreation. This qualified me to be a park ranger. Right before graduation Pop flew me back to Arkansas for a job interview with the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. I became a Naturalist at Lake Ouachita State Park. My job was to complete construction of an amphitheater, to develop exhibits for the new visitor center and to provide daily naturalist programs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It was a great job but it only paid $7500 a year. After two years I completed my assignments. The park superintendent told me about a cave guide position opening in a developed cavern in north Arkansas on the Ozark National Forest. I applied and was accepted as a Cave Guide at Blanchard Springs Caverns. My annual salary increased by $5000. This was a U.S. Forest Service position.

In the Ozark Mountains of north Arkansas there is a large layer of limestone rock. Water and limestone interact to create caverns, some with spectacular stalagmites, stalactites, columns, curtains and other cave features. I joined a caving club and enjoyed exploring undeveloped caves in my free time. One year a national recreation convention was held in the Superdome in New Orleans. I represented Blanchard Springs Caverns and caving at the convention. I took my caving equipment. The second day of the convention one of my professors from Colorado State came by the exhibit. He invited me to lunch. The professor told me he was the Recreation Staff for the U.S. Forest Service Southern Region. He suggested I apply for a new job opening as a Recreation Planner Trainee on the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. I said, Yes, Sir.

The Chattahoochee National Forest

This Forest gets its name from the Chattahoochee River whose headwaters begin in the north Georgia Mountains. The Forest encompasses the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, Brasstown Bald (the highest mountain in the state at 4784 feet), and part of Kennesaw Mountain and Lookout Mountain. The Appalachian Trail begins on the Blue Ridge District and ends in Maine. It is 2178 miles long. The Chattooga River was designated a Wild and Scenic River in the 1970’s. It is famous for whitewater rafting. The film ‘Deliverance’ was made on the Chattooga River. The Chattahoochee and Toccoa Rivers offer canoeing and kayaking. Lake Blue Ridge is the only lake in the state where you can catch muskellunge. At 3000 feet above sea level Lake Conasauga is Georgia’s highest lake.

Today the Chattahoochee National Forest has ten wildernesses, 1367 miles of trout streams and 430 miles of trails. The Forest covers 18 counties and has three ranger districts. These