POWERGRAMS

4 Saving a life isn't due to luck: It has everything to do with a willingness to take action and the bravery to step in. Thanks to Greg Hodgen's spirit and decisiveness, a longtime friend escaped a fiery death. "If it hadn't been for Greg, I wouldn't be here right now," Dewey Fowler said emphatically. "Greg saved my life. And I learned an important lesson." Saturday, Feb. 11 dawned sunny, with a bit of wind. Hodgen, line clearing specialist - Power Delivery Contract Services in Atmore, received a request to help clear a pasture. Hodgen's aunt, Diane Stewart, has land across the Alabama line, in Bratt, Fla. Stewart, a 20-year volunteer firefighter, had a one-day burn permit. "I grew up on a farm, and my dad and I burned hundreds of acres of wheat fields on our land, so we know how to do this," Hodgen said. Hodgen, his dad, a cousin and Fowler joined Stewart on her land. Fowler brought a small lawn mower with a trailer, outfitted with an 8-gallon propane tank and flame thrower. After surveying the overgrown sawgrass, they began working in separate areas. Hodgen and his dad started a controlled burn at the property's north end, using the southern wind to assist in "back burning." Busily setting fire to some brush near a pond, Fowler came to an area where water flows in during heavy rains. Unable to cross with his mower, Fowler circled around and started back out, still setting fires. The mower's small tires got hung in some large clods of dirt. Simultaneously, two fires began to draw together, stoked by sudden, swift gusts of wind. With the mower stuck, Fowler found his left foot entangled in thick sawgrass beneath the mower. Hodgen heard a loud "whoosh" as flames leapt 12 feet high. With Fowler trapped in the ring of fire, Hodgen knew he had to take quick action. "I knew Dewey wasn't going to make it out on his own," he said. "I ran into the fire and grabbed Dewey off the mower, and threw him out of the fire as I dove out." Hodgen pushed Fowler to the ground to stop the flames. "Dewey was telling me to just let him sit there, because his arm was hurting too much to move." Hodgen told Fowler they needed to leave before the lawn mower and propane tank exploded. "My dad helped me get Dewey up and away from the mower," Hodgen said. "He was very wobbly, but we were able to move from immediate danger." Meanwhile, Hodgen's cousin moved the propane tank away from the flames. Stewart rushed Fowler by car to Atmore Community Hospital, 3 miles away. Fowler sustained second-degree burns to 8 percent of his body, with his upper arm and leg badly burned beneath the fabric of his pants and shirt. The lawn mower seat had melted except where Fowler sat, which was testimony to the intense heat. The duo's sunglasses prevented their eyes from being burned, but Hodgen's hair was singed, his face and arms appearing sunburned for several days. "That's nothing compared to the pain Mr. Dewey suffered," Hodgen said of Fowler, who is still healing two months later. "I was at the right place at the right time. I called it being pushed by an angel, because I told my Sunday School class it's my only explanation for running into a fire." Hodgen has often thought about what happened, and about the importance of being his brother's keeper. Company safety meetings have a new meaning for Hodgen, who doesn't hesitate to share his cautionary tale. "So many times, I've thought how easily things can happen, and how we can all be there to help someone out when they need it," Hodgen said. "We say safety isn't just for work, that we need to take it home with us. If this had been a situation at work, we would have had a job safety briefing to discuss the process we were about to undertake and any hazard that could be present. It was clear that we had the wrong equipment for this job and maybe went about it the wrong way." All aspects of a home project should be considered before beginning work, Hodgen believes. "Include everyone who is involved to discuss the tasks at hand," he said. "Someone may have a different perspective that could bring an unforeseen hazard to light. It really pays to think ahead." By Donna Cope 'My brother's keeper' valuable tenet to Power Delivery line clearing specialist TARGET ZERO Hodgen, left, with friend Fowler seated on burned lawn mower. Photo by Billy Brown Hodgen

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