OCR Text |
Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS - Thursday, July 9, 1981 - Page Eight Remote Job Rewarding for Moccasin Native Its by Loren Webb a i(X) feet to the top of the stairway, jet Mavis Rogers makes the trip every work day and although she says its good for her, she never quite gets used to the exertion. Mrs. Rogers, if you haven't guessed, works as a lookout for fires on the north district of Kaibab National Forest for the U.S. Forest Service. A native of Moccasin, Mrs. Rogers has climbed the stairs to her fire lookout tower at Big Springs for 32 consecutive summers. Originally, she and her husband, Royce Rogers, worked summers together when he wasn't teaching fifth grade at Phoenix. Because he had his summers off, Mrs. Rogers said, they took the Forest Service job after someone suggested they apply. When first hired in 1949 the Rogers were stationed 17 years at Dry Park in the forest, some nine miles south of her present station. Each summer, the Rogers would bring case goods from their home in Phoenix to the tower. They even brought a milk cow. In those days, they had daily mail service at Dry jnr ... yb . vV'r i: , likes the solitude. "During the year when Im not working here, Im raising seven children at home," she said. After her husband's death, Mavis moved back to her original home in Moccasin and continued working at her summer home on the forest. At the tower, she say, "It gives me a chance to read and relax a little, because she doesn't get that chance in Moccasin. While her children were grow ing up on the forest in the summer, Mavis recalls they would roam the forest and build tree houses. She said ft t'Kfiri took wind readings and relayed information through the tower to other communication centers on the forest district. Mr. Rogers said at times lightning will take out the main center's communications so dispatches have to be relayed through her tower. Although she likes Dry Park tower better because it is 1,000 feet higher in elevation But it hasn't been all fun and games either. During high fire dangers, Mavis works six and sometimes seven days a week. She remembers one logged in her area and kept she and her kids fascinated with how the trees were cut and hauled away. Another time, lightning Springs, apparently because of the distance. In the meantime, the Rogers spent time looking for fires through their binoculars, Mavis Rogers of Moccasin, Ariz., demonstrates how to use an osborn fire fighter instrument to locate fires on the North District of the Kaibab Forest. A summer employee of the U. S. Forest Service, Mrs. Rogers has worked there consecutively for 32 years. than Big Springs, she and her husband moved to the Big Springs tower when that fire lookout person left. The forest service also needed someone qualified to dispatch and take weather readings there, she struck the tower and some nearby Ponderosa trees; luckily Mavis was in her cabin below. She says a summmer doesnt pass but she sees plenty of lightning storms. Because of the towers remoteness, Mavis says she gets maybe 10 bonafide visitors a year and most of those came because they were lost. She never gets lonely, "But I'm glad at the end of the week to come into town (Moccasin), but then Im glad to come back here too (Big Springs.) She says one advantage working at the tower, is she keeps up on news At the end of the day, Mrs. Rogers descends the stairs and walks to her nearby cabin where she is working on a quilt. The cabin is furnished by the Forest Service and has a bedroom, kitchen, shower and wash basins and a living room. An earlier built house serves as a storage shed and there is also a house out back. Of Mrs. Rogers, Mark Baron says, Shes a good employee, easy going, does her job and never complains. Shes so easy going, you have to watch out that you dont forget shes there. He said she has taught several people about fire lookout procedures. It's a more difficult position to fill, because there are long periods of boredom, but when youre needed, youre really needed. She is a primary dispatching operator and does a very good job at it. You couldn't ask for a As Mrs. better employee. Rogers sums it up, Ill stay at this job as long as theyll keep m . not an ivory tower for Mavis Rogers, it's a fire lookout tower at Big Springs No, on the north district of the Kaibab National Forest and Mrs. Rogers has been for fires there for 32 summers. Although In a remote setting, Mrs. Rogers its looking finds the me. Job satisfying. Government Exchange Program Beneficial Says NPS and USFS NEEDSICOMHEIRST I said. When not scanning the horizon for smokes (fires) Mavis reads and does handiwork, crocheting, but it gets boring when you dont have anything going on. Yet she Mark Baron, who works with Mavis, said the Forest Service is presenting consid- ering placing two other towers on the district. Mavis also admits at times one day her her workday is quite slow, but at tower the began climbing Dry Park. Since then, to avoid by reading novels, magazines, doing some sketching and that kind of scare, a fence-typ- e she keeps gate has been built at the making doilies, busy. entrance. stairway summer, Kaibab Industries Park. This service was subsequently stopped at Big better than when in town by listening to her forest service transmitter and reading National Geographic magazines. Although she likes her job, she says the towers on the forest are in the wrong locations, because they dont have water supplies nearby. She sajd V.T. Ridge is a good place for a tower because it is the highest point on the district. . ..II What began as a joint hike between two government in the Kaibab forest range has worked into a regular employee program for familiarizing the departments with each others problems and functions. OWNER ANXIOUS FOR QUICK SALE, JOB TRANSFER. Five yr. old approx. 1,000 sqft, 3 bedlot in Kanawood. rooms, 1 bath, metal shed, FARM HOME LOAN assumption to qualified buyer. Price $45,000 00 4 Jjji - HOME has partial THIS basement and gives you possibilities to grow and ' expand as you wish, 75xl25 lot has fruit trees and garden spot, all located in southwestern Kanab and Farm Home loan. Assumppriced in the tion to qualified buyer. mid-fortie- VERY ATTRACTIVE, DONT BE TOO LATE, MAKE OFFER NOW! Split entrance, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 beautiful fireplaces, one on each floor. Carpeted throughout. Back yard with patio and chain link fence. Attached single car garage. Walk out door into garage. Located in Vermillion Heights, No. 1. Price $70,000.00 OWNERS TRANSFERRED - MUST SELL THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME. Exceptional maintenance. Split entrance. Walk-ou- t basement, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath 2nd unfinished. Finished recreation room, 3 acre lot in Kanawood. Call and arrange for a showing. Priced in the mid-fiftie- ANOTHER NEW LISTING. Homette mobile home, 24 x52, located on KCR lot No. 1168. Exceptional floor plan with beautiful dming-huinroom, 2 bed5 10x3 2 baths. rear Covered, rooms, patio. Garden area with grape vines and strawberry plants. Garage with cement drive Well insulated. 12x20 shop with wood burning stove. Contact us for aoditional details and a visit to this fine property. Price: $37,500 JUST LISTED - Sitting on 5 acres, well kept, 14 x 70 ft mobile home, include dining room, equipped kitchen, carpeting, sunken bath tub Two bedrooms and utility room. Oversized garage and workshop, shrubs, many trees, some fruit, all fenced You want to see this Price in mid fifties. See Barry Judd, Frank Major or Jessolyn Swopp LeROY P. JUDD FRONTIER r REALTY i Broker Begun last year by two enterprising men, a National Park Service ranger and a U.S. Forest Service ranger, it now has the official blessings of both agencies. Reho Thorum, NPS and Mark Battaion, Forest Service said the program involves switching forest service recreation staff at Jacob LakJJ with the interpretative staff at the National Park Service's North Rim Grand Canyon. As far as they know the program is a first in the Intermountain West. The involves program switching one at a time, NPS personnel with Forest Service says Battaion. personnel, We take them (NPS) out and show them what we do different from the NPS. NPS does the same with the Forest NPS North Rim. while NPS came for fire training at Jacob Lake. Although this year's pro- LOOK AT THIS! Are you looking for a real nice brick ranch home? mtce. Real Very low electric bills, 1176 sq. ft., 2 large BR and 2 baths, 1st floor. Full basement has 3rd BR & plumbing for 3rd bath., Food storage room. Has' deck 20'xl2', great view! Dandy 32'xl6 swim pool with all accessories low-co- st and deck, solar heated and fenced. On e lot, nice landscaping in front. Priced lower sixties - terms. Call Steel Toes? Whats your style ... If your job calls for safety steel toes, there's no need to settle for what you can get. With Red Wings, you get what you want! Stop in. SIZES 5 'toot at ftzw in wdm EedWings DUKES Battaion exchange areas, the Forest Service has attended an orientation program at the Travel in Zion National Park totaled 242,908 visits for the month of June, according to Acting Superintendent M. S. Nicholson. This figure represents a 26 percent increase compared with June 1980. Travel for the calendar year totals 547,409 visits, an increase of approximately 14 percent compared to the same period in 1980. Campground use at Zion totaled 39,072 campers for the month, an increase of approximately 0.6 percent compared to the same last year. Backcountry camping increased 93 percent compared to You Guess! operates. role in it until todav. Now NPS sends an exchange emplovee to the center for a full day. In other June of last year. A Service staff. Thorum said the program was started to break down some barriers, notable animosity between the two agencies and to see how each agency said the Forest Service people can go on nature walks with NPS, while NPS people can be shown the problems of maintenance at the Jacob Lake campground as well as law enforcement problems and techniques of falling tree there. When looking at both agencies differences, the Forest Service is multiple use oriented, while Battaion says the Park Service is conservation and preservation oriented. It is also more of an outdoor museum, added Thorum. The program benefits the employees from both groups a better understanding of each other. It gives employees a diversity of jobs to participate in, Battaion said. Presently, the Jacob Lake visitor center is jointly funded by both agencies, but the Park Service has not taken an active Travel Up in Zion Park Kanab, Utah Reho Rick Thorum left National Park Service and Mark Battaion, U. S. Forest Service have been instrumental in establishing an employee exchange program between their agencies at Jacob Lake and the North Rim Grand Canyon. The purpose has been to familiarize both groups with the others function. gram Battaion hasn't started yet employees says the exchange program w ill run intermittently this summer, but with fewer participants because of fewer in both agencies. The exchange program how- ever isnt without its problems. Thorum said if we left (Mark and Rick), the program would probably fall flat on its face. Meanwhile, Rick hopes the program can expand into other government agencies. Navy Man Receives EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Behavioral and Social Science! Department Secretary contract): requirements: graduation from a standard senior high school or equivalent G.E.D. REQUIRED. Typing at 50 WPM and spelling competency required: shorthand at 80 WPM andor dictaphone skills desired (APPLICANT MUST SCHEDULE THEIR OWN TESTING TIME AT JOB SERVICE FOR THE TYPING AND SPELLING TESTS BY THE CLOSING DATE OF JULY 13. 1981. IF APPLICANT HAS SHORTHAND SKILLS. THEY SHOULD ALSO TAKE THIS TEST). Some education and two years responsible secy retarial experience desired. Grammar, filing, writing skills, statistical typing, telephone skills, and ability to use business machines required (ditto machine, collator, calculator. etc.). Some bookkeeping experience preferred. Desired starting date: September 1, 1981. Salary: Grade 111 (S8420 for contract). All applications must be submitted through the Southern Utah State College Personnel Office. Cedar City, Utah 84720, no later than 5.00 p.m.. July 13, 1981. An Equal Oppxjrtumty Affirmative Action Employer Commendation Navy Seaman Apprentice James R. Burr, son of Samuel R. and Ethel B. Burr Kanab, has received a letter of Commendation. He is a crewmember aboard the oiler USS Cimarron, homeported in Oakland, Calif. Cited for his participation in fighting a fire at the Navy's Transportation Management School in Oakland, he was one of 23 men who volunteered to help base fire fighters combat what turned into a s'ubborn three alarm blaze. The Cimarron volunteers, remained on station for nearly five hours combating the fire which uitimately destroyed the school. Sterling Gardner Construction oAll Phases of Construction NEW HOMES REMODELING REASONABLE PRICES NO JOB TOO SMALL Phone 644-554- 8 or 5201 Box 668 Kanab, Utah 84741 |