Mannford Woman Helps Firefighters Who Saved Her Home

A Mannford woman whose home was saved during a grass fire last week is working to give back to local departments. 

The fire burned nearly three-square miles of land east of Mannford near Highway 51 and South 281^st West Avenue.

“I watched the fire come over the hill. watched the flames come closer and closer,” said Alma Nelson. “But I stayed calm because the firefighters were so wonderful.”

Alma Nelson says more than 100 firefighters spent nearly 12 hours on her property last week working to put out a grass fire and save her home from burning down.

"To watch them fight so hard to save something that's not even theirs,” said Nelson. “I didn't even know these people who were fighting so hard to save what I have."

Firefighters told Nelson and some of her neighbors they needed to gather their belongings, because they didn't know if their homes could be saved.

“They had men everywhere because if it had jumped from there to there, I didn't have a chance,” said Nelson.

Nelson says she has lived on the property for 25 years and moved here because of the beautiful views; now she's sad to see her once-green trees turned to ash.

"It’s just not the same,” said Nelson. “It’s not going to be the same. More trees will come up, but what you see is what I have now."

Nelson says most of the firefighters protecting her home were volunteers who dedicate their lives to saving other people's property.

“They are leaving their employment and not getting paid - to me that’s amazing that somebody would even do what they do,” said Nelson.

Nelson says she is so thankful that firefighters worked to save her home, so she posted on Facebook trying to raise awareness about giving back to the local departments.

“There’s so much more that they need to be able to do what they do,” said Nelson.

Some items that local departments are always needing are water, Gatorade, extra pairs of socks, and hand-held snacks like peanut butter or cheese crackers or beef jerky.

"I just had a Girl Scout troop, Troop #7029, donate 40 boxes of Girl Scout cookies," said Nelson.

Because she wants to give back to those who risked their lives to save everything she has.

"I just had faith that they were going to take care of what they could," said Nelson.

Phelps Market in Mannford is having a water drive on Saturday, April 6th where you can buy a case of water and donate it on the spot.

They are also having a bake sale that same day at the grocery store, and all the money raised will go to local departments like Mannford, Keystone, Basin and others.

Phelps Market is located at 30011 West Hwy 51, Mannford, OK 74044.