Arapahoe County, Colorado, Sheriff’s Deputy Zack Ervin has been first to respond to seven wildfires this summer.
There are less than a dozen Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office deputies who patrol more than 600 square miles of eastern Arapahoe County. It's a rural area in the high plains with a lot of farmland, so when a grassfire breaks out it’s critical to knock it down fast as firefighters may be far away.
"We've been having a lot of grass fires. So oftentimes -- part of our job is -- we respond to all emergencies, and fire being one of them," Ervin told CBS.
He said this summer, he's been the first to show up to at least seven fires. Like all Arapahoe County deputies, he keeps a fire extinguisher in the back of his car, but he probably uses his extinguisher a little more than others.
"I've gone through eight fire extinguishers this summer. Last year, I don't think I used it at all, so this summer has been a little different," Ervin said.
When a call for a fire is made, Ervin says he tries to get to the scene quickly. Most of the time, it can be miles away. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get there, but the sheriff's office and SUVs can drive faster than firetrucks, helping get deputies with a fire extinguisher there quickly.
