NORTH TEXAS – The smoke drew them toward elevated terrain, but the dry Texas landscape made the distance hard to judge as West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) Lt. Cameron Frazier and North River Fire District (NRFD) Firefighter Mark Fontana approached a reported spot fire, sharing one bladder bag and one shovel.
What appeared manageable from below was considerably larger when they reached it. Their water was running low, and the fire was not slowing. They requested additional resources. Then Frazier spotted a nearby pond. The two firefighters refilled the bladder bag more than 10 times, attacked the fire and moved downed trees to separate the burning area from surrounding fuels.
When Frazier and Fontana left for Texas on Aug. 28 as part of Florida Strike Team 1101, the Ross Fire in North Texas had already burned approximately 85,000 acres and was only 26% contained. It would eventually grow to approximately 90,400 acres across Palo Pinto and Jack counties. At least 167 structures, including 18 homes, were destroyed, while firefighters were credited with saving an estimated 453 others.
The spot fire was one of many assignments during a 16-day, 4,271-mile deployment. By the time Frazier and Fontana demobilized on Sept. 12, containment had climbed from 26% to 83%. The Ross Fire was declared fully contained on Sept. 16.
THE CALL
On Friday, Aug. 28, Frazier was training new hires aboard WMFR Fireboat 136 when Capt. Paul Hopkins asked whether he wanted to go to Texas.
“Right place and right time,” Frazier said of that request.
While on duty, Fontana received a midmorning call from North River Fire Chief Joe Sicking.
“I felt honored and excited to be able to represent Manatee County and the state of Florida,” Fontana said. “I also felt a bit nervous about the task at hand because I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
Fontana had responded to many brush fires and completed extensive wildland training, but the scale of the Ross Fire would be different. Frazier and Fontana previously completed technical-rescue and urban search-and-rescue classes together.
THE ROAD WEST
As part of Florida Strike Team 1101, Frazier and Fontana departed Manatee County that afternoon aboard North River Tender 534 (a water tanker), with the air-conditioned cab packed with their equipment and personal belongings.
The long drive gave them time to discuss their lives, careers and future goals. Frazier said the second day of travel made the mission feel real – when the strike team was told to reach staging at the incident command post as soon as possible.
They arrived at lodging in Fort Worth around 9:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Their first operational assignment took them to the Hills community, where the crew staged as a tactical water tender and stood ready for structure protection.
DIVISION WHISKEY
Tender 534’s primary job was to support engine and brush strike teams with water. The assignment required less visible action than direct attack, but every working crew depended on a reliable supply. Fontana operated and maintained the apparatus, using its four-wheel-drive capability to negotiate tight roads, hills and rough ranch terrain. Frazier served as the officer, handled radio traffic, monitored conditions and brought crew concerns to the strike team leader.
Their operational periods generally ran from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tender 534 moved through different areas of Division Whiskey, their assigned operational area, shuttling water, supplying other apparatus and assisting with structure protection and spot fires.
The assignment also demanded patience. Frazier and Fontana were accustomed to being active, hands-on firefighters. Water-tender operations sometimes meant staging and waiting until another crew called for water. Mental fatigue and monotony could become as real as physical exhaustion. They used area familiarization, movement around the staging area and daily preplans to stay prepared. When work came, conditions could change quickly.
Fontana recalled hiking long distances in gear while carrying equipment toward smoke that looked closer than it was. Heat, dry fuels, wind and difficult access increased the consequences of every decision. In some areas, the roads were narrow and poorly maintained, but Frazier said he trusted Fontana behind the wheel. Fontana’s knowledge of Tender 534 also influenced apparatus placement when its specifications made his recommendation the safer choice.
TWO FIREFIGHTERS, ONE CREW
At their first spot fire, their teamwork immediately paid off: Frazier connected hose to supply other apparatus while Fontana placed Tender 534 into pump and established the necessary pressure.
Their accounts show how that trust worked in both directions. Fontana praised Frazier’s radio reports, particularly his ability to describe fire location and estimate the water needed. Frazier credited Fontana with spotting distant fires and identifying safety concerns. During one brush-fire operation, Frazier said Fontana made a quick tactical decision to disperse the fuel load, making the fire easier to control and reducing the chance of rapid spread.
They occasionally disagreed about travel routes or apparatus placement, but they discussed those decisions afterward. Their shared objective remained simple: Accomplish the mission and return home safely.
WATER COWBOYS
The deployment involved crews from across Florida, including departments from the Panhandle, southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay region. Fontana was struck by how quickly those personnel worked together.
“There were no egos or cold shoulders depending on where you came from,” he said. “We were all one team.”
Away from the fire line, Frazier and Fontana marked the trip by buying cowboy hats. Somewhere along the way, the two firefighters from neighboring Manatee County fire departments acquired a fitting nickname: the “Water Cowboys.” It was humorous, but it also fit. Tender 534 was not always the apparatus closest to the flames. It was the apparatus other crews expected to arrive with the water needed to keep their operations moving.
THE TRIP HOME
After demobilization inspections, equipment accountability and mileage documentation, the crew left Mineral Wells, Texas, and traveled to Pearl, Mississippi. They departed Pearl early the next morning and arrived home at approximately 6 p.m. Sept. 13.
Both firefighters returned with lessons that extended beyond wildfire tactics. Fontana gained experience operating in a fire environment far larger than anything he had previously encountered. He also saw how personnel who had never worked together could combine their skills around a common mission. Frazier returned with greater patience and experience leading unfamiliar personnel within an unfamiliar organization.
Frazier also identified a practical training need: He believes a wider range of firefighters should understand the Incident Command System well enough to follow information, assignments and responsibilities during large deployments.
WMFR Fire Chief Ben Rigney said, “West Manatee Fire Rescue takes tremendous pride in the work Cameron Frazier and Mark Fontana performed during this deployment. They came from two neighboring departments, operated as one crew and represented West Manatee Fire Rescue, North River Fire District and all of Manatee County with professionalism, dedication and teamwork. Their service reflects the very best of our local fire service.”
Chief Sicking said, “Mark’s performance on the Ross Fire reflects the kind of firefighter he is: hardworking, dependable and willing to do whatever the mission requires. We are extremely proud of the effort he gave throughout this deployment and the professional manner in which he represented North River Fire District and our community.”
When asked whether he would deploy with Frazier again, Fontana said, “Absolutely, in a heartbeat. We have the camaraderie and the system together to get the job done. It’s the two of us together versus the fire.”
Frazier said, “Absolutely. We got along from the beginning.”
Frazier and Fontana left Manatee County as two firefighters from neighboring departments. More than 4,000 miles later, the Water Cowboys returned as one proven crew.
