When a little spark turns into a big wildfire, hundreds of firefighters are deployed to battle the blaze. They spend long days in heavy equipment, navigating rough terrain and working in intense heat and smoke. The physical demands are enormous and keeping them fueled is an important part of the mission. That’s where Happy Day Catering comes in.
For our team at Fire Camp, the mission is to feed people. Luckily, this is our specialty! Our team just spent 3 weeks at Fire Camp, 12 miles from the Canadian border, and it definitely came with challenges. At camp, nighttime temperatures would dip into the low 40’s, while daytime temps would be in the high 90’s. This kind of weather was unpredictable, as was fire condition and number of people who were eating. “You have to be flexible,” Stated Frank Webster, VP of operations here at Happy Day and leader and coordinator of Fire Camp. “You can never predict what’s going to happen.”
Sleeping in tents and working through the smoke, the crew’s day begins long before the sun comes up. At 3:30 am, meal prep begins so breakfast can be served at 5:30. Following this, they prepare lunches to be delivered to the fire fighters around 11:00am. Dinner prep begins at 2:30pm and is served around 5:30 – 6:00pm. This can last until 10:00pm. These meals are being prepared to serve between 200-300 people per meal. Compared to the average 2,000-3,000 calories a normal person requires in a day, the on duty firefighters need upwards of 8,000 calories while working on the line. Meals follow federal guidelines that are designed to ensure they receive the proper balance of calories, protein, sugars, and everything else they need to perform this kind of demanding work.
But for the Happy Day team, it’s not just about preparing the food. It’s about the people. Firefighters from all over the country pass through camp, creating unique opportunities for conversations and connection that may not happen anywhere else. At one point, the crew spent time with firefighters from West Virginia who had never been to Idaho before. This type of connection is one of the more memorable parts of the Fire Camp experience. The philosophy rings through these experiences strongly. “It’s hard enough being out there fighting the fires, the least we can do is provide good meals that nurture and fuel them.” Said Frank.
For firefighters, food is fuel. At Fire Camp, food is also a comforting sign that someone is looking out for you. Wildfires can last a few days or stretch into weeks, and there’s no way to know what each trip is going to bring. But when Happy Day is called to help, the mission remains the same. And when the smoke clears and fire crews head home, our team packs up too, ready to return when the next call comes. Happy Day is proud to assist the men and women who give their energy to fighting the fires that threaten our communities and environment.
