Friends and Neighbors: Michael Ferguson

Michael Ferguson, 20, son of Kerry and Jeri, and a 2015 Kimball High graduate will be starting his second year of college at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in less than two weeks. He is studying Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Communications with plans to return to Kimball in hopes to use what he's learned for both a career in radio, as well as ranching and farming.

Ferguson has spent this summer at home here in Kimball, helping his family with their farming and ranching activities. While working wheat harvest on July 24, an electrical storm blew in and his crew decided to head home as it was getting pretty bad.

He was following behind the bigger trucks when a lightning strike hit about 50 yards from the road and 150 yards in front of him, shaking his pickup so violently he was surprised he stayed on the road. After the initial shock and awe wore off, he was able to compose himself and continue driving.

As he passed the area that was hit by the lightning, he noticed the smoke and flames and thought, "Oh no, that's not good."

He knew he had two options, try to put it out himself or call 911. His concern was, if he waited for the fire department to get the 13 miles to Ray Freeburg's pasture, the fire could grow quickly and destroy the grassland.

Since he was right there and the fire was still pretty small, Ferguson decided he would try to take care of it himself. He parked his pickup a good distance away and sprinted to the fire, all the while having no idea what he was going to do when he got there. He had thought of using the water bottles in his truck but they were so small he knew they would not make much of a difference.

When he got to the fire he just started stomping it with his work boots. He began around the outside edge first and as it seemed to be working, he just kept going until he completely extinguished the fire.

Looking back he said, "Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea to get out of the pickup in a lightning storm." As he was putting the fire out there was more lightning going on above him.

"Really that wasn't on my mind, I was thinking there was a neighbor who needed help," he added. "I only did what I hoped someone would do for me if my pasture was on fire."

Although he doesn't recommend that people go around stomping out pasture fires, he said that if a similar situation were to present itself, "I'd do it again. He needed help and there was no one else around to do it. I don't own my own cattle, but I know how important a pasture is to raise cattle. To lose an entire pasture to fire would be devastating."

Ferguson insisted, "I did what I had to do and I'd do it again."