- Rozovsky wins prestigious NSF Early Career Award
- UD students meet alumni, experience 'closing bell' at NYSE
- Newark Police seek assistance in identifying suspects in robbery
- Rivlin says bipartisan budget action, stronger budget rules key to reversing debt
- Stink bugs shouldn't pose problem until late summer
- Gao to honor Placido Domingo in Washington performance
- Adopt-A-Highway project keeps Lewes road clean
- WVUD's Radiothon fundraiser runs April 1-10
- W.D. Snodgrass Symposium to honor Pulitzer winner
- New guide helps cancer patients manage symptoms
- UD in the News, March 25, 2011
- For the Record, March 25, 2011
- Public opinion expert discusses world views of U.S. in Global Agenda series
- Congressional delegation, dean laud Center for Community Research and Service program
- Center for Political Communication sets symposium on politics, entertainment
- Students work to raise funds, awareness of domestic violence
- Equestrian team wins regional championship in Western riding
- Markell, Harker stress importance of agriculture to Delaware's economy
- Carol A. Ammon MBA Case Competition winners announced
- Prof presents blood-clotting studies at Gordon Research Conference
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month events, programs announced
- Stay connected with Sea Grant, CEOE e-newsletter
- A message to UD regarding the tragedy in Japan
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- March 31-May 14: REP stages Neil Simon's 'The Good Doctor'
- April 2: Newark plans annual 'wine and dine'
- April 5: Expert perspective on U.S. health care
- April 5: Comedian Ace Guillen to visit Scrounge
- April 6, May 4: School of Nursing sponsors research lecture series
- April 6-May 4: Confucius Institute presents Chinese Film Series on Wednesdays
- April 6: IPCC's Pachauri to discuss sustainable development in DENIN Dialogue Series
- April 7: 'WVUDstock' radiothon concert announced
- April 8: English Language Institute presents 'Arts in Translation'
- April 9: Green and Healthy Living Expo planned at The Bob
- April 9: Center for Political Communication to host Onion editor
- April 10: Alumni Easter Egg-stravaganza planned
- April 11: CDS session to focus on visual assistive technologies
- April 12: T.J. Stiles to speak at UDLA annual dinner
- April 15, 16: Annual UD push lawnmower tune-up scheduled
- April 15, 16: Master Players series presents iMusic 4, China Magpie
- April 15, 16: Delaware Symphony, UD chorus to perform Mahler work
- April 18: Former NFL Coach Bill Cowher featured in UD Speaks
- April 21-24: Sesame Street Live brings Elmo and friends to The Bob
- April 30: Save the date for Ag Day 2011 at UD
- April 30: Symposium to consider 'Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface'
- April 30-May 1: Relay for Life set at Delaware Field House
- May 4: Delaware Membrane Protein Symposium announced
- May 5: Northwestern University's Leon Keer to deliver Kerr lecture
- May 7: Women's volleyball team to host second annual Spring Fling
- Through May 3: SPPA announces speakers for 10th annual lecture series
- Through May 4: Global Agenda sees U.S. through others' eyes; World Bank president to speak
- Through May 4: 'Research on Race, Ethnicity, Culture' topic of series
- Through May 9: Black American Studies announces lecture series
- Through May 11: 'Challenges in Jewish Culture' lecture series announced
- Through May 11: Area Studies research featured in speaker series
- Through June 5: 'Andy Warhol: Behind the Camera' on view in Old College Gallery
- Through July 15: 'Bodyscapes' on view at Mechanical Hall Gallery
- More What's Happening >>
- UD calendar >>
- Middle States evaluation team on campus April 5
- Phipps named HR Liaison of the Quarter
- Senior wins iPad for participating in assessment study
- April 19: Procurement Services schedules information sessions
- UD Bookstore announces spring break hours
- HealthyU Wellness Program encourages employees to 'Step into Spring'
- April 8-29: Faculty roundtable series considers student engagement
- GRE is changing; learn more at April 15 info session
- April 30: UD Evening with Blue Rocks set for employees
- Morris Library to be open 24/7 during final exams
- More Campus FYI >>
1:01 p.m., Aug. 28, 2009----Eric Bugglin-Borer, a junior University of Delaware Honors Program student majoring in biochemistry, had the ideal summer job. He got paid to travel the country, visiting places he had never been before, camping and working outside, all while having the time of his life. Oh, and there was also the small matter of having to fight fierce wildfires sweeping the West.
Last year, Bugglin-Borer went on two firefighting assignments in Northern California. This year, his assignment took him to Utah before he was transferred to Los Padres National Park in Southern California.
Bugglin-Borer first became interested in firefighting while he was in Boy Scouts and met Michael Valenti, Delaware's assistant state forester. After the student earned Eagle Scout status, Valenti offered him the chance to train to become a wildland firefighter.
Says Bugglin-Borer, “I took the classes, bought an expensive pair of approved wildland firefighting boots and waited for a call to go out West.”
The process of being placed is a guessing game at best. As Bugglin-Borer explains, “It's not up to me where we go. When I was called this year I was told we were going to Alaska. When I arrived at Blackbird State Forest we were told we were going to Oregon, and on the plane we were told we were going to Utah. After two days in Utah we were sent to Southern California.”
On assignment for 14 days, plus three days of travel, Bugglin-Borer was placed in a fire suppression group. These groups are organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are made up of volunteer structural firefighters, state employees involved in forestry, Department of Agriculture workers, and a few people just like Bugglin-Borer, who are unaffiliated.
When asked about his favorite part of this year's experience, Bugglin-Borer explains that he mostly enjoyed getting to know the members of his group. “A crew is composed of 20 individuals who get to know each other fairly well over the two-week assignment. I enjoy listening and learning from the life experiences and insights of each, especially as I choose a path for my future.”
He also enjoyed participating in a burn off, in which land is cleared of vegetation in a controlled fire, and getting a glimpse of the Morton Salt factory in Utah.
Although Bugglin-Borer does concede that, “some situations have been more tense than others,” he says that he has never been scared in a situation, attributing this bravery to being in a group with experienced crewmembers.
“I have never been scared because the group we have has a lot of experience,” he says. “In addition, we are constantly aware of our surroundings and we do our best to stress situational awareness. We are constantly aware of the weather and position of the fire in relation to our location.”
As far as the future, Bugglin-Borer plans to graduate with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, and afterwards has plans for either medical or graduate school, or a combination M.D./Ph.D. But he plans to continue with firefighting in some capacity. “One of the guys who was on my crew this past summer is a recruiter for a local fire station so I have been considering structural firefighting. I plan to take some more classes for wildland firefighting. Hopefully I will be able to continue traveling out West to fight fires,” he says.
Article by Adam Thomas