Akeley woman gives new meaning to ‘a working lunch’

By Sarah Smithssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.com Sebrina Hegg is a superhero, although she thinks otherwise. Akeley’s Clerk-Treasurer heard the fire alarm go off Wednesday morning from her post at City Hall just before 11:30 a.m. She raced in the family minivan the few blocks down Broadway to the fire station, jumped in a truck and took off. The call was a fire spreading in the wind to a nearby trailer. No big deal, she said.
She extinguished the flames. A homeowner was illegally burning trash on a windy day and flames had jumped his fire pit and were heading to the trailer. The dispatcher had automatically paged Nevis Fire because for structure fires, mutual aid is routine. Then Nevis was told not to bother, since the trailer wasn’t a home. Hegg had the fire out before Nevis firefighters reached the station. She had the fire out before her own firefighters could get to their station. She returned 10 minutes later, parked the truck and was set to return to the office, which she’d left in the hands of her assistant, when a reporter stopped by. “I got it out,” she said nonchalantly. She’d preserved the memory by taking a smartphone picture – after it was out. Now Hegg, who stands just under 5-feet tall, is no rank amateur. She’s a member of the East Hubbard County Fire Department, as is her husband, Troy. Her father, Lee Johnson, is the chief. Hegg, a mother, did not say if she gave the homeowner some motherly advice or a citation, but who could blame her if she did? For her, it was all in a day’s work. You must have a permit to burn and you cannot burn refuse before 6 p.m. for the very reason Hegg left her post at City Hall. It was a productive way to spend her lunch hour.By Sarah Smithssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.comSebrina Hegg is a superhero, although she thinks otherwise.Akeley’s Clerk-Treasurer heard the fire alarm go off Wednesday morning from her post at City Hall just before 11:30 a.m.She raced in the family minivan the few blocks down Broadway to the fire station, jumped in a truck and took off.The call was a fire spreading in the wind to a nearby trailer.No big deal, she said.
She extinguished the flames. A homeowner was illegally burning trash on a windy day and flames had jumped his fire pit and were heading to the trailer.The dispatcher had automatically paged Nevis Fire because for structure fires, mutual aid is routine. Then Nevis was told not to bother, since the trailer wasn’t a home.Hegg had the fire out before Nevis firefighters reached the station. She had the fire out before her own firefighters could get to their station.She returned 10 minutes later, parked the truck and was set to return to the office, which she’d left in the hands of her assistant, when a reporter stopped by.“I got it out,” she said nonchalantly. She’d preserved the memory by taking a smartphone picture – after it was out.Now Hegg, who stands just under 5-feet tall, is no rank amateur. She’s a member of the East Hubbard County Fire Department, as is her husband, Troy. Her father, Lee Johnson, is the chief.Hegg, a mother, did not say if she gave the homeowner some motherly advice or a citation, but who could blame her if she did?For her, it was all in a day’s work.You must have a permit to burn and you cannot burn refuse before 6 p.m. for the very reason Hegg left her post at City Hall.It was a productive way to spend her lunch hour.