An Olds resident is watching the news intensely because her husband, who works in a camp north of Fort McMurray, has volunteered to stay behind to help out firefighters who'll be living there as they battle blazes in the area.
Stefanie Rehaeuser operates Stefanie's Touch, a business that provides facials and medical foot care for clients. Her husband is Michael Rehaeuser.
Stefanie's understanding was he was going to fly out of the Mount Robson camp about 100 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, possibly on Friday, May 6, but volunteered to stay instead.
“This is ridiculous, but he volunteered to stay up,” she told the Albertan.
“They're leaving Mount Robson Lodge open because the firefighters need a place to stay,” she added. “He's in the emergency crew; they're going to have 500 firefighters up there.”
Stephanie is proud of Michael's decision to be there for the firefighters, but she's worried.
“I'm just going crazy here because I know he's not out, he's still there and if the wind changes, what is 100 kilometres with the wind? Nothing, nothing,” she said earlier.
The Rehaeusers have a daughter, Chiara. Stefanie says the situation has been pretty tough on her, too.
“She's pretty frustrated. She's scared too,” Stefanie says. “Even her friends in school said, ‘what's wrong with you? You're so quiet today.' She said, ‘my dad's still up there; he's not home yet.'
“We're here alone and there's no family here. So in situations like this you really feel alone. But I have great friends here and my clients, so that's really good. My clients have been really supportive.
“I have friends constantly texting me, phoning me,” Stefanie says. “My clients are saying ‘Stefanie, if you need anything, give me a call.' Or they just drop by (and say) ‘just hang in there.'
“But otherwise, I'm going nuts and I don't know what's going to happen, so we'll see. It's scary.”
On the other hand, she's pleased that Michael has been able to help.
Lots of fire evacuees from Fort McMurray have ended up in the camp – adults and children.
“He gave these little kids – they were sitting there and he went over and gave them some ice cream because these people are traumatized,” Stefanie says, noting the area is extremely remote. People have to be flown in and out of there.
“They don't know if they're getting out too. You feel like you're still stuck in that fire because you're stuck back there. You're away from the fire but you're not. You have to rely on them flying you out.”
She's also concerned because her husband told her the cellphone service might cut out.
“What do you do? You just wait.”
I'm going nuts and I don't know what's going to happen, so we'll see. It's scary."STEFANIE REHAEUSER
