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Heroes Behind Dramatic 2020 Creek Fire Rescue Honored at County Event
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By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 3 years ago on
September 23, 2021

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On a scale of 1 to 10 for danger in a mission, National Guard members rated the rescue of stranded hikers and campers at Mammoth Pool a 10. 

“We did not know what we were getting ourselves into,” Staff Sergeant George Esquivel, a Los Banos native, said. “We had a job to accomplish and we were all safe and we were all comfortable with whatever obstacles headed our way.”

“We did not know what we were getting ourselves into.”SSgt. George Esquivel

One year after the daring rescue mission by the California National Guard, the Fresno Chamber of Commerce recognized the Creek Fire heroes. The ceremony was part of the annual State of the County Breakfast, held Wednesday morning at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. The National Guard was honored along with Cal Fire.

As the Creek Fire raged, the National Guard was tasked with rescuing 214 people trapped at Mammoth Pool Reservoir in Madera County. Two helicopters, a Chinook and a Blackhawk, flew back and forth three times to the rescue site and the National Guard base adjacent to Fresno Yosemite International airport.

Pilots Recall the Rescue

“This was a unique experience. However, everything that we did, flying at high altitude, flying heavy, flying over smoke, night vision goggles, it’s all things we’ve done before.”Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brady Hlebain

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brady Hlebain was a co-pilot of the Chinook. The crew launched out of Stockton, only knowing that people needed help.

“We ended up using our night vision goggles to see through the walls of smoke so we could see the fire and embers on the other side of it, which allowed us to find a canyon that got us to Mammoth Pools,” Hlebain — a Milwaukee native now living in Fresno — said.

The helicopters landed at the only area not on fire, the boat launch.

“Our flight engineers, George Esquivel and Cameron Powell were able to see the ground, even though we were engulfed in a cloud of smoke and sand. They called us down to the ground. We dispatched them out to the evacuees. They did a quick triage, determine who was burned, who was injured, who needed to go on the first lift out,” Hlebain said.

Social media post showing images from Mammoth Pool Reservoir on Sept. 5, 2020.

“We don’t train for that situation right there. That area that we were in was definitely no one should have been in there,” Ezequiel said.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Irvin Hernandez, a Parlier native who piloted the Blackhawk, didn’t realize how much danger they were in.

“Where it hit me was after the first round from the first rescue, once we landed and I looked back and I see the families — I can see the fear, but also a sign of relief in their eyes,” Hernandez said. “As long as the night goes on, it’s going to get worse and worse. It’s going to be more dangerous.”

Hernandez called it a scene out of a movie.

“You just see people in the water. You see flames around, cars near the shore. And my thoughts were, how are we going to get these people out? Who’s injured? Just my thoughts — how do we get these people out?” Hernandez said.

In his service, Hlebain never seen anything like the rescue mission.

“This was a unique experience. However, everything that we did, flying at high altitude, flying heavy, flying over smoke, night vision goggles, it’s all things we’ve done before. This was one of the first times that we kind of brought all those things together,” Hlebain said.

Photo of interior of a California National Guard helicopter jammed with people rescued from the Creek Fire at Mammoth Pool on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020
California National Guard shows dozens of evacuees are evacuated to safety on a Cal Guard Chinook Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, after they were trapped by flames from the Creek Fire. A total of 214 people were airlifted from the site to the National Guard air base in Fresno. The California Office of Emergency Services said Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters were used for the rescues that began Saturday night and continued overnight. (California National Guard via AP)

Why They Wear the Uniform

The soldiers appreciated the recognition, but said protecting lives is their job.

“It’s the reason that soldiers wear this uniform. We joined the military to protect this country and to protect our communities. It’s an honor. It’s a privilege. I’m grateful for the opportunity to do this. But this is why we have a job, why we exist,” Hlebain said.

Hlebain remained humble.

“I’m just the guy standing up here grabbing the award. I represent the Army and the National Guard and all the other soldiers. We were the ones who got the call. We were on duty. So we did this mission there. No doubt in my mind that every other soldier at my unit and in the Fresno in the National Guard would do the same thing under the same circumstances,” Hlebain said.

Families Deserve Credit

“They’re the ones fighting the battle back home. We just leave, we pick up our bags and they’re left with all the responsibilities being at home, kids, work as well. And we’re just out there doing our job.”Chief Warrant Officer 2 Irvin Hernandez

Hernandez said families left at home deserve credit as well.

“They’re the ones fighting the battle back home. We just leave, we pick up our bags and they’re left with all the responsibilities being at home, kids, work as well. And we’re just out there doing our job,” Hernandez said.

Felicia Ramos, Irvin Hernandez’s girlfriend, attended the ceremony.

“We were really worried about them because we didn’t know all of the details. We just knew that it was a very serious mission and very dangerous. We’re proud of him and all of his accomplishments and everything that he sacrificed and how many people he helped,” Ramos said.

Isaiah Salmann, Hernandez’s 13-year old son, is proud of his dad.

“It’s kind of exciting to see him save people,” Salmann said.

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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