Resilience through Fire and Ice
Charlie Lang is fueled by relationships.
That’s what ultimately brought him to Dordt University. “Once I came on my first visit to Dordt, I loved the atmosphere and people. Everyone was so welcoming and really seemed like they cared about everyone that attended this university,” says Lang.
Lang is a member of the hockey team at Dordt. As much as he loves the sport itself, it’s time with teammates that has made his experience on the hockey team memorable. “I look forward to seeing my teammates and spending time with them on days we have games and practices,” says Lang.
“Some of the most memorable experiences that I have had with the team are the long bus rides. We are always finding some way to keep ourselves entertained,” adds Lang.
As a student-athlete at Dordt, Lang has been challenged by the Defender Way. Lang is also pursuing a degree in business administration. “Balancing academics with hockey can be difficult,” says Lang.
However, the culture of the team has helped keep him on track: “As a team, we are always on each other about getting schoolwork done, and our coach always makes sure that we put our academics first,” says Lang.
Lang is used to embracing challenges. He spent the summer fighting fires as a member of a fuels crew out west. “I worked in the Eastern Montana/Dakotas District office focusing on wildfire response as part of an initial attack crew,” says Lang. He also helped with firefighting efforts in California and New Mexico.
“We were the first to respond to wildfires, and I can confidently say that fighting wildfires is the most challenging job I have ever undertaken,” says Lang. “While many express interests in this line of work, the reality is that it is both physically and mentally demanding.”
“The job demands physical fitness, and the first week included a challenging pack test, which required wearing a weighted vest of 45 pounds and walking three miles in under 45 minutes. We are also required to go through 1 hour of physical training per day when not on fires,” says Lang.
When I remind myself that I am doing everything for Him, I am able to fight through whatever challenges I am facing.
In Lang’s experience, fighting fires isn’t just about physical endurance. It has also forced him to practice patience and attentiveness. One example is in the work of mopping up fires. Lang says that role can feel a little monotonous: “After containment, we conducted a thorough search for hot spots within the fire’s perimeter, a process that could take a long time and required multiple passes.” However, it’s a crucial role to containing and eliminating future fire risks.
Another challenging aspect of the fuels crew is an unpredictable schedule and significant time away from home. “One day, I planned to attend a concert on my day off, only to be called to a fire where we stayed for four days,” says Lang. “The very next day, we headed to California for two weeks, working 16-hour days on the Park Fire, which covered nearly 430,000 acres.”
“Another notable assignment took me to Cuba, New Mexico, where I joined an engine crew for two weeks, patrolling the Santa Fe National Forest and clearing roads with chainsaws as part of a severity role.”
Through his time at Dordt so far, Lang says his faith has grown tremendously, and he’s grateful for how it has prepared him for experiences and relationship outside of campus.
“During the summer, the culture within firefighting is a lot different than what I am used to at Dordt,” says Lang. “There are times when I question people’s actions or the things they say on the fire line. Although the culture is different, I think that my job helped me mature into a better person with stronger beliefs.”
“Faith impacts my ability to endure the mental and physical toughness for fighting fires because I know that I am protected by God,” adds Lang. “When I remind myself that I am doing everything for Him, I am able to fight through whatever challenges I am facing.”
