Fire brings smoke – and cell service – to Mitchell

The Wheeler County town of Mitchell, population 130 or so, is the closest community to the Waterman Complex fire. It’s an area so rural that it doesn’t even have cellphone service. That is, until now — and only for now.

The fire camp has requested the use of a COW, or Cell on Wheels. It’s a portable tower provided for free by Verizon Wireless.

The cell tower system is brought to areas of natural disasters where the relief crews need service. It’s primarily used on the Waterman Complex so firefighters can contact their loved ones at home.

“This is providing cell phone service to our firefighters so they can communicate to their friends and family when they come off the lines,” Marc Kaschmitter, communication units leader, said Tuesday.

But firefighters are not the only ones getting a chance to call their loved ones because of the COW.

“If we had it all the time, we could get phone call from all my daughters,” said resident Skeeter Reed.

Reed also said they’ve been trying for years to get cell service in town, but it’s just never happened.

“They said we’ll get it in two years – but that’s been six years ago,” Reed said.

It’s taken a large wildfire in the area just to get temporary service, and it’s causing quite the buzz around town.

“Everybody’s going, ‘Hey, you can make a phone call!! On your cellphone!’ It’s like, ‘No way, let’s try it out!'” Reed said.

However, once the fire is out, the temporary service will be gone as well.

“But if we don’t leave, that means we don’t do our jobs,” Kaschmitter said.

Residents, however, hope the COW will stay.