GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – On Super Bowl Sunday, viewers around the country tuned in to watch the big game and the quirky commercials. Of the many light-hearted and serious commercials that ran, one in particular shared a proud and patriotic message; It also featured one of our own CAL FIRE heroes.

Just before the National Anthem kicked off the big game, Fox News aired the highly patriotic commercial set to the song “Ragged Old Flag,” by Johnny Cash. It depicted current servicemen of honor, those in past historical battles and crucial moments throughout our nation’s history carrying or displaying the American Flag.  At one point, a man in a CAL FIRE uniform plants an American Flag among a forest of charred trees.  That man was Butte County CalFire’s Assistance Chief Ken Lowe and the burned ground, an area of Paradise that the Camp Fire had torn through.

Chief Lowe has been with CAL FIRE since 1990, beginning his career in the Tehema-Glenn unit. He has held multiple leadership positions including serving for 12 years on two different CAL FIRE Incident Management Teams as he has made his way to our Butte County Unit in 2019. Lowe has responded to many fires and was among those that fought the Carr and Camp Fires. In fact, Chief Lowe was an integral part of the dramatic and extraordinary rescue during the Camp Fire where fire units encircled a group of Paradise residents attempting to escape, fending off deadly flames with their hoses.

The opportunity to participate in such a moving tribute to the American Flag, nation and represent his fellow firefighters was not lost on Lowe. Lowe states, “I was blessed to just be a part of that for the department, for the fire service. Just being there by itself, putting that flag in the ground, again we didn’t really realize the magnitude of the commercial.”

According to an interview with KCRA News, Lowe was surrounded by family and friends awaiting kick-off of the big game when he got his first glimpse at the commercial. It brought tears to his eyes he said and reflected the trauma he’s sustained as a firefighter along with the deep love he has for his country.  Lowe says, “The first 36 hours of the Camp Fire, for us, was just, you know something we had never experienced, never saw before in my career and it brought back all of those feelings,” he continues, “To hold that flag and put it in the ground was just overwhelming for me.”