The first call involved responding to an apartment complex to
assist a gunshot victim. As he approached the victim, gunfire
erupted form the second story balcony. Captain Rauton remembers
how grateful he was that no one was injured. The second call
involved his ambulance being hit by a drunk driver. He remembers
the ambulance skidding on its side for what seemed like miles.
Captain Rauton fully expected the oxygen laden ambulance to
explode. Fortunately, it didn’t , but he was injured and
diagnosed with a neck fracture. After he recovered from the
accident, Captain Rauton decided he’d had enough of the big city
and returned to the Verde Valley where he was welcomed back with
open arms by the Verde Valley Fire District.
According to Sue Rutherford, Captain Rauton has contributed to
the success of the TIP of Arizona Affiliate in many ways
including helping TIP grow in the Verde Valley area, serving on
the TIP Advisory Committee, conducting the fire lecture at the
Volunteer Training Academy, and chairing the Fire and
Steel Bike Run which is a major fundraiser for the affiliate.
Captain Rauton is committed to helping TIP because he believes
that TIP truly makes a difference. ‘TIP is the missing link
in the response team we have been missing for many years,”
he says. He believes strongly in every aspect of TIP
including believing in the volunteers, in the TIP training, in
the results that TIP achieves , and in the TIP staff including
Executive Director Sue Rutherford. “Her commitment is
astronomical.” he says. Captain Rauton sums up his feelings
about TIP volunteers by saying “They are angels in my eyes.”
Captain Rauton gives the credit for TIP’s presence in the Verde
Valley area to Fire Chief Jerry Doerksen. According to Captain
Rauton, Chief Doerksen recognized that TIP would be a great
benefit to the community and his agency became the first agency
in the east side of Yavapai County to contract with TIP.
“Because of Chief Doerksen TIP has grown tremendously and many
people are receiving valuable help during traumatic events,”
Captain Rauton said.
On the personal side, Captain Rauton is involved with a “lovely
woman named Monica.” She is a respected nurse practitioner
working in cardiology in the Verde Valley. According to Captain
Rauton, Monica and her two children mean everything to him.
“We love doing family things together like swimming, hiking,
quad riding and baseball,” he said. He says that he and
Monica are by each others side every step of the way. “We
believe in working hard and playing hard,” he says.
Captain Rauton is also very proud of his 24-year old son, Tim,
who enjoys building high performance engines and racing.
Finally, Captain Rauton knows first hand how a traumatic event
can affect people. In 1980, he responded as a firefighter to a
head on collision. Upon arrival he found a severely mangled
station wagon filled with Cub Scouts going to a camp outing. He
and his crew removed all of the children who were dead except
for one child and one adult. He remembers the look of terror in
that injured Cub Scout’s eyes. Captain Rauton knows now that
this event affected him for years. “I had nightmares for 10
years prior to seeking help. It’s amazingly clear now how
traumatic events can make life difficult in ways that the
victims truly doesn’t understand,” he says.
TIP National salutes Captain Mike Rauton. He is a true TIP
Champion! You can express your appreciation to him at
MRauton@verdevalleyfire.org.
