YATES CENTER — On Wednesday evening, Yates Center Fire Chief Brandon Gaulding was not expecting to win an award for his actions during last year’s South Owl Fire. He didn’t even know he was in the running.
Woodson County Emergency Management Director Johnny Atkin IV nominated Gaulding for the honor.
As originally reported, on Friday, March 14, 2025, a fire was reported at 2:05 p.m. in the vicinity of Deer Road and 200th Road in northern Woodson County. Just over an hour later, state-level mutual aid was requested, a disaster declaration was made, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency was contacted.
At 3:23 p.m., Atkin said staff of Yates Center Health and Rehab nursing facility reported a grass fire was approaching from South Owl Lake.
At 3:24 p.m., the Yates Center Fire Department was paged, and at 3:25 p.m., the first firefighters arrived on scene. Mission Health staff then executed their emergency evacuation plan, with the assistance of transportation from USD 366. Residents and staff were fully evacuated when the fire reached the south wall of the facility at 3:44 p.m.
At the time, the fire was described as devastating. However, the fire was also an event that demonstrated a community that did not hesitate to jump into action. Yates Center High School temporarily sheltered nursing facility residents. Spouses of local firemen set up a center for first responders in the Woodson County Community Building for hours. The Lapghan Ladies of Arma donated blankets and quilts to the relocated residents after the fire.
However, when Gaulding walked into the Yates Center fire station on Wednesday evening, he was ready for an entirely different conversation. Atkins had told Gaulding that there was a special meeting with the public to discuss fire concerns as the new Yates Center Health and Rehab facility broke ground on Tuesday.
To kick off the presentation, Atkins welcomed the group in attendance and swiftly welcomed a representative of the Kansas Fire Chiefs’ Association, Dave Bruner, to the podium, where the surprise was revealed to Gaulding as Bruner read the letter of nomination that Atkins submitted.
The letter is as follows. “On March 14, 2025, a fast-moving wildland-urban interface fire, driven by seventy- mile-per-hour winds, advanced toward the City of Yates Center. With his department already deployed providing mutual-aid assistance on other wildland incidents across the region, Chief Gaulding immediately regrouped his personnel and led an attack on a fire front threatening the southern edge of the city.
He and his department were the first to arrive at the Yates Center Health and Rehab nursing home, which was directly in the path of the advancing fire. Under his direction, thirty- eight residents—many with limited mobility—were safely evacuated with zero injuries. Chief Gaulding’s calm leadership, decisive action, and ability to coordinate under extreme pressure were instrumental in saving every life within the facility.
Even as the building was consumed, Chief Gaulding and his firefighters held the fireline at the nursing home, containing the spread and preventing what could have been catastrophic loss of life and property throughout the city. His performance that day exemplified the highest standards of the Kansas fire service: courage, leadership, and selfless commitment to the protection of others.
Chief Brandon Gaulding’s actions during the South Owl Fire reflect great credit upon himself, the Yates Center Fire Department, and the fire service as a whole. His leadership represents the very spirit of the Kansas Fire Chiefs’ Association President’s Award, and I respectfully submit this nomination in recognition of his exceptional service to the citizens of Yates Center and the State of Kansas.”
Bruner then presented Gaulding with the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs’ President’s Award.
“Chief Gaulding, your leadership on March 14 safeguarded lives and strengthened this community,” Bruner said.
Gaulding said he had prepared notes to discuss the South Owl Fire response’s shortcomings, what the department could do better, and what training could be done. He said he was almost speechless to receive this honor instead.
“I still don’t understand why I got it, but I do appreciate it,” Gaulding said.
In his acceptance remarks, he highlighted the actions of the community during the South Owl Fire.
“The community came together. You know, the farmers; everybody that has trucks that brought water to us, and everybody from Mission Health that did their job; everyone from EMS to Emergency management had a huge role in that,” Gualding said. “I hope we never have to go through that again, but if we do, we’ll be there. We’ll all be there. The community is tight.”
Bruner also commended the rest of the department and the City of Yates Center.
“As was the case after the fire last year, I could not be more proud to be a member of this department,” Atkin said.
