Local Scout presented with national honor

It was spring break 2009. Heath Baber, a Brighton High School sophomore at the time, was taking an afternoon walk through his neighborhood east of Brighton.

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Brighton High School senior Heath Baber was recently awarded the Boy Scouts of America National Court of Honor Certificate of Merit for extinguishing a fire which could have consumed a neighbor’s house. Heath said he owes his knowledge of what to do in the situation to his time in the Scouts. He was presented the award by David Kikumoto, council president for the Denver Area Council of Boy Scouts at their meeting Dec. 14.

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    On his walk, Heath ran into a neighbor he met while selling popcorn through the Boy Scouts years before. Heath recalls the scene:
    “We talked for a while and she asked me, ‘Hey, is this your house?’ pointing to a house a couple of doors down from mine,” he said. “As I looked at the neighbor’s house, all of a sudden I saw these 8-foot flames going up the side.”
    Heath and his neighbor sprung into action. First, they ran to the house and pounded on the door to see if anyone was home.
    “It was my instinct to assess the situation and make sure there was nothing there to hurt us,” Heath said. “If you can treat it, you treat it, so we went right into action.”
    When they determined no one was home, Heath and his neighbor hooked up the hose and put out the fire. After they were sure the fire was extinguished, the put a note to the homeowners on the door of the home to let them know what had happened.
    Heath, the son of Leon and Kaylene Baber, said he was able to keep his cool and know what to do in the situation because of his life-long involvement with the Boys Scouts of America.
    “Scouting teaches you just to stay calm and sometimes if you can fix the situation, fix it. If you can’t, find help,” he said. “It teaches you to assess a situation and put it in one piece in a few seconds and work it out.”
    As a result of Heath’s quick-thinking, he was able to save the neighbor’s house and possibly other surrounding homes and structures. He was recognized by the Brighton and Westminster fire departments and was recently honored on a national level by the Scouts, awarded with the Boy Scouts of America National Court of Honor Certificate of Merit. He was presented the award by David Kikumoto, council president for the Denver Area Council of Boy Scouts at their meeting Dec. 14.
    “It was pretty special,” he said. “Of all of the people we know in scouting, I don’t know anyone who has received a national honor.”
    “It was pretty exciting that he can go into action and do that,” Kaylene said. “I’m glad that he knows how to do that and I’m kind of in disbelief that it happened right down the street. I’m very proud of him.”
    Heath’s entire family is involved in scouting. His mom and dad are lifelong Scouts and his brother and grandfather are Eagle Scouts. Heath has been involved in scouting since the age of four, tagging along with his older brother, Loren, on his Scout activities. He was able to join the Scouts in first grade as a Tiger Cub.
    “It just gives you the greatest experience possible,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do things my friends have never heard of. It allows you to be active and just enjoy life.”
    “Scouting has made the boys what they are,” Kaylene said. “It has taught them leadership and taken them places they wouldn’t have gone. They’ve made numerous friendships and it’s taught them so much.”
    Some of the things Heath has had the opportunity to do as a part of the Boy Scouts that other teens maybe haven’t done include black powder shooting, SCUBA diving, a trip to England, white water rafting and creating a snow cave and sleeping in it for a night.
    “And canoeing,” his mom said.
    “I know people who have canoed before,” Heath said.
    “Yeah, but not for an entire week,” his mom laughed.
    Heath wants to pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist and said he will most likely begin college at Front Range Community College to work on his pre-med classes. He plans to continue to be involved in scouting as long as possible.
    “All of it has just been such a great experience in life,” he said. “A lot of friends never think you can do so much stuff and it’s taught me everything. It’s shown me different things and perspectives. I could ask for nothing more.
    “Scouting is probably one of the greatest things someone can go out and do to get a better experience in life and further their education,” he added. “I highly recommend it.”