UNION — On the afternoon of May 1, Paul Rietz was reading in a chair by the window of his home overlooking Seven Tree Pond — "like I normally do," he laughed, "I'm retired."

But he was suddenly startled to see the painters with whom he had contracted to paint his house were fiddling with the water faucet right outside the living room window.

"What's going on there," he asked himself.

Going on was an out-of-control brush fire heading toward the home that he and his wife, Kay, had purchased just two years earlier. Kay looked out another window and saw flames and smoke on the approach.

The fire had originated at the far edge of the property line he shared with a neighbor. That neighbor had been burning brush but it was windy and he had no available water. The fire got out of control and spread quickly up the hill toward the Rietz house. The house painters — Edwin Ingraham and his son, Jacob, along with employee Jacob Tilley — recognized the emergency, and sprang into action.

"They were resourceful and very fast," said Rietz. "They put together a couple pieces of my hose so it could reach the distance in the back corner of my property."

He scrambled too, because the outside faucets had yet to be turned on for the season.

"It was chaotic, but the painters got that hose down there and kept the fire contained," said Rietz. "I called the fire department and they came and put it out."

To Rietz, the story: "is about what didn't happen. The painters saved my house from catching fire. I was so impressed by their quick thinking and no hesitation to jump into action. And most of all, if they had not had been there, that fire would have almost certainly hit our garage, and from there, the deck and our house."

Ingraham Painting, Inc., is a small father-son business with employees. The Rietzs had hired them to help spruce up the 1986-built home they had purchased in May 2023. From Ohio, the Rietzs moved to Maine to be closer to their son, who had been living in the Midcoast for approximately 10 years.

They are happy to be settled in Union.

"We are over the moon," said Rietz. "We have been here two years. The whole state of Maine, we just love it."

At the Union Select Board meeting Tuesday, June 3, Chair Adam Fuller thanked Rietz for honoring the Ingrahams and Tilley, and read the proclamation:

Whereas, on May 1, 2025, a burning brush pile became out of control;

Whereas, while working at a customer's resident, Edwin Ingraham, Jacob Ingrraham and Jacob Tilley heard a neighbor's call for help, recognized the danger, and leaped into action;

Whereas, Edwin, Jacob and Jacob immediately searched out and connected hoses, providing fire suppression, as the fire quickly spread toward the home they were working on;

Whereas, the homeowner truly believe that without the actions of Edwin, Jacob and Jacob, their home may have been lost.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that we, the Union Select Board, do hereby recognize, with respect and gratitude, the heroic actions and selfless courage of Edwin Ingraham, Jacob Ingraham, and Jacob Tilley in the act of saving personal property. One never knows how they would reaction in a true emergency, but these gentlemen passed with flying colors. They were heroes on May 1 as they responded without hesitation.

In witness thereof, I, Adam Fuiller, Chair of the Union Select Board, proclaim hereunto present this certificate of heroism on this third day of June, 2025.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657