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Water tender rollover kills firefighter

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , 4 Comments on Water tender rollover kills firefighter

A water tender responding to a vegetation fire Sunday night near Fort Wayne, Indiana rolled over, killing the driver who was believed to be the only person in the truck. The firefighter, who has not been identified, lost control while turning at an intersection. The Washington Township Fire Department truck rolled over several times taking out three utility poles. Live electrical wires at the scene prevented firefighters from accessing the wreckage until the power had been shut off. Photos show extensive damage to the water tender.

Washington Township FD water tender
A Water Tender from the Washington Township Fire Department. Photo from their Facebook page.

The Washington Township FD’s Facebook page said the county coroner will be releasing the individual’s name following positive identification later on Monday.

Fatal wrecks involving water tenders (or “tankers”) are so common that the Centers For Disease Control issued a bulletin in 2001 through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warning of the danger. Here is how NIOSH described the hazard:

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“Mobile water supply vehicles, known as tankers or tenders, are widely used to transport water to areas beyond a water supply system or where the water supply is inadequate. Incidents involving motor vehicles account for approximately 20% of U.S. fire fighter deaths each year; cases involving tankers are the most prevalent of these motor vehicle incidents. During 1977–1999, 73 deaths occurred in 63 crashes involving tankers. Of those deaths, 54 occurred in 49 crashes in which tankers rolled over (no collision), and 8 occurred in 6 crashes in which the tankers left the road (no collision). The other cases involved collision with another vehicle (10 deaths in 7 crashes) and collision with stationary object(s) (1 death) [NFPA 2000].

Tanker drivers may not be fully aware that tanker trucks are more difficult to control than passenger vehicles. A tanker truck requires a much greater distance to stop. Tankers weigh substantially more, and their air brake systems take more time to activate than the hydraulic/mechanical brake systems on smaller passenger cars. The effect is influenced by the amount of water the tanker is hauling and whether the tanker is baffled.”

Injured Australian firefighter released from hospital

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , ,

One of the two Australian firefighters that were seriously injured when their engine was overrun by a bushfire has been released from the hospital. The 24-year old woman, whose name has not been released, had burns over 40 percent of her body and had been treated at the at the Royal Perth Hospital.

Wendy Bearfoot
Wendy Bearfoot

Her colleague, 45-year old Wendy Bearfoot, passed away on Thursday, November 1, after suffering burns over 60 percent of her body while fighting the same fire on October 12. Both of the firefighters worked for the Department of Environment and Conservation in Western Australia.

Ms. Bearfoot joined the Department in 2003 as an Indigenous Land Management Trainee and progressed through the roles of conservation employee, national park ranger and most recently overseer in the Albany District office.

Both firefighters had been suppressing a fire in a pine plantation with 20 other firefighters near Albany when strong winds caused the fire to suddenly change direction on a slope. Three other firefighters were also injured in the burnover and were treated at a hospital in Albany.

Burned engine, Photo credit Department of Environment and Conservation
Burned fire engine in Western Australia. Photo credit: Department of Environment and Conservation

Morning briefing, October 29, 2012

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , ,

CAL FIRE Line of Duty Death

A Battalion Chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has died while on duty. Battalion Chief Rob Van Wormer, 47, who was based in Santa Clara County was working on an investigation when he suddenly lost consciousness and died, despite numerous attempt to revive him. Chief Van Wormer had worked for CAL FIRE for 24 years conducting investigations and also had a long history in the aviation program.

Ken Pimlott, Chief of CAL FIRE, released a statement.

Our sincere condolences go out to the Chief’s family and coworkers.

Man charged with felony trash burning

The Cortez Journal reports that Roger Stratton has been charged with felony fourth-degree arson for allowing his trash fire to get out of control, which started the 400-acre Roatcap Fire in Colorado’s Montezuma County. The fire started Wednesday morning and forced the evacuation of about 30 homes.

Sid Beckman named FMO for National Park Service’s Pacific West Region

(From the NPS)

Sid Beckman has been selected as the new fire management officer for Pacific West Region (map of NSP Regions), working out of the San Francisco office. He replaces Sue Husari, who recently retired after 39 years of exemplary federal service. Beckman has a strong background in fire management planning, operations and incident management. His experience in prescribed fire and wildland fire management will be an asset to the region.

Beckman has three years of experience working for the National Park Service. He has been the deputy regional fire management officer overseeing the region’s fuels management program since 2009. He previously served as a fire management specialist in the U.S. Forest Service Enterprise Program. He has also worked as a battalion chief with the Stanislaus National Forest and has had a variety of other fire management positions, including fuels management specialist, hotshot, and fire engine operator on the Angeles and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests.

“I am honored to work with the dedicated fire management staffs in the national parks of the Pacific West Region, and look forward in assisting them in their continued success managing prescribed and wildland fire,” Beckman commented upon hearing of his selection.

Beckman lives with his wife in the Sierra Nevada town of Arnold, California, and will be residing in the Bay Area during the week. When in the mountains, he enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing. A lifelong Detroit Tigers fan, Beckman also noted that “the Tigers have won 10 World Series — four more than the San Francisco Giants!”

Currently the acting FMO, Beckman will formally begin his new assignment in November.

Response by the land management agencies and firefighters to the effects of Hurricane Sandy

On Monday we will put together some information about how the land management agencies and firefighters are responding to prepare for and help the east coast recover from the impacts of Hurricane Sandy. If you have information about firefighters and incident management teams that are responding, let us know in a comment below, or visit our Contact Us page to give us a call (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. MT) or send us a message.

Double firefighter fatalities in Portugal

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , 1 Comment on Double firefighter fatalities in Portugal

FirefighterCloseCalls is reporting that two Portuguese firefighters have died as a result of burns they received while working on a wildfire:

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DOUBLE FIREFIGHTER LINE OF DUTY DEATH IN PORTUGAL

In Portugal, on September, 21st, Volunteer FF Pedro Manuel Santos Brito died in the Line of Duty from burns. He passed away in the University of Coimbra Hospital. A member of the Corpo de Bombeiros Voluntários de Côja, FF Brito suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns while operating in a wildland fire in the woods of Casal Cimeiro, in Arganil, Portugal on Sep. 15th. The same fire also had already claimed the life of 25-year-old Volunteer FF Patrícia Alexandra Rodrigues Abreu. Three other FFs were injured in the blaze, but are recovering well. Our condolences to all affected. RIP.

Timber faller dies on a fire in Washington state

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 4 Comments on Timber faller dies on a fire in Washington state

An individual working as a timber faller on the Wenatchee Complex Fire near Entiat, Washington became ill on the fire line Monday afternoon, September 17. According to a news release by the Incident Management Team, he was treated by incident medical personnel and transported to a nearby hospital. He passed away later Monday evening.

At the request of the family, the individual’s name is being withheld.

We offer our sincere condolences to the family.

UPDATE at 12:19 p.m. MT, September 19, 2012:

Today the Incident Management Team on the Wenatchee Complex Fire identified the deceased as Chris Seelye, a timber faller from Darby, Montana.

 

Thanks go out to Kelly

Safety issues noted one day before Steep Corner Fire fatality

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , , , , , 19 Comments on Safety issues noted one day before Steep Corner Fire fatality

Anne Veseth, a 20-year-old firefighter from Moscow, Idaho, was killed August 12 while working on the Steep Corner Fire near Orofino, Idaho. The U.S. Forest Service firefighter was struck when one tree fell and crashed into another tree, causing it to fall in a domino effect.

On August 11, the day before Veseth was killed, the Flathead Hotshots arrived at the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Association (CPTPA) station to work on the Steep Corner Fire. They were briefed, received a radio clone, and showed up at the fire about 2 p.m., where they located the CPTPA incident commander. He briefed them on tactical duties, according to the SAFENET report filed three days later, but “had to be prompted for specifics on everything else.” The hotshot report said there was no direct link to Grangeville dispatch, no information on EMS or weather, and no medical plan besides “call the county.”

The report listed a slew of other heads-up flags on the incident, including no mention of hazards and no direction other than “jump in the middle and work south.” The IC was wearing jeans, and the hotshots immediately noticed several other CPTPA personnel without PPE or shelters.

The Flathead superintendent told the IC that they’d go scout the fire before committing the crew, and the IC told him to head down the burned line through the middle of the fire. The hotshot foreman then briefed the crew, and they established their own LCES and posted the first lookout of the day on the fire. The scouting superintendent radioed back that no one should be sent down the burned line — which was still hot — through the middle of the fire because of snag hazards and previously cut log decks.
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