Alaska Fire Management Officer in 40 (or so) seconds

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As part of a new series of “Wildland Fire in 40 Seconds” videos that attempt to show the “many facets of wildland fire”, Dan Warthin, the Alaska Region Fire Management Officer for the National Park Service, accomplishes the feat in 51 seconds, including credits and titles.

We applaud the NPS for stretching its wings and allowing (or requiring?) their wildland fire employees to introduce themselves and their philosophy to the outside world. Another example is last year’s well done seven-minute video made by the NPS National FMO, Bill Kaage, about “emotional intelligence”.

Methinks this new 40-second video series is directed toward a population with an attention span that has been shortened and Twitterized by 140-character messages and SMS messages on cell phones. While it is a laudable concept to introduce wildland fire management and their managers to the world, it can be a very difficult task to accomplish something meaningful in 40 seconds.

We don’t know if there is any truth to the rumor that during the editing of this “Wildland Fire in 40 seconds” video, left on the cutting room floor were comments about being in favor of apple pie, motherhood and peace in the Middle East.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.