Warnings sent out this week by the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group at the National Interagency Fire Center advised wildland firefighters across the Western United States that logistics problems are developing in several areas, including supplying firefighters with communications, food, and water.
Communications
The National MAC Group said the National Interagency Incident Communication Division is now critically low on a majority of radio communications equipment. The only equipment specifically mentioned was portable radio repeaters, which retransmit radio conversations among fire personnel to enable wider coverage, rather than limiting it to just line-of-sight. Communications on any emergency incident is critical, but especially on wildland fires where terrain and distance limit the use of radios. Repeaters, enough of them in the right locations, can aid situational awareness, command, and control.
A variety of factors have contributed to the logistics challenges for providing communications equipment, including fire size, spatial separation of incident facilities, topography, transportation corridors, initial attack responsibilities, and an increased requirement for reliable coverage.
A memo sent by the MAC Group recognizes how inadequate communications will force personnel to conduct a risk assessment and mitigate the situation by choosing alternative strategies or tactics and assigning human repeaters.
Water and food
The MAC Group reported that during the first three days on a fire personnel should not count on being supplied with food or water. Yes, water.
“Due to the current national fire situation including ongoing high demand for caterers, shower units, and bottled water etc., [Incident Management Team] members and fire suppression resources should travel and arrive at the incident self-sufficient for three days, including food and water,” the August 9 memo from the MAC Group warned.
Since COVID-19, many fireline personnel, especially hand crews, have been traveling with food and meal preparation equipment to be self-sufficient for even longer. But that was primarily to avoid crowded fire camps and the risk of infection.
"Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics." - Gen. Robert H. Barrow, USMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps) noted in 1980.
What are the crates called that the radio supplies are stored in? Been trying to find them for months.
They’re manufactured by a company called SkyDyne. http://www.skydyne.com/
You’re gonna need a lot of money because they aren’t cheap.
The agency’s non-fire workforce has been gutted, and those very same non-fire militia personnel are who the agency relies upon to fill the logistics, planning, admin, and support roles on project fires.
The severity and scale of fires keeps increasing what do you think will happen? The planned for capacity just isn’t enough any more. The needed firefighters, caterers and other logistical needs can’t be just conjured out of thin air. But I will say it’s not just us in the US who are being cought unprepared for fires this year and in recent times. Australia last year, Greece, Turkey and most of southern Europe this summer are all having their fire systems sorely tested. It seems globally new thinking is needed on how to deal with fires and everyone is finding out what they thought was enough firefighters is not enough.
didnt patton commit exactly the same error in the lorraine campaign
He sure did Trina. Napoleon did the same thing in Russia, Erwin Rommel did the same thing in the Western Desert. Military history is riddled with commanders making that often fatal error. it’s hard to think of beans, bacon, and fuel when one has the bit in their teeth and the urge is to charge. Not so easy or glamourous to think of how to take care of feeding the troops, and how to pay the bills for those much needed supplies.
YOU are responsible for yourself and your actions, in every aspect.
Personal accountability has been lost a long time ago. It’s always someone else’s fault these days.
Several thoughts for commenters:
1. NIFC is Interagency, not just USFS. BLM, BIA, NASF, USFWS are there too.
2. Ever heard of a military unit ” running ahead of its supply train”? Read some WWII history.
3. These are truly unprecedented times in US fire history.
4. Wanna help? Become part of the Logistics unit.
5. Ever run out of gas? No cash cause the ATM is broke? Ever get lost cause your cell-phone ran out of juice and/or there’s no GPS? Me too.
These are trying times. Have some patience, plan ahead as best as possible, stay safe.
Amen Dick!!!
You’re spot-on. A short course in military history in regards to supply would be very beneficial to command staffs.
Agree too, that a good Logistics section, and a good Finance section are worth their weight in gold. Add a good FEMA rep and life becomes a little easier.
My uncle, Bill West was the Forest Supervisor on the Wasatch for years. when talking to him about fire control, he always said it was easy to order up troops, and handle suppression. What was very easy to forget was just what in the heck was going to be done to feed all those folks once they showed up, and to take care of the material/fuel needs. He always said that one can’t order up resources that one cannot feed or take care of, even if those resources are sorely needed. To make matters even worse who would ever have dreamed of having 6,000 people committed to one fire with hundreds of engines, and a hundred or so dozers. I can’t even begin to imagine how the powers that be managed to find all those dozers. We’re getting into situations where the system isn’t just breaking down for whatever reason, it’s being overwhelmed. If the Diablo’s, Santa Ana’s, and Sundowners start blowing in the months ahead we are all going to be in very deep do-do with not enough aircraft, not enough crews, not enough dozers, and not enough engines. There won’t be enough beans and gas either to keep them on the line. Fortunately, sending out foragers to pillage the countryside for chickens, eggs, and bread isn’t an option.
Bob, I agree with you, but don’t be ashamed…Is there anything you can do to change the agency? Something so that you can be proud again? Maybe run a food/water drive for firefighters or oh, kids are going back to school, maybe run a drive to get supplies for the firefighter’s kids. I ask, because I had to get fired to try to make change. I don’t recommend it. Plus, it didn’t work. I hope things get better! Good luck to you and all the firefighters!
I suggest before anyone from the land management ever criticizes the military and FEMA again…..one may to get their own supply chain, hiring authorities, abysmal cries for personnel and look themselves square in the mirror. FIRESCOPE might be embarrassed at this charade to include one of the very signatories to that program…..in this case, some in one Agency know who you are!!
What a junk show. How about quit ordering resources you can’t feed or talk to OR start demobing folks if you can’t support them.
There is a crazy concept! Ya Basta!
Bill – your coverage of current events is very important for everyone: public, policy makers, land mgmt staff, and all the wildland fire community. Thank you for your attention to these issues.
FS is, by and large, a sunk ship. Lead by vacuous ladder climbers who are only concerned with the next grade level.
Think of the horror of an agency that depends on a non profit (Wildland Firefighter Foundation) to take care of injured or killed Forestry Techs and their families? The agency that puts you in harms way has no mechanism to support you when tragedy strikes and it’s striking at at an alarming rate. I’m ashamed to work for such an abysmal agency.
Bob, I agree with you, but don’t be ashamed…Is there anything you can do to change the agency? Something so that you can be proud again? Maybe run a food/water drive for firefighters or oh, kids are going back to school, maybe run a drive to get supplies for the firefighter’s kids. I ask, because I had to get fired to try to make change. I don’t recommend it. Plus, it didn’t work. I hope things get better! Good luck to you and all the firefighters!
What is all this talk I keep seeing about reinstate us, was there some kind of mass firing?
I will take a sincere thank you any time, my crew certainly appreciated being acknowledged for a job well done, sure, can’t take a thank you to the bank, but the job is so much more than money…..MUCH More! My shot crew took pride in our mission, we wee there because we wanted to be.
As a Supt I made sure my crew had what it needed, logistics was my responsibility, sure we need help from our host. And I realize that some resources do not have these abilities, I get it….
Let’s not be to critical of NIFC, they are doing their best and I am sure there will be time to reflect once the dust settles and they will make adjustments. NIFC will adjust on the fly and fix this…..Peace….
Old DRHS, yes, over 600 people were fired. The Forest Service used the HART program to get rid of key employees. Most of us are trying to go through the MSPB process to be reinstated, but it is a timely and very costly process.
I was in the same boat when I was a captain. Unfortunately before I left it was becoming harder and harder to find seasonal employees who enjoyed the job and the mission. Unfortunately it’s a sign of the times. People seem to be looking for the most money with the least amount of work. People also do not seem to take an interest in seeing some of the most beautiful country that few will ever see.
Forest Service, this is another example of your poor planning…maybe you shouldn’t have fired all the planners! When are you going to reinstate us? How many people have to die until you realize the importance of firefighters, scientists, and planners, you know all of us “unskilled” workers?
welcome to normal operations in Alaska, except commo.
When’s the last time you guys had one fire with almost 6,000 people to supply?
Good for you ops normal.
Ya but MREs! We will all eat we just won’t be able to ah nevermind…
Some of these issues can’t be fixed with increase pay.
Every module leader used to have a gov CC with crew chief option set. Not sure if it’s still this way but if it is that would help solve this issue (food and water wise). Better to ask for forgiveness than for permission when it comes to the we’ll being of my crew. Additionally, if 1/4 acre fires with no potential were suppressed during the first buring period there would be no need for all the repeaters. Just Monday morning QB-ing it.
“The solution to confusion… is Communications!”
(Toby Dusha)
“Thank you for your service” just doesn’t do it for me these days… Unfortunately, the federal government has failed to plan for or relay the situation well. Probably because the people who are leading the organization aren’t really affected by these shortages.
As with all the bad news, the burden falls to the lowest paid employees taking on the highest risks.
When will it change? When will leadership start leading? Talk is cheap, but this is getting dangerous for our workforce coupled with a lot of experienced firefighters leaving for better jobs.
I just hope nobody dies from this mismanagement. Stay safe friends!
Those in charge should be so ashamed. Firefighting is one of the hardest and most dangerous jobs there is. Stop spending money and time on useless programs and use it for food and water and equipment for our first responders.
The problem is necessarily lack of funding, the problem is the lack of available vendors to supply such items right now.