Friday afternoon a fire that started in an outbuilding near Buckner, Missouri had spread to several acres when a brush truck operated by the Fort Osage Fire Protection District became surrounded by heavy smoke.
The crew left the truck and attempted to escape from the area, announcing “May Day” on the radio. Other crews immediately came to their aid but two of the personnel on the brush truck were injured, and the truck was destroyed.
One of the firefighters was released from the hospital Friday night and the other remains in serious condition.
The fire ultimately grew to 15 acres and destroyed several small outbuildings before being brought under control at 4:05 p.m. Friday. Multiple homes were endangered but were saved by firefighters.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Matt.
Someone should be held responsible. Someone obviously made a bad decision. What? Did this just “happen?”
No blame, no fault, just an accident, one of those things that happens, tell us your story is what the FLA will say. And without even discussing human factors.
They lost most of a small town in MO to a wildfire that day as well.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/it-s-devastated-half-of-small-missouri-town-burns-down-in-wildfire-saturday/ar-AA13iiij?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=1f101332bc7b4245b445df7bcf832626
[shivers]
Remember the Kuna fire?
https://www.coloradofirecamp.com/point-fire/ruling-findings.htm
I hope both of the Fort Osage guys recover fully and quickly …
So sorry to hear this. Keep in mind though, that an engine is a refuge should things go south. It will give you refuge until the flame front passes and in grass this will happen quickly. Make sure to use an attack line big enough to offer protection in a burn over, I.e., a 1 1/2” line with a variable gallonage nozzle that can quickly be adjusted to high gallonage to knock down a flame front. Attack from an anchor point and stay in the black. Follow the old adage of 2/3rd’s of the water in a booster tank is for firefighting and 1/3rd for protection. Keep the undercarriage clean and the engine free of fuel and lube leaks. If in the green and things go down the toilet, be ready to go into a protection/survival mode if you can’t get out of the situation. Never be afraid to write off a structure if can’t safely protected. These are just a few of the lessons I learned, some the hard way during my time in the business. Vegetation ALWAYS grows back and structures can be rebuilt.
So sorry to hear this. Keep in mind though that an engine is a refuge. It will provide shelter until the flame front has passed. In grass this will happen quickly. Make sure that the attack line is big enough, I.e., a 1 1/2” line with a variable Gallonage nozzle, and know how to use it in a protection mode. Attack from an anchor point and stay in the black. Make sure the engine undercarriage is clean and free of oil and fuel leaks. If everything goes down the toilet and you find yourself in the green and in danger of being burned over be ready to go into a protection/shelter/survival mode. Also follow the old adage that 2/3’s of the water in a booster tank is for fighting fire, 1/3, is for your protection.
So who will be held accountable for these terrible injuries?
Enough Karen, now is not the time to troll.
Martha, find something more fulfilling in your life than trolling on this website’s comment sections. I don’t know you personally, but your obvious bitterness comes through in your writing. You add nothing constructive, which makes me wonder if you have bothered to learn anything wildland fire related even though I have seen you for years express your opinions and all-around negativity on here. It is getting old, so I am finally engaging you.