It has been a slow day in the world of wildfire news, until late today when Kelly brought a couple of items to our attention.
Airwards
Apparently the U. S. Forest Service began publishing “Airward Newsletters” in 2002 to recognize people “working in and around aviation in recognition of their professional performance during a hazardous aviation event or significant contribution to aviation mishap prevention”. These newsletters provide the details of what each person did to earn the award and can be very interesting reading on a slow Tuesday evening.
Here is an example of an Airward featured in the most recent issue of the newsletter.
Jumper 73, a USFS Redmond Smokejumper Sherpa was holding short of the runway waiting take off clearance from the tower for a practice jump mission, when they received a call on the Air to Ground frequency to return to the ramp.
Brian Green had heard an abnormal noise coming from the airplane as it was taxiing to the runway and contacted the jump base requesting the aircraft return to the ramp so he could investigate the source of the noise.
As soon as the aircraft was parked on the ramp Brian pointed to the left engine and gave the shut down signal; followed by the pilots immediately shutting down both engines.
Upon further inspection, Brian found that part of the secondary low blade angle stop sensor had broken off and was rattling around in the front part of the cowling causing the noise.
This noise was not apparent to the flight crew or jumpers aboard the airplane. The secondary low blade angle stop sensor had checked OK during the ”first flight of the day run-up checks” while the aircraft was still on the smokejumper ramp. Brian only heard the noise as the aircraft was taxiing out from the ramp; suggesting that the part failed at the start of the taxi operation.
Brian is recognized for his high level of situational awareness and willingness to act when noticing something out of the normal. Aviation can provide situations that require sound judgment, quick thinking, and skill; and Brian demonstrated all these traits. His professionalism and quick action prevented Jumper 73 from becoming airborne with an unknown maintenance deficiency. SAFECOM 09-0203
Congratulations Brian and thank you for your emphases on Safety!
What a great program that seeks out those who have done something extraordinarily good and then recognizes their excellent work. Too often we only hear about those who have screwed up and document their efforts in an accident investigation report.
Rogue River-Siskiyou NF receives a shitload of money for fuels projects
Here is a excerpt from an article in the Mail Tribune:
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has received $22 million in federal stimulus funds to cut hazardous fuels near rural communities.
The funds are part of $224 million earmarked for fire-reduction projects nationwide by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The projects were announced Friday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
“I see this as an amazing opportunity to employ a large number of people in addition to getting a substantial amount of much needed on-the-ground work done on the forest,” said forest supervisor Scott Conroy in a prepared statement.
“This work reduces fire hazards and assists fire managers in making every effort to minimize the impacts of large-scale, intense wildfires to our communities in southwestern Oregon and the forest,” he added.
The $22 million is in addition to the $3 million in stimulus funds the forest received in March that also was earmarked for hazardous fuels reduction.
“Our priority is to create and maintain private-sector jobs for the communities,” she said. “We want to get the contracts awarded as soon as possible.”
The $22 million in work will be done on the forest’s lands in Jackson, Josephine and Coos counties. They are among eight counties in the state, including Curry and Douglas counties, receiving funding as part of an eight-county hazardous fuels reduction project in Oregon.
