U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service on April 11 asking the federal agency to prepare to help the state of Pennsylvania with wildfires. It is an unusual letter; he is not asking for help now, but says they may need help in the future. It would be interesting to know how he voted when the budgets for federal wildland fire agencies were slashed by Congress for several years in a row. By the way, Senator Casey is running for reelection in November.
Here is an excerpt from his letter:
Across the state, first responders have battled brush fires since the weekend yet the growing problem is straining local resources. In a letter to Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Senator Casey asked the agency to make all the necessary preparations to aid Pennsylvania as the fires continue.
“Our state and local first responders are doing everything they can to battle these brush fires, but with the fires ongoing the federal government has to be ready to step up and help,” Casey said. “The combination of a dry winter and a high concentration of brush fires have pushed our first responders in significant ways. The federal agency that takes the lead in fighting wildfires needs to monitor the situation closely and be prepared to help our state. Pennsylvania’s forests contribute over $5 billion to our state’s economy every year, it’s essential to protect this job creating industry from wildfires.”
I read that largely as political blah-blah-blah…not that it’s necessarily bad that USFS resources are on the radar screen of east coast Congressmen.
PA participates in the Mid Atlantic Forest Fire Compact with VA, OH, MD, DE, NJ, WV which places other states resources at their disposal. Assuming it works like the Northeast Compact, the host state is responsible for the costs of the resources ordered so there is a fiscal impact, but at that point it’s going to be emergency spending. Doesn’t solve the aerial tanker situation, though I suspect Quebec is always willing to contract out.
NY & New England, along with Quebec and the Canadian Maritime provinces participate in the Northeast Forest Fire Compact which puts the Quebec and Newfoundland CL-415/CL-215 fleet within our immediate mutual aid system.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/47010671#47010671 ….And here Fire season starts. Like I have said many times, Aircraft cant put them out by themselves and boots on the ground normally don’t complain about the help.
I know everyone things air tankers solve all problems, but I would rather use the money for more boots on the ground. Maybe we should be using our fire personnel , who are getting paid now, and are buried under snow in the West and preposition them to the East and Southeast. Than we can bring the folks from the East and Midwest to the West in the summer instead of hiring contract resources, while still paying fire personnel in areas of the fire that are in low fire danger.
Shane more boots on the ground, if you got a wall of fire moveing at you rapidly you got to move not stand there or try and defend that house, the helio can bring in the water to tamp it down and cool, the area, a plane will simply slow it down and if the retardent is heave enough put a tempory stop to it, Texas like PA has good well trained FF’s, but sometimes everyone needs a little help, and that’s what this Sen. is trying to do make sure he has it, if its needed from them, no harm or shame in that, considering the usfs dropped from 33 to 11 Tankers this year and not renewing there VLAT contract, I can only hope and pray that no state comes close to what Texas went through last year. Cause I just dont see the help there anymore.
April 1st has come and gone. What ask the Forest Circus for help from their fleet of tankers. Did any one see this coming, drought, vegitation, hot dry winds. This whole “show” will move to the West in two month.
We already are protecting our entire state and have been doing so for over 100 years. PA has one of the strongest state fire programs in the east. Additionally, we already have a mutural aid agreement with the USFS where we can order resources if needed, and where we provide many resources to the federal agencies for western fire seasons. This letter was well-meaning, but not needed or asked for. There are no comparisons between our situation and what has happened in Texas.
Keystone,
Thank-you. When I read Bill’s article on this, I immediately wondered about amutual aid agreement between PA and the USFS, wondering if there was one. And you answered my question. I agree that the Senator’s letter is well meaning but unnecessary.
Why doesn’t the state put more money and resources to their wildland fire service? Is it not their job to manage their lands? The federal resources can not be everywhere all the time, especially when they have thier own lands to protect as well.
Didn’t Texas complain last year about not much federal help after they slashed their budget?
James, yes our wonderful Gov, sarcasume, did cut our budget, but as soon as the fires it got put back. What we expect the feds to provide is Aircraft thank you very much, but with that come a managment team. What not Texas had a problem with last year was actually how FEMA was trying to tell volunteers how to run, somethings such as feeding, bedding and the little extras FF like, like candy bars and cola type drinks on there down time, relize that over 3/4 of Texas FF are in fact volunteer, dont get upset when there is 49.6 miles of dozer line renforced in two days and 200 FF on a night line working in the black and you have 300 for day time ops plus what ever you the usfs brings with you. Yes cooperation is a great thing but when you got that many VFD and payed willing to work, work them dont try and send them away, telling them there not needed. That was a big problem in Bastrop, Tri-County worked them hard, The DC-10, 10 Tanker was sent for Bastrop and never used there but was on 3 other fires in Texas, it worked extreamly well and now they don’t want to contract it?…I look at it like this the usfs is kinda like our county hosp, I dont want to use them if I dont have to and as long as I can afford and have insurance will use a for profit hosp when if needed,no insurance and no money and my child is hurt or myself and there is no choice yea my kids will get the medical attention needed to fix um up, its a safety net thing, make sense?