Suicides accounted for 28% of the 124 Federal employee job-related deaths in 2018.
In contrast, suicides accounted for only 5% of the 4,779 private industry employees who died on the job in 2018.
It is OK to ask someone if they are thinking about suicide. Some people think this will spur suicide attempts but this is not accurate. Encouraging them to talk could be the first step leading them to safety.
Help is available for those feeling really depressed or suicidal.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. Online Chat.
Anonymous assistance from the Wildland Firefighter Foundation: 208-336-2996.
Code Green Campaign, a first responder oriented mental health advocacy organization.
Would you rather communicate with a counselor by text? If you are feeling really depressed or suicidal, a crisis counselor will TEXT with you. The Crisis Text Line runs a free service. Just text: 741-741
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Jim. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
File photo. Example of an Incident Management Team, in this case, the Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team. Photo from the Team’s website.
Australia has ramped up their requests for firefighting help from the United States. So far during their 2019-2020 southern hemisphere bushfire season Australia has only requested individuals to serve in specific management or specialist positions on bushfires, except for one 20-person crew that left for Australia a few days ago.
But now according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Australia has asked for “several Type 1 Incident Management Teams” (IMTs).
The logistics and determination of which IMTs will go is being worked out now, with an estimated departure date around January 16, 2020. The basic configuration for Type 1 IMTs is 58 members including 14 trainees, while a “short” Type 1 team has 26 including 6 trainees. We have learned that early indications are that instead of multiple 58-person teams going to Australia, three 10-person teams will respond, but this could change before they are actually mobilized. Maybe they will come up with a new term for 10-person teams.
IMTs are organized in advance to staff the overhead or management structure needed for running a planned or unplanned incident. The organization is based on the Incident Command System, with every position on the team having a title and a position description. Specific training is required for each job.
A Type 1 IMT is the highest level team, comprised of individuals with advanced degrees, so to speak, within their particular area of expertise. In the United States rosters are set in the winter or spring for the following summer fire season. There is always some churn between seasons, but many serve for multiple years. The team concept helps to build relationships, trust, and efficiency — the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Everyone understands their role and they know what to expect from their co-workers.
IMTs that are primarily used on fires are rarely needed between January and April, however that can vary depending on the geographic location. Since this is the time of the year when IMTs might be undergoing change, with some ending their appointment to the team and their replacements not yet having been selected, it could be a challenge reconstructing them. Other complicating factors could also play a role, such as the requirement for passports and being available for an unexpected assignment about twice as long as the typical 2-week mobilization on an incident in the U.S.
But if the teams are stripped down to just 10 people each, it simplifies the process.
Based on requests from the Australian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council, the U.S. has intermittently deployed more than 159 wildland USFS and DOI fire personnel throughout December and early January. The U.S. firefighters are filling critical wildfire and aviation management roles in New South Wales and Victoria.
The U.S., Australia, and New Zealand have been exchanging fire assistance for more than 15 years. Until the December deployments the last time the U.S sent firefighters to Australia was in 2010. In August of 2018, 138 Australian and New Zealand wildfire management personnel were sent to the U.S. for almost 30 days to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in Washington, Oregon, and California. The Australian and New Zealand personnel filled critical needs during the peak of the western fire season for mid-level fireline management, heavy equipment, helicopter operations, and structure protection.
The ability for the U.S. to send firefighters to assist Australia and New Zealand is authorized in a formal agreement under the Emergency Wildfire Suppression Act. According to information from NIFC, “The agreement only permits the United States to send federal employees to Australia, which means that legally, the National Interagency Fire Center cannot mobilize non-federal employees, such as state and local firefighters, to Australia.”
Fire has had major impacts on Kangaroo Island’s wildlife, killing thousands of koalas
The gray area on the west side of Kangaroo Island has burned in the Ravine Fire. Copernicus image. January 8, 2020 local time.
As the lightning-caused Ravine Fire on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia continues to grow to the east new evacuations have been ordered. In anticipation of high fire danger on Thursday the South Australian Country Fire Service has taken the unusual step of calling on police to help evacuate the town of Vivonne Bay on the south side of the island. There are concerns that the fire could cross control lines and burn into areas with heavy fuel loading near the town of 400 residents.
The weather forecast on Thursday calls for winds east to northeasterly 25 to 35 km/h increasing to 40 km/h before shifting westerly 20 to 30 km/h in the late afternoon.
The red areas represent heat detected on the Ravine Fire on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island. January 8, 2020 local time.
The 164,000-hectare (405,000-acre) fire has had a major impact on the wildlife while burning over a third of the island. It has been called a Noah’s Ark since it supports species that are not found in large numbers in other locations.
Several organizations on the island are caring for koalas that have been injured in the fire. About 50 have been brought to the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, but at least one-third had to be euthanized due to extreme burns. The Guardian reports that Sam Mitchell, co-owner of the park, estimates that of the estimated 50,000 koalas on the island “probably more than half” would have perished in the fires, but it was “a guessing game”.
There is also concern about other species including the Kangaroo Island dunnart, glossy black-cockatoo, wallabies, pygmy possums, and the rare green carpenter bee.
‘Two young people have rescued several koalas from forest fires in Kangaroo Island, Australia
This species, one of the most affected by fires, could enter the list of extinct animals in several places. ‘ (IG-graciasdiostv) ??♂️?? pic.twitter.com/br5VjE6T2j
At Wildfire Today we have written about many out-of-the-box proposals for suppressing wildfires. Now a new method (to me anyway) is being proposed.
Kenn Roberts wrote to us from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada suggesting that liquid nitrogen could be used to help control the bushfires in Australia.
There are two ways the application of liquid nitrogen could retard the growth of a fire.
One, the stuff is very cold. It has a boiling point of -320° F. Below that it is a liquid. Warmer than that it is a gas.
Two, if it is present in enough quantities it can displace oxygen. Either of those would remove one leg of the heat/fuel/oxygen fire triangle.
Liquid nitrogen is heavier than air and will initially stay near the ground or sink to lower levels. After the gas warms to the ambient temperature it becomes slightly lighter than air and will rise.
So obviously in a small controlled environment liquid nitrogen which has boiled and produced gaseous nitrogen can under some circumstances put out a fire. However (you knew there was going to be a “however”) adapting that concept on a very large scale to suppress a wildfire would prove to be challenging at best.
Mr. Roberts says nitrogen could be used by firefighters on the ground “to dispense liquid nitrogen and/or use equipment to propel liquid nitrogen into hard to get to areas.” And, he explained, “it can be carried in the direction of the wind.”
Used from the air, he said, “Heli/ fixed wing can drop liquid nitrogen canisters directly on fire, in the path of fire, or use to be carried with the wind behind the fire.”
Dewar flasks can store liquid nitrogen for a matter for hours or up to a few weeks.
These Dewar Flasks for storing liquid nitrogen were some of the first to come up with a Google search.
Putting aside the ability of nitrogen to suppress a wildfire, there are practical, logistical, and safety issues to consider. Whatever container is dropped from an aircraft to deliver nitrogen to a fire, it could only be deployed in an area devoid of anything or anybody that could be harmed by the objects falling from the sky. In addition to physical damage from the falling Dewar flasks, if the gas spreads to an inhabited area the displacement of oxygen could be a concern, perhaps even resulting in death. Also the effects on animals and other environmental factors would have to be considered. And like the proposal for aircraft to drop boxes of retardant on a fire, the containers, debris, or equipment would have to be removed.
Mr. Roberts submitted his liquid nitrogen concept to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Curtis Brown, Staff Chief for Research and Development, wrote back to him on December 10, 2019. Here is an excerpt from the letter:
A great deal of thought and consideration went into reviewing your liquid nitrogen technology proposal. After careful review of the proposal, it was determined that CAL FIRE will not be able to pursue this project. While your idea is intriguing, CAL FIRE does not have the resources or budget to pursue the implementation of the application. The hazards of working around nitrogen is a fundamental safety concern and your proposal lacks details regarding how to safely administer this technology.
Undeterred, Mr. Roberts said he plans to conduct a demonstration for structural firefighting in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
Here are some wacky ideas for putting out wildfires. All were tagged Lame-Ass Idea:
What do you think? Should we file the liquid nitrogen proposal in the Lame-Ass Idea category? To vote below, click on one of the two choices, then click on the hard to see “VOTE” button which is above “View Results”.
Is fighting wildfires with liquid nitrogen a Lame-Ass Idea?
Rob Carlmark, a meteorologist at Sacramento TV station ABC10, explains the weather that has created the current unprecedented bushfire situation in Australia.
You can follow Mr. Carlmark on Twitter: @rcalrmark
Temperatures in the New South Wales inland areas on Friday will be over 100F accompanied by strong winds
Map from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service January 6 showing fires that are at the “Advice” level, meaning “A fire has started. There is no immediate danger. Stay up to date in case the situation changes.”
On Monday and Tuesday local time in New South Wales some areas west of Sydney received rain, which with the higher humidities and lower temperatures slowed the spread of fires in the area. The cooler weather will continue until Friday when the inland areas of NSW will experience temperatures over 100F, 15 percent relative humidity, 15 mph northwest winds, and a chance of dry lightning which could ignite even more fires. The hot, dry, windy weather is expected to last just for the day after which temperatures should drop back into the 80s for several days.
Smoke from fires in New South Wales as seen by Sentinel 3, January 6, 2020. Via Copernicus EMS.
In other bushfire news, Australia’s government is committing an additional $2 billion over two years to a new agency tasked with rebuilding bushfire-ravaged communities.
Data from NSW RFS .Satellite photo showing the fires on Kangaroo Island South Australia, January 6, 2020 local time. NASASatellite photo, southeastern Australia, January 6, 2020 local time. NASAOne of the fires in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, December 30, 2019. Photo by Ned Dawson for Victoria State Government.Spot fires in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, December 30, 2019. Photo by Ned Dawson for Victoria State Government.
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