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Senator introduces bill to compensate families of fallen contract firefighters

Bill GabbertNovember 1, 2013August 25, 2019Uncategorizedlegislation5 Comments

A United States Senator has introduced legislation that would provide for contract wildland firefighters to be covered for death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act (PSOB). Currently contracted personnel fighting fire from the ground or the air who are not regular federal, state, or local agency employees are not eligible for death or disability benefits should they be killed or injured in the line of duty. For example, air tanker pilots and contract hand crew personnel are not covered. This bill, if it passes, would change that. The current version of the legislation as it was introduced yesterday is HERE. It can be tracked at the Library of Congress.

The current amount of the PSOB benefit is $333,604.68 for eligible deaths occurring on or after October 1, 2013.

This bill is long overdue. We encourage you to contact your federal Senators and Representative. Ask them to co-sponsor and vote for this legislation. Here is a link you can use to identify and contact your elected officials — http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

If you are in favor of this bill, you can sign a petition at Change.org.

Below is the text of the press release issued by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley:

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“Merkley Introduces Legislation to Provide Benefits to Families of Fallen Firefighters

Legislation crafted after Oregon families were denied benefits

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Fallen Wildland Firefighters Fair Compensation Act that would allow aerial and ground contracted firefighters to be covered for death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act (PSOB). Currently, these benefits are granted to state and local police, firefighters, EMTs and also federally employed wildland firefighters, but not contracted wildland firefighters, even though 40% of firefighters who battle blazes on federal land are contracted. Senator Merkley crafted this legislation after hearing from families of contracted Oregon firefighters who had been killed in 2008 and were denied death benefits.

“Every summer across Oregon, thousands of contract firefighters risk their lives fighting to protect our federal forests, grasslands, and lands,” said Merkley. “It is past time that we make sure that if the worst happens while on the job, the families of fallen firefighters are granted proper benefits.”

Typically, contracted firefighters account for 10,000-15,000 people each year. While these men and women work and train right alongside of and even receive direction from the U.S. Forest Service, in the unfortunate event of death or traumatic injury, contract firefighters cannot receive comparable benefits to federal employees.

This bill would give the surviving spouses and children of fallen firefighters the same survivor benefits that those of other firefighters and law enforcement receive.”

Report on Little Bear Fire analyzes perceptions

Bill GabbertNovember 1, 2013August 25, 2019UncategorizedKari Greer, Little Bear, New Mexico, report

Little Bear Fire, burning operation on 532 Road, June 13, 2012, Photo by Kari Greer/USFS

There can be a variety of narrative reports written about a wildfire, including 24-hour and 72-hour, After Action Review, Individual Fire Review, Fire and Aviation Safety Team Review, and Lessons Learned Review. But a type that was new to us has been released about the 2012 Little Bear Fire in New Mexico. It is titled “Little Bear Fire Summary Report” which is a vague title for a report that analyzed perceptions — how the fire was viewed by fire managers and local residents.

It could be categorized more as research than a conventional report on a fire. A team of seven social scientists from North Carolina State University, the U.S. Forest Service, University of Colorado, and Ohio State University conducted interviews of stakeholders, with a focus on perceptions of the event itself — communication, evacuation, and wildfire preparedness. They talked with community members, local organizations, and federal agency personnel.

The Little Bear Fire started on June 4, 2012 northwest of Ruidoso, New Mexico and was contained at four acres with a fireline around it during the first five days. On the afternoon of the fifth day a wind event blew embers from a torching tree outside the fireline causing the fire to eventually burn 242 houses and 44,330 acres.

The management of the fire has been a magnet for criticism from politicians, residents, and others. But this new report does not explore in detail the tactics, strategy, or suppression decisions that were made — it concentrates on how the fire was perceived.

“Gordie”, a Wildfire Today reader, in commenting on how the U.S. Forest Service expends time and energy on designating “Honorary Forest Rangers” such as Arnold Schwarzenner and Betty White, wrote in part:

…A public official in Washington state once said (paraphrased): “What we are perceived to do may be more important in our customer’s eyes than our actual accomplishments.” A horrible truth, but for the great unknowing masses, looking good is more important [to] taxpayers than actual functionality.

Applying Gordie’s analogy, the USFS ordered research to determine if they are “looking good”.

We will get to the report’s findings, but first there was one fact about the management of the fire that was new to us. On June 9, the day after the four-acre fire blew up, the New Mexico Governor ordered a second Type 1 Incident Management Team. This decision was made without consulting the existing Type 1 team, which learned of the order hours after it had taken command of the ﬁre. When this was discovered, the second team was assigned to stage at Albuquerque, rather than continue to the fire.

Below is the Summary section of the report:
Continue reading “Report on Little Bear Fire analyzes perceptions”

Schwarzenegger becomes honorary Forest Ranger

Bill GabbertOctober 31, 2013Uncategorized7 Comments

It was just a month ago that Betty White became an honorary Forest Ranger. Now Arnold Schwarzenegger has been added to the ranks which also includes Chuck Leavell, keyboard player for the Rolling Stones. A rather diverse group.

Below are excerpts from an announcement by the USFS:

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“Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger received a U.S. Forest Service badge and jacket during a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., naming him an Honorary Forest Ranger for his work on climate change issues.

“I know you understand what we need to do as a nation to reduce the level of carbon in the atmosphere — after all, you have helped lead the way,” U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said to Schwarzenegger during the ceremony at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We look forward to having your help in educating communities on the devastating impacts of climate change on our forests and grasslands.”

Schwarzenegger said the honor “truly touches my heart” and expressed high praise for the agency and highlighted his respect for the thousands of Forest Service firefighters, especially as climate change effects have contributed to hotter, longer fire seasons.

“I have always known the kind of great work the U.S. Forest Service is doing. But when I became governor of California, (I saw) firsthand the kind of devastating fires we have in California,” he said. “I also have seen what climate change has done. We used to have a fire season, which was in the summer and the fall. Eventually this creeped up to (include) spring and now there is fire all year long.”

He said that Forest Service firefighters are “without a doubt the best firefighters in the world.”

“And it was like a sport team,” he said. “When a mistake was made there was never any finger pointing. You just got together and figured out how to work even better together. And because of that they were better able to do their jobs. . . and this is why I became such a fan.”

What some people may not realize is that he has an established record of working to ensure the viability of natural resources worldwide.
Continue reading “Schwarzenegger becomes honorary Forest Ranger”

Wildfire Today reader creates Smokey Bear Jack O’Lantern

Bill GabbertOctober 31, 2013November 1, 2013UncategorizedSmokey Bear1 Comment

Steve read the instructions for creating a Smokey Bear Jack O’Lantern and executed them brilliantly, as you can see in the photo above. He said it’s his “best pumpkin carving yet!” His primary tool was a Dremel with a small drill bit. It took about two hours.

Thanks Steve. Great job! It is also an excellent photograph.

Happy Halloween everyone!

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UPDATE November 1, 2013:

Michael created the one below. He said it takes a lot longer than you would think. He also used a Dremel tool.

Record-setting heat in Alaska brings a fire back to life

Bill GabbertOctober 30, 2013August 25, 2019UncategorizedAlaska1 Comment

If someone told you about a fire named “Mississippi” that was near Delta, would you guess it was in Mississippi? If so, you’d be wrong.

The Mississippi Fire started May 30 ten miles west of Delta, Alaska. The last time it was updated on InciWeb was August 25 when the Type 1 Incident Management Team turned it back over to the BLM – Alaska Fire Service. At that time it had burned 67,288 acres.

Normally by October firefighters in Alaska don’t have to worry about wildfires — they can’t spread very far under snow. But this year firefighters have to worry, at least a little. Temperatures in Delta Junction on Monday did not just set a new record, they blew it to smithereens — 19 degrees higher than the previous record.

Under those conditions, and combined with winds that gusted to 63 mph, the Mississippi fire found new life, crossing dozer lines and burning another 300 acres. A 10-member Alaska Fire Service crew responded to the fire Monday.

Alaska Fire Service Manager Kent Slaughter said the fire is 2.5 miles from Whitestone Farms but there is little threat it will spread to the community.

Last year in late November dry conditions and strong winds contributed to the rapid spread of a fire near Palmer, Alaska that burned 200 acres and required homes to be evacuated.

Dozers Delta River Mississippi Fire — Dozers crossing the Delta River at the Mississippi Fire, unknown date. InciWeb photo.

What happened to the fall fire season?

Bill GabbertOctober 29, 2013October 29, 2013Uncategorizedweather4 Comments

The wildland fire season came to a screeching halt about mid-September or even earlier in some areas. Since the Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park, fire activity has been fairly subdued, and there has been no significant, extended appearance of the Santa Ana winds in southern California. The eastern and southern fire season that follows leaf fall and the first severe frost seems to be still waiting in the wings.

This has also been noticed by the National Interagency Fire Center, of course. In an anonymous article on their Facebook page, someone writing on their behalf explored some of the reasons. (Articles like that which lay out numerous facts and opinions should be attributed.)

What happened to the fall wildfires? What about the upcoming fire situation in the southern and eastern states? Here’s some info from Predictive Services –

In early September fuels made a rapid transition to a much more moist state across the Northwestern quarter of the U.S. This led to greatly reduced significant fire potential and changed the focus of fire concern to Southern and Central California. Drier than usual conditions continued across Southern and Central California into October, but weather events necessary to create significant events were rare.

The normal transition of fire season back to the southern and eastern U.S. in the fall associated with leaf drop also did not occur as would be expected. Wetter than normal conditions continued and leaf drop is occurring on top of wet ground and as leaves are falling they are being layered with moisture preventing a significant fall fire season from developing.

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