12 questions Archives - Page 2 of 3

12 Questions for Jim Stumpf

Bill GabbertJanuary 19, 2013July 30, 2019Uncategorized12 questions, area command

Today we have the eighth article of our series in which we ask current and retired leaders in the wildland fire service to answer 12 questions.

We appreciate everyone who is cooperating with this project. Some of their responses may add to the knowledge base of our new firefighters coming up through the ranks. If you have a suggestion of someone who would be a good candidate for these questions, drop us a line through our Contact Us page. And their contact information would be appreciated.

Below we hear from Jim Stumpf. In 1975 Jim was a Type 1 Incident Commander on the Pacoima fire on the Angeles National Forest, the first fire that was run under the Firescope system, which evolved into the Incident Command System. Later he was an Area Commander. When he retired from the federal government he was with the Bureau of Land Management’s National Fire Program and Budget Office.

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When you think of an excellent leader in the fire service, who comes to mind first?

Dick Montague provided guidance when I worked for him on the Angeles National Forest and with his support and direction he was one of the first to lead the way for the development of Firescope (Incident Command System).
Dick Millar- Provided Regional and National leadership, support and encouragement to many upcoming fire personnel (including myself).

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone before their first assignment as an Incident Commander?
Know your job and allow your staff to do their jobs. Insist on accountability from your staffs.

If someone is planning a prescribed fire, what is one thing that you hope they will pay particular attention to?
The written prescription and the guidance in that prescription.

One of the more common errors in judgment you have seen on fires?
Ignoring the obvious in the basics.

One thing that you know now that you wish you had known early in your career?
How rewarding the job could be.

The stupidest mistake you have seen on a fire?
Backfiring the wrong side of the line.

Your most memorable fire?
Every one of them.

The funniest thing you have seen on a fire?
Snow

The first very large fire you were on?
Think it was the Monkey Fire on the San Bernardino NF.

Your favorite book about fire or firefighting?
Young Men and Fire

The first job you had within the fire service?
Firefighter on the Del Rosa Hot Shots.

What gadgets, electronic or otherwise, can’t you live without?
Lap top and cork screw.

12 Questions for Joe Lowe

Bill GabbertJanuary 18, 2013August 25, 2019Uncategorized12 questions, Paul Gleason

Today we have the seventh article of our series in which we ask current and retired leaders in the wildland fire service to answer 12 questions.

Below we hear from Joe Lowe, a former Director of the South Dakota Division of Wildfire Suppression and Type 2 Incident Commander of Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team C. Currently Joe is the owner of the Reflections of South Dakota Gallery in Rapid City.

Joe answered the first generation of the 12 Questions, which have since been modified.

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When you think of an excellent leader in the fire service, who comes to mind first?
My departed teacher and friend Paul Gleason

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone before their first assignment as an Incident Commander?
This is advice I would give my ICT2 trainee. They are as follows and in no particular order:

Be committed to excellence
Have integrity
Know your job
Be politically astute
Know ICS/NIMs
Be loyal to your team and support the members of the team
Treat each team member with mutual respect
Be adaptable and flexible
Do not be afraid to admit your mistakes
Have a sense of humor
Be able to negotiate
Know yourself and your strengths and weaknesses
Be technically proficient at your job.

If someone is planning a prescribed fire, what is one thing that you hope they will pay particular attention to?
The weather factors present before you start the burn. Do they match your forecast?

What was the first very large fire you were on?
The Indian Fire in November of 1980. It burned 28,000 acres in Orange County and the Cleveland National Forest. I was a new firefighter and assigned to Type 3 engine,

What color should fire trucks be?
Why red of course

What was the first job you ever had?
A paper route.

What was the first job you had within the fire service?
A volunteer firefighter for CDF.

What cell phone do you have for personal use?
An Android 4G

What kind of computer do you have at home?
Windows

What gadgets can’t you live without?
My IPAD

What was the first vehicle that you bought?
A 1953 Ford Station Wagon

What was your most memorable vacation?
My 1st trip to Maui with my wife after we got married.

12 Questions for Mike Edrington

Bill GabbertJanuary 14, 2013August 25, 2019Uncategorized12 questions, area command

Today we have the sixth article of our series in which we ask current and retired leaders in the wildland fire service to answer 12 questions.

We appreciate everyone who is cooperating with this project. Some of their responses may add to the knowledge base of our new firefighters coming up through the ranks.

Below we hear from Mike Edrington, who retired from the U. S. Forest Service as an Area Commander, with his last position being the Regional Fire and Aviation Director for the combined Pacific Northwest Regional and State offices of the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Presently he is an associate with OQA, Inc. (an emergency services consulting corporation) and is an Assistant Area Commander on Area Command Team 3.

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When you think of an excellent leader in the fire service, who comes to mind first?
Rick Gale, NPS (retired)

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone before their first assignment as an Incident Commander?
Allow your Command and General Staff to fulfill their roles and responsibilities and spend your time and energy concentrating on the responsibilities of the IC!!!!

If someone is planning a prescribed fire, what is one thing that you hope they will pay particular attention to?
“one of the things” Make sure that all cooperating agencies and other land owners adjacent to your project understand and support the objectives of the project and are part of the contingency planning.

One of the more common errors in judgment you have seen on fires?
Assuming that all communications in operations flow from the OSC to the DIVS to the STL/TFL to the single resource leader without loss of information.

One thing that you know now that you wish you had known early in your career?
One does not need to know everything about a position to be successful (delegation and trusting the knowledge of those working for you).

The stupidest mistake you have seen on a fire?
Burning out in heavy oak brush on the wrong side of the line for ¼ mile.

Your most memorable fire?
The Bitterroot fires of 2000

The funniest thing you have seen on a fire?
Hundreds of yards of copy paper and forms and records and tents floating above the ICP and base after a small “tornado” went through camp. (had to be there)

The first very large fire you were on?
Laramie Peak Fire, 1964, Medicine Bow NF

Your favorite book about fire or firefighting?
The Big Burn

The first job you had within the fire service?
Seasonal crew member, Medicine Bow National Forest, 1964

What gadgets, electronic or otherwise, can’t you live without?
Smart phone and lap top.

12 Questions for Harry Croft

Bill GabbertJanuary 13, 2013January 14, 2013Uncategorized12 questions4 Comments

Today we have the fifth article of our series in which we ask current and retired leaders in the wildland fire service to answer 12 questions.

We appreciate everyone who is cooperating with this project. Some of their responses may add to the knowledge base of our new firefighters coming up through the ranks.

Below we hear from Harry Croft, who retired from the U. S. Forest Service as the Deputy Director, National Fire Plan; the first Deputy Director for Fire and Aviation Management in the National Office.

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When you think of an excellent leader in the fire service, who comes to mind first?
There are so many great leaders at all levels and at different times in my career, but John Chambers and Chuck Mills stand out among the best. I learned so much from both of them…both had integrity and expected nothing but the best from their people.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone before their first assignment as an Incident Commander?
I assume you mean Type 1? Take care of your people, expect results, and trust your staff!

If someone is planning a prescribed fire, what is one thing that you hope they will pay particular attention to?
Follow the plan!!! Expect the best outcome and plan for the worst.

One of the more common errors in judgment you have seen on fires?
Doing the same thing day after day with no change in outcomes. This is especially true on large fires.

One thing that you know now that you wish you had known early in your career?
Holding people accountable is a career killer. No one really wants negative oversight, at any level, local or national. Everyone wants to wear the “white hat” of being a good guy. I knew this early on, but didn’t realize the political capital that is involved at very high levels of the organization.

The stupidest mistake you have seen on a fire?
A better word or phrase would be a “dumb decision”; wasting resources and money on a fire best left to burn itself out.

Your most memorable fire?
I was a green Acting District Ranger in So Cal when a fire broke out on the Morongo Reservation and I became the line officer for the decisions. Luckily, Chuck Mills walked me through it!

The funniest thing you have seen on a fire?
I really can’t say I’ve seen anything funny

The first very large fire you were on?
Probably in So Cal. I was part of a crew from Oregon and was scared to death!

Mr. Croft answered 9 of our 12 questions.

12 Questions for L. Dean Clark

Bill GabbertJanuary 12, 2013July 30, 2019Uncategorized12 questions3 Comments

Today we have the fourth article of our series in which we ask current and retired leaders in the wildland fire service to answer 12 questions.

We appreciate everyone who is cooperating with this project. Some of their responses may add to the knowledge base of our new firefighters coming up through the ranks.

Below we hear from L. Dean Clark, who retired from the National Park Service as the Deputy Fire Management Officer for the Intermountain Region, working out of Denver.

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When you think of an excellent leader in the fire service, who comes to mind first?
Tom Zimmerman

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone before their first assignment as an Incident Commander?
Make sure your pants are zipped / buttoned up.

If someone is planning a prescribed fire, what is one thing that you hope they will pay particular attention to?
Interactions of the winds & lay of the land.

One of the more common errors in judgment you have seen on fires?
Poor timing of actions, not basing actions on expected fire behavior. Examples: tactics dictated by the clock & calendar (or other human/administrative/fire cultural factors) rather than timed for advantage with natural factors.

One thing that you know now that you wish you had known early in your career?
The other guy’s point of view might improve my own.

The stupidest mistake you have seen on a fire?
I kicked a burning Digger Pine cone over the trench I had just built on a steep side slope. I wanted to see if the trench would hold. It didn’t. Dumb squared.

Your most memorable fire?
Fan Fire in Yellowstone National Park, 1988

The funniest thing you have seen on a fire?
My Bud doing a spontaneous Yellow Jacket-up- the-pants dance in front of misc. bosses and overhead.

The first very large fire you were on?
Del Puerto Canyon 1970, west of Patterson CA. Rancher was killed when his cat [dozer] rolled over on him. Our Engine crew (Tank Truck 4265) had backfired behind him on his range earlier in the evening.

Your favorite book about fire or firefighting?
Young Men and Fire for the literary value… Fire Weather the single most useful reference.

The first job you had within the fire service?
Forest Firefighter with the then California Division of Forestry in Mariposa, CA. Stationed at White Rock FFS in June 1969.

What gadgets, electronic or other type, can’t you live without?
Pocket knife and cell phone. Smart phone will be there soon, I foresee.

12 Questions for Dick Mangan

Bill GabbertJanuary 11, 2013December 26, 2019Uncategorized12 questions1 Comment

Today we have the third article of our series in which we ask current and retired leaders in the wildland fire service to answer 12 questions.

We appreciate everyone who is cooperating with this project. Some of their responses to the first three questions may add to the knowledge base of our new firefighters coming up through the ranks.

Below we hear from Dick Mangan, who retired from the U.S. Forest Service as the Fire Program Leader at the Missoula Technology Development Center at Missoula. He currently is the owner of Blackbull Wildfire and is an Angus cattle breeder.

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When you think of an excellent leader in the fire service, who comes to mind first?
Of the folks that I’ve worked with over the years, former Northern Rockies IC Steve Frye comes to mind immediately as a top leader. Of non-Fire leaders who have been influential leaders in Fire, Bob Barbee at Yellowstone National Park and Oroville Daniels on the Lolo National Forest really stand out for their courage and commitment to fire.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone before their first assignment as an Incident Commander?
Know your people, trust your people, ask the tough questions, don’t be afraid to admit you are wrong and then try again.

If someone is planning a prescribed fire, what is one thing that you hope they will pay particular attention to?
Never sugar-coat the “worst possible scenario”: plan for it, and if you can’t manage it within prescription, don’t ever light the match.

What was the first very large fire you were on?
Wellman Fire in SoCal in 1966; over 100,000 acres.

What color should fire trucks be?
Red seems to be readily identifiable to the Public, but as a USFS guy for 30+ years, I’m partial to Green.

What was the first job you ever had?
Newspaper delivery boy.

What was the first job you had within the fire service?
Engine crew member at Feather Falls Guard Station, LaPorte RD, Plumas NF in 1964.

What cell phone do you have for personal use?
Real old fashioned Flip phone.

What kind of computer do you have at home?
Dell PC and HP laptop.

What gadgets can’t you live without?
Beer hook and wine corkscrew opener.

What was the first vehicle that you bought?
1956 Chevy step-side pickup.

What was your most memorable vacation?
17 days in Italy with Barb and another couple in 2009, never staying in a hotel, eating and sampling vino in the local communities, and experiencing the local culture.

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