Fuel and vapor can be expelled with force from a chainsaw fuel tank
Continue readingSawyer mentorship
The Information officers on the Sawmill Fire in Arizona created this article and the photos. Not only does it give the outside world a peek into what wildland firefighters actually do (in this case while at the incident base) but it illustrates a great example of firefighters from the Globe Hotshots offering assistance or mentoring others when they have the time on a fire assignment. Firefighting of all types, structure and wildland, is a close-knit community and firefighters will help each other out even if they’re seeing each other for the first time, and knowing they may never meet again. Good job, Globe Hotshots and Wendy Koinva.
****
When Wendy Koinva started running a chainsaw, the guys on her crew told her it needed a name. “Give it a manly name,” they said. Wendy had another idea.
During the summer, a wildland firefighter spends thousands of hours carrying their pack, swinging their tool, and sleeping in their sleeping bag. Taking ownership of their things is important. If they take care of their gear, then their gear will take care of them. Sawyers have one of the most important and challenging jobs on the fireline. They are often in front, stomping through brush – clearing a safe way for their coworkers, their brothers and sisters, their buddies. If a sawyer is hungry and their saw needs gas, the saw gets fed first.
Wendy is a member of the Pima Type 2 Initial Attack Crew which is part of the Salt River Agency Tribal Nations Response Team. She’s been with the crew for two fire seasons. Her coworkers noticed her take an interest in running a saw. They suggested she take part in the tradition, among wildland sawyers, of naming her saw. It’s a way of taking ownership and pride in the job that they do. Wendy chose Pööts’tima, which is Hopi for “Stomping Bear,” because that’s how she sees herself and her saw. They are out in front, ahead of the crew, stomping through the brush and clearing the way.
While Wendy and Pööts’tima were “stomping” the Sawmill Fire, they came across the Globe Hotshots, led by Dean Whitney. Hotshot crews are elite. Hotshot sawyers are among the best at what they do. When Dean heard about Wendy and her saw, he recognized an opportunity for cross-agency mentorship. He invited her to come over to the crew’s buggies for a lesson, and worked with her on maximizing her and her saw’s potential.
Wildland firefighters value duty, respect, and integrity. We can all take a lesson from Globe, Wendy and her Stomping Bear.
STIHL recalls 100,000 chainsaws
(Updated at 1:09 p.m. MST February 24, 2017)
Today the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of 100,000 STIHL chainsaws that are at risk of fire and burn hazards. The saws being recalled are:
- MS 461
- MS 461 R
- MS 461 R Rescue
- GS 461 Rock Boss.
The first three are used by firefighters. The last two were not included in STIHL’s official recall notice but a company representative we talked to at the STIHL recall office confirmed they are also on the list.
STIHL Inc. has received 117 reports of pinched or leaking fuel lines but the company reports they are unaware of any damage or injuries caused by the possible defect.
Recalled chainsaws have a serial number between 173092800 and 181993952 under the front hand guard on the engine housing’s sprocket side. The models affected were sold for approximately $1,000 from July 2012 through December 2016.
The recommendation is that owners of the saws immediately stop using them and take them to an authorized STIHL dealer for a free inspection and repair.
MS 461’s are sometimes used by wildland firefighters for constructing fireline and felling trees. This model has been cited in at least one report of a different problem — vapor lock that can result in the engine dying. When the operator removes the gas cap to check on the fuel level, occasionally a “fuel geyser” sprays pressurized gas. This has caused serious burn injuries when the fuel ignites.
Here is a link to the official CPSC recall notice for the pinched or leaking fuel line issue. The STIHL website has a list of seven recalls for various products.
(After calling and talking with the STIHL recall office, the article was updated at 1:09 p.m. MST February 24, 2017 to include two other models of chainsaws that were recalled but not included in the official notice from Stihl and the CPSC. Those two additional saws are the MS 461 R Rescue and the GS 461 Rock Boss concrete saw)