Bequi Livingston and Gary Luce have written an interesting analysis following two firefighter entrapments that occurred within 45 days of each other on two separate wildfire incidents on the Coronado National Forest in Southern Arizona.
In what seems to be an annual occurrence, the Southwest Geographic Area has issued another “Safety Alert” with the subject: “US – Mexico Border Fire Operations Safety”. Saying the border area has become “increasingly dangerous” to firefighters, they listed in the two-page document some watchout situations:
“These are potential situations firefighters could encounter:
1. Illegal immigrant and smugglers warming fires have started wildland fires.
2. Illegal activity along the border has involved “copy cat vehicles” painted to look like agency vehicles.
3. Radios and phones don’t work in many locations on the border.
4. Awareness that when using cell phones to communicate, you may experience interference from Mexico.
5. Conflicts in air space with helicopters assigned to the fire and helicopters used for law enforcement.
6. Undocumented aliens are hiding or camping within or adjacent to the incident operations.
6. Potential health risks associated with large amounts of trash or caches of drugs burning.
7. Arson fires being started to divert attention from illegal activities happening nearby.
8. Clusters of illegal immigrant vehicles.
9. Packs and equipment being stolen.
10. Potential lack of law enforcement or medical support on the Mexico side of the border.”
We are distressed to have to report still another rollover of an engine responding to a vegetation fire, injuring firefighters. This time it is in Coweta County, Georgia.
From AJC.com:
Three firefighters were injured in a wreck on the way to a brush fire in Coweta County on Sunday.
Engine No. 16 rolled over at Ga. 34 and Dixon Road just before noon, county spokeswoman Patricia Palmer said.
Two of the firefighters were taken to Piedmont Newnan Hospital, and the third was transported by helicopter to Atlanta Medical Center, Palmer said.
The injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, she said.
Remember the statistic that Dick Mangan reported:
Vehicle accidents were the 2nd leading cause of death for wildland firefighters between 1990 and 2009.
This video titled “Firefighter Safety in the Wildland/Urban Interface” covers three actual or near-entrapments on wildland fires, featuring interviews with the firefighters involved.
The incidents include:
a tractor-plow operator in Florida,
a CalFire engine crew in northern California that took refuge in a house as their engine burned, and
Four firefighters with the Adjala-Tosorontio Fire Department near Toronto claim they were fired after they notified their chain of command and the Township Council about safety concerns. The firefighters were offered a total of $23,050 between them if they would waive their right to fight the termination and if they would agree to never to speak publicly about the issue. The four decided not to take the money, and are seeking legal counsel to fight the township’s decision to fire them.
Here is an excerpt from an article at Simcoe.com, listing some of the firefighters safety concerns:
At a structure fire on Dec. 31, 2009, the group alleges one of the chiefs ordered firefighters into a barn on fire without proper respiratory equipment. The chief is also accused of making “disparaging remarks” about ATFD equipment, staff and belittling firefighters over the radio.
At an undated Tosorontio motor vehicle collision, another chief is accused of wearing flip flops and shorts while doing extrication work. The group claims former Chief Paul Wales was told about this, but failed to “act” on the concerns.
At a wildland fire at Sommerville farms in 2009, the group accuses one of the chiefs of heading down into a ravine despite being told not to by the incident commander. The group said the chief required rescue, which took six firefighters to pull him back up the hill using a hose line. The group claims this put the chief’s and the lives of the crew “at risk.”
None of the allegations by the terminated firefighters has been proven in court or at a hearing.
You firefighters in the eastern and southern United States — be careful with those leaf blowers. A case in point and an opportunity for a Lesson Learned: