Tuesday, January 27, 2009

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

Link to California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS

CAL FIRE Structure fire - Firefighter hospitalized

Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST

UPDATE: CAL FIRE Firefighter hurt while battling Highland house fire
One firefighter received minor injuries while battling a house fire in Highland this morning.

The firefighter was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The fire was reported in the 7500 block of Satinwood Court at 8:49 a.m. Fifteen firefighters from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection arrived and found the structure engulfed in flames, said fire dispatcher Frank Wilson.

Firefighters gained control of the blaze at 9:08 a.m.

An investigator was on scene this morning searching for a cause of the fire.

Source: http://www.insidesocal.com - Link

Tahoe wildfire news: TARP The 2008 Best in the Basin award, resignations and more

Posted: 26 Jan 2009 01:50 PM PST

Breaking Tahoe wildfire news today: The Executive Director of the planning board responsible for, among other things, fire protection in Lake Tahoe has resigned, due in part to blame for lack of wildland fire preparations

TARP The 2008 Best in the Basin wildland fire related award winners are:

Best Residential Defensible Space Work: Nevada Fire Safe Council.
Pretzer residence, 355 Snowflake Ave., Tahoe Vista, owner Carolyn Pretzer. Work by contractor Rockwood Inc. of Kings Beach. Special recognition goes to the Nevada Fire Safe Council.
Best Area-Wide Defensible Space Work: Nevada Fire Safe Council.
Chinquapin Homeowners Association, at 3600 North Lake Tahoe Boulevard, Tahoe City. The Chinquapin complex is a 98-acre property with 172 condominiums and town homes on the Placer County shoreline. The defensible space and forest fuels treatments have been ongoing since 2005. Last year, Chinquapin was recognized as the Best in the Basin winner for best BMPs. Work by North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District hand crews, California Department of Forestry hand crews, CTL Forestry Management of Placerville, registered professional forester Bruce Seabold, and WMC Inc. Special recognition goes to Tahoe Regional Planning Agency forester Brian Hirt and the Nevada Fire Safe Council.
Best Erosion Control Project: USDA Forest Service.
Crystal Bay Phase I Water Quality Improvement Project, Somers Loop Road, Washoe County. This area-wide erosion control / water quality project incorporates several cutting-edge techniques for stormwater management, including vegetated pavers, pervious concrete and large underground infiltration galleries. Work by engineers Nichols Consulting, landscape designers Integrated Environmental Restoration Services, and contractor Aspen Developer's Corporation. Funding by the Nevada Tahoe Bond Act and USDA Forest Service. Special recognition goes to the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District.

Defensible space note: It's important for property owners to take "defensible space" measures to protect their homes in the unfortunate event of a wildfire. There are many simple things you can do to protect your home:

  • Call your local fire district for a defensible space home inspection and/or tree removal permit for fire safety.
  • Remove all vegetation that may be touching your home. Look for tree branches and bushes that have grown up next to your house.
  • Break up dense vegetation around your home.
  • Clear all dead vegetation including tree limbs on the ground, pine needles and cones, dried grass, flowers, etc. Many local fire departments have a free service to chip your dead tree limbs.
  • For areas of bare soil with no vegetation, rake all pine needles once a year, in the Spring; then let them fall and collect the rest of the year. TRPA and all Lake Tahoe fire districts agree that this is both defensible and good to control erosion.
  • Consider leaving the "duff" layer of pine needles in your yard wherever there is bare soil. The "duff" layer is the dark area at the ground level where pine needles are decomposing. The duff layer has low ignition properties and is a ready option to controlling soil erosion.
  • Keep an area approximately 30 feet surrounding your home clean and free of debris or dead vegetation including pine needles. Everything in this area should be healthy and green.

For more information about fire safety, contact your local fire protection district

TARP Angora Fire Information:

(click here) for a status report on TRPA's implementation of recommendations from the Bi-State Fire Commission delivered to the TRPA Governing Board September, 2008.
(click here) for the Bi-State Fire Commission Report
(click here) for the Forest Service report showing the effectiveness of fuels treatments during the Angora Wildfire.
(click here) to go to the Tree Removal Guide.
(click here) to go the Living With Fire website for the Tahoe Basin.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Info: Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Citizens’ Academy

Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:54 AM PST


ATF LOS ANGELES HOSTS CITIZENS' ACADEMY - LOS ANGELES –

What: John A. Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Los Angeles Field Division announced today that the "ATF Citizens' Academy" presented by the Los Angeles Field Division is scheduled for January 28 through March 11.
Why: The academy's goal is to create a greater understanding of ATF's role in the community through education and open discussion.
"The Citizens' Academy provides local business, civic, religious and community
leaders an inside look at federal law enforcement in general and ATF in particular,"
Torres said. "The overall goal is build relationships and understanding between ATF and
the community to further help citizens make their communities a better and safer place."
When, Where, How: The Citizens' Academy is hosted two times each year and is open to
approximately 30 students per class. Students must be civic, religious or community
leaders, be at least 21 years old, with no felony convictions. The class meets weekly for
approximately three hours and lasts seven weeks. Some of the topics covered include:
• ATF history, mission and jurisdiction
• Firearms/Explosives regulations
• Federal Firearms/Explosives Licensee Inspections
• Violent Crime Impact Teams
• Firearms safety and firearms familiarization/range day
• Certified Explosive Specialist program
• Explosives detection canine program
• Special Response Team (SWAT) and tactical simulation exercise
• Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) program
• National Response Team (Arson)
The next Citizens' Academy is scheduled for Fall of 2009.
For additional information: Please contact the Los Angeles Field Division at (818) 265-2500. For more information about ATF and its programs visit www.atf.gov.

LODD: Texas Firefighters in bucket fell approximately 8 stories

Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:44 AM PST

Texas Firefighters in the bucket of a 95' E One fell approximately 8 stories during training at Kilgore college fire academy in Texas.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities:

Name: Kyle Perkins - Rank: Firefighter

Age: 45

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 15

Date of Incident: 01/25/2009

Time of Incident: 1402hrs

Date of Death: 01/25/2009

Name: Cory Galloway - Rank: Firefighter

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 1

Date of Incident: 01/25/2009

Time of Incident: 1402hrs

Date of Death: 01/25/2009

Fire Department: Kilgore Fire Department

Address: 909 N Kilgore St., Kilgore, TX 75662 (USNG: 15S UR 2419 8525)

Map of Fire Department location:

http://floridadisaster.org/gis/kml/viewer.htm?zoom=15&usng=15SUR24198525&disp=h

Fire Department Chief: Dennis Gage

Incident Description: While participating in a training exercise at the Kilgore College Fire Academy, Firefighters Perkins and Galloway were in the bucket of a 95' E One rear mount platform truck when, for a cause still under investigation, they fell approximately 8 stories. Firefighters Perkins and Galloway succumbed to injuries they received from the accident.

Map of Incident Location: Stark Hall - 607 Elder (USNG: 15S UR 2365 8392)

Map view –

http://floridadisaster.org/gis/kml/viewer.htm?zoom=18&usng=15SUR23658392&disp=h

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Firefighters Perkins & Galloway Memorial Fund, Citizens National Bank, 301 E Main St., Kilgore, TX 75662 - Tele: 903-984-8671

Memorial Tribute: is being paid to Firefighters Kyle Perkins and Cory Galloway at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 6 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2009 as a result of incidents that occurred in 2009.


USFA does not have a Line-of-Duty-Death (LODD) criterion nor does it make LODD determinations. "Please note, running totals of firefighter fatalities used on these initial notices do not necessarily reflect the number of firefighter fatalities used in totals for the (provisional) monthly year-to-date USFA firefighter fatality reports, or year-end (provisional) reports posted online (
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm)

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