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| News: Lions Club in Wrightwood helps firefighters Posted: 10 Jan 2009 04:33 PM CST When a fire threatens a town, or if a person needs medical help, or if a scared kitty needs to be rescued from a tree, a community can always rely on firefighters. Members of the Timberline Lions Club from Wrightwood recently decided to return the favor and purchased $5,000 worth of ice-rescue equipment for the town's Fire Station 101. The Lions Club spent a fifth of its yearly giving budget on the equipment, which included four ice-rescue suits and a reaching pole system. "These suits are expensive, and the only reason we have them is because of community donation," said San Bernardino County fire Capt. Steve Roeber from Fire Station 101. The San Bernardino County Fire Department on Friday held a training exercise at Jackson Lake near Wrightwood and tested out the donated equipment. Firefighters from San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties took turns donning yellow suits and pulling each other out of an ice hole. The ice-rescue suits cost $800 apiece and are designed to offer thermal protection and buoyancy. A single zipper puts on the suit, including gloves and boots. "You don't even feel it," said San Bernardino County fire Capt. Tim Goforth, after he got out of the icy water. "The only thing cold is my face." Most fire divisions that have an ice hazard in their coverage area have the ice-rescue equipment. "In a small community, you need to stay close to all of your agencies and businesses," said John Bauer, Lions Club's board member. "You need to be aware what's needed." Every year there is at least one drowning at Jackson Lake, Bauer said. Officials warn that the public should not attempt to make a rescue without proper equipment. "You never want to jump in after somebody," fire Capt. Jim Pearson said. "Call for help as soon as possible." A very healthy person can stay alive in icy water for at most 15 minutes, Pearson said. Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com - Link |
| Police: Poor power line maintenance caused OC fire Posted: 10 Jan 2009 01:14 PM CST Police Report: Poor power line maintenance caused Orange County wildfire BREA, Calif.—Police say an electrical discharge from a poorly maintained power line caused a fire last November in Brea that destroyed three homes and a school. Sgt. Bill Smyser says the investigation shows the fire was not intentionally set but that a criminal negligence charge is possible. The power lines blamed for the fire are owned by Los Angeles-based Breit Burn Management Co. The flames consumed at least 1,500 acres and destroyed the main building of Brea Canyon High School before merging with another fire to create the Freeway Complex, which burned hundreds of homes. BreitBurn attorney Greg Brown says the company is cooperating with the investigation and questioned why police would release what he called "partial findings." The case will be submitted for review to Orange County prosecutors. |
| NWCG: Update of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Posted: 10 Jan 2009 10:34 AM CST NWCG Letter: Update on the Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management PolicyRevised policy implementation guidance will move to two kinds of wildland fire: planned ignitions (prescribed fire), and unplanned ignitions (wildfire)MEMORANDUM Subject: Update on the Modifications to the Interagency Strategy for the Implementation Federal Wildland Fire Policy, adopted in 1995, stated that "Fire, as a critical natural process, will be integrated into land and resource management plans and activities on a landscape scale, and across agency boundaries. Response to wildland fire is based on ecological, social, and legal consequences of fire. The circumstances under which a fire occurs and the likely consequences on firefighter and public safety and welfare, natural and cultural resources, and values to be protected dictate the appropriate response to fire." Federal land management agencies have operated within this policy since its adoption, and a review conducted in 2001 affirmed that the policy was sound. Operational clarification and continuing guidance supporting implementation of this policy was issued in 2003. As a result of the 2008 field test and review, Federal wildland fire leadership determined that the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Policy remains sound. They also determined that revising the 2003 Implementation Guidance would reduce confusion and provide a more flexible approach to wildland fire management that promotes the goal of managing fire to meet safety, protection, and natural resource management goals. Initial action on human-caused wildfire will continue to suppress the fire at the lowest cost with the fewest negative consequences with respect to firefighter and public safety. Revised policy implementation guidance will move to two kinds of wildland fire: planned ignitions (prescribed fire), and unplanned ignitions (wildfire) by revising the "Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy" and rescinding the "3 Kinds of Wildland Fire" Memorandum (2003). The revision allows fire managers to manage a fire for multiple objectives and increase managers' flexibilty to respond to changing incident conditions and firefighting capability while strengthening strategic and tactical decision implementation supporting public safety and resource management objectives. A new wildfire analysis and decision process, the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS), is being developed to improve decision documentation, risk assessment/decision support, and operational implementation. This system will replace the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA), Wildland Fire Implementation Plan (WFIP), Long-Term Implementation Plan (LTIP), and Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) and enhance managers' ability to analyze fire conditions and develop risk informed strategies and tactics. The revised policy implementation guidelines will be finalized by early February, 2009. Modification of National Wildfire Coordinating Group program coordination and standards and bureau and agency manuals and direction is proceeding concurrently to support field implementation of the revised guidance. Agencies and Bureaus will define unit requirements and a schedule for full implementation to accommodate differing capabilites. To the extent possible, roll out will be coordinated among adjoining units to limit confusion. This provides agencies the most opportunities and greatest flexibility to build capacity and understanding with internal staff and external audiences, coordinate with state and local air quality regulators, and revise annual operating plans with cooperating state and local fire management agencies. Please send questions or comments to fire_help@fs.fed.us with "Fire Policy" as the Subject. Contacts: Rich Lasko, Co-Chair AMR Task Group |
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