Colorado fireline

[2dogs]

Believe it or not there is no physical agility test for hired equipment vendors except for deploying a practice fire shelter. Most of the people in the required safety classes I have taken over the years are in their 50s and older. The women tend to be the oldest and roundest. Being of the round nature myself I hope I can get away with that statement without challenge. I think many of the vendors could not walk 3 miles even without a pack. Almost everyone is member of a vehicle based resource such as a dozer, water tender, or a runner. We fallers have to walk the most.

Training starts around January/February for vendors. In Cali call your local Cal Fire unit or USFS office and ask about the Hired Equipment Vendor program. You can also visit fire.ca.gov and search Cal Fire's web site. Be prepared to invest $1,500.00 for gear and another $1,500.00 for a radio. You may never turn a wheel.

 

[Rakoprtr]

Believe it or not there is no physical agility test for hired equipment vendors except for deploying a practice fire shelter. Most of the people in the required safety classes I have taken over the years are in their 50s and older. The women tend to be the oldest and roundest. Being of the round nature myself I hope I can get away with that statement without challenge. I think many of the vendors could not walk 3 miles even without a pack. Almost everyone is member of a vehicle based resource such as a dozer, water tender, or a runner. We fallers have to walk the most.

Training starts around January/February for vendors. In Cali call your local Cal Fire unit or USFS office and ask about the Hired Equipment Vendor program. You can also visit fire.ca.gov and search Cal Fire's web site. Be prepared to invest $1,500.00 for gear and another $1,500.00 for a radio. You may never turn a wheel.

Thank u that was the response I was looking for I have the radios but will prob have to pay a coule hundred to get the new freq programmed in also gonna need to invest in the gear again thank u for the response I was looking fer

 

[forestryworks]

Really? that seems kindof wierd, I guess a guy's gotta channel his inner mall/power walker :hmm3grin2orange:

I'm joining the old folks in their morning power strolls at Wally World :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Gologit]

I'm joining the old folks in their morning power strolls at Wally World :hmm3grin2orange:

Do you give them a head start?

 

[forestryworks]

Do you give them a head start?

A half a cup of coffee head start.

 

[Sport Faller]

A half a cup of coffee head start.

We need video of you walking up and down the line of mall walkers giving em the Gunny Hitower :wink2:

 

[GASoline71]

Thanks for your service!

You betcha mang!

Gary

 

[slowp]

I never said working it would be easy I meant the test would be easy as far as working it goes I like the suck loved when I was deployed more than bieng here actually long hours in a dangerous environment is right up my alley ESP if I'm helping someone in the process I'm sure it's not for everyone I was just trying to volenteer since it seems like they could use the help but apperntly I can't I tried

The name of the game is to NOT be in very much danger. If things are unsafe, you pull out.

It isn't fun when you notice the crewbosses and division boss whispering and looking extremely worried.
And you suddenly realize, there isn't enough room to deploy the shake and bakes...

 

[forestryworks]

I never said working it would be easy I meant the test would be easy as far as working it goes I like the suck loved when I was deployed more than bieng here actually long hours in a dangerous environment is right up my alley ESP if I'm helping someone in the process I'm sure it's not for everyone I was just trying to volenteer since it seems like they could use the help but apperntly I can't I tried

Read up on the South Canyon Fire to make sure you really wanna do wildland firefighting. Cast any and all romantic notions and heroic glory aside; they don't belong on the fireline.

Another volunteer fire option is to contact The Nature Conservancy. But again, you gotta take the required training and the Pack Test.

There is more to fire than smoke and flames.

 

[slowp]

Read up on the South Canyon Fire to make sure you really wanna do wildland firefighting. Cast any and all romantic notions and heroic glory aside; they don't belong on the fireline.

I need to read that. I know one of the survivors. He doesn't say anything about it.

 

[2dogs]

You might want to read "Young Men and Fire" by Norman MacLean also or better yet first. My wifes aunt was the USFS dispatcher that sent the crews to Storm King.

 

[forestryworks]

I need to read that. I know one of the survivors. He doesn't say anything about it.

If you don't have a copy, you're welcome to borrow mine.

"Young Men and Fire" by Norman MacLean

That is good as well. But he sure did take the long way around in telling the story compared to John.

Both Storm King Mountain and Mann Gulch were eerily similar.

 

[slowp]

You might want to read "Young Men and Fire" by Norman MacLean also or better yet first. My wifes aunt was the USFS dispatcher that sent the crews to Storm King.

I read that one a while ago. A couple of months ago I read the book about the 1910 fires. The Big Burn?
I think I probably had great uncles and a grandpa involved in that one. They made some money fighting fire in the early days. That's the Scandihoovian Cowboy side of the family--E. Warshingtonians. :biggrin:

 

[forestryworks]

I read that one a while ago. A couple of months ago I read the book about the 1910 fires. The Big Burn?
I think I probably had great uncles and a grandpa involved in that one. They made some money fighting fire in the early days. That's the Scandihoovian Cowboy side of the family--E. Warshingtonians. :biggrin:

The Big Burn was a great book!

 

[slowp]

Our library has the other. I'll put in a request. It's a tiny library, but you can get books via the computer.

 

[slowp]

Something new.

Guns blamed for starting wildfires in parched West | Local News | The Seattle Times

 

[forestryworks]

Something new.

Guns blamed for starting wildfires in parched West | Local News | The Seattle Times

Seen that happen more than once here.

However, I'm willing to bet target-shootin'-sparked fires account for less than 2% of all wildfires; about like lightning.

But then again, 98% of "wild" fires are human caused.

 

[slowp]

I'm reading the Storm King book. Even though I'm not very far into it, I am finding it to be disturbing. I remember coming into work the morning after and the FMO telling me that a crew from R6 had been burned over and people killed. That crew had been on standby on our AZ forest the week before. I tried to meet up with them, but failed. I was going to offer to ferry them around town.

I was trying to call a friend who was married to a guy on the crew, and finally got through to find out he'd made it.

What a horrible day it was.

I'll read on knowing it will depress me.

 

[floyd]

Never did like fighting fire. Good money but hard on the body.

Had the biggest fire in the country bout 10yrs ago up the road from me. we do not have tamarack soil but some of you know what a dirt road is like thru soil like that. Road was 1.5' of that about 3 mi above my place.

I could have lived quite well without that 15min of fame.

I survived. the ground is planted. Salvage took a year.