FIRELINE The official publication of the National Wildfire Suppression Association

Winter 2014

Promoting and Advancing The Professional Private Fire Services

Table of Contents

Published for: The National Wildfire Suppression Association P.O. Box 330 Lyons, Oregon 97358 Executive Director: Debbie Miley Tel: 877-676-6972 Fax: 866-854-8186 [email protected] www.nwsa.us Published by: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Please return all undeliverable addresses to: 5606 Riggins Court, Suite 200 Reno, NV 89502 Toll Free Tel (866) 999-1299 Toll Free Fax (866) 244-2544 President & CEO Jack Andress Chief Operating Officer Jessica Potter ([email protected]) Publishers Peter Schulz Joe Strazzullo Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ([email protected]) Editors Danelle Cloutier ([email protected]) Alexandra Walld Meg Crane Finance/Accounting & Administration Shoshana Weinberg, Pat Andress, Nathan Redekop, Lloyd Weinberg ([email protected]) Director of Marketing & Circulation Shoshana Weinberg Sales Manager – Winnipeg Neil Gottfred Sales Manager – Hamilton Jeff Cash Sales Team Leader Brian Davey Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Alex Incretolli, Ansuta Louisy, Anthony Doucet, Bonnie Petrovsky, Brian Davey, Brian MacIntyre, Carlos Castro, Chad Morris, Lisa Bomberry, Miles Meagher, Rob Allan, Rob Choi, Robert Gibson, Roderick O’Quinn, Rick Kuzie, Shalynn Ramsden Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design Kayti Taylor

up front A Message from the NWSA President, 9  Rickey L. Dice 9  Meet the NWSA Board, Chapter Representatives and Staff 10 A Farewell to Gary W. Starkovich 11 The Role of the National Wildfire Suppression Association in Wildland Fire & Emergency Incident Support 13 Stan Kunzman: Preparing the Industry for Safety

reports 15 In Review: 2014 Fire Season 17 NWSA Cost Analysis features Machines on the Fireline 20  25  Protecting Aerial Firefighters: American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association 27  Fueling the Frontline: National Mobile Shower and Catering Association 29 2014 Photo Roundup 31 Safety Corner: Lessons Learned

nwsa insider 35  Meet NWSA’s Members 40  NWSA Membership Application 41  National Wildfire Suppression Association 2015 Conference

42  Buyers’ Guide

©2014-2015 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc.

Thank you to all of the members who contributed photos to this edition! NWSA really appreciates your contribution. If you’d like to contribute images for potential inclusion in future issues, please email high resolution digital files to [email protected]. Make sure to include peoples’ names, locations and photo credit, if required.

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 7

Up Front

A Message from the NWSA President, Rickey L. Dice

Rickey L. Dice, NWSA President

As the 2014 has come to a close, we are reminded again of the force of Mother Nature, and the toll it can have. NWSA member companies provided an enormous amount of support to the agencies during the height of fire season this year. An example of that is that at the height of the season in the Pacific Northwest private industry made up more than 50 percent of all resources on fires. On August 16, 2014, there were more than 765 orders filled by private resources in the Pacific Northwest. That translates into 147 hand crews made up of 20 people, 556 pieces of water handling equipment and 62 faller modules, just for fires in Oregon and Washington. That means that approximately 5,000 trained firefighters on the lines from private industry were on the line that given day. I would like to extend my congratulations to all contractors that had resources on the lines this fire season. You have all played a significant role in fire suppression efforts throughout the United States in 2014. Without the efforts of you and your workforce, I feel quite confident in saying that more acres would have been burned and more homes and lives lost. In Oregon and California, we saw drier conditions than were seen in the last 20 years. In late September, the west side of Oregon had gone 57 days without measurable rain. In California as of mid-September, they needed at least 15 inches of rain to recover from the drought.

We know that there have been issues this year as there is every year, and NWSA has taken note of these as they have been presented. NWSA will work with the agencies though the winter months to try to find remedies to the issues that were raised and are to the benefit of the entire group. We all know how critical safety is in a hazardous environment, but you have all risen to the occasion to ensure that all firefighters go home. Our thoughts go out to those who were injured or loss their lives during this fire season on and off the line. Let those lost lives remind us to continue to strive in our efforts to provide a safe working environment for all firefighters. Crucial to the survival of our industry is maintaining high standards and integrity, and your efforts this year have helped us keep our standards high and accomplish our goals to provide a quality, cost effective product to the agencies and the taxpayers while maintaining safety as our number one priority. Private industry on fires is never in the forefront of the news, or a front page picture, but we all know the feeling of self-satisfaction in knowing that you played a significant part in saving lives as well as property this fire season; and for that we say job well done! Sincerely, Rickey L. Dice NWSA President

The NWSA Board of Directors, Chapter Representatives and Staff Lee Miller Secretary/Treasurer NWSA R6 Chair Crew Chapter OR, WA Mike Edrington General Member NWSA R6 Chair Waterhandling Group OR Dale Jenner General Member NWSA R6 Chair Waterhandling Chapter OR

Don Pollard General Member OR, CA

Jess Wills General Member CA

Robin Winston General Member OR

Rick Dice President OR, WA, ID, NC

Mike Sulffridge General Member OR

Rick Bernbaum General Member OR

John Timmerman General Member MO

Chapter Representatives Mike Wheelock National Contract Resource Chapter Chair OR, MT

Tom Wesley General Member CA

Leonard Oftedahl Northern Rockies Chapter Chair MT

NWSA Staff Stan Kunzman NWSA Training Coordinator

Claren Nilsson Vice President National Region 5 Chapter Chair CA

Melissa Weaver Administrative Assistant Deborah Miley NWSA Executive Director

Kevin Carter Region 8 Chapter Chair FL Dave Bergette Great Basin Chapter Chair ID

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 9

A Farewell to Gary W. Starkovich Gary W. Starkovich, 74, of

Ellensburg, WA, passed away October 5, 2014 while traveling with his wife and friends in Waterloo, IA. Gary was born in Ronald, WA on February 4, 1940 and later moved to Ellensburg, where he graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1958.

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Gary started working for the Washington Department of Natural Resources in the summers when he was in high school. He worked out of the Ellensburg and Cle Elum offices with duties in fire suppression and as an engine operator. After high school, Gary worked for the Wenatchee NF also at the Ellensburg and Cle Elum Ranger Districts in fire suppression. Gary joined the Navy, where he served on the U.S.S. Ranger as an electrician on the A4E jet aircraft. After his service, he returned home to marry his wife, Linda (Webster). Together, they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. After their marriage, Gary and Linda relocated to Oregon to be near family and raise their two daughters, Kathy and Sandy. From 1964 to 1972 Gary was an equipment operator for Georgia Pacific Corporation in Springfield, OR. In 1972, Gary started working for the Willamette NF, Rigdon Ranger District. During the next years, Gary worked as a forestry technician in fire management positions. In 1974, he became the assistant fire management officer. He was instrumental in developing the first spring and summer fuels burning program. He developed engines, which were to become the Region 6 standards. From 1977 to 1995, Gary worked on the Mt. Hood NF, Bear Springs Ranger District. He served as fire management officer. He was the incident commander on the Type 2 Team for eight years. He was involved with the R6 Engine Academy for 10 years, serving as lead instructor and facilitator. He served as R-6 Engine Committee chairman for many years. He retired from the USDA Forest service in 1995. Upon retirement, he began a second career with longtime friend Rick Dice and the PatRick Corporation. His position as operations manager provided him the on-going challenge and excitement that wildland fire and suppression activities have always brought him. In 2001, he moved back home to Ellensburg, opening up a base office and continuing this work in prescribed fire and fire suppression. He built Type 4 and Type 6 engines with foam proportioned systems for the company. He was involved with training

and always provided employees with the best training and equipment available. Gary’s influence as a leader in fire management spanned five decades. From his time on the Willamette and Mt. Hood NF’s to the 20 years with PatRick Corporation, Gary was a relentless advocate of the firefighters to his end. He will be greatly missed in the fire community but his legacy lives on through those he touched.

Gary was always active within the communities he resided. His activities, too numerous to list, currently include American Legion, RRC Heritage Club and the Ellensburg Planning Commission. Gary had a passion to go fast. From hot rod cars to snowmobile and winter lawnmower racing, he enjoyed them all. He was an avid hunter, wood-worker and party planner.

Gary is survived by his wife, Linda, daughters; Katherine (husband, Chuck; stepson Chad) Rood, Sandra (husband, Richard) Jirak and his brother, Dale Starkovich (children Jamie and John) of Sterling, AK. A Memorial Mass was held at 11 a.m. Friday, October 17, 2014 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Ellensburg. Reception immediately followed at the Kittitas County Fairgrounds in Ellensburg, WA. 

The Role of the National Wildfire Suppression Association in Wildland Fire & Emergency Incident Support

The National Wildfire

Suppression Association (NWSA), founded in 1991, is a 501 ( C ) 6 Business League. Today the association represents more than 200 private firefighting companies in 23 states. These companies are capable of fielding a workforce of more than 12,000 trained firefighters, as well as a large contingency of equipment during the height of wildfire season. NWSA has built many working relationships with the federal, state and local governments, as well as national and state politicians. We pride ourselves on working to resolve issues of concern to create a better working environment for all parties. 

For More Information National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) P.O. Box 330 Lyons, OR 97358 Tel: (877) 676-6972 Fax: (866) 854-8186 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nwsa.us Training website: www.nwsastraining.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/nwsafire Twitter: www.twitter.com/nwsafire

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 11

Up Front

Stan Kunzman:

Preparing the Industry for Safety By Meg Crane

Stan Kunzman came into

Stan Kunzman.

Kunzman is proud to be able to say that the NWSA is recognized for the quality of its training programs.

the fire industry with a military background and dedication to the field. In 1963, Kunzman started his professional career with the U.S. Forest Service after earning his Master of Forestry Degree from the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University. For 17 years, he was active on national incident management teams as operations section chief, planning section chief and incident commander. He has also served as area commander, military liaison, and MAC co-ordinator and was on the training cadre at the National Advanced Technology Center for Fire Generalship. After more than 34 years of dedication, Kunzman retired from the U.S. Forest Service. However, he did not completely step away from the industry. Kunzman joined the National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) in 1996 as the training program co-ordinator. He has continued his hard work in this role for nearly 20 years. NWSA president Rick Dice says Kunzman started in the industry near the bottom and worked his way to the top. According to Dice, this means Kunzman has experience in many different roles in the industry and as a result, has a wealth of knowledge. “He has vast experience in fire, so his opinions are valued,” says Dice. Kunzman is often asked to provide input on training issues to the board.“He’s pretty much dedicated part of his life to wildlife, fire and the safety of firefighters in general.” Dice has really enjoyed working with Kunzman at the association.“Stan’s easy to get along with. If you follow the rules,” warns Dice. And as training co-ordinator, following rules and regulations is something he should be concerned about. If those who are trained through the program do not follow the rules, people’s lives could be put in danger.

Kunzman’s basic role in the position is not safety though; it is to ensure that trainers in the industry are certified. He maintains a current list of all those who are certified and monitors the quality of the training program. Sometimes he must also attend to issues in regards to trainers and the training program to make sure that everything is running smoothly and everyone has learned what they need to know. According to Dice, it was Kunzman who established the policy for people to become trainers. He is also credited for setting up the standards for NWSA trainers. The most rewarding part of his job is seeing everyone get through a safe fire season. Kunzman also makes sure that everyone who has already been certified is up to standard. He has set up a monitoring program for those who have been certified through NWSA.“We try to monitor at least a dozen of the instructors a year to make sure they’re meeting the requirements,” says Kunzman. While Kunzman does not actually get in front of classes to teach, he does run a four hour session at the annual NWSA meeting. This course updates NWSA instructors on changes and new requirements they need to be aware of, which ensures that trainers always have the newest information. Kunzman is proud to be able to say that the NWSA is recognized for the quality of its training programs. He says that there have been few grievances over the years. Kunzman is not just here for the job; he is supporting an organization that he puts a lot of faith in.“I believe in the association and I think they are doing an incredible job and they’ve really helped to improve the private industry,” says Kunzman.  For information about becoming an NWSA Certified Instructor, go to www.nwsa.us/ becoming-an-nwsa-instructor.

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 13

Report

In Review: 2014 Fire Season By Paul Adair

With 2014 coming to an end

and the western fire season drawing to a close, those on the front lines of wildfire suppression are afforded the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the year that was. Going up against wildfires always tends to be a challenge for the many men and women on the ground, and this year was no different. The sizes of the fires occurring in 2014 ranged from the very small (less than one acre) to very large, which encompassed hundreds of thousands of acres. The Pacific Northwest and Northern California were hit particularly hard and were among the most impacted regions throughout the U.S. Certainly, both the Carlton Complex in Washington and the Happy Camp Complex in California were considered to have encountered the largest fires so far this year. As of early October, there have been approximately 41,000 wildfires that have burned roughly three million acres of private, state and federal land. The number of acres burned is down from the same time last year, where we watched approximately 39,000 fires burn about four million acres of land. While these totals sound high, in reality, both the number of fires and total acreage for 2013 and 2014 are trending below the 10-year average of 61,000 fires and 6.7 million acres of land burned, as of October 1. This past year has so far proven to be a very dry year for many parts of the U.S., reminiscent of 2013 where several large fires ravaged through western states. Learning from last year’s experience, a targeted public information and education campaign, warning of the risk of the dryness and wildfires, has seemed to have some success in reducing the number of human-caused wildfires. “This has been one of the driest that I can remember and certainly one of the driest for California,” says Tom Wesley, owner of Mountaineers Fire Crew. continued on page 16

The Mountaineers Fire Crew.

“This has been one of the driest that I can remember and certainly one of the driest for California.”

GFP Emergency Services at a fire in Warm Springs, GA.

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 15

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“It’s surprising that there haven’t been more fires but it seems that people are better educated and aware of how dry it is out there, especially compared to other years.” However, it should also be noted that the 2014 fire season is not quite over yet and there is still a great deal of time for an upswing in the number of wildfires. The National Interagency Fire Center is forecasting that much of southern and central California will continue to show significantly higher than normal fire potential through to the end of the year.

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One of the challenges facing wildfire suppression companies in 2014 was that the fire season seemed to get off to a slower start than would be considered typical, particularly in the Northwest. This late start has impacted the bottom line for many contract crews who found themselves sitting on the sidelines as funding and work went to the full-time government crews. That being said, a busier fall season has brought contract business back more in line with previous years.

“In our industry, as it pertains to viability and sustainability, it is all about duration and ensuring that we get enough days to pay the bills for the year,” says Don Pollard, president at Oregon-based GFP Emergency Services. “I would qualify 2014 to be an average to just above average year. Had we only received some early work in May and June, this could have been a well above average year for us.” After suffering a particularly tragic year in 2013, where 34 wildland firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty, the U.S. Forest Service has redoubled its commitment to firefighter and public safety through 2014. “The goal is for every firefighter to come home safely from every wildfire assignment,” says Christine Schulheisz, Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Forest Service, National Interagency Fire Center. “The number one consideration in all wildfire management decisions is always the safety of both firefighters and the public.” Even with this renewed commitment to safety from the U.S. Forest Service and the wildfire suppression industry, the job of fighting wildfires remains extremely hazardous. This year, the loss of eight wildland firefighters in the line of duty has highlighted the dangers always present in the pursuit of combating wildfires. In addition to the fatalities, there have also been 44 reported serious injuries, some of which required hospitalization and treatment. That being said, those who heed the call of becoming a wildfire firefighter do so with the full knowledge of the inherent risk associated with the profession. Yet, in spite of this knowledge, countless men and women put themselves into harm’s way every year in order to selflessly protect the American public and our national forests. “The whole idea of help putting out a fire that threatens something of value is honorable and is motivating by itself,” says Pollard. “But to be a great firefighter, one has to do it for the right reasons and understand the complexity of Mother Nature and its unpredictability. To be great at what you do, you must love to do it and respect it. For ground pounders, this means lots of long work days in sometimes less than desirable environments. But it’s what we do, and it’s what we love.” 

Report

Supplemental Report Cost Analysis:

Wildland Fire Crews and Engines By the NWSA Board of Directors

In October 2013, NWSA released a cost analysis report comparing costs of wildland fire crews and engines among the various entities that provide these resources. As a follow-up, NWSA is releasing this report to include a larger sample size and an additional year of sample data. The purpose of this report is to test the results and findings of the original cost analysis report. The findings of this educational report support that the professional private fire industry is a cost-effective resource that agencies can use when looking at all the available resources in their toolbox for fire suppression efforts. The following is a summary of the report. The full report can be found at www.nwsa.com/nwsa-news. Resources assessed Remaining consistent with the original cost analysis, hand crews and engines are the most plentiful resource and are the subjects of this comparison. The hand crews that were used as resources were agency hand crews and contract hand crews, including Type 2IA hand crews. The engines that were used as resources could have included in the comparison to contract engines were Types 3, 4, or 6, and may be federal or co-operator in origin. There were no contracted Type 3 engines in the data collected for this analysis. Data sources There were five additional fires included in this supplement from 2013: • Gold Pan Fire – Montana – 7/31/13 – 8/28/13; • Thompson Ridge – New Mexico – 6/1/13- 6/19/13; • Manastash Ridge – Washington – 8/21/13 – 9/6/13; • Douglas Complex – Oregon – 7/27/13 – 8/25/13; • Rim Fire – California – 7/27/13 – 9/25/13; and • Beaver Creek – Idaho – 8/6/13 – 8/30/13. Federal agencies use the Incident Suite (I-Suite) system to track the daily cost to the incident of each resource employed. This analysis includes costs from five fires. NWSA also surveyed well-established contractors to determine, as a percentage of revenue, the costs incurred in the course of business operations. Information pertaining to specific items in this analysis was gathered from a variety of sources. In the full report, information is cited within the text. Methodology The same methodology that was used in the original cost analysis is used in this supplemental cost analysis. To arrive at a cost analysis

Hand crew cost including pre-suppression/indirect costs—combined cost data.

Type 6 engine cost including pre-suppression/indirect costs—supplemental cost data.

that provided consistent and reliable data, the first and last days of each resource’s recorded I-Suite costs for were not counted; this was to eliminate any partial work days or travel days. Additionally, to provide a consistent method of data analysis, only periods of seven consecutive workdays for any given resource were included. All hand crews used during the report periods fitting the established criteria were included in the analysis. In the supplemental data collection, there were 181 crews meeting the criteria that worked 2,579 fire days. The engine analysis included the most costly agency and contract resources in order to provide a worst case comparison for each resource category. continued on page 18

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Comparison one Comparison one details the cost of each assessed resource based on direct daily

Summary combined cost data for direct hand crew costs.

incident costs taken from the collected I-Suite records. Comparison two Comparison two incorporates information not depicted in the I-Suite direct daily resource cost. The resource costs recorded in I-Suite reflect the costs of those resources to the specific incident. Therefore, comparisons between the categories of resources based on I-Suite data alone, while revealing, do not provide a complete picture of the cost of agency resources.

To provide a more accurate comparison across the resource categories, the second comparison incorporates the 30 percent and 34 percent pre-suppression/indirect cost into agency resource costs reported in the I-Suite data for hand crews and engines, respectively. Combined data Combining the data from the original cost analysis with the data from the supplemental cost analysis gives us a holistic look at the data collected. The data collected for hand crews represents 11 fire incidents in seven states spanning three years of time covering five separate United States Forest Service regions. The total sample size amounted to 266 hand crews working 3,581 crew days. Conclusion The data collected in this supplementary cost analysis supports the findings and conclusion of the original cost analysis report. The combination of the data from the original report with the data from the supplemental report represents a much larger sample size spanning a longer period of time, resulting in a highly credible data sample. Therefore, NWSA restates the conclusion of the original cost report—that the agencies bearing responsibility for wildland fire protection must maintain the readiness and capacity necessary for the protection of life, property and the environment. The need for realistic discourse regarding the most effective methods of achieving optimum capability through the most efficient mix of resources, however, has been long neglected. This discourse should include an in-depth look at not only the costs associated with each type of resource, but also the dispatch protocols in place to ensure the cost effective use of all resources. The National Wildfire Suppression Association echoes the 2010 USDA OIG directive in requesting prompt additional efforts to accurately quantify all cost elements associated with every resource category used during wildfire suppression incidents. Effective application of the resulting information will allow more efficient management of available resources for successful achievement of incident objectives and optimal taxpayer benefit. 

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Machines on the By Valerie Jaffe

Large and heavy forestry

machines make light of heavy work that must be done to manage wildfires. Despite their obvious safety and hydraulic advantages, heavy equipment is often maligned as destructive and problematic. Not always undeserved, skilled Heavy Equipment Bosses (HEQBs) learn to use the right tool for the task.“Mechanized equipment is the most over-looked, underutilized, and misunderstood firefighting

Learning Curves Learn the lingo of heavy equipment fire operations. There are favorable slopes, adverse road grades, swing machines and leveling cabs. Learn to speak contractor and fire management languages, and translate for both when necessary. Exchange business cards with the contractors. Track equipment requests to assure you receive what is needed for the task. If not, act decisively to correct problems in ordering and dispatch. Learn to quickly assess an operator’s condition, attitude and capabilities. After all, you are the team leader. Work with the operator to identify and mitigate undesirable impacts and unsafe situations (rocks, hazardous trees). Prevent accidents by watching the terrain and informing machine operators of potential obstacles and slope breaks. Forest machines are designed and outfitted with lights to work at night. Take advantage of the cooler hours of late night and early mornings to get ahead and stay ahead of the fire. If access and transport flagging can be done before dark, machine activities can continue working the best hours for managing wildfire. Seek out experienced heavy equipment personnel (timber, fuels mitigation, fire equipment managers) and training resources.* Request in-woods mentoring opportunities. Kick tires with manufacturers at forest machine shows and live equipment demos. Keep in touch with the best operators after fire season. Record suggestions and lessons learned where others may glean from your experience. Perfect your skills and share your knowledge.

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resource,” said George Custer in Mechanized Equipment for Fire and Fuels Operations with Contractor Directory. Custer is a retired incident commander for the National Incident Management Team. You’re the boss So, you are looking for a new challenge. You attended the S-236 course and were crowned HEQB-ready. The course may set you straight

on required paperwork, but lacks practice in essential field skills. If the course is not simply in your path to overhead fire management, and you thrive in the field, HEQB is still a chronically unfilled position category. If prepared, you can improve fire operations and bridge the disparate worlds between contractor and agency. Your first equipment-herding assignment has you attached to what looks like a piece of junk.

Fireline

Feature

Maybe so, if it slipped through ordering, dispatch and inspection. That is not the intent of best value equipment contracting but it does happen when contractor profit margins are minimal. More often, you will be fortunate to work with well-maintained modern machines run by operators with years of mechanical and fire experience. Get to know those operators, learn from the continued on page 22

Feller-buncher and skidders building contingency line on steep slope; Seepay Fire, MT, 2014. Photo credit: J.Steele, HETS.

Mechanized equipment task force in staging. Part or whole task force for dispatch; Seepay Fire, MT, 2014. Photo credit: S.A. O’Brien, HETS. Feller-buncher and D6 dozer building contingency line on steep slope; Seepay Fire, MT, 2014. Photo credit: S.A.O’Brien, HETS.

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rest and mentor the next generation of fire personnel. Hydraulics 101 Forest machines are purpose-built, designed for specific tasks—to push, pull, lift, place, carry, cut or douse with water. Each may have attachments and modern features that increase its reach, self-leveling and terrain capabilities. A mechanized task force is a group of complementary machines with experienced operators to maximize efficiency, safety and production. For example, a feller buncher, dozer, excavator, skidder and skidgine. Mechanized strike teams include multiples of the same machine category but may be of different sizes and strengths. For example, a team of D6 and D4 dozers, or two six-way blade dozers. While mechanized task forces and strike teams offer unique tactical advantages and personnel safety, they create a force multiplier when co-ordinated with air and manual ground resources. Machines are often the best tool for building line; hand crew resources are often the best tool for burnouts, dispensing water, mop-up and monitoring. HEQB toolbox Expect to build direct and indirect lines through heavy fuels that are one-blade to two tree-height wide. Remove hazardous trees and reduce forest fuels. Prepare to locate and direct clearings for safety zones, medical evacuations and roadway sight distances. You will co-ordinate machine transport, track environmental conditions, locate and flag in machine access trails

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while staying in close communication with equipment operators at all times. Use a clinometer to accurately determine ground slope percent; don’t rely on guessing. Use flagging to line out trails that do not exceed the machine or operator capabilities (i.e. flag in a 25 percent grade trail crossing a 45 percent ground slope terrain). Check road grade, width and curve radius when assessing lowboy access. Estimate distances by paces but, carry electronic tools (a GPS and laser range finder) or the traditional string box for more accuracy. You will want a compass with mirror and a flashlight/ headlamp for nighttime map reading and signaling machine operators. Fence pliers are handy for keeping fence wire out of cutting heads and tracks. Request a ground slope contour map immediately on assignment based on machine capability (slope classes 0 to 25 percent, 26 to 40 percent, 41 to 55 percent, 56 to 70 percent, 70 percent or more). Remember that map accuracy and contours may not be adequate for tactical planning. Verify terrain steepness by field reconnaissance and frequent clinometer readings. Do not make operational assumptions based solely on maps or aerial reconnaissance. Use basemap imagery and aerial photos to look for changes in terrain, vegetation, soils and surface rock. A GPS device is handy for tracking locations, distances and reporting machine movements but also learn to locate yourself on a paper USGS quadrangle map. Carry a camera to capture photos of equipment, operators, built lines and site rehab. Yes, even selfies can be useful for training purposes. Of course, record accident scenes and damages if they occur.

Lessons learned: 2014 Each fire season incident accident reports are showcased, leaving other valuable lessons to anecdotal field accounts. This year we heard typical problems haunting use of heavy equipment on fires, from payment issues to ordering the wrong equipment. Yet, encouraging stories filtered in from Oregon and Idaho where a successful heavy equipment-built line was tied into steep ground hotshot fireline. Crews fired off the line, supported with water from patrolling skidgines. Montana Heavy Equipment Technical Specialists (HETS) recounted the importance of using slope maps for strategy and tactical planning, building wide defensible lines, and ordering multiple machines for crew and operator safety. A few new HEQBs were mentored and seasoned this year. We will keep a look out for their pictures, videos and stories.  Valerie Jaffe is a freelance writer and owns Tea Gardens Technology, LLC. A graduate of UMass and Oregon State University, she focuses on forestry, GIS and small business.

References • Mechanized Equipment Tactics For Fire and Fuels Operations (in-progress, publication TBA). • Mechanized Equipment For Fire and Fuels Operations with Contractor Directory, 2009. • *Kevin Erickson, Fire Equipment Specialist, Region 1 US Forest Service, [email protected]. • Wildfire Lessons Learned Center – online fire community.

Feature

Protecting Aerial Firefighters: American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association

“We act as a sounding board for the operators…”

Both photos show AHSAFA’s airtanker at work. Photo by Neptune Aviation Services.

By Andrea Danelak

It is truly a sight to behold, one that has become all too familiar to many regions of the United States— an aircraft swooping in from the clouds, ready to fight a raging fire from above. Indeed, aerial firefighting services have proven to be instrumental in the fight against forest and wildland fires across the country, both during the early stages of a fire as well as in contributing to large-scale suppression efforts. But while aerial firefighting services protect many, there is also the need to protect the aerial firefighting industry. Enter the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA), which promotes and advances the common interest and welfare of aviation companies involved with forest and wildland aerial firefighting. Established when the need for an industry body arose a few years ago, the Washington-based nonprofit organization helps companies that use a type of aircraft that is equipped with tanks and buckets holding hundreds to thousands of gallons of fire retardant.“Initially, three helicopter companies needed continued on page 26

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individual help in the Washington area, so we put together a team to figure out how to do that in 1998,” says Thomas Eversole, AHSAFA’s first and only executive director. One of AHSAFA’s primary tasks is to establish and maintain effective communication between airtanker operators, government bodies, state government firefighting agencies and the public to ensure the industry is prepared to meet current and future needs, which can often change on a moment’s notice.

“We act as a sounding board for the operators and do a lot of interfacing with the forest service in Washington,” says Eversole. “And one of our primary challenges is trying to make sure there are enough funds for the forest service to actually fight fires.” Eversole adds that the organization is also there to support its members in any way it can.“When our member companies need help with something or are having trouble solving something on their own, they call us and we will step in.”

AHSAFA’s members include companies running multi-engine airtankers, helitankers, single-engine airtankers or leadplane/air attack aircraft engaged in aerial firefighting. Those companies contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and state firefighting agencies to provide aerial firefighting support across the country. They work with government agencies to secure contracts to protect specific regions of the country during peak fire seasons. “Sometimes, a state or agency will want to use the National Guard or military assets instead of the commercial operators that are already contracted to do the job,” says Eversole. “One of our goals is to make sure the operators contact the private industry before going to the government for help. Commercial operators have a very good track record. They’ve been in business for a very long time and know what they’re doing.” The AHSAFA also hopes to minimize instances in which dispatchers call on air assets who work a far distance from the area in need.“Once in a while, dispatchers will overfly someone instead of using a local resource,” says Eversole.“Part of our job at AHSAFA is contacting the dispatchers and helping them to understand that our folks are there to help.” As for the future, Eversole says the industry is healthy and he is optimistic that the need for his organization will continue to grow, especially with the mounting trend of longer and more intense fire seasons. “The West is suffering from a terrible drought, thanks to dry conditions and pests killing the trees and turning them into timber,” he says.“The challenge is asking ourselves how we will fight all of those fires in the future. Fire season generally used to start in June and end in September. Now, in some places, it starts in January and finishes in October or even December. It has really changed over the years, so it’s hard to predict what the future holds.” In an effort to continue to assist AHSAFA member companies in the coming years, Eversole also plans to work on an ongoing challenge for the industry—trying to ensure there is robust competition for new air tankers and new companies that are just entering the business.  For more information about AHFASA, visit www.ahsafa.org.

26 www.nwsa.us

Feature

Fueling the Frontline: National Mobile Shower

and Catering Association

By Andrea Danelak

When the media publishes

photos of forest fire suppression efforts, the public typically sees a raging fire and the firefighters battling it—they are rarely privy to a behind-the-scenes look of an often complex setup in the forest. In addition to the equipment they need to keep the public safe, firefighters also require basic necessities while deep in the forest. That’s where the National Mobile Shower and Catering Association (NMSCA) comes in. The company provides mobile food and shower services to firefighters. The association was first formed when a group of five companies met in Salt Lake City in 1973, with the intention of creating the first trade association representing mobile catering services and mobile shower facilities. Since then, association members have provided services to millions of firefighters and other disaster workers.

“We have approximately 30 kitchens in the western United States that provide food support for firefighters and 40 shower units that provide both shower and hand-washing facilities, as well as potable water for the firefighting efforts,” says Stephen Nelson, president of NMSCA. The kitchens and cleaning facilities operate through contracts with the federal government and forest service throughout the western part of the country.“When they need us to come out, we’ll set up a kitchen/ restaurant in the middle of the forest and showers to take care of people in terms of cleanliness,” says Nelson, whose company— Big Sky Mobile Catering—has been involved with the association since 1986.“We try to help make it a better environment for the firefighters in any way that we can.” NMSCA not only offers services to firefighters through its member companies, but it also protects its members through

“I think there will always be a need for us.” various services, including by working with the government to provide input into the contracts.“Our association is obviously there for the benefit of the members,” says Nelson. “Our voice is definitely heard better when it comes through an association.” To that end, the association holds regular meetings and also provides training in several areas to bring members up-to-date on the latest labor laws and how they’re implemented, relevant safety issues and so on. NMSCA even holds food shows to demonstrate the latest types of food suitable for large environments. While the overall need for NMSCA’s services has remained steady over the past 40-plus years, nutritional guidelines and continued on page 28

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food-handling regulations are constantly being updated.“The nutritional requirements of the firefighters have really developed over the years,” says Nelson. “That means that we not only have to prepare plenty of food, but it has to be the right kind of food. We also have to look at all of the changes in food handling and safety. There are a lot of new regulations to make sure we are doing everything in a safe and clean manner. One of the worst things that could happen would be to have groups of firefighters getting sick due to unsafe food handling.” Overall demand for NMSCA’s services varies depending on the year. One of the biggest challenges currently facing the association is the growing need for services in certain areas of the country that have been ravaged by forest fires in recent years. “Some years are definitely better than others in terms of the amount of business we bring in,” says Nelson.“We have huge amounts of forest lands, and Mother Nature certainly causes havoc through lightning on occasion. As the population grows and starts to move into the forestland a bit more, we’ve got to be careful in protecting those homes.” Another big challenge, according to Nelson, is that all of the NMSCA’s member companies are small businesses and have to face competition against larger companies offering similar services to firefighters.“In my opinion, providing mobile kitchen and shower services should be left to small businesses—states often subsidize these services and it creates a bit of an unfair playing field for the small business owner who is going out there and trying to take some risks and make a living,” he says. Despite those challenges, the future for the NMSCA is bright.“I think there will always be a need for us. After all, firefighters are the ones who take care of natural emergencies and you have to keep them clean and keep them fed,” says Nelson. “Not many people can do what we do and under incredibly difficult circumstances—on a moment’s notice, we can serve food hundreds of miles away. It’s a challenging task, but our group does an outstanding job and we provide a necessary and great service to the government.”  For more information about NMSCA, visit www.nmsca.com.

28 www.nwsa.us

Feature

2014 Photo Roundup

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2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The Bailey Butte Fire, about 10 miles North of Mitchell, OR. Photo courtesy of Air Tractor, Inc. Photo by Mat Elliott, PatRick Crew Boss. The Bailey Butte Fire, about 10 miles North of Mitchell, OR. Courtesy of an NWSA member. Photo courtesy of GFP Enterprise Employees. Mike and Daisy at the Two Bulls Fire near Bend earlier this summer. Jill Rosell Photography. Photo courtesy of an NWSA member.

9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Photo courtesy of GFP Enterprise Employees. Photo courtesy of an NWSA member. Photo courtesy of an NWSA member. Photo courtesy of an NWSA member. The Bailey Butte Fire, about 10 miles North of Mitchell, OR. 14. The Bailey Butte Fire, about 10 miles North of Mitchell, OR. 15. The Toney Butte Fire portion of the Waterman Complex. Photo courtesy of Buck Raber.

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Feature

Safety Corner:

Answering the Call Without Risking Your Life Risk:The possibility that something unpleasant or dangerous might happen

By Tom L. Thompson, Retired U. S. Forest Service

Watching the memorial

for the Granite Mountain Hotshots last week, all I could do was again wish it weren’t so. Another 19 firefighters lost almost exactly 19 years after the pain and sadness that was experienced in 1994 when 14 firefighters were lost at South Canyon in Colorado. My mind revisited past discussions about why this happened, what went wrong, and how this could have happened. Then that word,“risk” came to mind. In his remarks at the Prescott memorial, U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden acknowledged that we should be thankful for firefighters, like these 19 who were willing to risk

their lives for their neighbors and those who are endangered. He said,“They were risking laying down their lives every single time they answered a call.” I paused and thought about those words. Is this really our expectation and the message that we want to intend?” I think not. I hope not! From what I understand, representatives from every hotshot crew in the country were at the memorial and I hope those folks did not take the message back to their crews that they are expected to take risks and we are proud of them because they do. I know that Vice-President Biden was probably very sincere in his appreciation and respect for

the wildland firefighter, but I hope we have enough confidence in our ability to fight fire safely that we do not have the expectation or send the message to our fire crews that they will be “risking laying down their lives every single time they answer a call.” But if we do not have that expectation, it is still difficult to not consider to what degree taking unnecessary risk played in the South Canyon (1994), 30 Mile (2001), Cramer (2003), and Yarnell (2013) fire fatalities, each of these incidents and certainly others that have occurred. We understand the different views of risk. One is to take risk and continued on page 32

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continued from page 31

one is to avoid risk. In wildland firefighting, the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders, the 18 Watchout Situations, the policies, the procedures, the safety equipment, the extensive training, and our many years of experience and entire safety system are there to eliminate risk. Admittedly, there is always risk to some degree. Driving the car, riding in an airplane, hiking, golfing, biking, boating, cooking, sky diving and virtually everything we do throughout our lives potentially involves

some risk. But we manage that risk by wearing our seatbelt, driving defensively, taking cover in bad weather, wearing a life jacket, using care with sharp knives, using safety gear and virtually hundreds upon hundreds things that we do every single day. We learn not to take risks as kids and try to teach our children about the risk of burns, falls, lightning and crossing the street. In the Forest Service, virtually every fire training course’s main focus is either

about reducing risk or focuses on it to a large degree. We learn from those who are more experienced. We learn about fire weather. We learn how to properly use equipment. We learn how to work together with others and how fire incidents are managed safely. We learn about personal responsibility and fire leadership. I was never in a fire session or briefing where anyone ever taught me how to take risks. Everything I learned in my 37 years with the Forest Service was focused on not taking risks.

I was never in a fire session or briefing where anyone ever taught me how to take risks. Going the other way, however, is what appears to be an ever increasing tendency today in our society to get excited about taking risk. The X Games, NASCAR racing, walking on a cable across the Grand Canyon, riding bulls, running with the bulls, skiing down from the summit of the Grand Teton, skateboarding, chasing tornadoes and the list goes on and on.

32 www.nwsa.us

Page 28, Attitudes (significantly contributed): • The can-do attitude of the smokejumpers and hotshots compromised the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and the 18 Watchout Situations. • Despite the fact that they recognized that the situation was dangerous, the firefighters who had concerns about building the west flank questioned the jumper in charge but chose to continue construction.

On the day of the Yarnell Fire in fall 2013, fire officials received word at 3:26 p.m. that heavy winds from a thunderstorm were moving into the area. At 4:47 p.m., the Granite Mountain Hotshots were trapped and deploying shelters as a last resort. What happened in that hour exactly will likely never be known, but we do know that as conditions changed they were too late in responding and the safety zone was too far away. continued on page 34

In reviewing the accident investigation reports for most of the fire fatalities mentioned above, a pattern is fairly clear on common factors that increased risk significantly and likely ultimately played a part in the cause of the fatalities. The following are cited over and over again: • Key policies and procedures were not followed, i.e. 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watchout Situations; • Failure to recognize or react to changing conditions (situational awareness); • Changing conditions were principally caused by approaching weather in mid to late afternoon; • Safety zones were either non-existent or too far or too difficult to get to; and • Command and control of the incidents were compromised because of leadership issues or communication failure. In short, unnecessary risks were taken by not following direction and failing to recognize what was happening. Reflecting back 19 years, the issue of risk was not directly spoken to in the South Canyon Investigative report, but the cando spirit was discussed and identified as significant causal factor. The can-do spirit issue was perhaps another way of saying that we can do it in spite of the risks. The South Canyon Report described it in just a couple of sentences:

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 33

continued from page 33

We have had many discussions about taking risk and how we project the concept to our fire fighters, especially those who are new and perhaps less experienced. As leaders, words and actions are very important. It is important that we make it very clear that we do everything we possibly can to eliminate risk to firefighters and to the public. Again, we have long tested equipment, procedures, policies and standard orders.

We train our folks to know how to use equipment safely, and understand basic procedures, policies and orders. We insist that people understand the standard fire orders and watchout situations. All of these are designed to reduce and eliminate risk. We follow these procedures, understand specific fire orders and use protective equipment because they have proven to reduce our risk. We evacuate, we curtail air operations and we withdraw or pull back.

We do these things because the situation changes and to be safe we respond. In 2005, Kelly R. Close from the Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins, CO, spoke at the 8th Annual Wildland Fire Safety Summit in Missoula, MT. His words capture the essence of our challenge. He described the situation we find ourselves in all too often. “We often tend to define success as the accomplishment of some pre-determined objective. “We contain and control the fire as expected, accomplish the objectives as set forth in the incident action plan, and as usual, as expected, no one gets hurt. But sometimes success can just as readily be defined by one’s persistence in expecting the unexpected, anticipating failure, updating this continuous process of maintaining mindfulness with new information and ultimately preventing a serious accident when things don’t go as expected (Weick and Sutcliffe, 2001). “On fires such as Cramer or South Canyon, the fire environment dictated the fire intensity and growth. Sometimes Mother Nature has the upper hand, and ‘success’ might be simply recognizing this and getting out of the way.” It is of utmost importance to make certain that the folks on the ground know that they are not to take risks, that they do not feel they are expected to take risks and that they do not have license to take risks. The job they do carries with it inherent risk but if they follow procedures, use good judgment and stay alert, they will be safe. We expect them to make sound, conservative decisions, adjust accordingly and certainly not choose the path that has signs indicating increased risk posted every place you look. I hope and pray that they will not have the idea that they will be risking laying down their lives every single time they answer a call. This view may not be shared by some folks in the fire organization and perhaps oversimplifies the situation, but as a line officer in the Forest Service for most of my over 37 years, I believe we need to be very clear about what we expect. Answer the call without risking your life!  Tom L. Thompson is retired line officer in the U. S. Forest Service. The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the NWSA, its members or the publisher of FIRELINE.

34 www.nwsa.us

Members

2014 NWSA Membership Listing ARKANSAS CVP LLC Tel: 907-321-1214

ARIZONA Curfman Shower & Potable Water Inc. Tel: 530-803-9294 JTS Construction Inc. Tel: 928-428-6057 Organizational Quality Assn. Inc. Tel: 503-667-6076

CALIFORNIA AAA Emergency Services Tel: 800-655-7479 Abel Fire Equipment Tel: 800-798-1923 Aqua Truck Inc. Tel: 805-455-0554 Bordges Timber Inc. Tel: 530-626-7930 Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression Tel: 530-898-8153 Golden State Fire Support Inc. Tel: 888-407-4084 John W. Hertzig Tel: 209-286-1234 Lawrence Enterprises Tel: 530-514-0527 Messina Water Service Tel: 909-224-9995 Mountaineers Fire Crew LLC Tel: 530-364-9128

Rampart Fire Services LLC Tel: 719-332-9588 Wildlands Fire Service Inc. Tel: 850-591-1993

GEORGIA Tangent Edge Tel: 770-546-9431

FLORIDA Attack-One Fire Management Services Inc. Tel: 850-926-6534

All Phase Electrical Construction LLC Tel: 541-804-5732 Allied Water Service Tel: 541-542-8177

Front Range Logging Tel: 406-780-0779

Amaral Nursery Inc. Tel: 503-351-6368

Alarmco Inc. Tel: 208-376-9731

High Desert Services Tel: 406-531-0740

Arrowhead Forestry Tel: 541-276-7777

Archer Mountain Enterprises LLC Tel: 208-405-1806

Ingraham Wildland Engine Inc. Tel: 406-257-1388

ASI Arden Solutions Inc. Tel: 503-559-1724

DB Jet Inc. Tel: 208-866-8769

Oftedahl Logging Tel: 406-752-5857

ASI Engines LLC Tel: 503-838-1006

Fire Co. Inc. Tel: 208-376-9731

Rocky Mountain Fire Company Tel: 406-239-2484

ASP Fire Tel: 541-967-8425

Nielsen Suppression Tel: 208-660-6627

Settle Contracting Inc. Tel: 406-752-8985

Associated Oregon Loggers Tel: 503-364-1220

Red Truck Wildfire Tel: 208-869-5258

Sleepy Hollow Services Inc. Tel: 406-587-9513

Atherly Contracting LLC Tel: 541-388-8480

Spence Industrial Wildfire, LLC Tel: 800-285-9266

NEVADA

Torch Fire & Security Tel: 208-371-0396

Infrared Tel: 775-856-2332

Athic Enterprises Tel: 541-963-3631

ILLINOIS

Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust Tel: 308-384-4633

TGF Forestry & Fire Tel: 847-968-2524

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

H2Osiers Water Trucking Inc. Tel: 970-625-3698

Bohica Brothers Fire LLC Tel: 406-932-6888

AAA Forestry Tel: 208-550-1785

Northstate Equipment Tel: 530-524-1790

COLORADO

MONTANA

Adams & Adams Tel: 541-659-2195

IDAHO

Wildland Restoration International Tel: 774-270-2582

Watershed Research Training Center Tel: 530-628-4206

Timmerman Wildland Fire Services Tel: 800-232-3685

ACS Construction LLC Tel: 541-533-2735

Emergency Management International Tel: 406-239-2484

North Zone Fallers Inc. Tel: 530-467-3367

Raley’s Forestry and Wildfire Management Tel: 916-425-6570

MISSOURI

Nomad Wildfire Tel: 989-785-2074

MINNESOTA Red Rock Fire Tel: 651-248-1699 Rock Hill Fire Corp. Tel: 218-721-4952 Rock, Snow & Fire Inc. Tel: 218-229-3360 Support Fire Services Inc. Tel: 952-250-4427

Woodchuck’s Tel: 702-293-3656

Allison LLC Tel: 541-573-1214

Atira Systems Tel: 503-769-8188 Austin Fire Tel: 541-787-5368 B&B Fire Suppression Tel: 541-951-5596

OKLAHOMA

B&D Mobile Support LLC Tel: 541-883-6912

Chloeta Fire Tel: 877-245-6382

Backlund Logging Co. Tel: 541-575-5624

OREGON

Baremore Repair Tel: 541-786-2182

3 B’s Forestry Inc. Tel: 541-770-5210

Bear Mountain Fire LLC Tel: 541-549-8616

A Team Wildfire Contract Engines Inc. Tel: 541-963-7993

Black Forest Tel: 541-760-7930

A-1 Firestorm Tel: 541-493-2087

Bly Mountain Fire Suppression Tel: 541-545-1537

AA Tack Tel: 541-432-4340

Bowman Trucking, Inc. Tel: 541-963-4663

AAA Thunderbolt Tel: 541-932-4673

Bruce Young Logging Tel: 541-676-5309

Abel Fire Equipment Tel: 541-479-0554

Buscher Engines Tel: 541-536-3236 continued on page 36

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 35

continued from page 35

C&R Reforestation Tel: 503-678-2516

David A Hoffman Tel: 541-910-7270

Don Moss Enterprises Tel: 541-987-2181

Fyr Fly Ltd. Tel: 541-426-4756

Cascade Brush Clearing Tel: 541-322-0842

David Hoffman Tel: 541-910-1270

Dye Hard Fire Fighting LLC Tel: 503-314-7505

GCT Land Management Inc. Tel: 541-962-9049

Consumer Fire Products Inc. Tel: 541-343-0389

Davis Corporation Tel: 541-860-8150

Eagle Cap Contracting LLC Tel: 541-910-7134

GE Forestry Inc. Tel: 541-857-1106

Contract Water Wagons Tel: 541-432-3517

Deschutes U Boat Tel: 541-395-2503

Engle Contracting LLC Tel: 540-934-2518

GFP Enterprises, Inc. Tel: 541-549-8167

Cooper Contracting Tel: 541-280-4413

Diamond Fire Tel: 541-459-5464

Fagen Inc. Tel: 541-389-6934

GH Ranch Tel: 541-798-5601

Craig Oil Inc. Tel: 541-942-4084

Dice, Jeremy Tel: 541-923-0703

First Strike Environmental Tel: 541-673-9892

Goat Trail Services LLC Tel: 541-993-5280

Crown Chasers Wildland Firefighters LLC Tel: 431-443-2019

Dice, Rick Tel: 541-923-0703

Flashback Fire Tel: 541-432-3925

Grayback Forestry Tel: 541-476-0033

Doherty Fence LLC Tel: 541-969-8374

Fly Ridge Contracting Tel: 541-910-5112

Ground Zero Timber Fallers Inc. Tel: 541-475-3365

36 www.nwsa.us

Members H2O Oregon LLC Tel: 541-601-5383

Josi Fire Control Tel: 541-263-1237

MQ Franco Reforestation Tel: 503-749-2288

Skyline Tree Work Tel: 503-896-6750

HEK Jones LLC Tel: 541-426-3667

King Inc. Tel: 541-575-0597

Mt. Emily Engine Co. LLC Tel: 541-534-4183

Southern Oregon Water Support LLC Tel: 541-890-9118

Hillside Fire & Forestry Tel: 541-993-5432

L&L Excavating Tel: 541-932-4854

North Pacific Forestry Inc. Tel: 503-949-4554

State of Jefferson Fire Management Tel: 541-331-6335

Horizon Development Inc. Tel: 503-761-0689

Lane Parry Forestry Consulting Tel: 541-519-4959

North Reforestation Inc. Tel: 503-838-0557

Statewide Contract Services LLC Tel: 541-953-8307

Ice Burns Tel: 541-493-9544

Leonard P. Osburn Tel: 541-934-2258

Oregon Woods Inc. Tel: 541-334-6634

Steelhead Enterprises LLC Tel: 541-394-1144

ICE Cresent Tel: 541-433-9525

Liberty Wildfire Inc. Tel: 509-429-2991

Pacific Coast Contracting Inc. Tel: 541-664-2982

Sundance Fire Suppression Tel: 541-910-5446

InBound LLC Tel: 503-892-3663

Lomakatsi Ecological Services Tel: 541-488-0092

Pacific Oasis Inc. Tel: 541-488-4287

Timberland Logging Tel: 541-488-2880

Initial Attack Resources Tel: 541-798-5959

Lomakatsi Restoration Project Tel: 541-821-3995

Pacific Ridgeline Forestry Tel: 619-857-4409

Tom Fery Farm, Inc. Tel: 503-769-7496

Iron Triangle Tel: 541-575-2103

Lost River Fire Management Services Inc. Tel: 541-273-4737

Paragon Water Tenders LLC 541-232-6481

Torres Contracting Inc. Tel: 503-559-5021

PatRick Environmental, Inc. Tel: 541-923-0703

Tri-Co Inc. Tel: 541-462-3282

Ponderosa Reforestation Inc. Tel: 541-601-1977

United Fallers Organization LLC Tel: 541-893-6835

Poseidon Fire Suppression Team Tel: 503-756-6368

Water Dog Tenders Tel: 541-410-3180

R&R Contracting Tel: 503-559-5689

Water On Wheels Tel: 530-233-0309

R. Franco Restoration Tel: 503-580-3988

Water Truck Service Tel: 503-682-2723

Riverbanks Building Supply Tel: 503-708-7467

West Coast Reforestation Inc. Tel: 503-540-7851

Rude Logging Tel: 541-820-4546

Wildland Fire Services NW LLC Tel: 502-201-8813

Rundell Inc. Tel: 541-836-7559

Wildland Warrior Inc. Tel: 541-805-8586

Ironwood Logging & Reforestation LLC Tel: 541-591-2257

Menesha Forest Management Tel: 541-756-1193

J&G Trucking Inc. Tel: 541-426-4713

Mike’s Water Truck Service Tel: 541-472-8666

J.O. International Reforestation LLC Tel: 541-479-4480

Mill Creek Enterprises Tel: 541-947-3610

J3 Contracting Tel: 509-520-8930

Miller Timber Service Tel: 541-929-2840

Jacksonville Pump Tel: 541-770-9055

Miller Wheat Tel: 541-256-0240

JB Logging Tel: 541-783-2039

Moore & Hueckman Tel: 541-542-2059

Jfranco Restoration Inc. Tel: 503-302-3166

Mosqueda Reforestation Tel: 503-931-7855

JLC Contracting Tel: 541-969-8853

MP Forestry Inc. Tel: 541-646-8695

continued on page 38

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 37

continued from page 37

Wilson Farm Tel: 541-379-3104 Wolfe2MP LLC Tel: 541-733-7192 Woodpecker Tel: 503-678-2474 Work Horse Inc. Tel: 541-432-4075 Xtreme Wildland Inc. Tel: 541-840-6235

PENNSYLVANIA Natural Asset Protection Agency Tel: 610-932-6350

SOUTH DAKOTA Lyons Wildfire LLC Tel: 605-423-4233 Paulton Enterprises Tel: 605-678-4641 Structure Protection Specialists Tel: 605-343-8615

38 www.nwsa.us

TEXAS Larry Rasmuson Tel: 940-445-4272 MEC Environmental Tel: 903-815-8881

VIRGINIA Virginia Tech Dept of Forestry Tel: 540-449-4855

Black Swan Saskatchewan United Fire & Rescue Tel: 425-238-3437 Brothers Industries Tel: 509-997-1011 C2C Wildfire Inc. Tel: 509-996-3848 Chewack Wildfire Tel: 509-747-6113

VERMONT

Del Shull Trucking, Inc. Tel: 425-239-9657

Fire Management Services Inc. Tel: 541-991-0693

Incident Catering Services Tel: 425-923-3339

WASHINGTON

Liberty Wildfire Tel: 509-997-1077

Ash Kickers Tel: 503-751-6336

Lone Wolf Wildfire LLC Tel: 509-570-6404

Aspen Mtn. Wildfire Tel: 509-775-0446

Phillip Remsberg Logging Tel: 509-997-3231

Bailey Enterprises LLC Tel: 509-874-2593

Port Blakely Tree Farms Tel: 360-570-1992

Bennett Fire Weather Services LLC Tel: 425-923-8353

Silver Tip Forestry Tel: 509-684-5399

Bishop Services Inc. Tel: 557-773-4707

Stotts Construction Inc. Tel: 509-779-4987

Wild Fire Services Inc. Tel: 509-949-2845

WISCONSIN Cataract Wildland Fire LLC Tel: 715-446-3563

WYOMING Dragon Fighters Inc. Tel: 307-645-3383

INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA Natural Asset Protection Agency Tel: 610-932-6350

Camp Creek Complex in 2014.

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 39

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NWSA Insider

National Wildfire Suppression Association 2015 Conference The National Wildfire Suppression Association will be holding its 28th Annual Conference from February 15 to 17, 2015 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, NV. NWSA’s very first meeting was in Reno in 1987 and there were approximately 10 people in attendance at that organizational meeting. Since that time, we have outgrown many spaces to accommodate the more than 250 folks that attend this conference annually. As with any event, it takes an army to run the show. NWSA has an amazing group of volunteers that help us to run the event professionally. They include our paid staff members, Debbie Miley and Melissa Weaver, and our list of volunteers, including the following: • Steph Foxx – Vendor Show Chair; • Keith Rockow – AV/Room Setup Chair; • Karen Kunzman – Registration; and • Leah Wills – Auction Chair. And all those that do whatever is needed, including Heidi Cleveland, Sue Miller and Terri Lumbreras. In 2009, we started our very first Professional Contractor Certification Session and had more than 60 companies in attendance. We continue that program today. We also hold a benefit dinner/auction and a percentage of the proceeds have been donated to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, totaling more than $200,000 since our very first event. We will also have some live entertainment during dinner and a show afterwards provided by magician Hart Keene. The very first auction we did was very impromptu with a few small donations; our training co-ordinator offered his auctioneer services up on a table top in the conference center at El Dorado many years ago. We have grown to a full size auction raising thousands of dollars each year! We hold an Agency Day each year and key agency personnel from several regions present. Some of the past events have included a panel with an incident management team, a panel made up of co-ordinators from the Geographic Area Coordination Centers and some keynote speakers, such as the director of Fire & Aviation for the USFS. This year, our NWSA training committee, headed by Stan Kunzman, will be hosting an Instructor Session for all those that have been certified through NWSA’s Memorandum of Understanding. This will be a half-day session on February 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Jo McGuire, a Board member with the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association, will be doing a presentation on medical/recreational marijuana and the workplace, and Shelby Gales, USFS/BLM Region 6 Fire Operations Safety Manager, will be talking with the group about safety issues on the line. All NWSA instructors are encouraged to attend to keep up-to-date on changes in the training world. NWSA encourages all its members to get the most from their membership by attending this event and the opportunity to hear these presentation first hand and benefit from the networking with their peers. Agency personnel are always welcome at our NWSA event and we hope that they will actively participate in any the sessions we hold. We will be posting registration information as well as agenda on our website at www.nwsa.us/nwsa-annual-conference. 

Tom Habour with NWSA President Rick Dice. Habour was the keynote speaker at the 2009 NWSA benefit auction/dinner for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.

NWSA encourages all its members to get the most from their membership by attending this event…

The National Wildfire Suppression Association 41

Buyers’ Guide Aerial Firefighting CHI Aviation / Helimax.................................30 Aerial Firefighting, Bambi Bucket Systems SEI Industries Ltd........................................28 Aerial Firefighting, Helicopter Systems Isolair Helicopter System, Inc........................8

Commercial, Gas-Powered Chainsaws, Brush Cutters, Blowers Echo-USA.................................................... 16 Environmental Conservation and Ecological Services GE Forestry Inc............................................22 Equipment Supplies Ben Meadows..............................................36

Insurance Protection McNeil & Company...................................... 11 Lighting Golight Inc...................................................39 Manufacturer of Firefighting Equipment Husky® Portable Containment.....................37 Mobile Shower and Catering Services National Mobile Shower & Catering Association..................................................3

Aircraft Tracking Spider Tracks Limited....................................6

Fire Pumps, Aparatus, Fire EDUCTOR TurboDraft by Schutte & Koerting................28

AIRTANKERS Air Tractor..........................outside back cover

Fire Support Services Bush Fire Services Inc................................. 18

Aviation Services Neptune Aviation Services, Inc.......................inside front cover

Fire Suppression Diamond Fire...............................................32 Statewide Contract Services LLC................30

Brush Blazer New Peco Inc..............................................34

Fire Truck Sales Neel Fire......................................................22

STATUES, Awards and Honor Guards Liberty Artworks, Inc...................................38

Brush Truck Manufacturer BFX Fire Apparatus.......................................5

Firefighter Services Dragon Fighters Inc.....................................33

Burn-Over Protection Products Storm King Mountain Technologies.............26

Flare Systems Firequick Products Inc................................. 10

Self-Supporting, Frameless, Portable Water Tanks Fol-Da-Tank................................................ 19

Foam Systems Solberg Company........................................ 12 Waterous Corporation...........inside back cover Forest Watch Envirovision Solutions LLC........................... 14

Powerflare, Portable Emergency Marketing, LED Lights PF Distribution Center.................................34 Rubber Track Conversion Systems Mattracks Inc..............................................33

Shower Facilities and Potable Water B&D Mobile Support Inc..............................42 Skeeter Brush Trucks Skeeter Brush Trucks..................................30 Supplier, Firefighter Pack Battle Lake Outdoors...................................30 SUPPRESSION, Fuel Management, Emergency Services Contractor Grayback Forestry Inc.................................39 Training Chloeta Fire LLC..........................................42 Training Publications Deer Valley Press.........................................36 Utility / Pick-Up Skid Units KIMTEK Corporation....................................38 Wildfire Suppression Chloeta Fire LLC..........................................42 Wildland Fire Fighting Equipment Cascade Fire Equipment................................4 L.N. Curtis & Sons.......................................24 Scotty Fire...................................................39 Wildlands Fire Fighting Equipment National Fire Fighter Corp............................32 WILDFIRE Suppression GFP Enterprises Inc.....................................23

42 www.nwsa.us