Firefighter Blog

A Cal Fire crew bus rolled over yesterday critically injuring 2 firefighters. Blogger Bob has the details and a picture of the crew and Captain. The rollover injured injured 18 total and was caused by a tire blowout.
The crew was comprised of CDC inmates and a Cal Fire Captain. Local news reports the crew was returning to quarters near Temecula after responding to a 20 acre brush fire.

About Cal Fire Crew Carriers.

The California Department of Corrections released this earlier today;

June 24, 2008;
FAIRFIELD - Today, 2,237 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) inmates supervised by 180 custody staff have been deployed to battle the Wild Fire in Solano and Napa counties, and other raging wildfires statewide.

"Inmate firefighting crews and the custody staff who supervise them are a critical component of the state's coordinated effort to battle wildfires and to respond to other emergencies," said CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate. "Right now, a total of 156 inmate firefighter crews from 42 conservation camps are assisting the state gain control of these devastating fires scattered primarily throughout Central and Northern California."

Since 1946, the Conservation Camp Program has provided California with a well-trained, well-equipped workforce for fire suppression. More than 4,400 male and female inmates participate in the program, which consist of approximately 200 fire crews. The crews respond nearly every type of emergency, including wildfires, floods, search and rescue operations, and earthquakes. They also log millions of hours annually on fire reduction and conservation projects and provide forest, range and watershed enhancement on public lands.

CDCR jointly manages 39 adult and juvenile camps with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and five adult camps with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Only minimum-custody inmates may participate in the Conservation Camp Program. They must be physically fit and have no history of a violent crime, including kidnapping, sex offenses, arson or escape. Juvenile offenders earn their way into camp placement and must be free of major rule infractions. Wards convicted of sex offenses or arson are excluded.

"The Conservation Camp Program provides an enormous benefit to offenders. They learn skills, teamwork and discipline that will serve them well when they are released from prison," Cate added. "The citizens of California benefit by having a fully trained workforce able to respond to fires, while saving more than $80 million every year that otherwise would be paid to accomplish the same tasks."

Labels: 2008 Fire Season, California Firestorm 2008, Firefighter Injuries

SignonSanDiego has shed light on the story of the four Cal Fire firefighters and the two civilians they tried to save near Protrero during the initial attack phase of the Harris Fire last Sunday.

Veteran Cal Fire Captain Ray Rapue and his crew of three responded to the Harris Fire from their station in San Marcos an hour north of the fire. Firefighter Andrew Pikop and Captain Rapue are recovering from burns while their two (unidentified) crew mates remain in critical condition. Read the full story here.

From the article;

" Information about the firefight has been scarce. Cal Fire has a team of 15 investigating the incident, and everyone involved has been ordered not to discuss the details. But a picture of what happened is beginning to emerge.

Unit Chief Henri Brachais, the lead investigator, said the firefighters were trying to save Thomas and Richard Varshock, whose home is off state Route 94 and Emery Lane in a remote part of San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Thomas Varshock died. His 15-year-old son, whose hospital bed is down the hall from Pikop's, has burns to more than 50 percent of his body. On Wednesday, he was covered with a white blanket. His face was bandaged and he was hooked to a ventilator.

Brachais said the fire crew was stopped at the Varshock home when “a burn-over occurred.”

“The fire went up the hill and flames went over the truck,” he said"...

"...Engine 3387 arrived in Potrero at about 11 a.m. It pulled up to the Varshock residence about an hour later.

What happened next isn't entirely clear, but at some point all four firefighters and the Varshocks took cover in the firetruck.

By then, the fire was raging and Santa Ana winds were knocking down power lines.

“At first I wanted to help my crew get out, but once the fire blew up it disoriented me,” Pikop said.

Somehow he became separated from the firetruck. He heard his colleagues yelling his name, but he was running from flames and couldn't find them.

“I ran through flames. I ran from flames. But the fire caught up to me,” he said.

He figured he was on his own. He assumed the rest of the crew was dead...."

A Forest Service helicopter crew came to their aid and that pilot and crew deserve recognition. I'm sure what they will find is Captain Rapue did everything possible to keep this from happening to his crew and the Varshocks.

If you pray offer one up today for the injured firefighters and also one for the young Varshock boy. He lost his dad and his home.

Labels: 2007 fire season, Firefighter Injuries, Harris Fire

This post by the administrator of Wildlandfire.com draws attention to the injured CDF/Cal Fire firefighters hurt in the burnover on the Inyo Complex in July.

Firefighter Blog followed the Inyo Complex Fire from beginning to end but I never heard details of the burnover other than up to 7 firefighters were injured to varying degrees. The injured firefighters were evaced to Fresno for treatment. Local (Fresno) news reported their arrival but the reporting ended there and no further information on the condition of the men has been mentioned publicly since.

I assumed the burns were minor but the thread on Wildland Fire indicate an engineer may have permanent lung damage.

CDF/Cal Fire does not cover up injuries or accidents. An accident investigation team has certainly been assembled and the team will review every step leading up to, during and after the incident.

Various accounts confirm the pilots of a P2V from Neptune Aviation Services made a crucial, possibly life saving drop on the crews that at a minimum mitigated their injuries.

Something very dramatic happened during that time line and I am hoping you can read about it here, in time.

I'm also in agreement with the suggestion the persons involved should not sign any papers until the full review is completed, and then only under the supervision of legal counsel.

If any parents or concerned parties wish to share information anonymously or otherwise.

Mikes web mail @ Gmail dot com

.

Labels: 2007 fire season, Firefighter Injuries, Inyo Complex

The Zaca Fire, or Zaca Two Fire as it is being referred to is better than 95% contained but still incurring damage. The Santa Barbara Daily Sound covers the story of injured 20 year old Kern County Firefighter John Lee;

"A firefighter from Kern County sustained serious injuries after falling 30 feet while working on containment lines for the Zaca Fire in the Sisquoc River area on Sunday, fire officials said.
Josh Lee, 20, suffered an open compound fracture of his lower left leg, as well as other minor fractures, County Fire Spokesman Eli Iskow said.

“We hoisted him out with County Air Support Helicopter 309 with a rescue hoist and a county fire paramedic on board,” Iskow said. “He was flown to Cottage Hospital and he had his tibia pinned [Sunday] night.”
Lee, a first-year crew member with Democrat Crew 87 from Kern County, will remain under observation and treatment for his other injuries for the next few days, officials said."



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Labels: 2007 fire season, Firefighter Injuries, Zaca Fire