Crew Updates

Pennsylvania received another request for a 20 member crew to assist in western fire detail. Yesterday 08/02/2020 we sent out PA-PAS-03, they also were driving to their destination. They departed from District 09 in the early afternoon and are expected to be in Cheyenne this evening.

The crew holding a meeting before their departure 08/02/2020.

PA-PAS-01 will be arriving in District 09 for their demobilization tomorrow (08/04/2020).

PA-PAS-02 has been reassigned to a new fire in the Lassen National Forest.

One of our single resources assigned to a western detail also sent these photos for us to share with all of you!

Be sure to check back often for more updates!

Professional Reading Program

Did you know that the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has a professional reading program through their Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program? I didn’t until this year, and I thought that was a good thing to know – I really enjoyed the Commandant’s Professional Reading List while I was in the Marine Corps. While this reading program isn’t as extensive as the Commandant’s there are still a good bunch of books provided.

The program’s intent is to promote reading and discussion of books while providing a program designed to foster leadership development at all levels of the fire service. It is another tool to help develop current and future leaders using reading to expand their leadership skills. The goal of the reading program is a sustainable and adaptable program that is engaged by leaders of all levels for continued growth in leadership through reading.

A key part of every leadership reading program is the recommendation that every leader read at least two books from the program per year. While some may think so, this program is not busy work – these books should inspire discussion, reflection and debate.

For most of the titles on the list, the NWCG has provided a “why should I read this?” section, that also provides some sample discussion questions.

Try reaching out within your unit and suggesting implementing the program. If there is positive feedback about it, it’s fairly simple to implement it. You can start by establishing a library or a book cache at your unit designated specifically for leadership. Make sure you continue to promote the program – it’s an ongoing effort!

Some ways to promote the program are:

·         Give them as an appreciation or award

·         Buy enough copies to read as a unit and have discussions on the chapters or certain points in the book

·         You can assign books to read if you choose

·         Tie the books to an employee development program

·         Be creative! Think of ways to engage your unit.

Every year NWCG comes out with a new reading list to keep it fresh and up-to-date, and they archive their old lists as well if you want to use a previous year’s list instead. They also have a suggested starter list to help launch your library and develop a habit of continuing education and self-development:

·         Leading in the Wildland Fire Service

·         Black Hawk Down

·         The Thirymile Fire

·         Shackelton’s Way

·         The Leadership Moment

To see NWCG’s 2020 leadership reading program click here.

Crew Updates

A member of PA-PAS-01 sent us this gorgeous landscape photo with an update!

"In bear country today. Working with the Cody BLM Field Office thinning conifers out of an aspen stand. We'll be here until our time is up or get reassigned, most likely. Testing some Faller 2's."

PA-PAS-02 is working night shift on the Caldwell fire.

Check back often for more photos and updates!

Pennsylvania Wildland Fire Crew Updates

PA-PAS-01 was called up to go to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and left on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. They checked in at their assignment Saturday, July 18, 2020.

A member of PA-PAS-01 was kind enough to send us this photo of crew members working on some project work for the local Bureau of Land Management - clear-cutting and piling juniper.

PA-PAS-02 was called up to go to Northern California on Friday, July 24, 2020.

Both crews were driving to their assignments instead of flying.

With everything going on in today's world we would like to take a moment to inform you about the process we are employing for crew mobilizations and assignments in regards to COVID-19:

Prior to mobilization:

 

1. Resources must complete DCNR PA-PAS Assignment Availability Approval before going available. These forms are archived electronically by PA-PAS.

 

2. Resources should complete daily “Am I Fit?” checklist and document results.

 

3. Personnel should maintain Contact Logs and archive them.

 

After a Resource Order is Received:

 

1. Division of Forest Fire Protection (FFP) staff member contacts requesting unit to discuss

requesting unit COVID-19 plan or reviews the requesting units COVID-19 plan if provided. If plans are not agreed upon, then the assignment must be turned down. FFP staff member completes Interagency Checklist for Mobilization of Resources in a COVID-19 Environment. These checklists are archived electronically by PA-PAS.

 

2. If requesting units COVID-19 plan is acceptable, and requesting unit is accepting of this PA-PAS plan, FFP staff member will discuss assignment with the resource(s) to ensure acceptability.

 

3. If assignment is accepted by the resource, FFP staff member will complete completes MPHAT Wildland Fire COVID-19 Screening Tool in consultation with resource(s) being mobilized. These screening forms will be archived electronically by PA-PAS.

 

During an assignment:

 

1. Follow CDC, National, and agency guidance. Personnel should maintain Contact Logs

 

2. Conduct daily “Am I Fit?” checks for each person on the crew, module, or the single resource.

 

3. Anyone displaying COVID-19 symptoms should immediately contact their direct supervisor to obtain medical attention.

 

4. Notify FFP staff member of anyone displaying symptoms who is being sent for care.

 

5. If an Incident Management Team (IMT) is in place, follow the COVID-19 INCIDENT

MANAGEMENT TEAM RESPONSE ACTION PROCESS flowchart.

 

6. If there is no IMT and/or no Medical Unit (Med Unit), consult with host unit and FFP staff member who mobilized resource to coordinate medical care.

 

7. Symptomatic individual must obtain medical care and COVID-19 test and isolate until test results are received. Isolation must be coordinated with host unit and FFP.

 

8. If individual tests negative, can return to duty if cleared medically. Notify FFP of test results.

 

9. If individual tests positive, individual should be demobilized and return to home unit if able to travel. Return travel home to be coordinated by host unit and FFP. Notify FFP of test results.

 

10. If individual cannot travel, coordinate quarantine with host unit and FFP

COVID-19 Assistance

In these uncharted waters that Pennsylvania has been treading with the COVD-19 pandemic, members of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have been assisting the Pennsylvania Department of Emergency Management (PEMA) with the administration of Community Based Testing Sites (CBTS) in Montgomery County and Luzerne County. To many people this may come as a surprise because we are seen as “tree people”, but what some may not know is that one of DCNR’s mandates is to handle wildland fire on public and private lands across the Commonwealth. These obligations put certain employees in the unique position to help with the pandemic response.

Courtesy of John Hecker

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have had 32 separate single resources assigned to help the citizens of Pennsylvania. These assignments range from Incident Commander of a testing site to assisting local counties, to personnel delivering desperately needed supplies to hospitals.

Montgomery County set up its testing site with assistance from many local, state, and private partners. However, they were dealing with many other issues that were related to COVID-19 in addition to their normal workloads, so they turned to PEMA for an Incident Management Team. PEMA also had an increased workload and requested assistance and support from the DCNR Bureau of Forestry. While the Bureau was in its historically high wildfire danger season, this was a wet year and DCNR was able to send staff.

Courtesy of John Hecker

“I have received letters of support and encouragement for this mission not only from my supervisors but also form Secretary Dunn and her staff,” said John Hecker, Incident Commander of the Montgomery County testing site, “I believe this mission is supported at the highest levels in state and local governments. In times of a national crisis like this, it has been amazing to see the very willing cooperation and involvement of so many agencies.”

Courtesy of John Hecker

Safety is first in doing this work, just as it is on wildfires. DCNR has a standing order on all wildfires, “to fight fire aggressively but to provide for safety first.” The same rules apply to the testing sites. According to Hecker, on-site there many experts that help isolate the risks through proper hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE). Those who are ill and visiting the site for testing are instructed to stay in their vehicles and only briefly when completing the tests can roll their windows down. Team members are given proper PPE and given the opportunity to test for infection prior to leaving the site at the end of their assignment. The infection rate here has been very low for staff, despite having approximately 60 or more people working here each day in one of Pennsylvania’s hot spots.

Courtesy of John Hecker

“DCNR has a long history dealing with large scale incidents,” said Chad Northcraft, Incident Management Specialist with the Bureau of Forestry, Division of Forest Fire Protection. “In the past, it was mainly wildland fire incidents, but for the past several years we have been utilized for All-Hazard incidents such as this. Many of our staff are specially trained and nationally qualified in ICS positions [Incident Command System - a standardized structure that allows for an organized and coordinated response to an emergency, without compromising the decision-making authority of local authorities]. The experience and qualifications that these people bring to the table set the Commonwealth up for success when taking on such an assignment.”

Courtesy of John Hecker

DCNR has two Type III Incident Management Teams made up of Command and General Staff – the positions responsible for taking charge of all aspects of the response - along with several position-specific resources that can be utilized during an incident. Generally, these teams respond to one large incident where the entire team is needed, along with several small incidents where only a few people
will be needed, each year. The people that respond to these types of incidents have hundreds of hours of training, most of which they have taken upon themselves to get. The DCNR supports team members in gaining more experience and leadership by sending hundreds of incident command staff and firefighters each year to assist other states in wildfire and disaster response. Team members don’t come from one job classification; the teams have people from across the Bureau along with some retirees and volunteers.

Courtesy of John Hecker

When asked what the similarities and differences are between a typical fire assignment and this assignment helping with testing centers, Hecker indicated many similarities.

“We are coordinating a team and enlisting partners to help fight a common enemy,” stated Hecker. “Normally its wildfire but here it's fighting a virus through testing. We still have a need to coordinate many community partners and organizations into a safe and effective organization, just like on a wildfire. The same organizational structures and processes that are used for effective and coordinated wildfire response work whether it’s a team of firefighters or a team of medics and first responders. Safety, planning, public information, and logistical support are all still necessary for effective operations. Here we are just working in a county with a million people and staying in hotels instead of in a remote forest camping in a tent.”

Courtesy of John Hecker

The testing centers are available for the public, first responders and medical staff to use in the hardest-hit areas of Pennsylvania. The site in Montgomery County is one of 37 federally assisted community-based testing sites across the country. The testing offered at these sites is free and it’s a way to get tested for those who suspect they have a COVID-19 infection, but who are not critical enough to require medical care. According to Hecker, so far at the Montgomery County sites, they have been successfully testing 250 people per day and almost 8,000 worried people since opening. That is a lot of helpful relief and knowledge in one of the hardest-hit areas of Pennsylvania.

Courtesy of John Hecker

According to Hecker these tests also give epidemiologists necessary data to better manage this crisis. Results from these testing sites provide a look at infection rates in the broader population who has COVID-19 but does not necessarily end up in the hospital. This information helps our state and national government officials decide better when to get people and our economy back to work. Our leaders say more testing will be necessary for the future as we all start to get back to more normal work patterns.

Courtesy of John Hecker

“I think the individuals who assisted should feel good about taking this risk,” said Shawn Turner, Incident Commander at the Luzerne County testing center. Turner had started out in the planning section for the Montgomery County testing center. “Site safety is number one and was a shared value of all those who worked there.”

Courtesy of John Hecker

Something that really struck Turner while being on this assignment was seeing the compassion of those working on the site to the public they were serving. When asked why he wanted to help at the testing centers Turner said that he felt that it was important to help our state partners in this time of need.

Courtesy of Shawn Turner

For Hecker it was seeing a steady stream of 250 cars a day coming through the site, many of them very worried, and knowing that they can be helped through testing is very rewarding.

“I think also the support of the local communities for the work being done here is really overwhelming sometimes,” Hecker said. “At both sites, we had community members put up signs of support and encouragement for test-takers and for staff. We couldn't accept, but we had a couple people and restaurants at both sites offer to buy the entire camp lunch. That’s more than 60 people. We had one dear person offer to buy enough Girl Scout cookies for everyone and another day on a warm afternoon someone offered to bring us all milkshakes. Another gentleman heard there may be shortages of masks for medical workers, so he went and cleaned out all the masks he had in his garage and offered to give them to us. Just amazing the kindness and generosity of people have shown us.”

Courtesy of Shawn Turner

The testing appointment website opens every day at 8:00 am and most days it is booked solid in the first hour. People are encouraged to register early to get in.

“I’m proud of being part of an agency and an organization that can be a significant partner in helping to bring this crisis to an end in Pennsylvania,” stated Hecker. “Our years of training and experience at DCNR and nationally in some of our nation’s largest wildfires and natural disasters is what makes us useful at this time. No one likes to see a large disaster but being able to help at times like this makes all the training and time spent preparing worthwhile."

Courtesy of John Hecker

“The dedication and professionalism of these people are unmatched,” said Northcraft. “Many times, the situation they are agreeing to respond to is disorganized and chaotic. Members as a team do a remarkable job of bringing the much-needed organization to that chaos. None of what they do is required of them, they are individuals that like assisting those in need and the challenge that comes with it.”


Katalynn Dildine
Wildland Fire Operations Technician, Division of Forest Fire Protection
PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry

Tanker Base Weekend Staffing

Airtanker base staffing for this weekend:

Saturday:
Mid-state / Hazleton:  UNSTAFFED

Sunday:
Mid-state / Hazleton: UNSTAFFED

Two SEATs are stationed at each base.
T3 Helicopters on station at Somerset and Wellsboro.
T2 Helicopter on station at Penn Forest.

*A reminder, on Sunday 4/26/2020 both Hazleton A and Mid-State A contracts will be finished and we will have one SEAT at each base until the end of the season, as well as the two T3 Helicopters and the T2 Helicopter.

Air Tanker History

Today firefighters on the ground work with aerial firefighters to help extinguish wildfires across the world. The pilots drop a mixture of water and fire retardant onto the fires. But, having a good tool to help extinguish fires didn’t happen overnight.

As early as 1930 Forest Service firefighters were flying over fires delivering water to the crews on the ground. In 1930, a Ford Tri-Motor airplane made the first water drop using a wooden beer keg filled with water. This turned out to be more of a hazard to the firefighters on the ground than originally thought. But, the proper combination of procedures and personnel wasn’t yet discovered.

The world’s first practical fire bomber was a 1939 Boeing Stearman 75 that had been converted into a crop duster. Willows Flying Service, a California Agricultural Applicator cut a hole into the fabric belly of the plane and fitted the hopper with a hatch that opened when the pilot pulled a rope. This would release 170 gallons of water.

On August 12, 1955, the first free-flowing water airdrop from an airplane onto a fire was made during the Mendenhall Fire (Mendocino National Forest). The pilot, Vance Nolta, dropped 6 loads of water to support the firefighters. While there had been a few test drops on controlled grass fires, this was the first time a real forest fire had been at least partially quenched by free-fall water.

In 1956 six Navy surplus biplane trainers (N3Ns) were bought by Willows and turned into firebombers. With these additions, Willows had a fleet that they used throughout California to respond to local fire departments and the forest service.

However, it soon became apparent that water alone was not going to work since hotter fires evaporated the water before it could do what it needed to do. Because of this, personnel created another solution – they mixed sodium calcium borate with water. Adding the chemical made evaporation a slower process. The planes then became known as “Borate Bombers,” and even though better processes were later developed, the planes were stuck with the name for quite some time.

In January of 1954 a multi-agency brainstorming session dubbed “Operation Firestop” was started after a bad fire season in California left 14,000 acres burned and 14 firemen dead. Operation Firestop’s agenda also included discussions about techniques for dropping water or chemicals on fires.

Testing for Operation Firestop began at the Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton where they had thousands of acres at their disposal for tests. They made drops over the canyons in Pendleton that were laced with wires and anemometers and other testing equipment. Each of these drops was analyzed for dispersal, wind drift, effectiveness, and other criteria.

Operation Firestop ended in 1954 and is responsible for aerial firefighting tools and techniques that have evolved over the years and we still use to this day.