Crew Updates

 Good morning!

We have a couple updates for you regarding our fire crews!

Our fourth crew - Anthracite - left from District 9 yesterday (August 19, 2020) around 1300 (1:00 pm) for a western fire assignment. Per our COVID-19 regulations, they are also driving to their assignment.

Our third crew - Independence - is slated to arrive back at District 9 today (August 20, 2020). They will follow the same procedure as the first two crews by sanitizing their vehicles inside and out, as well as sanitizing their gear.

As a reminder returning crew members will not be eligible to go on another assignment until they have been back for 2 weeks.

Something else to consider, if you are on a crew you can submit photos to Katalynn Dildine to be featured on the blog! The caveat is that you take photos that don't allow someone to be recognized and that everyone is wearing the proper PPE. Photos with gorgeous sunsets, landscapes, wildlife - whatever you would want to share with us!

Check back often for more updates!

Pennsylvania Wildland Fire Crew Updates

The Liberty crew arrived home Thursday (August 13, 2020).  The crew gained a lot of fire experience on this trip.  Liberty crew members will not be eligible for another assignment until August 27, 2020.  If the season keeps going the way it is, they will be needed.  

 

Independence has had steady Initial Attack work.  Richard Mountain, Bradley, and now Cameron Peak are the three fires they have been assigned to.  They were crew number 1 or 2 for all three.  

Nationally there is a wildland fire crew shortage, which is resulting in our crews getting picked up very quickly.

Check back often for more updates.

Pennsylvania Wildland Fire Crew Updates

Hello, hello everyone! Time for another quick update about our crews out on fire assignments.

Wildland fire crew Keystone arrived safely back in Pennsylvania on Tuesday (08/04/2020), after a long drive home from out in the western part of the country. To help stop the spread of COVID-19 (and for cleanliness sake) the crews sanitized and cleaned the vehicles they were using for the duration of the assignment.

All of the gear that was issued to the crews was staged in one area to be sprayed with sanitizing solution and then washed off with a steam pressure washer. Any linen gear will be laundered, as always.

Even the outsides of the trucks were washed with the steam pressure washer.

Crew members vacuumed out the vehicles and sanitized the insides of the trucks and double cleaned areas that were touched more than others.

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