JOHN CARR
Firehouse.Com Contributing Writer/Photographer
Also See: Complete SlideShow Of Colorado Wildfire Academy
At the turn of the century fire bosses would enter a town near where a forest fire was burning and recruit firefighters from local taverns and street corners. Training generally consisted of receiving a shovel and being ordered to put out the fire. In 1910 at least 78 firefighters were killed in one day when a raging fire overran their position. It became painfully clear that there was plenty lacking in the training department.
In 1949 a team of elite smokejumpers parachuted into Mann Gulch, Montana to battle a seemingly routine fire. Unaware of the developing fire 13 jumpers died trying to outrun the fast moving flames. One of the few survivors lived because he lit a backfire and walked into the burned out area. Most of the fleeing firefighters must have felt their comrade had gone insane. Today burning a deployment zone is standard practice. The survivor knew of this technique but no one else on the team had been taught it. Once again tragedy showed just how vulnerable untrained firefighters can be, and the deadly consequences of ignorance.
Safety has become the number one concern of everyone involved in wildland firefighting. Training is perhaps the number one method for instilling the importance of safety in the minds of every firefighter from rookie to veteran.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group was established by the federal government in the 1940s as a direct result of the deaths at Mann Gulch. The NWCG was charged with developing and implementing guidelines and regulations for all wildland firefighting. Today every federal agency charged with combating forest fires, as well as most state and local authorities follow NWCG guidelines.
Before firefighters can battle a blaze on federal lands they must first complete in depth classroom training and pass a strenuous physical performance test. Successful candidates are given a "Red Card". Basic red cards must be renewed every year. Due to the complexities of wildland firefighting advancement thru the ranks requires additional training. There are more than one hundred categories of specialties. They range from basic firefighter to incident commander. Advancement and qualifying is achieved thru training in the classroom as well as on the job. Task books are kept to monitor and record the proficiency of the student. This program is similar to an apprenticeship. Firefighters must prove their skills before they can move up the command ladder. There are no free meal tickets.
After completing basic training a firefighter can choose a variety of disciplines. They can fight fire on the ground as a member of a hand crew or engine company. They can fell trees. They can join a helitac crew and work with helicopters or specialize in fixed wing air operations.
A firefighter can remain part of a team or go on to train to be a leader. Advancement requires training and time.
Logistically it is difficult for instructors to reach the numerous fire departments and agencies demanding instruction and qualifications. To meet demand many states have elected to establish academies that provide instruction in one setting.
The Colorado Wildfire Academy
Started in 1994 to meet the needs of Colorado firefighters, the Colorado Wildfire Academy is the oldest and largest academy in the United States. 90 students attended the first academy and were offered 5 courses. The academy is run by an incident management team as though it were a fire. This allows students to get a sense of working in a fire environment. This also permits students wishing to advance in fire management an opportunity to take classes as well as to fulfill some of their task book training.
This year the academy offered 44 classes. There were nearly 1200 participants from 35 states and three countries in attendance. The CWA was held in the town of Almosa, in southern Colorado. Students and staff attended a variety of events on the Adams State College campus and in the town. On Thursday evening the merchants and townspeople treated attendees to an old fashioned barbeque.
While students attended classes on the college campus a number of courses also included field trips. Basic firefighters set up a spike camp at the scene of an actual out fire. Students learning to operate saws spent two days on the nearby 200,000 acre Forbes Ranch cutting down trees.
Henry Clark of Wiggins, Colorado is a diesel mechanic. He is a member of the Wiggins Volunteer Fire Department. This year he took an advanced firematics course and learned about saws. Henry and several other members of his department want to man an engine this summer.
Kim Round, of New Hampshire, is a landscape architect. She recently moved to Durango, Colorado to work with the Forest Service as a Fuels Reduction Specialist. Her job entails reducing the amount of fuels (trees) in the forest to lessen the threat of devastating fires. She took advanced classes. She will work this fire season as a management trainee on 20 person fire crew.
Instructors volunteer their time. Dave Celino, Tim Batchelor and Nick are from Massachusetts. They are members of the Massachusetts Wildfire team. They have been instructors at the academy for several years. In addition to teaching at the Colorado Wildfire Academy they also teach at the New York Wildfire Academy held on Long Island in late October.
While the atmosphere at this year's academy was academic there was a real air of fire. A number of instructors and students on fire crews were called away from class to respond to area fires. Sunday, June 9 was the final day of the academy. Those still on campus were greeted with the news that a number of large fires were burning in the state. Many students hastily left the campus to put their new found knowledge to work.
Related:
