NIOSH Releases Colo. Double LODD Report

Two years ago this week, a Colorado fire chief and one of his firefighters were headed to assist with a raging wildfire. They never made it.

Read NIOSH Report

Olney Springs Fire Chief Terry DeVore, 30, and Firefighter John Schwartz Jr., 38, were killed when they attempted to cross a timber bridge that had collapsed. Visibility was compromised by the thick smoke in the area at the time, NIOSH investigators noted in their report released Tuesday.

Fellow firefighters responding to the same blaze discovered what happened.

Although a highway patrol officer reported the bridge’s condition to the command post which was staffed by the local sheriff, firefighters had no way of monitoring the transmissions.

NIOSH noted that "command was overwhelmed and understaffed with attempting to coordinate all the necessary tasks related to this incident..."

Another crew from Olney Springs Fire Department who left moments after the first two also were faced with thick smoke. "They stopped approximately 60 feet from the bridge and noticed the back end of a vehicle sticking out of the dry creek bed. The crew primed the pump and the driver walked to the hole and noticed that the bridge had collapsed and that Truck 205 had crashed into the dry creek bed," according to the report.

Due to the intensity of the blaze, their bodies were recovered the following day, according to the report.

DeVore and Schwartz died of traumatic injuries and burns.

About 25 minutes before the two left their station on their final call, state transportation officials transmitted a message that the bridge may be out due to fire damage. NIOSH investigators noted that the transmission was not confirmed. However, firefighters also "did not have the means to monitor any of the transmissions regarding the fire or command channels."

Following their probe, NIOSH investigators said among the contributing factors for the fatal incident included exceed speed for smoke and visibility conditions, lack of coordination between departments, lack of traffic control and inadequate driver and multi-agency training.

The volunteer firefighters were in a 1988 four-wheel drive pickup truck with a 400 gallon tank as well as a pump, hose and reel. "Neither of the victims had any driver training for a vehicle of that size and weight," NIOSH investigators noted.

They also noted that the local sheriff’s office in the rural community has assumed control. "The command office was overwhelmed due to the fact that they did not have enough phone lines to answer and distribute the volume of calls needed to manage the incident."

NIOSH officials added: "Elements of NIMS that could have assisted during this incident include: (1) conducting joint training with all agencies and departments that will respond together within a geographical response district annually to foster and ensure an understanding of command and control and communications; (2) utilizing a Liaison Officer to coordinate police and emergency medical services that are responding to the incident; and (3) pre-assigning mutual aid radio frequencies between all emergency responders that could work together in a specific geographical area..."

Other recommendations include:

• Establish pre-incident plans regarding traffic control for emergency service incidents and pre-incident agreements with public safety agencies, traffic management organizations, and private sector responders
• Train on utilizing the national incident management system to effectively respond to and manage multi-agency incidents
• Be aware of programs that provide assistance in obtaining alternative funding, such as grant funding, to replace or purchase fire fighting equipment