John R. Hawkins, CDF and Riverside County Fire Chief, accepted the position of Riverside, California Unit Chief and the Riverside County Fire Chief. on August 1, 2006.
It was only a few months later he faced the Esperanza fire. On the department web site after his appointment he wrote, "The greatest potential for a devastating wildland fire in Southern California is from now until the end of the year. Soon, the dreaded Santa Ana Winds will surface and we will all be challenged. Don't underestimate the situation and the potential for a fire that could affect your family."
Firehouse World gave Chief Hawkins a chance to reflect on the Esperanza fire October 26, 2006 near Cabazon, CA where five federal firefighters perished. Nearly 1000 in the audience listened as he laid out the details of the fire. His personality leads him to frequently fill his talks with jokes and was quick to pick on those in the audience he knew with a crack or two. But when it came to talking about the five killed firefighters he was occasionally choked up on the tragedy.
Although not the largest fire ever in the area, Hawkins said it burned "so hot, so fast that it was all over in no time." Committed to the fire were: 332 engines, 67 crews, 23 dozers, 32 water tenders, 10 air tankers, 20 copters, 3000 personnel.
Hawkins was notified of the fire at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 26. At 6 p.m. on Oct. 30, the fire was determined contained. Much of his talk was about the success of the unified command with the state, county, city of Banning, city of Beaumont, U.S. Fire Service, as well as CHP, Sheriff and local police agencies. With his handheld, he credited emails he sent and received to the local political office holders as a great way to keep them informed and keep that line of communication working smoothly. "It's easy to rag on the politicians but they were there for us at that time."
His presentation was filled with slides showing time-lines of events of the fire, one showing how the speed of the Santa Anna wind doubled within hours. Fire behavior quickly went to 90 foot flame lengths with the rate of speed up to 40mph and a fire front at 1220 degrees Fahrenheit.
But most of all, the room became very quiet when he moved to the time-line followed by Engine 57. Minute by minute he took the engine up the steep road to a circular house with a barn nearby and a swimming pool filled with water which they decided to protect. Prior to the burn over, each firefighter was on task, one hooking up a line to the engine, one setting up a pump and line from the swimming pool.
Then there was a slide with colored lines on it showing the route each probably took in looking for escape as the burn-over occurred, and where their final resting place was.
Other slides showed those final spots with gear and medical equipment still slung around. Slides showed makeshift memorials with flags and helmets and other items placed as afterthoughts by firefighters at the very spot where they were finally fell. "I hoped that the Cedar Fire would have been the very last time a firefighter perished under my watch. But it wasn't to be," Hawkins said.
He described the rescue efforts and the medical evacuation. With that he said, "We didn't bang our drum, but our firefighters are good. Thank you, thank you all."
Then he asked the audience if they had any questions. There were none.
http://www.engine57memorial.org/ U.S. Forest Service Engine 57 firefighters Jess McLean, 27, of Beaumont; Jason McKay, 23, of Phelan; Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, of San Jacinto; Mark Loutzenhiser, 44, of Idyllwild; and Pablo Cerda, 23, of Fountain Valley, were overtaken by a wall of flames while trying to protect a home near Twin Pines Oct. 26.
The five firefighter deaths were the most in a single incident while battling a wildfire since 14 were killed in July 1994 during a blaze near Glenwood Springs, Colo., according to National Interagency Fire Center statistics.
View: Esperanza Fire Slideshow A Beaumont man, Raymond Lee Oyler, has been charged with arson and five counts of murder in the firefighters' deaths. Related Stories: Esperanza Fire Fully Contained Thousands Mourn 5 Fallen Wildfire Heroes California Fire Evacuees Return To Wreckage The Stories Behind The Fallen Firefighters Fire Stations Lower Flags to Honor California Fallen Firefighters Schwarzenegger to Sign Bill Aiding Esperanza LODD Families
