Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by GREENPANTS on January 26, 2008 at 9:17pm

Hey Sean. I am Angi I too am going on my 4th seaon with the FS. I have been on the Klamath, but different districts. My home now is the Salmon/Scott district. I love it there!! Becareful in NM, scorpions!!! Buddy got bit 8 times. Have you been to NM?

Permalink Reply by Sean McLaughlin on January 27, 2008 at 12:18am

I've driven through there a few times, but this will be the first time I've spent any time there. I'm moving into the bunkhouse on March 14th, and reporting for duty on the 16th. Scorpions don't bother me too much. There are much worse things to get bit by out there. So you're out in the Klamath? I've had a few assignments out there. Y'all have some steep terrain out there.

Permalink Reply by GREENPANTS on January 27, 2008 at 8:32pm

I got an assignment there a few back and it was pretty there, but a bit flat for me. The terrain is a bit steep out here, but you get used to it. Good luck in NM.

Permalink Reply by William (Billy) Taylor on January 27, 2008 at 8:50pm

Hi, I am Billy, been doing this for 19 years in Florida and the last 7 going out on AD or on Contrat Engines. just a flat lander having fun in the hills.
just did the pack test and pass. lol, it kick my butt again. its been hard each year, but I love fighting fire in the woods. most of the time I operate heavy equipment and do lots of precribe burning on State Forest. work close with the wildlife refudges and National Forest guys and girls. great bunch of people. I been to Texas,Colorodo X2,Montana,Idaho and Wahington State. I am looking forward to a good year if Florida isn't the hot spot again like 1998 thur 2000 we had lots of people here from all over. I was gald to see them too.

Permalink Reply by GREENPANTS on January 27, 2008 at 10:11pm

Hey Billy!! Good job on the pt! It sucks every year, but ya got to stay in shape. I never been to Florida. All my buddies have for burns. Sounds like fun.

Permalink Reply by Crockett on January 28, 2008 at 11:38pm

Good times down here. Flat, but the swampy land makes brush truck driving like mudding :) but with a few more hazzards LoL~

Permalink Reply by Ric Smith on January 31, 2008 at 1:14pm

Hi Sean, I'm Ric... I'm about to start my 22nd year in the fire service. I started in SoCal, worked in Hawaii, Colorado, and have been in Washington Sate for the past 7 years. Seen many types for fire behavior & landscapes. I'm an engine slug with DoD, but still love to hike & cut line. I've started considering the idea of giving up structure "RED" for forest "GREEN".....maybe

Permalink Reply by GREENPANTS on January 31, 2008 at 1:22pm

GO GREEN!!!!!!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Sean McLaughlin on January 31, 2008 at 7:22pm

Where the red trucks stop the green ones keep going. And where the green ones stop the hotshots keep going. I bleed green so I can't really give you fair advice. I've got lots of respect for the "pavement queens". I don't know how i feel about personally running into a burning building with a roof that could collapse at any time. I just love the fact that I'm getting paid to run around in the woods and play with fire.

Permalink Reply by William (Billy) Taylor on January 31, 2008 at 9:58pm

Never could understand if no one inside why go in. just sit back and water it down. now went its in the timber man can it go! I hope to post some pictures I have of Florida fires and from some of the ones out west. I like working with Engines and sometime cuting hand line but give me that big heavy dozer and watch me go. I like it when you are driving down the road and you see that colum up ahead. keep the mind sharp. go through the thoughts. I have my hand book out and just reveiwing the differnt areas. when here in Florida we sleep in motels but it is nice to beable to sleep on the ground out west sometimes can't do it here way to much RH for that.

Permalink Reply by John Carder on February 8, 2008 at 2:24pm

I'm in a volunteer department in a rural, forested area in the Colorado mountains. I'm a graybeard (52), A-Feller.

Obviously, I enjoy wildland fire fighting. In our department, you might be lucky to muster four firefighters on a weekday call, so we do it all. As a result, I've learned to respect all three branches, wildland, structure and emergency medical. Each has its own version of a tough call. We've learned that we need to take both sets of gear on calls in the summer. You might leave in a struture engine, to put out a fire, and have to fight the wildland fire that it starts, or leave on a Brush truck for a grass fire, and have to put on SCBA to fight the house fire that it starts. More common is to be out chasing smoke in your wildland gear and get toned to a structure fire or MVA.

You do what you're trained to do. That's why I want structure firefighters, without training or gear to stop at the edge of the forest, and I don't want wildland firefighters going into burning buildings. And I'm always glad to see an EMT decal on a helmet, whatever type it is. In our department, and many others, firefighters wear all three hats.

Permalink Reply by Ric Smith on February 8, 2008 at 3:05pm

Again...don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing anybody here.... I have & still do wear ALL THREE HATS as you mentioned. I've also worked in all three tpyes of dept's (all volunteer, combination & all career). So please believe me when I say "I understand". I think I'm just trying to draw attention to the issue so that change can begin. It's bad enough that more & more responsibilities are being placed on our shoulders without the proper funding, training, equipment, or PPE. I have nothing but love for my fellow brothers reguardless of pay status.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page