2007 Fire Season Roll Call

**ill-advised strategy** · 03-27-2007, 03:36 PM

Who's doing what where this season?

I'm starting with ut-wcf helitack 4/15. It's a big crew, I should be rotating between a local ship and a national ship.

sherpa? char? telemike? VC? Meadowskipper? MT? grrr? Zappa? bdog? MrPowder? snowave? FreakofSnow? Anybody else this year? same shit different season?

**char** · 03-27-2007, 04:29 PM

Probably the same thing as last year. Dunno, I'm gunning for a permanent and have a bunch of apps out at the moment. All of this civil and criminal litigation has got me thinking of getting out after this year. I don't want to tell someone on my fire to cut down a tree, get whacked in the head and then have their mommy come after me in civil court. It all depends on what comes out of the WO and RO's.

Failing that its back to the rappel crew. Season starts first week of May after I get back from Costa Rica.

How big is that crew? We are running with 25-26 so far this year. Based out of where? Maybe you will run into a guy named Norm from R6. Good people.

**FrankZappa** · 03-27-2007, 04:58 PM

Might do a lil local. Looks like potential for a big season round here since CO didn't get any spring storms. (Not that I wouldn't mind some "thining" on some of the hills I'd like to ski.

I'm actually just about ready to hang it up. Earned FD partial pension (60&#37

and busier than a one armed paper hanger with work thru June at this point. Haven't even had the time to go on any runs or make any meetings down at the firehouse since before X-mas. And my lungs just get beat doin fire anymore.

But I'll still be keepin tabs on things.

**SherpaStyle** · 03-27-2007, 04:59 PM

Heh, I'm gonna play fire prevention tech until July and then I'm gonna be an engine slug on the panhandle. It should be interesting. I don't even know what prevention techs do... I guess I'll figure it out next week. I'm taking dozer boss starting monday and going back to work full time after that. I can't complain too much, what with the job security despite being injured, but it's gonna be tough pushing papers for 3 months. I'm getting a lot of training that I'm behind on due to 4 years on the shot crew, so that'll be good for me. I might be looking at moving if I don't get the squad boss job we have open right now.

Where in CR are you going Char? I was there in the fall. It was a great trip. Have fun!

VC · 03-27-2007, 05:01 PM

Got a rookie spot in Redding, starts on Monday. It's definately gonna be a change of pace. Didn't think I could have taken another year carrying a saw around.

**char** · 03-27-2007, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by SherpaStyle

Heh, I'm gonna play fire prevention tech until July and then I'm gonna be an engine slug on the panhandle. It should be interesting. I don't even know what prevention techs do... I guess I'll figure it out next week. I'm taking dozer boss starting monday and going back to work full time after that. I can't complain too much, what with the job security despite being injured, but it's gonna be tough pushing papers for 3 months. I'm getting a lot of training that I'm behind on due to 4 years on the shot crew, so that'll be good for me. I might be looking at moving if I don't get the squad boss job we have open right now.

Where in CR are you going Char? I was there in the fall. It was a great trip. Have fun!

So I've planned as far as San Jose. I leave next week. I'll probably bus it to Jaco and then plan from there. The goal is to learn to surf, but I'll probably end up finding as many remote beaches as possible. *shrug*

**ill-advised strategy** · 03-27-2007, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by char

How big is that crew? We are running with 25-26 so far this year.

sounds like 18.

Originally Posted by char

Based out of where? Maybe you will run into a guy named Norm from R6. Good people.

Ogden...maybe, I'll look for him

**char** · 03-27-2007, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by YetiMan

sounds like 18.

Ogden...maybe, I'll look for him

He is at Ogden or Provo. Can't remember which.

**SherpaStyle** · 03-27-2007, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by char

So I've planned as far as San Jose. I leave next week. I'll probably bus it to Jaco and then plan from there. The goal is to learn to surf, but I'll probably end up finding as many remote beaches as possible. *shrug*

Yeh, that was my plan too. Hit the beach and then make a plan. It worked out well. Work your way up to the nicoya peninsula from Jaco. FYI Jaco is a shithole. Hermosa (the next beach south) is pretty nice though. I didn't try surfing til I got to Nicaragua, but it seemed like there were a lot of beginner beaches in CR, too.

**wolfy** · 03-27-2007, 05:11 PM

VC- good luck on Redding- Holt is a good guy (for an ex-Diamond Mtn)...you should have a great season. a lot of fire mngt types have come out of truckee over the years.
sierra front has been burning acres (and homes) for the last 2 weeks. be safe out there ...

VC · 03-27-2007, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by wolfy

VC- good luck on Redding- Holt is a good guy (for an ex-Diamond Mtn)...you should have a great season. a lot of fire mngt types have come out of truckee over the years.
sierra front has been burning acres (and homes) for the last 2 weeks. be safe out there ...

Whats for an ex-diamond mountain guy mean? And I'm heading to Redding to jump, not for the crew

**wolfy** · 03-27-2007, 05:37 PM

for a jumper, i redact my last statement. it's too early to start on intra-crew history. have a good season. jump safe

**ill-advised strategy** · 03-27-2007, 07:06 PM

smokejumpers are ghey

VC · 03-27-2007, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by wolfy

for a jumper, i redact my last statement. it's too early to start on intra-crew history. have a good season. jump safe

Just wondering, spent my last three seasons on Diamond. I'm sure I'm going to miss parts of being on a shot crew. However, intra-crew and RHC/IHC issues aren't gonna be part of it.

Originally Posted by YetiMan

smokejumpers are ghey

Yeah, well so is Helitack

**stew130** · 03-27-2007, 08:26 PM

those who are too lame to jump call those who can ghey!

**ill-advised strategy** · 03-27-2007, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by stew130

those who are too lame to jump call those who can ghey!

maybe...

**ill-advised strategy** · 03-27-2007, 09:05 PM

IHC stoke

**FreakofSnow** · 03-27-2007, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by SherpaStyle

Heh, I'm gonna play fire prevention tech until July and then I'm gonna be an engine slug on the panhandle. It should be interesting. I don't even know what prevention techs do... I guess I'll figure it out next week. I'm taking dozer boss starting monday and going back to work full time after that. I can't complain too much, what with the job security despite being injured, but it's gonna be tough pushing papers for 3 months. I'm getting a lot of training that I'm behind on due to 4 years on the shot crew, so that'll be good for me. I might be looking at moving if I don't get the squad boss job we have open right now.

I did a summer as a prevention tech over on Big Timber RD (b/t Billings and Livingston) in 2000. It was a great summer, the position offered tons of flexibility. Main duties were to "patrol" (see drive around all day and check out whatever I wanted) the district, check out campsites. Another sweet duty was talking to (PR type work) homeowners that lived in the Boulder Canyon, informing them that they lived in a ticking time bomb (see Derby fire map below)

It kicked ass to fight the Derby this summer being that is was my old stomping grounds. That sucker flat out ripped for the entire 2 weeks that I was there.

Anyhow, I think you'll enjoy a different pace. It may be boring at times, but sometimes the bore beats knockdown drag out rolls on a shot crew for months on end. I like my new job where I get to go out and be engine slug for the city for 2 weeks and then go home and have a sweet summer.

A few pics from this summer - Gash and Derby fires

Oh and VC, I spent a lot of time when I was on Eldorado working with Diamond mountain back in 99, they seemed like a tight crew.

**wolfy** · 03-27-2007, 11:25 PM

VC- naw- i like the folks on Diamond, and Holt- if you were there last 3 seasons i've worked with you guys, as divs
freakofsnow- i spent most of 2000 season between Salmon and Missoula, epic year. got the first fall snow at P'burg- downed timber was still smokin', and the militia was out poachin' elk...

**~mikey b** · 03-28-2007, 07:01 AM

Yetiman - sounds like you are in a better situation than last year. Good for you.

I'm in a new job running a trail crew in CO. I'll probably be able to get out on a couple crews this year. Last season with the new baby I turned down 7 squaddie assisgnments out of AK. Trying to work on my Crew Boss and FOBS task books.

Just spent $452.38 on new White's.

My wife didn't believe me when I told her it was like buying ski boots.

VC · 03-28-2007, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by telemike

Just spent $452.38 on new White's.

My wife didn't believe me when I told her it was like buying ski boots.

One of the many reasons people are starting to switch over to the LaSportiva's. It's always hurts to drop 450 bucks before the season starts.

**char** · 03-28-2007, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by VC

One of the many reasons people are starting to switch over to the LaSportiva's. It's always hurts to drop 450 bucks before the season starts.

If you can get away with La Sportiva's. My feet are to small so they don't meet the 8 inch height requirement.

**~mikey b** · 03-28-2007, 09:29 PM

I'd rather wear White's, as I'm in them all day every day on the trail. I've worn La Sportiva's (Makalu) a lot, too, and if I'm on and off snow I'm way into them, but for trail work and fire, I like a logger boot better. Lace to toe. My old WESCO boots are on the 3rd rebuild, so it's time to put those aside as a backup pair. I've walked a ridiculous number of miles in those boots over the years.

I don't mind spending the $$, and neither does my wife, but she had no idea they were so spendy.

VC · 03-28-2007, 10:30 PM

Holy crap, If you're getting 3 rebuilds out of a boot they're definately worth it. I however roll and blow out boots to the point where they're finished.

**SherpaStyle** · 03-28-2007, 10:31 PM

I didn't think about the height being too short on La Sportivas for my little midget feet. Good thing I hadn't bought a pair yet. My supts are pretty opposed to the idea of wearing anything other than logger boots anyway. I got a demo pair of Nicks last year and liked them a lot better than whites. They seemed to hold up better. Whites usually only last me one and a half seasons, but I don't even need a resole on the nicks yet. Fire boots suck anyway you look at it. Why have they not evolved in 100 years? (although I did just look at whites website and they have a women's smokejumper now! Maybe the times are changing?)