2007 Fire Season Roll Call

**char** · 03-28-2007, 11:57 PM

The thing everyone I know who has La Sportiva's raves about is that fact that they can justify to themselves a new pair every year. And they usually need a new pair. Seems like ShoeGoo is a requirement with the La Sportivas.

I rock Wescos and freakin' love em. I have a penchant for sweating straight through the sides of them though, so I doubt I can rebuild them.

Stay away from the Red X Vibram "Fire Proof" soles though. Those things wear 2x's as fast as regular Vibram.

**SherpaStyle** · 03-29-2007, 09:55 AM

Nicks replaced all the shitty fire soles for our crew free of charge w/ a quick turnaround. Whites will too, you might have to argue with them a bit more about it though. The reason I got demo boots last year was to test the new soles. They seemed to hold up pretty well, so hopefully the red dot model is history.

**ill-advised strategy** · 03-29-2007, 03:49 PM

deez guys burned a lotta hectares but nobody got hurt eh

**char** · 03-29-2007, 05:06 PM

Bwa!

"It wasn't even safe to put people on the ground." Cue footage from on the ground.

I love Canada. Pilot has a helmet on, but is wearing a t-shirt.

It never ceases to amaze me how fire crews can come up with all of this footage. All I can ever come up with at the end of the season is half a disposable camera of blurred out crap.

**wolfy** · 03-29-2007, 06:31 PM

great film/flamage, looked like AK in '88. we IAed a 260 thou acre fire w/5 crews. briefing consisted of "don't let any cabins or allotments burn. go forth and do good things".
if anyone has a 9E foot- i've got some new in the box whites sitting in the garage. standard smokejumper, 10" black/smoothout. was going to post at local RD's for 300, ship extra. i'll retire before i wear out everything i've got now.

MT · 03-30-2007, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by YetiMan

IHC stoke

Prentiss loves to carry around his video camera.

This kid is headed for a rookie spot in Missoula this season.

**char** · 04-04-2007, 12:20 PM

The NTSB report on the Krassel Helitack (N355EV) crash this past year is out. I read it briefly and to me it sounds like the pilot was possibly hotdogging and they contacted a tree.

Something to think about the next time your pilot starts showing off.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?...06GA158&akey=1

**Tye 1on** · 04-04-2007, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by char

The NTSB report on the Krassel Helitack (N355EV) crash this past year is out. I read it briefly and to me it sounds like the pilot was possibly hotdogging and they contacted a tree.

Something to think about the next time your pilot starts showing off.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?...06GA158&akey=1

Was just talking to my helitack neighbor about this crash yesterday, as a matter of fact. He had mentioned another possibility, that one of the bungies [i fuckin hate bungies] had failed and tossed the crushed cubeatainors into the tail rotor. Either way, sure is a sad reminder how much risk is involved every time a ship launches....

**char** · 04-04-2007, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Tye 1on

Was just talking to my helitack neighbor about this crash yesterday, as a matter of fact. He had mentioned another possibility, that one of the bungies [i fuckin hate bungies] had failed and tossed the crushed cubeatainors into the tail rotor. Either way, sure is a sad reminder how much risk is involved every time a ship launches....

This was a common rumor floating around last summer, that the bungees holding cargo in the baskets had broken and allowed the cubitaners to fly back into the tail rotor.

Open baskets and bungees scare the shit out of me.

Here was how I read it....

There were cubitaners 100 to 600 feet down slope from the initial impact site with a 90 foot snag. Seems like you'd have to hit the tree, ripping open the basket and then dumping the contents of the basket into the tail rotor. I'm suprised then didn't release the tracking data on the helicopter as it would tell you the exact location, speed, direction of travel and altitude when the crash happened.

Either way, totally tragic stuff. Condolences to the families and friends.

**FrankZappa** · 04-09-2007, 09:02 PM

Hey brothers-
Here's somethin from my Lt. you might enjoy.
How to Operate a Fire Apparatus Mechanic

and as a favorable plug for my cap'n... if you know anybody that might be interested in some edumication, have 'em check out coloradofirecamp

... it's right up the way.

**zion zig zag** · 04-09-2007, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by FrankZappa

Hey brothers-
Here's somethin from my Lt. you might enjoy.
How to Operate a Fire Apparatus Mechanic

^^^that's funny shit. I've seen the engineer do that exact dance with the mechanic before.

**boredboiseboy** · 04-10-2007, 12:59 AM

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.

She would be even madder if she knew they would be lucky to last one season

I just got picked up by an IHC crew..good ole mopshots eh?

**grrrr** · 04-10-2007, 12:40 PM

La Sportivas don't meet the specs in Washington, so I've been told. I think Nicks are the way to go, although I still like my Whites as well as anything I've had to have on my feet for 20 hours at a time.

I'll probably pull just a few fires as TFL or DIVS this season. New desk job - less play time.

**SherpaStyle** · 04-13-2007, 04:44 PM

It wouldn't be early fire season without a tough decision to make. This seems to happen to me every year in early April. A little background... I got hurt in Feb so decided not to go back to the shot crew this season. I still put in for the squad boss job we had open, and my bosses told me I had a really good shot at it despite being injured. The plan for the season was to work fire prevention until my knee felt good enough to go back to fire and then roll over to the district to be an engine slug. Well, I went into the office today and as soon as I walked in the door my boss tells me to sit down and asks how the wheel is coming along. I tell him its surprisingly good and the dr says I'm healing well and a month ahead of where he thought I would be. He then goes into the nightmare that is our overhead structure right now. We may only have 1 squad boss and 1 supt and critical training starts on Monday. It doesn't look like I got the open squadie job b/c someone way more qualified put in for it, so unless he turns it down I'm SOL.

So, in order to maintain some level of consistency in the overhead, they asked if I would be willing to come back to the crew in July under a 120 day squadie detail. I dont really know what to do. I feel like I am healing faster than I expected, so maybe I could be ready to go in 10 weeks, but at the same time I really don't know if I can make that call after only being able to ride a bike for 1 week.

Being on an engine would be a good opportunity for me to work on quals. I've been told I will have too many task books open this season. (ICT4, ENGB, CRWB, DOZB, HECM, RXB2). GS-06 squad boss on the shot crew vs GS-05 engine slug with no Oats and being stuck in CDA all summer. Be nice to my body or suck it up and take the opportunity to make more money and get more experience as a squad boss.

The other dilemma is I was going to put in for all the GS 6s I could find if I didn't get the squad boss, which I will probably still do, so then if I get one, do I take it or stick with the detail on my crew? I guess it depends on the location of the job. Grrr, I hate this. I don't even know whether I should be looking for an apartment right now. Must find a month to month option. Any advice? I feel like maybe it's time to move on, but they're making it sorta difficult for me by giving me a pretty good deal.

**ill-advised strategy** · 04-13-2007, 06:47 PM

so do you want hotshot PT to be part of your knee rehab?

I wouldn't...but that's me.

edit: and as for your engine(s) not getting OT, why is that? Is there no IA where you're working? I think if I were in your shoes I'd take the longer view and protect your knee and broaden your resume/redcard with prevention and engine time.

**char** · 04-13-2007, 08:50 PM

I imagine your fire career would be over or drastically changed if your knee gets fucked up Sherpa. On the other hand, a squaddie detail is going to look really good on later applications.

**~mikey b** · 04-14-2007, 06:00 AM

at least you get to make a decision

Unless I can do something like Comm or security of some other bullshit, I am out for the fire season. My shoulder is fucked up bad and I get to have surgery around May 1. Sling for 4-6 weeks, and 3-5 month rehab.

**grrrr** · 04-16-2007, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by telemike

at least you get to make a decision

Unless I can do something like Comm or security of some other bullshit, I am out for the fire season. My shoulder is fucked up bad and I get to have surgery around May 1. Sling for 4-6 weeks, and 3-5 month rehab.

Go for Comm Tech. Great experience, you'll learn a ton, and there's always a need. Avoid Incident dispatcher, unless you like straying up all night reading paperbacks.

**ill-advised strategy** · 04-21-2007, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by grrrr

Go for Comm Tech. Great experience, you'll learn a ton, and there's always a need. Avoid Incident dispatcher, unless you like straying up all night reading paperbacks.

I don't want to write a book here, but I take some issue with the simplicity of this post. Dispatch is a big job and encompasses everything from hours and hours of data entry to managing traffic and routing resources on 30-40 frequencies with 5 important phone calls on hold during a lighting bust. grrr, I don't think you're wrong per se, but there's a lot more to it than your post would suggest.

RADO/ABRO are good mellow gigs to make some money while you're hurt.

**ill-advised strategy** · 04-21-2007, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by char

...I have a penchant for sweating straight through the sides of them though.....

that and a penchant for buggery?

**~mikey b** · 04-21-2007, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by YetiMan

I don't want to write a book here, but I take some issue with the simplicity of this post. Dispatch is a big job and encompasses everything from hours and hours of data entry to managing traffic and routing resources on 30-40 frequencies with 5 important phone calls on hold during a lighting bust. grrr, I don't think you're wrong per se, but there's a lot more to it than your post would suggest.

RADO/ABRO are good mellow gigs to make some money while you're hurt.

Thanks for the advice, man. I'm sure dispatch is rugged. You sure as hell can't just slide into the chair and keep up w/o getting your ass kicked.

I half-heartedly took the refresher last week. I liked the bit about crew cohesion. That was a big factor with my winter crew this season. Funny how similar fire and snow work are....

If any of you fire monkeys are looking for winter work next season, look me up. I might have a job or two, and housing.

**ill-advised strategy** · 04-21-2007, 08:37 PM

they preach crew cohesion then tell you you can't play sports for PT or tell jokes or go out to the bar together.

OK then, we'll just magically become friends in the process of acting like assembly line robots together.

**char** · 04-22-2007, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by YetiMan

they preach crew cohesion then tell you you can't play sports for PT or tell jokes or go out to the bar together.

OK then, we'll just magically become friends in the process of acting like assembly line robots together.

Our supervisors must have completely different schools of thought when it comes to crew cohesion. No sports for PT, but house parties at the bosses house, weekly crew nights when not on dispatches and tons of um...not so PC jokes until the big boss man decides we've gone to far....

Telemike, what kind of winter work are we talking about here? I'm always up for a new winter adventure...

**stihletto** · 04-22-2007, 10:21 PM

so glad i will not be in the fires this season! good luck to everyone who is this season.

**boredboiseboy** · 04-26-2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by SherpaStyle

It wouldn't be early fire season without a tough decision to make. This seems to happen to me every year in early April. A little background... I got hurt in Feb so decided not to go back to the shot crew this season. I still put in for the squad boss job we had open, and my bosses told me I had a really good shot at it despite being injured. The plan for the season was to work fire prevention until my knee felt good enough to go back to fire and then roll over to the district to be an engine slug. Well, I went into the office today and as soon as I walked in the door my boss tells me to sit down and asks how the wheel is coming along. I tell him its surprisingly good and the dr says I'm healing well and a month ahead of where he thought I would be. He then goes into the nightmare that is our overhead structure right now. We may only have 1 squad boss and 1 supt and critical training starts on Monday. It doesn't look like I got the open squadie job b/c someone way more qualified put in for it, so unless he turns it down I'm SOL.

So, in order to maintain some level of consistency in the overhead, they asked if I would be willing to come back to the crew in July under a 120 day squadie detail. I dont really know what to do. I feel like I am healing faster than I expected, so maybe I could be ready to go in 10 weeks, but at the same time I really don't know if I can make that call after only being able to ride a bike for 1 week.

Being on an engine would be a good opportunity for me to work on quals. I've been told I will have too many task books open this season. (ICT4, ENGB, CRWB, DOZB, HECM, RXB2). GS-06 squad boss on the shot crew vs GS-05 engine slug with no Oats and being stuck in CDA all summer. Be nice to my body or suck it up and take the opportunity to make more money and get more experience as a squad boss.

The other dilemma is I was going to put in for all the GS 6s I could find if I didn't get the squad boss, which I will probably still do, so then if I get one, do I take it or stick with the detail on my crew? I guess it depends on the location of the job. Grrr, I hate this. I don't even know whether I should be looking for an apartment right now. Must find a month to month option. Any advice? I feel like maybe it's time to move on, but they're making it sorta difficult for me by giving me a pretty good deal.

If I was you,(proving your single no kids ect) I would go engine sluggery for the season. Having a squad boss detail is useless on your resume if your unable to work b/c you destroyed your knee. Having more money is nice, but having health is always better in the long haul. Just my .02

btw, do you work for Idaho Panhandle IHC?