Firefighters trained to fight wildland fires

The Orcas Island Fire Department is prepared to face the 2004 wildfire season, which may have started early this year. The warm weather and blue skies are a welcome sight. But with the drier weather comes the risk of fire. Outdoor conditions are unusually dry. Wildland fire doesn’t just burn a few trees and brush. It puts over 60 percent of the homes on Orcas Island at risk.

The fire department has created a Wildland Firefighting Team comprised of 18 firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians. Although every firefighter in the department is trained to fight wildfire and respond to the wildland fire calls, team members have committed to additional training and higher standards.

Each must recertify every year. This requires an annual safety refresher training and a three-mile march with at least 40 pounds of weight that must be completed in less than 60 minutes. “Nearly everyone came in under 46 minutes” said Wildland Training Captain Max Jones. “That is better than last year, and we threw a couple of hills into the course!”

Eleven team members also traveled to eastern Washington for a Live Fire training April 24. Three other departments from Northeast Washington joined in to give Orcas firefighters a taste of “real wildfire heat,” Jones said. Because of the dry range land, fire can grow quickly and move fast.

“Firefighters on the east side of the state have less equipment, less water, less manpower and 10 times the wildland fires. They have become, by necessity, excellent at what they do. And they didn’t hesitate to show us how. It is quite a feeling to fight six-foot flame lengths with just hand tools,” Jones said.

One who made the trip, Orcas Christian High School junior Chad Kimple, described the experience as extremely valuable. “I learned more outside doing hands-on training than I did in the classroom,” he said. Kimple, who has been an Orcas Island firefighter for the past two years, hopes to make this a career.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS NEED TO HELP

The community can help prevent wildland fires by abiding by the outdoor burn ban which takes effect July 1. This means no outdoor fires with the exception of small, recreational fires of two feet or less. There are also times when the county or state will impose an all out fire ban – which usually equates to no outdoor fires.

Islanders should call in when they see smoke and are unsure of its cause. Last year several disasters were prevented by quick action by both citizens and fire department members.

National Wildlife Awareness Week begins May 10. Those interested in learning more about what to do to protect a home from wildfire should contact the Orcas Island Fire Department. It offers a variety of educational materials dealing with wildfire. Or sign up for a Home Survey and help designing a wildland fire prevention plan for your home. This service is free. Call Jones, 376-2331, for more information.