Three members of a helitack crew are overrun by fire inside the meadow that serves as their helispot. Only two of the firefighters have fire shelters.
Lessons
See You On the Other Side
Reality set in quickly as I tore the plastic on my fire shelter. There was no longer any hesitation, no stigmas to worry about, this was survival. I remember saying “I will see you on the other side” to my partners as I fumbled with unfolding my shelter.
Blowing Up Hazards
“This use of blasting as an available tool proved critical to meeting incident objectives and successfully reduced risk exposure to firefighters.”
Engagement Dilemma
Engagement Dilemma revisited: What would you do?
COVID Guilt is a Real Thing
I’m sharing this story in case you get the same call I did: “your coronavirus test came back positive.” COVID guilt is a real thing. But you should think twice before blaming yourself.
The Problem with LCES
Here is the deal. You damn sure ought to use LCES for all of your operations. But under no circumstances should you use it as proof that you are safe. Nothing we do is safe.
COVID-19 Era Lessons and Observations from an IHC Superintendent
After multiple incident assignments so far during this special COVID-19 year, Brendan O’Reilly, Superintendent of the Prineville Interagency Hotshot Crew, has compiled several helpful lessons and observations from his perspective and that of his peers. COVID-19 Era Lessons and Observations from an IHC Superintendent By Brendan O'Reilly, Superintendent, Prinveville Interagency Hotshot Crew Online Check-In Excellent. … Continue reading COVID-19 Era Lessons and Observations from an IHC Superintendent
What is “Normal Work”? Getting the Most from Accident Reports
This is the third of a three-part blog series by Jody Jahn, PhD, that addresses how we learn about complex hazards. Each of these three posts focus on a different facet of learning. (To see the first post: How "Oh Sh*t" Moments Can Make You a Better Firefighter ; and second post: “See Something, Say Something" … Continue reading What is “Normal Work”? Getting the Most from Accident Reports
“See Something, Say Something” – Why That Advice Doesn’t Always Work and How to Make it Work for Your Crew
A crew isn’t simply a collection of free-floating, fully independent people. Instead, it’s its own social system guided by a cohesive logic about what the crew is (and is not), what it does, and how it does it.
How “Oh Sh*t” Moments Can Make You a Better Firefighter
"In my research, I found that crews that make a point to do regular learning-based discussions can help their people put intense fire experiences into perspective."