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8 High Desert Warrior www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin
October 2, 2015
Partnerships
Fort Irwin firefighters partners in battling wildland blazes
By Gustavo Bahena California’s Office of Emergency leader and an assistant leader. A strike Fort Irwin Fire Department photo
Services, the plan provides for sys- team responds to major emergencies. Fort Irwin Fire Department Capt. Michael Bryant performs a back
Public Affairs Office tematic mobilization, organization burning operation at the Humboldt Fire in California, Aug. 5.
and operation of necessary fire and Fort Irwin typically provides an
With a years-long drought affect- rescue resources. Those resources engine with four personnel, or a See PARTNERS, page 9
ing the state of California, and an include personnel, apparatus and strike team leader, said Smith. The
annual fire season, partnerships have equipment. engine that goes out to wildland
been crucial this year in the battle fires is a type 3; Fort Irwin has two
against wildfires. The Fort Irwin Fire Department such engines.
responds to requests for assistance in
Partnerships, based on agree- fighting wildland fires (also known as Personnel and one engine, from
ments created years ago, allows for wildfires or forest fires) throughout here, formed part of a strike team
several state and federal agencies California. The department is pre- assisting with fighting the Lake Fire
to request assistance from fire de- pared to deploy resources on short in the San Bernardino National For-
partments in California, said Ray notice. est in June.
Smith, chief of the Fort Irwin Fire
Department. “We go within hours, in some Fort Irwin also assisted with 39
cases, after a fire breaks out,” said days of service at the Lowell Fire, the
Smith said the California Mutual Smith, who has served at Fort Irwin Humboldt Fire, the Walker Fire and
Aid Plan, which Fort Irwin is part for 32 years (his first job here was as the Rough Fire, said Smith. The 39
of, includes: the state of California, a photographer). days were split between two crews
Bureau of Land Management, the and an engine that logged 4,000
United States Forest Service, Bureau The fire chief explained a zone co- miles of travel. One firefighter served
of Indian Affairs, California Depart- ordinator for the state of California as a strike team leader trainee, Sept.
ment of Forestry and Fire Protec- Office of Emergency Services puts 12-20, at the Butte Fire – where he
tion (CAL FIRE), Department of together a strike team consisting of: also performed tasks that can lead to
the Interior, and the U.S. Fish and five engines from various fire depart- full certification.
Wildlife Service. ments in each zone, with each engine
having four personnel, including a Recently, Installation Manage-
According to a document from ment Command (the Army’s orga-
For more information go to www.irwin.army.mil
