Page 18 - Ft. Irwin High Desert Warrior 8-7-15

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Brotherhood of professionals protecting lives, property

Story and photo by Gustavo Bahena

Public Affairs Office Fort Irwin Fire Department personnel heeding the call to assist in the Lake Fire: Wayne Van Luven, engineer, who has
served here 23 years; Eddie Plaxton, firefighter, who has served here nine years; Capt. Rhett Warsaw, captain of medic
Approximately 2,000 firefighting personnel served to sup- engine 411 for B shift, and; Eric Evans, firefighter paramedic, who has served here since September 2014.
press the recent Lake Fire (which as of July 15 was 98 percent
contained) in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern Fort Irwin Fire Department Chief Kenneth Ray Smith said rescue, hazardous materials, confined space, and wildland
California. that Fort Irwin is part of the California Master Mutual Aid firefighting.
Program, which is comprised of nearly every fire department
Those personnel, part of a firefighter brotherhood, included in California. In case of major emergencies, the program allows The fire chief, who has headed the department for five years
four staff from the Fort Irwin Fire Department. The department departments to be resourced for assistance. and has served here for 32, praised his personnel for having a
received a call for assistance in fighting the blaze (which started sense of community, being part of a brotherhood, and helping
June 17) on the afternoon of June 24, said Capt. Rhett Warsaw, “It’s important that we’re able to assist these other commu- those that need help in time of need.
who is captain of medic engine 411 for B shift. He and three nities in time of need, and if we should have something in the
additional fire fighters heeded that call. They are: Eric Evans, Fort Irwin community, were we need those resources, we know Firefighting and being a Soldier have similarities, because
firefighter paramedic, who has served here since September we can call upon them to come help us,” Smith said. “whether it’s fighting fires or fighting the enemy, there’s some-
2014; Eddie Plaxton, firefighter, who has served here nine years, thing inside these professionals that inspire them to do what
and; Wayne Van Luven, engineer, who has served here 23 years. Smith said that his personnel are trained to California and they do,” said Smith.
The crew stayed on scene through June 27. Department of Defense standards in structural firefighting,

The fire burned south of Big Bear, according to www.Inci-
Web.com – which is an interagency all-risk incident informa-
tion management system. The Web site reports, that as of July
15, 150 personnel continue to serve and that the fire affected
an area of 31,359 acres. There have been six minor firefighter
injuries. One residence and three outbuildings were destroyed
in the northeast portion of the fire.

Warsaw stated that the event was considered a wildland or
forest fire, but the fire had the potential of reaching urban areas.
Their priorities as firefighters, at any time, are: Life, property,
environment. His group had a primary objective to protect
a housing area and they assisted in Camp Oakes, Hamilton
Ranch, Irwin Lake and Lake Williams.

“We were assigned to prep an area that the fire was making a
‘run’ towards, which involves clearing brush and vegetation that
could possibly burn if the fire ran through that area,” Warsaw
said. “So, we constructed … a fire break in case the fire … blew
up in that area.”

Plaxton said they performed a lot of work in Camp Oakes,
which evacuated 400 children the day they arrived. The next
day, they worked all day prepping the area in case the fire ran
through.

The firefighters joined a strike team that also included per-
sonnel from San Bernardino County, Big Bear, Morongo Valley
and Running Springs, said Plaxton.

Evans added that agencies from across the country supported
the firefighting efforts. He described a map he saw at the inci-
dent command post showing locations of origin for personnel.

“They literally had a pin almost on nearly every state in the
U.S. from where crews were from,” Evans said.

When many departments come together, the camaraderie
is real good, said Warsaw. The support for the fighters is also
robust and impressive.

“It’s a giant portable machine they can take anywhere and
set up logistics for 2,000 firefighters to stay there for weeks,”
Warsaw said.

From BUSES, page 3

company employees, who work on Fort Irwin on a continuing basis. About 500 federal High Desert. The VVTA service area spans more than 940 square miles, featuring daily
personnel now purchase monthly VVTA “mega-passes” that may be used on any of service to Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia, Victorville and unincorporated
the eight commuter runs in the morning, starting between 4:30 and 6:30 a.m., and San Bernardino County, including Helendale, Lucerne Valley, Oro Grande, Phelan,
eight afternoon runs that start from Fort Irwin from 3:45 to 6 p.m. For more infor- Pinon Hills, and Wrightwood.
mation, contact National Training Center G-8, building 988 (NTC headquarters) at
380-3337/4614. Commuter service to the NTC and Fort Irwin, and lifeline service connecting the
High Desert to the Inland Empire is provided weekdays. The VVTA also serves the
Contractor employees should contact their employers if their company has a similar program. Trona and Big River areas through its volunteer transportation program. Additional
The VVTA is a Consolidated Transportation Services Agency, providing bus, Ameri- information and service alerts may be found online at VVTA.org, Facebook.com/Of-
cans with Disability Act paratransit, vanpool, and commuter service to California’s ficialVVTA or Twitter.com/VVTransit.

For more information go to www.irwin.army.mil