Multi-Agency Rescue

Hualapai Mtn Rd / Lazy Y U -

On April 24, 2016 at 2:41 pm, firefighters from Station 51 received an alarm for an ATV accident near mile marker 5 on Hualapai Mtn Rd. Brush 516 and Batt. 5 arrived on scene with MCSO to find a male walking around his ATV with visible injuries. The patient advised his wife was still approximately 1.5 miles up the trail near the peak with a possible back injury. Brush 516 EMT took patient care of the male, while Batt. 5 made his way to the second patient with Mohave County Search and Rescue. B516 Captain established Lazy Y U Command and DPS Ranger 42 was requested out of Flagstaff, Az for a potential short haul operation. MCSO Sam 45 arrived on scene and Unified Command was established for the incident.

Batt. 5 made contact with the patient and confirmed short haul would be needed to remove the patient off the mountain. Batt. 5 provided patient care with AMR Paramedic and began packaging the patient for short haul out to Haluapai Mtn Rd. After a short flight, Ranger 42 had the patient on the ground on where she was transported by ground to Kingman Regional Medical Center in stable condition. The entire incident took roughly 3 hours and no other injuries were reported.

Story by Captain Ron Hood / Pinion Pine Fire District
Photos/Video by Engineer Chris Shaffer, Captain Ron Hood  / Pinion Pine Fire District

Structure Fire

On April 23, 2016 at 6:24 pm, Pinion Pine firefighters were dispatched to the area north of Loves Truck Stop for reported smoke in the area. Engine 521 and Brush 516 responded from Fire Station 52 with smoke showing. Engine 521 arrived on scene on E. Early Circle to find an outbuilding on fire which had extended into a stack of hay bales with no immediate exposures threatened. Crews pulled an 1-3/4 attack line and had the fire under control in roughly 7 minutes. Firefighters spent the next hour and a half overhauling the roughly 30 hay bales and outbuilding. Upon our arrival, the home owners had just arrived home to find their shed and hay burning and began suppressing the fire.

Although we do not advise homeowners to take action on their fires, we understand your valuables are at risk and we applaud the quick actions in preventing this fire from extending into the vegetation when winds were blowing roughly 20 miles per hour. The cause of the fire was undetermined and caused roughly $10,000 of damage.

Story by Captain Ron Hood / Pinion Pine Fire District
Photos by Captain Gail Jackson / Pinion Pine Fire District

Firefighters Return From the Topock Fire

Topock, Az - 

On April 6th, 2016, multiple local, state and federal resources were dispatched to the Topock Fire, burning on the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge in mostly riparian fuels including salt cedar south of Topock, Az. The fire which started around 4 AM, quickly grew to 25 acres pushing the fire south from the New South Dike rd and jumped the Colorado River. Orders began to come in around 10 AM as the fire was threatening both Pirates Cove and the Topock Marina. E511 (PNP), A125 (GOV), E1102 (BUK), E3661 (CRD), E2 (GOL), B84 (MOV), Batt. 9 (FMM) and miscellaneous overhead were the first arriving units to a rapidly expanding fire.

Fire activity upon E511's arrival

 
E511, E1102 and E2 were assigned to structure protection at the Topock Marina under Battalion 9 where firefighters triaged the marina and adjacent mobile home park. Multiple helicopters and fire boats began suppressing the fire while engines held the South Dike Rd, working into the evening.

Wind shift begins on division Alpha as seen from the Topock Marina

Fire intensity begins to pick up as wind and fuels allign

Around 9:30 PM, hand crews and engines began a firing operation when am unexpected wind shift occurred, aligning with fuels and the fire made a push towards the Topock Marina. E511 was placed placed at the marina and firefighters deployed a hose lay around the marina while E1102 began prepping the mobile home park and securing the utilities. Firefighters began a firing operation from a fire boat on the north side of the marina which was successful. E511 continued to work on the fire for the next 2 days, assisting hand crews with mopping up the fire perimeter along the New South Dike rd. On April 8th, the fire received much needed rain fall and E511 was released from the incident later that evening. The fire acreage recorded was 2,200 acres.

The fire making a push towards the marina

Firing operation on the north side of the marina to remove the fuels in front of the fire front

Story and Photos by Fire Captain Ron Hood

Fatal Accident on Highway 93

Highway 93 -

On December 23, 2015 at 10:26 PM, Pinion Pine Engine 523 and Rescue 525 were dispatched to a head on vehicle accident, pickup vs. semi on Highway 93 near mile marker 108 southbound. While responding, Engine 523 requested an air ambulance, Care Flight 14 out of Kingman airport was activated with a 20 minute ETA to the scene. Engine 523 arrived on the scene to find a semi on its side down an embankment and a pickup on the shoulder, on its roof with heavy damage. E523 crew began triaging three patients, two patients with minor injuries and a third victim still in the pickup who was deceased on arrival. E523 canceled Care Flight and Rescue 525 continued patient care. AMR transported both patients by ground to an area hospital in stable condition.

 

 



According to the passenger of the pickup, the vehicle he was in left the northbound lanes of travel for an unknown reason and crossed into oncoming traffic where it collided with a tractor trailer. The impact was hard enough to shear the bed of the pick up off of the cab. The official cause of the accident is being investigated by the Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol. Traffic control was provided by Arizona Department of Transportation and lane restrictions were present for roughly 4 hours.

Photos and Story by Captain Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District

Vehicle Accident Sends Two to the Hospital

Interstate 40 -

On October 14, 2015 around 9:20 pm, the Kingman Alarm Center began receiving multiple reports of a vehicle accident between mile markers 88 and 90 on Interstate 40 westbound which brought the response of Engine 513 and Chief 501. While in route, resources were advised per DPS, that extrication may be needed to remove one of the occupants from the vehicle. At this time, a care flight air ambulance was dispatched to the scene.



Engine 513 and Chief 501 arrived on scene to find a minivan on the shoulder with heavy damage to the front and front drivers side of the vehicle. Crews began patient care on two patients, one which was already out of the vehicle with lacerations to the arm and head. The second patient was in the vehicle, unconscious and unresponsive but was breathing adequately. Both patients were assessed, treated and transported to an area hospital by an AMR ground ambulance in stable condition with a fire department attendant. Extrication was not required to remove the patient from the vehicle.

For an unknown reason, the vehicle which was traveling westbound, struck the end cap of a median guardrail then traveled across both lanes of traffic and struck the guardrail on the shoulder. The cause of the accident is unknown and under investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol. The Arizona Department of Transportation provided traffic control and the roadway was reduced to one lane of travel, with minor traffic delays initially.

Story by Captain Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District
Photo by Firefighter Brett Nailor, Pinion Pine Fire District

Engine 523 Returns Home From the Rough Fire

Sequoia/Kings Canyon Nat'l Park -

On Saturday September 26, 2015, E523 returned home from the Rough Fire. E523 was one of five type III wildland/interface engines in Arizona Strike Team 257C requested on September 10 to the rough fire which was burning on the Sierra Nat'l Forest, Sequoia Nat'l Forest and Sequoia/Kings Canyon Nat'l Park.

When Strike Team 257C arrived, the fire had already been burning for 41 days and had consumed 110,000 acres of forest. Strike Team 257C was quickly put to work near Sequoia Lake, plumbing nearly a half mile of hose on an existing half mile hose-lay and mopping up the fires edge. By day 3, the Strike Team was moved into the park and began assessing and mopping up around the Chicago Stump and throughout Converse Basin. The Chicago Stump is believed to be the largest Giant Sequoia ever to be cut.

Arizona Strike Team 257C checking the wrap on the Chicago Stump and testing the fire sprinklers

By day 7, Strike Team 257C was moved to Grant Grove and was tasked with patrolling and mopping up 5 miles of hose-lay, 200-1000 ft in from the line and would stay there for the remainder of their 14 day tour. The Grant Tree is the second largest tree in the world, standing 267 ft tall, a base diameter of 30 ft and is known as the "Nations Christmas Tree". The General Grant Tree is just under 1,800 years old.

E523 next to the General Grant Tree

By Day 14, The fire had grown to 144,000 acres and was 80 percent contained. On our departing day, the park was opened to the public for Kings Canyon Nat'l Parks 75th anniversary and Sequoia Nat'l Parks 125th anniversary.

Other agencies in Arizona Strike Team 257C included

• Flagstaff Fire Department
• Golden Valley Fire District
• Pinetop Fire Department
• Ponderosa Fire District
• Summit Fire Department (Strike Team Leader)

Photos and Article by Captain Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District

Firefighters Respond to Person Trapped

Blake Ranch - 

On July 29th, 2015 at 11:58 AM, Pinion Pine firefighters were dispatched to the area of S Rease Rd cross of Hidden Valley Rd for a person trapped inside a trash truck. E523 arrived on scene roughly 20 minutes later to find a trash truck on the shoulder outside of a residence. Firefighters made contact with the patient who was laying down above the compactor unit of the trash truck with a dislocated right knee.

The patient stated the dumpster came off the lift into the compactor and was trying to correct the problem when he dislocated his knee and was unable to extricate himself from the compactor. It was immediately clear more man power would be needed so an additional unit was dispatched which brought the response of R525. Once AMR arrived on scene and provided the patient with much needed pain medication, the long task of getting the individual out of the truck began. Options were looked at and it was best determined to open the lift gate on the back of the vehicle and remove the patient on a back board over a fire ladder.

 

After roughly 15 minutes, the patient was safely on the ground at the rear of the vehicle where he was transported by ground to an area hospital with non life threatening injuries. The entire rescue took roughly 45 minutes to perform.

Photos by: Battalion Chief Danny Zandvliet, Pinion Pine Fire District
Story by: Captain Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District