Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Pinion Pine Firefighter's Prepare for 2012 Fire Season

On Sunday February 26, 2012, firefighter's participated in the annual wildland refresher course in preperation for the 2012 Wildland fire season conducted by Operations Lieutenant Kevin Gifford, Enginner Ken Milner and Engineer Ron Hood. Every year, Pinion Pine firefighters participate in an 8 hour class designed to keep them sharp and safe during wildfire incidents focusing on LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes and Safety Zones), entrapment avoidance, fire shelter deployment, and safety along with an annual physical agility test that requires firefighter's to walk 3 miles with a 45 lb pack in under 45 minutes. These standards are required to be "Red Carded" by the state of Arizona and to assist other agencies in the United States, primarily on the west coast for wildfire incidents.

Lt. Kevin Gifford (middle) and Engineer Duane Dodds (right)
prepare to deploy their fire shelters. The Department requirement
is to be in your shelter completely within 20 seconds.
Lt. Kevin Gifford instructing class about entrapment avoidance
Article Submitted by Engineer/EMT Ron Hood

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