Sadler Fire Staff Ride - Wildland Fire Leadership Development

Sadler Fire Staff RideStand #5: THE SAFETY ZONE (BIG BLACK)It was evident that an entrapment had occurred, and it has also been noted that if it weren’t fora sudden wind shift the chances of survival would have been greatly diminished. Following theentrapment, the involved parties gathered at the “Big Black”: “The six crew members, feelingthe safety zone was too small, ran down the dozer line to Huter’s location. Huter inquired aboutinjuries and finding that Naar was an EMT, he instructed Naar to take charge of EMT duties andto administer oxygen from his trauma kit. Some of the crew members were coughing severely.Huter gave his vehicle to Horton to drive himself and the five crew members to the west end ofthe dozer line, where they joined the 15 other crew members of the GNP3 crew. About 4:00p.m., Huter called for a helicopter medical transport of the crew . . . Christensen and Giampaoliwere flown by helicopter directly from the line to the ICP for initial treatment. From there theywere taken by ambulance to the hospital in Elko where they were treated for second-degreeburns and smoke inhalation. The other 19 crew members were flown by helicopter to IndianWell and then to Jiggs camp. From Jiggs, they were taken by bus to the Elko hospital whereHorton, Naar, Hyde, and Deaton were examined and treated for smoke inhalation.Christensen, Giampaoli, and Naar were kept overnight in the hospital for observation while therest were released and billeted in a motel. Storey notified the Elko BLM Agency Administrator ofthe hospitalizations about 8:00 p.m.Christensen, Giampaoli, and Naar were released from the hospital on August 10, 1999, andwere expected to recover fully. They rejoined the rest of the crew at the motel in Elko to await acritical incident stress debriefing session.”The IHC's on this Division had no idea that the burnout of the Dozer Line was being conductedsimultaneous with other division operations, and noted that the shelter deployment wasn’teven mentioned in the following days briefing at the Jigg's Spike Camp 4 .Stand #5- The Safety Zone -Tactical Decision Games (TDGS)You are the Task Force Leader for a Division conducting a burnout operation. You are notifiedthat burn injuries have been incurred by members of a squad from a Type 2 crew, includingthe crew boss.What needs to be done to begin patient treatment and what protocol do you need to follow?As an incoming Task Force Leader arriving on this division of the Sadler Fire, what questionswould you be asking of the division supervisor? Of the resources assigned to you? How wouldeffectively integrate yourself into the existing organization and what issues would you address?4 Phone interview with Rich Dolphin, Superintendent Smokey Bear IHC on 3.17.11Page | 19