CA-KRN-Bitter - Kern County Vegetation Fire
Final Update: 1630 hrs - Fire Contained
Fire is now 30 acres, and backing into the wind, Slow ROS, per IC, 1-Structure in area threatened.
Update: 1530 hrs - Fire is now reported at 35 acres with 2 active flanks. Still backing down towards the original threatened structure. 1 SEAT inbound to the fire at this time.
IA: 1505 hrs -Vegetation Fire, Slow ROS, 1 threatened structure, AA-490 reports approx. 15 acres, light fuels
Resources assigned:
KRN: E26, E326, P24, P25, P31, AA490, Crew 81, Crew 82, Batt 2, Dozer 5, WT51
BLM: E3130, E3147, WT3191, Crew 1, B3114, B3115, Prev 3156
1 Type 3 AT AA-490, AT - T-90, Helicopter - C-406, C-408
Location: Section 25, Black Wells Corner Area, Hwy 33 X Hwy 46, access off Bitter Water Valley Rd,
Comms: Local - 153.785
Command - 155.625-Kern 3
Air / Grnd - 151.220
Source: Wildlandfire.com - Link
Sunday, May 31, 2009
El Dorado County: GVFPD - Attacks and Counterattacks
El Dorado County fire district in turmoil over personnel disputes
Discrimination lawsuit filed
GARDEN VALLEY – In a picturesque corner of El Dorado County, amid rolling green hills and white picket fences and grazing chestnut horses, an ugly dispute is festering.
The grand jury has already poked around the Garden Valley Fire Protection District – twice since 2007 – but this time controversy is taking a decidedly personal turn.
The attacks and counterattacks include allegations of pornography on fire station computers, document burning, workplace harassment and retaliation, questionable finances, secret board meetings and personal vendettas.
Highlights:
- Newfound knowledge that Fire Chief Bill Dekker has a history of brushes with the law.
- Paul Bado, a 16-year veteran of the fire district, was placed on administrative leave in April 2008 and fired four months later for viewing Porn. In June, the 47-year-old gay firefighter will officially appeal his dismissal from the rural department north of Placerville."I'd like to remind you that I am gay. I have no need to look at porn female images," he said.
- In March, Bado filed a discrimination and harassment suit based on sexual orientation against the fire district – including Dekker and a previous chief – alleging that he was paid less than the department's other fire captain.
- The suit filed in El Dorado Superior Court also alleges that, once it became known in the department that Bado was gay, he was "subjected to ridicule, jokes, sexual innuendo, and given prejudicial names behind his back."
- The department is one of 13 districts that provide fire protection in the county, which is weighing the delicate issue of consolidation – a word elected officials here use at their peril.
- The fire district's former secretary has filed a wrongful termination claim and leveled her own charges against Dekker, alleging that the chief harassed her and that his conduct was outrageous.
- Last year, the county's auditor-controller questioned a $469 pair of fire pants purchased from a company owned by the fire district's then-board chairman, according to local newspaper accounts.
- The county's grand jury – which had reopened its investigation of fire district irregularities – concluded that two board members had received improper payments.
- Even more contentious were the recent revelations about Dekker, who has had at least nine brushes with the law in the past 13 years – including a drunken driving conviction in Nevada, where he was accused of driving a fire department truck while intoxicated and clipping a volunteer firefighter.
- "The whole thing is really sad," said Maria Capraun, the fire district's former secretary, who is seeking damages in her wrongful termination claim.
See whole article at : Sacramento Bee Article - Link
Ramona: Cal Fire Air Attack equipped with new IF Cam
Firefighting plane's new eye in the sky to be much clearer
Latest technology sees through smoke
During the 2007 Harris fire near the U.S.-Mexico border, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Ray Chaney listened helplessly as a bulldozer driver radioed that he was about to be overrun by flames.
As air-attack coordinator for Cal Fire's air tankers and helicopters, Chaney was in a plane about 4,000 feet somewhere above the dozer.
“It was a bad situation,” Chaney recalled. “He called me up and said he was in trouble. He was pushing dirt around the bulldozer, building a defensible perimeter and pulling the fire curtains inside the cab.
“He was asking me for help. I looked down, and through the smoke I couldn't see him.”
Fortunately, the fire bypassed the bulldozer, and the driver was fine. But what if Chaney had been able to see through the smoke?
Beginning in July, Chaney's air-attack plane, stationed at the Ramona Air Attack Base, will be outfitted with a camera developed by researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory that will allow him, as well as commanders on the ground via an intranet feed, to see through smoke.
The Ramona squadron will be the first in the state to be equipped with the camera and the technology that will allow ground commanders to view the images in real time for a test period ending in December.
“I'm pretty excited because we're entering into an agreement we think will be mutually beneficial to both MIT and us,” Chaney said. “MIT is looking for venues to conduct experiments with some new technology.”
With the camera, which integrates infrared technology into its design, “I would have been able to pick up the heat signature off of (the bulldozer's) engine and exhaust system” and been able to direct a helicopter or air tanker to make a drop nearby.
During Santa Ana wind-driven fires, smoke lies horizontally over the land, pushed by the strong winds. As the fire burns, embers will fly through the air, sometimes up to a mile ahead of the main blaze.
With the new technology, Chaney and commanders on the ground will be able to see those “spotting” fires. If one is near a house, ground units and air support can be redirected.
A ground commander also will be able to control the camera remotely, allowing Chaney to focus on directing air traffic.
MIT is also equipping engines in Cal Fire's Riverside unit with tracking devices that will allow commanders to see instantly on a computer screen where every piece of equipment is. The ground technology also could be tested on some engines in San Diego, but just how many hasn't been decided.
Source: signonsandiego.com - Link
Webcam: Ramona Air Attack Base: - Link
More information: About the CDF's aviation program is available at http://www.fire.ca.gov/FireEmergencyResponse/Aviation/Aviation.asp.
Earthquake 3.0 M - Central California, Keeler, Cartago, CA
Earthquake Details
| Magnitude | 3.0 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time |
|
| Location | 36.385°N, 117.846°W |
| Depth | 3.2 km (2.0 miles) |
| Region | CENTRAL CALIFORNIA |
| Distances |
|
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 0.5 km (0.3 miles); depth +/- 1.7 km (1.1 miles) |
| Parameters | Nph=037, Dmin=19 km, Rmss=0.3 sec, Gp= 76°, M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=C |
| Source | |
| Event ID | ci14466088 |
CAL FIRE SCU: Fire season starts Monday
Responding to increasingly warm and dry local conditions, Santa Clara Unit chiefs hire seasonal firefighters, increase dispatch levels and operate fire response facilities at all times.
Who: Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit has announced that fire season will begin.
Why: The start of fire season varies throughout the state and is based on local weather conditions, vegetation and increased fire activity.
When: Starting Monday.
Where: Santa Clara, Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
Burn Permits: All open burning permits will be suspended in areas under the Cal Fire's control.
Agriculture, land management, fire training and other industrial-type burning may continue if a Cal Fire official inspects the burn site and issues a permit.
Defensible Space and Evacuation: Cal Fire officials are reminding homeowners to follow basic fire safety measures as the season progresses, such as creating defensible space around all structures and preparing an evacuation plan for family members and pets.
More information: Online at
http://www.calfirescu.org/
www.fire.ca.gov.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Severe thunderstorm warning: Plumas, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama Counties
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
SOUTHEAST CENTRAL SHASTA COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
NORTHEASTERN TEHAMA COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF MINERAL... *
UNTIL 145 PM PDT * AT 1248 PM PDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MANZANITA LAKE...OR ABOUT 18 MILES NORTH OF MINERAL...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... MANZANITA LAKE AND 7 MILES EAST OF VIOLA BY 115 PM PDT...
Instruction:
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR STRONG WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
Affected Counties or parts of: Shasta, Plumas, Lassen, Tehama
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
SOUTHEAST CENTRAL SHASTA COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
NORTHEASTERN TEHAMA COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF MINERAL... *
UNTIL 145 PM PDT * AT 1248 PM PDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MANZANITA LAKE...OR ABOUT 18 MILES NORTH OF MINERAL...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... MANZANITA LAKE AND 7 MILES EAST OF VIOLA BY 115 PM PDT...
Instruction:
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR STRONG WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
Affected Counties or parts of: Shasta, Plumas, Lassen, Tehama
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Salinas: Fire and Explosion Industrial Warehouse
Fire, Explosion Rock California Warehouse
SALINAS, Calif. -- An explosion took place at a large industrial warehouse in south Salinas on Friday.
SALINAS, Calif. -- An explosion took place at a large industrial warehouse in south Salinas on Friday.
Equipment inside the building, which is owned by Excelligence Learning Corp., exploded at about 6:45 p.m., causing the warehouse to go up in flames, fire officials said.
At least one person was taken to a local hospital with minor burn injuries.
Firefighters were getting a handle on the blaze as of 7:50 p.m.
When the explosion first took place, a plume of smoke could be seen coming from the building at Dayton Street and Harkins Road.
The area of south Salinas where the warehouse is located is highly industrial, and other buildings may have been affected by the flames.
There were about 50 employees working at the warehouse when the explosion took place.
Excelligence Learning Corp. is an international educational supply company.
Lake Tahoe: Past due for a magnitude-7 temblor + huge tsunami
Lake Tahoe May Be Due For Huge Quake, Tsunami
Two new studies suggest the Lake Tahoe region has gone longer than usual without a large earthquake and may be due for a magnitude-7 temblor capable of spawning a tsunami that could flood shoreline communities.
The research targeting three major faults was conducted by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California-San Diego.
They determined that earthquakes as large as magnitude-7 historically have occurred every 2,000 to 3,000 years in the Tahoe basin.
But they found that the largest fault in the basin — the West Tahoe Fault running along the west shore of the lake and out the south end just west of South Lake Tahoe — appears to last have ruptured between 4,100 and 4,500 years ago.
The new data suggests that the most recent ruptures along the West Tahoe and Incline Village faults each produced nearly offsets of about 13 feet. The most recent event along the Incline Village Fault occurred about 575 years ago, they said.
"These studies taken together show that the West Tahoe Fault is capable of a magnitude-7 earthquake — similar to large earthquakes that have occurred on the nearby Genoa Fault — but with the added danger of nearly 500 meters (1,600 feet) of overlying water, which is capable of spawning a large tsunami wave," said Graham Kent, a research geophysicist at Scripps.
The analysis suggests an upper limit of a magnitude-7.3 earthquake for the basin's most dangerous fault.
Whole article at: CBS5.com - Link
Two new studies suggest the Lake Tahoe region has gone longer than usual without a large earthquake and may be due for a magnitude-7 temblor capable of spawning a tsunami that could flood shoreline communities.
The research targeting three major faults was conducted by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California-San Diego.
They determined that earthquakes as large as magnitude-7 historically have occurred every 2,000 to 3,000 years in the Tahoe basin.
But they found that the largest fault in the basin — the West Tahoe Fault running along the west shore of the lake and out the south end just west of South Lake Tahoe — appears to last have ruptured between 4,100 and 4,500 years ago.
The new data suggests that the most recent ruptures along the West Tahoe and Incline Village faults each produced nearly offsets of about 13 feet. The most recent event along the Incline Village Fault occurred about 575 years ago, they said.
"These studies taken together show that the West Tahoe Fault is capable of a magnitude-7 earthquake — similar to large earthquakes that have occurred on the nearby Genoa Fault — but with the added danger of nearly 500 meters (1,600 feet) of overlying water, which is capable of spawning a large tsunami wave," said Graham Kent, a research geophysicist at Scripps.
The analysis suggests an upper limit of a magnitude-7.3 earthquake for the basin's most dangerous fault.
Whole article at: CBS5.com - Link
Friday, May 29, 2009
CA-TUU- Tule IC (South fires) - Lightning IC (North fires) - Lightning series 300 acres
Tulare County Lightning Series - TUU - Porterville in the Fountain Springs area.... Started yesterday around 1900hrs - 11 fires - 300+ acres - numerous down strikes in area, Some precipitation, wind gust up to 60 mph.
Update: Yesterday AM: New Fire-South Complex-Gibbon Peak. Gibbon Peak area which is a very remote area due south of the Tule Indian Reservation. Crews were unable to make access last night due to steep, rocky terrain and dense brush. Crews are making access this morning via helicopter shuttle. The nearest road is 1-2 miles away. Air tankers are keeping the fire in check while crews are making access. A CWN dozer is being used to open up roads into the area. Est. 15 acres, potential is 5,000 acres. Heavy brush and mixed oak, terrain is extremely steep and rocky. No structure threat. AA, 4 AT, copter, Crew S/T, 1 dozer.
Source: http://www.wildlandfire.com/hotlist =4
Fires renamed:
Northern Complex
Southern Complex
CA-TUU-Fountain
CA-TUU- Tule
CA-TUU-Lightning
Resources: About 110 firefighters from CALFIRE along with two hotshot crews from the National Forest Service are battling the blazes.
Current sizeup: 300+ acres, Not all of the fires are contained yet. AM recon flight
Structure threat: No structures are threatened and no injuries have been reported.
Comms:Local 151.190 / 154.010, Command - 151.265, Command 2 / 151.355, command 1
Tac 8 - 151.370 / 154.265, White Fire 2 / 154.295, White Fire 3/ 153.905, Tulare County Tac
Air - 151.310
Air / Grnd - 151.220
Update: Yesterday AM: New Fire-South Complex-Gibbon Peak. Gibbon Peak area which is a very remote area due south of the Tule Indian Reservation. Crews were unable to make access last night due to steep, rocky terrain and dense brush. Crews are making access this morning via helicopter shuttle. The nearest road is 1-2 miles away. Air tankers are keeping the fire in check while crews are making access. A CWN dozer is being used to open up roads into the area. Est. 15 acres, potential is 5,000 acres. Heavy brush and mixed oak, terrain is extremely steep and rocky. No structure threat. AA, 4 AT, copter, Crew S/T, 1 dozer.
Source: http://www.wildlandfire.com/hotlist =4
Fires renamed:
Northern Complex
Southern Complex
CA-TUU-Fountain
CA-TUU- Tule
CA-TUU-Lightning
Resources: About 110 firefighters from CALFIRE along with two hotshot crews from the National Forest Service are battling the blazes.
Current sizeup: 300+ acres, Not all of the fires are contained yet. AM recon flight
Structure threat: No structures are threatened and no injuries have been reported.
Comms:Local 151.190 / 154.010, Command - 151.265, Command 2 / 151.355, command 1
Tac 8 - 151.370 / 154.265, White Fire 2 / 154.295, White Fire 3/ 153.905, Tulare County Tac
Air - 151.310
Air / Grnd - 151.220
San Bernardino County house Fire - 2 Children dead, 2 others injured
Two young boys have died and two other people have been hurt in a house fire in San Bernardino County.
Fire officials say the blaze erupted around midnight Friday in Rialto, 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
City fire spokesman Matt Payne says firefighters found flames coming through the roof. He says they took a 4-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy from a bedroom in a converted garage but the boys died at a hospital.
Payne says two adults and a 1-year-old girl already were out of the house when firefighters arrived.
The 1-year-old suffered smoke inhalation and a 54-year-old man had second-degree burns.
Payne says both are hospitalized in stable condition.
A woman who fled the house was not hurt.
The fire was doused in 26 minutes.
Source: CBS2.com - Link
Fire officials say the blaze erupted around midnight Friday in Rialto, 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
City fire spokesman Matt Payne says firefighters found flames coming through the roof. He says they took a 4-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy from a bedroom in a converted garage but the boys died at a hospital.
Payne says two adults and a 1-year-old girl already were out of the house when firefighters arrived.
The 1-year-old suffered smoke inhalation and a 54-year-old man had second-degree burns.
Payne says both are hospitalized in stable condition.
A woman who fled the house was not hurt.
The fire was doused in 26 minutes.
Source: CBS2.com - Link
SAR News: LODD - SLO SAR official cause of death released
Christopher MeadowsA man with a huge smile and a huge heart
Meadows is the first Search and Rescue member to be killed in the line of duty in San Luis Obispo County
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department releases an official cause of death of a search and rescue volunteer killed Sunday.
An autopsy shows that Christopher Meadows died from serious blunt force trauma when he rolled his ATV while responding to a first aid call. Investigators say an ambulance following him was unable to stop and then hit his ATV shortly after. Meadows is the first search and rescue team member in the county to die in the line of duty.
Those who worked with Meadows described him as dedicated and willing to take on leadership roles. They cannot believe a man with so much going for him, is no longer here.
Friends say 24-year-old Meadows was a man with a huge smile and a huge heart.
"He was the kind of person we were looking at that would be the future search and rescue leadership in this county 10 to 20 years from now," said Sergeant Mark Maki, search and rescue coordinator.
Sergeant Maki supervised the search and rescue team. Meadows was one of 47 search and rescue volunteers. Sergeant Maki said those volunteers were like a family.
"He had earned a lot of respect, so my team is really grieving his loss right now," Sergeant Maki said.
A makeshift memorial sits where Meadows worked as an EMT for San Luis Ambulance.
His colleagues at San Luis Ambulance said it was too soon to go on camera. Many were still going through grief counseling Thursday afternoon.
The Director of Operations, Joe Peidelue, released this statement:
"Chris was a special human being and cared for people so much. He worked for us as a caregiver and he was out volunteering his time as a caregiver when he ultimately died. He was great at what he did. He was that extra special guy."
Investigators believe Meadows died shortly after he rolled his ATV Sunday when responding to a medical call at the dunes.
"These are volunteers who are specialized trained, who risk their lives all the time," said Rob Bryn with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department.
"It's not just a loss to the sheriff's department search and rescue, but it's a loss to a lot of different people right now," added Sergeant Maki.
A memorial service is planned for Monday at the Queen of Apostles Church in San Jose.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 1, at 1:00pm at Queen of Apostles Catholic Church, 4911 Moorpark, San Jose.
Local law enforcement and search and rescue team members will be taking a bus to the bay area for this service.
Source article: KSBY - Link
Tea Fire suspects - Eight college students - plead no contest to trespassing, building a campfire.
Students once blamed for Tea fire enter trespass pleas
Associated Press - May 29, 2009 12:34 PM ET
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) - Eight college students originally blamed for starting a wildfire that destroyed 210 homes in Santa Barbara last year have pleaded no contest to trespassing and building a campfire.
Seven were given 75 hours of community service, two years of unsupervised probation and ordered to pay $500 in fines after entering their pleas Thursday.
The attorney for an eighth defendant, who opted for 61 days in county jail to avoid probation, says he will be applying for electronic monitoring in lieu of jail time.
Sheriff's officials initially announced a campfire set by the defendants led to November's so-called Tea Fire.
The district attorney's office later failed to prove the fire started the blaze and filed the charges of trespassing and building a fire.
Information from: Santa Barbara News-Press, http://www.newspress.com
LAFD chief Douglas Barry will step down
Updated: Fire Department spokeswoman Capt. Tina Haro says Chief Douglas Barry is retiring, not resigning. Barry is expected to address reporters at a 3:30 p.m. news conference today at City Hall.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Douglas Barry, who took office two years ago with a mission to reform the troubled department, will resign effective Aug. 31, a department spokeswoman said today.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Douglas Barry, who took office two years ago with a mission to reform the troubled department, will resign effective Aug. 31, a department spokeswoman said today.
Tehama County: Burn ban starts Monday
A burn ban has been declared in Tehama County as of Monday, June 1, to the end of fire season.
This burn ban is in all areas of Tehama County with the exception of the of Mineral, Childs Meadows, Deer Creek and Mill Creek, according to CalFire and Tehama County Fire Department.
The burn ban in these areas goes into effect July 1, to the end of declared fire season unless fire conditions require an earlier burn ban.
The burn ban in these areas goes into effect July 1, to the end of declared fire season unless fire conditions require an earlier burn ban.
Agricultural, forest management and other industrial burning may proceed if an authorized fire official inspects the area and issues a special permit.
Residents have been advised to check with Air Pollution Control to verify if it is a legal burn day prior to starting any burn. Campfires will be allowed in designated campgrounds with permission of the jurisdictional authority and a valid campfire permit.
This burn ban is in all areas of Tehama County with the exception of the of Mineral, Childs Meadows, Deer Creek and Mill Creek, according to CalFire and Tehama County Fire Department.
The burn ban in these areas goes into effect July 1, to the end of declared fire season unless fire conditions require an earlier burn ban.
The burn ban in these areas goes into effect July 1, to the end of declared fire season unless fire conditions require an earlier burn ban.
Agricultural, forest management and other industrial burning may proceed if an authorized fire official inspects the area and issues a special permit.
Residents have been advised to check with Air Pollution Control to verify if it is a legal burn day prior to starting any burn. Campfires will be allowed in designated campgrounds with permission of the jurisdictional authority and a valid campfire permit.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
BLM: Hotshot Wildland Firefighter applications in by tommorow
Bureau of Land Management fire related Jobs: Hotshot Wildland Firefighter positions also open in Susanville, Bakersfield, CA.
Applications in by tomorrow 5/29/09 www.usajobs.gov
BLM also has an opening for a Park Ranger in Mariposa, CA. www.usajobs.gov
Source: Cal Fire News Twitter - Via Twitterer?, Twiteree? Twitperson?- cablmfire
Applications in by tomorrow 5/29/09 www.usajobs.gov
BLM also has an opening for a Park Ranger in Mariposa, CA. www.usajobs.gov
Source: Cal Fire News Twitter - Via Twitterer?, Twiteree? Twitperson?- cablmfire
LODD: Alameda police K-9 dies from possible neglect while locked in car
Alameda police dog dies after being left in officer's personal vehicle
Source: Bay Area News Group
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office is set to decide Monday whether to file charges against an Alameda police K-9 officer whose dog died after he allegedly left it unattended while he was on duty.
Inside Bay Area ironically as moved it from the "News" section to the "Living" section?
New source: http://www.insidebayarea.com/bay-area-living/ci_12465291
Source: Bay Area News Group
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office is set to decide Monday whether to file charges against an Alameda police K-9 officer whose dog died after he allegedly left it unattended while he was on duty.
The officer, who has not been named, was attending a training exercise May 5 when he left the animal unattended for about three hours and 15 minutes inside his personal vehicle, police said.
When the officer returned to the vehicle, which was in a parking lot in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue, he found the 61/2-year Belgian Malinois in "distress," Alameda police Lt. Bill Scott said.
The dog was brought to the Bay Area Veterinary Emergency Clinic in San Leandro, where it died.
"It was a tragic accident," Scott said. "There was no intention on the officer's part for this to happen, whatsoever."
Investigators presented a possible criminal case on the animal's death to Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Charlotte Green on Wednesday.
Green is expected to announce Monday whether she plans to file charges, Scott said.
The officer remains on duty.
Note: As of 10 a.m., Mercury News has removed the story completely?Inside Bay Area ironically as moved it from the "News" section to the "Living" section?
New source: http://www.insidebayarea.com/bay-area-living/ci_12465291
Dispatch frequency changes for North Tahoe on June 1
To: All North Tahoe Fire Cooperators
Subject: Grass Valley ECC Dispatch Frequencies.
North Tahoe Fire Protection District will change
dispatch centers on June 1, 2009. We are leaving
Placer County Dispatch and moving our dispatch
operations to Grass Valley ECC (Emergency Command
Center) effective at 10:00 Hrs on June 1, 2009.
The following frequency changes for North Tahoe F.P.D.:
Primary – NEU (Receive 154.130) (Transmit 159.495) (Tone 8 103.5Hz)
TAC Default –
(Placer East) - (Receive 154.400) (Transmit 153.770) (Tone 8 103.5Hz)
TAC (White 3) – (Receive 154.295) (Transmit 154.295)
TAC (White 2) – (Receive 154.265) (Transmit 154.265)
Please contact Operations with any questions.
Subject: Grass Valley ECC Dispatch Frequencies.
North Tahoe Fire Protection District will change
dispatch centers on June 1, 2009. We are leaving
Placer County Dispatch and moving our dispatch
operations to Grass Valley ECC (Emergency Command
Center) effective at 10:00 Hrs on June 1, 2009.
The following frequency changes for North Tahoe F.P.D.:
Primary – NEU (Receive 154.130) (Transmit 159.495) (Tone 8 103.5Hz)
TAC Default –
(Placer East) - (Receive 154.400) (Transmit 153.770) (Tone 8 103.5Hz)
TAC (White 3) – (Receive 154.295) (Transmit 154.295)
TAC (White 2) – (Receive 154.265) (Transmit 154.265)
Please contact Operations with any questions.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
CA-RRU- Oliver - Wildfire - Riverside County - 503 acres 100%
Wildland Fires Reported in the Inland Empire - CARRU-46619
Firefighters are on scene of a vegetation fire with at least two separate starts on the northwest side of Lake Perris State Recreation Area.
View CA-RRU-Oliver - Vegetation fire in a larger map
Final Update: 5-28-09 0600hrs - 100% containment 5/28 0600 AM hours, 100% control at 5/28 6:00 PM hours.
Update: 2034 Hrs - 503 acres 80% - Estimated Containment: 5-28-09 0600 Hrs. -20 RV’s Relocated from the North Side of the Lake to the South Side of the Lake, Initial demob of IA resources to begin 5/27/09 at 2130 hours.
Update: 2000 Hrs -Fire investigators have determined the cause of the fires to be Arson. We are asking anyone with suspect information to contact the Riverside County Fire Department Anonymous Arson Hot Line at 1-800-633-2836.
Update: 1934 Hrs - updated acreage 503 acres. Estimated 100 percent containment 5/28 0600 AM hours, 100 percent control at 5/28 6:00 PM hours.
Update: 1803 Hrs - Fire is 50 percent contained. Firefighters are making great progress, no injuries or damage reported. fire investigators are on scene.
Update: 1800 Hrs - The fires have merged and burned a combined 250 acres of brush in Southern California. Potential of 750-1,000 Acres, Structure’s Threatened at the top of Oliver Street, No Structure Loss.
Update: 1730 Hrs - The Lake Perris State Recreation Area Campground has been evacuated as the fire has entered the inside perimieter of the park.
Update: 1725 Hrs - Fire is burning into Lake Perris campground crews now attempting firing operations per IC on RRU2 now 250 acres with potential of 500
Update: 1720Hrs - Large header showing - Immediate structure threat 10 Type 1 engines for structure protection. Fire is now approximately 250 acres with a potential of 500 acres.
Update: 1625Hrs -Potential for 50 acres no structure threat
Update: 1605Hrs - 2 separate fires, 1/4 apart from each other, approximately 20 acres of grass and brush.
Evacuations: County fire spokeswoman Cheri Patterson says a campground at the Lake Perris State Recreation Area has been evacuated. Patterson says there is moderate structure threat but could not say what kinds of structures those are.
Road closures: Via Del Lago at Iris Avenue/Moreno Beach and several streets around Oliver Street.
IA: 1547 Hrs. - Two fires about a quarter-mile apart - one fire at approximately one half acre and the second at approximately two acres.
ICP Location: Lower Campground at Lake Perris, Lot #9
Location: Oliver St. x Arla Ct., Moreno Valley - Lake Perris State Recreation Area - Northwest side of Lake Perris State Recreation Area, Moreno Valley area of Riverside County, about 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Fire engines have been moved into a nearby neighborhood, ready to defend the homes.
Current resources: 400 firefighters including eleven crews, 35 engines, two dozers, two water tenders, four air tankers and two helicopters. Very large resource orders being filled.
13 CALFIRE Overhead, 2 OES Overhead, 8 CALFIRE Type III Engines, 3 Local Government Type I Engines, 5 Local Government Type III’s Engines, 4 RVC Type III Engines, 18 RVC Type I Engines, 11 CALFIRE Hand Crews, 1 RVC Water Tender, 1 Federal Water Tender, 1 RVC Communications Unit
Injuries: No injuries reported.
Current conditions: winds are not blowing hard but the brush is dry.
Firefighters are on scene of a vegetation fire with at least two separate starts on the northwest side of Lake Perris State Recreation Area.
View CA-RRU-Oliver - Vegetation fire in a larger map
Final Update: 5-28-09 0600hrs - 100% containment 5/28 0600 AM hours, 100% control at 5/28 6:00 PM hours.
Update: 2034 Hrs - 503 acres 80% - Estimated Containment: 5-28-09 0600 Hrs. -20 RV’s Relocated from the North Side of the Lake to the South Side of the Lake, Initial demob of IA resources to begin 5/27/09 at 2130 hours.
Update: 2000 Hrs -Fire investigators have determined the cause of the fires to be Arson. We are asking anyone with suspect information to contact the Riverside County Fire Department Anonymous Arson Hot Line at 1-800-633-2836.
Update: 1934 Hrs - updated acreage 503 acres. Estimated 100 percent containment 5/28 0600 AM hours, 100 percent control at 5/28 6:00 PM hours.
Update: 1803 Hrs - Fire is 50 percent contained. Firefighters are making great progress, no injuries or damage reported. fire investigators are on scene.
Update: 1800 Hrs - The fires have merged and burned a combined 250 acres of brush in Southern California. Potential of 750-1,000 Acres, Structure’s Threatened at the top of Oliver Street, No Structure Loss.
Update: 1730 Hrs - The Lake Perris State Recreation Area Campground has been evacuated as the fire has entered the inside perimieter of the park.
Update: 1725 Hrs - Fire is burning into Lake Perris campground crews now attempting firing operations per IC on RRU2 now 250 acres with potential of 500
Update: 1720Hrs - Large header showing - Immediate structure threat 10 Type 1 engines for structure protection. Fire is now approximately 250 acres with a potential of 500 acres.
Update: 1625Hrs -Potential for 50 acres no structure threat
Update: 1605Hrs - 2 separate fires, 1/4 apart from each other, approximately 20 acres of grass and brush.
Evacuations: County fire spokeswoman Cheri Patterson says a campground at the Lake Perris State Recreation Area has been evacuated. Patterson says there is moderate structure threat but could not say what kinds of structures those are.
Road closures: Via Del Lago at Iris Avenue/Moreno Beach and several streets around Oliver Street.
IA: 1547 Hrs. - Two fires about a quarter-mile apart - one fire at approximately one half acre and the second at approximately two acres.
ICP Location: Lower Campground at Lake Perris, Lot #9
Location: Oliver St. x Arla Ct., Moreno Valley - Lake Perris State Recreation Area - Northwest side of Lake Perris State Recreation Area, Moreno Valley area of Riverside County, about 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Fire engines have been moved into a nearby neighborhood, ready to defend the homes.
Current resources: 400 firefighters including eleven crews, 35 engines, two dozers, two water tenders, four air tankers and two helicopters. Very large resource orders being filled.
13 CALFIRE Overhead, 2 OES Overhead, 8 CALFIRE Type III Engines, 3 Local Government Type I Engines, 5 Local Government Type III’s Engines, 4 RVC Type III Engines, 18 RVC Type I Engines, 11 CALFIRE Hand Crews, 1 RVC Water Tender, 1 Federal Water Tender, 1 RVC Communications Unit
Injuries: No injuries reported.
Current conditions: winds are not blowing hard but the brush is dry.
Yosemite Lightning Fires – Update #4 and #5
National Park Service -U.S. Department of the Interior
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
Yosemite Lightning Fires Update #5
Hi folks. Yosemite is experiencing more thunderstorms and consequently
more fire starts. Two new fires have been located. Due to the amount of
precipitation, additional "sleepers" (fires) may be found as the atmosphere
warms-up. The weather folks are projecting this kind of thunderstorm
pattern to continue through the weekend.
In this update, we are sending a couple of new maps - one is the lightning
map, identifying broad areas of where strikes occurred; and the other is a
Google Earth geographical look at the location of the fires.
Yosemite Lightning Fires Update #4 - On the afternoon of May 18, 2009 Yosemite National Park experienced an afternoon thunderstorm, a common occurrence for the Sierra Nevada Range during the summer. It is relatively uncommon for May, and according to National Weather Service this monsoonal storm was more typical for August. It resulted in many down strikes in Yosemite and three confirmed fires. It was accompanied by measurable precipitation at higher elevations. Yosemite Valley received approximately 1/3 of an inch of rain. There is a possibility of continuing thunderstorms for the rest of the week particularly in the afternoon hours, which may result in other fires.
Suppression Zone:
West (37⁰40’24.31” 119⁰33’56.89”) - Please note the Lat/long change. This lightning caused fire is in Mariposa County near the park boundary and north/west of the community of Yosemite West. It was necessary for crews to rappel into this fire due to steepness of the terrain. This fire is out. It was smoldering in pine needles and some down logs and was put out due to significant threats to the community of Yosemite West. It will be patrolled by air.
Cottonwood (37⁰54’13.68” 119⁰47’41.64”) – As of 7 PM, May 22, this fire was declared 100 % contained, and 50% controlled. Ninety-six acres have burned. This lightning caused fire is in Tuolumne County and is burning within the 1996 Ackerson fire perimeter. It is 2.5 miles east of the Mather Ranger Station and near Cottonwood Meadow. It was actively burning in whitethorn and dead and down timber. Eighty firefighters, two Type 2 Helicopters and three Hot Shot teams (Groveland from the Stanislaus NF, Sierra NF Hotshots, and the Arrowhead HS) are committed to this fire. Mop will continue today and full control is expected tonight at 7 PM. Smoke impacts have been minimal.
Wilderness Zone:
Mono (37⁰40’ 24.24” 119⁰45’ 19.45”) – Please note the change in Lat/Long. This lightning caused fire is located in Mariposa County, within the Illilouette Basin and Yosemite’s wilderness. This fire continues to grow slowly as expected, and approximately 6 acres have burned in brush, and dead and down logs within the 2004 Meadow Fire perimeter. This area has a considerable history of natural wildfire that has been managed for restoration of forest systems. A three to four person fire crew will continue to monitor this fire daily. Minimal smoke is visible in some places along the Glacier Point road. This fire has low to moderate potential for spread.
The protection of human life and property is the top priority for Yosemite’s fire management staff, as well as the preservation of natural and cultural resources, and the preservation and restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems. Each fire is managed individually to achieve one or more objectives in the safest, most efficient and cost-effective way possible. In order to achieve this, strategies employed may include full suppression, containment line building, use of natural barriers, monitoring, and other management techniques or combination of techniques.
Park staff will monitor smoke on a consistent basis. However, smoky conditions may exist within the park.
Residents and visitors are advised to take precautions to minimize smoke impacts to health. People with respiratory problems should use caution when exerting themselves in smoky areas.
Additional Information:
The park website, www.nps.gov/yose/fire, has information about fire activity and smoke effects in Yosemite. To reach the Fire Information and Education Office please call 209/372-0480 or email us at: yose_fire_information@nps.gov.
San Diego: Controversial Fire Chief retires
San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarman Announces Retirement
Jarman To Stay On Until June 27
SAN DIEGO -- Chief Tracy Jarman will retire next month after 25 years with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, it was announced Wednesday.
Jarman's retirement will be effective June 27, but she has agreed to remain with the department for 60-90 days to assist with the transition, according to Mayor Jerry Sanders' office."This was not an easy decision," Jarman said in a statement released by the mayor's office. "I genuinely love this department and the people I work with, and it has been a great career. I'm proud to have served the citizens of San Diego as their fire chief.
Jarman was appointed chief in June 2006. She succeeded Jeff Bowman, after he retired as head of the department.
Jarman is the first woman to command the SDFRD.
During her tenure, she helped increase the number of fire stations from 44 to 47, spearheaded the effort to get a second firefighting helicopter and helped replace the department's aging fleet.
She also directed the fight against the 2007 wildfires.
"Jarman was named the 2008 "Fire Chief of the Year" by the California Fire Chiefs Association.
A national search will be conducted to find Jarman's replacement, according to the mayor's office.
Source: http://www.10news.com/news/19584179/detail.html - Link
Photo credit: cropped from 10news.com original @ Link
Jarman To Stay On Until June 27
Chief Tracy Jarman will retire next month after 25 years with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, it was announced Wednesday.
SAN DIEGO -- Chief Tracy Jarman will retire next month after 25 years with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, it was announced Wednesday.
Jarman's retirement will be effective June 27, but she has agreed to remain with the department for 60-90 days to assist with the transition, according to Mayor Jerry Sanders' office."This was not an easy decision," Jarman said in a statement released by the mayor's office. "I genuinely love this department and the people I work with, and it has been a great career. I'm proud to have served the citizens of San Diego as their fire chief.
Jarman was appointed chief in June 2006. She succeeded Jeff Bowman, after he retired as head of the department.
Jarman is the first woman to command the SDFRD.
During her tenure, she helped increase the number of fire stations from 44 to 47, spearheaded the effort to get a second firefighting helicopter and helped replace the department's aging fleet.
She also directed the fight against the 2007 wildfires.
"Chief Jarman has done a tremendous job leading our fire department,"Sanders said.
"She is the consummate professional who has worked extremely hard to improve fire service throughout the city and across the region. While I am sad to see her leave, I wish her all the best in retirement".
"Jarman was named the 2008 "Fire Chief of the Year" by the California Fire Chiefs Association.
A national search will be conducted to find Jarman's replacement, according to the mayor's office.
Source: http://www.10news.com/news/19584179/detail.html - Link
Photo credit: cropped from 10news.com original @ Link
Forest Service: Human caused wildland fires
Kernville, CA May 27, 2009 - Last week's "Mace" fire in the Sorrel Peak area of the Piute Mountains was caused by an abandoned campfire. The fire, just south of last year's 37,000 acre Piute Fire, grew to 1.5 acres before firefighters were able to control it. This fire is still under investigation.
During the past weekend two more fires broke out around Lake Isabella. The "South" fire was reported on May 24th at 10:06 a.m. Quick suppression action held the south fire to 1/10 of an acre.
The following day, May 25, the "Paradise" fire was reported at 1:52 p.m. in the Paradise Cove Campground. Fire suppression personnel arrived on scene and found the public had taken quick suppression action and the fire was contained to a small spot.
Rick Larson, District Ranger for the Kern River Ranger District would like to take this opportunity to remind the local communities and the visiting public to be "fire-wise when visiting National Forest lands." Larson further stated, "Dry forest conditions, coupled with camping and multiple recreational activities on the forest, can lead to wildland fires. Please make sure all campfires are completely extinguished before leaving your campsite and be extra careful with stoves, bar-b-ques and smoking."
Forest officials also advise the public to use caution with combustible and motorized devices in and around the forest.
The Forest Service is requesting the public's assistance in locating persons of interest that were seen in or around the "Mace" fire vicinity, on Sunday, May 17th. To report any information please call (559) 294-4894.
Arson: Homeless Greek Mythological figure charged in Laurel Canyon wildfire
Homeless 'Pro Me Theus' charged in Laurel Canyon blaze
A homeless man who uses the name Pro Me Theus was charged today with felony arson in connection with a blaze that broke out Memorial Day weekend in Laurel Canyon near Mt. Olympus, prosecutors said.
A homeless man who uses the name Pro Me Theus was charged today with felony arson in connection with a blaze that broke out Memorial Day weekend in Laurel Canyon near Mt. Olympus, prosecutors said.
The 46-year-old suspect was arrested Monday for allegedly starting the May 24 fire, which blackened 5 acres of brush in the hills above the 2100 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard but caused no injuries or property damage. He gives his first name as "Pro," his middle name as "Me" and his last name as "Theus," authorities said.
Arson investigators would not say exactly how they believe he started the fire, but if convicted of the single arson count Theus faces up to six years in prison. Prometheus is a figure in Greek mythology known for stealing fire from Zeus. Theus also goes by the name Darby Tennal.
Authorities recovered cash and a credit card bearing the name Pro Me Theus, said Jane Robison of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
Theus used shovels to terrace an area of the hillside and built a small wooden deck, police said. He went undetected because his campsite was hidden amid the heavy woods and steep slope, they said.
He was arrested after residents recognized a man who had been in the immediate area of the fire and pointed him out to LAPD officers, who had responded to the scene. Residents positively identified him with the help of a telescope. He was tracked by police helicopter and brandished a shovel for a short time before complying with responding officers.
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com - Link
Condolences: Retired CDF HFEO Bud Snodgrass passed away
JAMES RAY SNODGRASS (BUD) SR.
Subject: Retired HFEO Bud Snodgrass passed away
Subject: Retired HFEO Bud Snodgrass passed away
He was born on May 27, 1937, in Olustee, Oklahoma to Earnest William and Evelyn Lee (Price) Snodgrass. He moved to California in 1957 where he met and married Olivia Olivas of San Jacinto, California on September 14, 1957.
Together they had three children.
Bud was a retired bulldozer operator from the California Dept. of Forestry.
During his years with the fire department he fought some of the largest fires throughout California.
He was known for his ability to drive and operate any piece of heavy equipment or vehicle. Bud was an avid hunter, fisherman, and home improvement expert. He could build and repair just about anything and spent most of his retirement days working on his own home and helping his children complete various home improvement projects around their homes and properties.
He is survived by his loving wife Olivia Snodgrass of Hemet, CA., and three children, James (Jim) Ray Snodgrass Jr. and wife Laurel, of Hatch, Utah, Betty Jean Williams and husband Gary, of Hemet, CA., and Earnest William Snodgrass and wife Astrid, of Hemet, CA. His five grandchildren, James (Jimmy) Ray Snodgrass III and wife Dani, Joshua Duane Snodgrass and fiancé Jennifer, Irena Snodgrass, Trynn Sylvester, Carla Williams, and Camryn Williams, along with five great granddaughters Payton, Brianna, Kelsie, Katelyn, and Arianna. His mother Evelyn Lee Snodgrass, of Altus, OK., brothers Bill Snodgrass and wife Louise, and Wayne Snodgrass and sisters, Earnesteen Dalton and husband Doug, all from Altus OK., and Peggy Terrill and husband Norman of Redoak, TX. He was preceded in death by his father Earnest William Snodgrass Sr., a sister-in-law Kren Snodgrass and nephew Brian Dalton.
Online condolences: can be sent to his son (Jim's) email address at: thehatchling@msn.com
Source: CDF Firefighters.org - LinkBonehead News: Highway Patrol troopers arrest paramedic while treating patient
Paden, OK -- A scuffle between first responders in Oklahoma is caught on tape.
Updated: The Paramedic who was involved in a scuffle with an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Sunday is speaking out about the incident. Maurice White, Jr. is a critical care paramedic with the Creek Nation EMS and was nearly arrested after the confrontation, which was captured on video.
Paul Franks was the driver of the ambulance, which was transporting a patient to a hospital in Prague.
White says he saw the trooper approaching from behind at a high rate of speed with lights activated, but he did not hear a siren. He says Franks had a car in front of him that his attention was focused on and hadn't seen the trooper before he was within a few feet of the ambulance.
"I called out to my partner and told him to pull to the side because there was a State Trooper behind us," White says. White says as the trooper passed them, he made radio contact, telling Franks "you should consider checking your rearview mirrors".
White says a few blocks after this incident, another trooper entered the road at a high rate of speed, cutting in front of a car driven by a family member of the patient. White says he then saw another trooper approaching from the rear.
"As my partner was pulling onto the shoulder, the cruiser came alongside our unit and gestured for my driver to pull over," White says. "When the officer came to a complete stop behind the ambulance, I noticed a woman in the front seat. Based on the officer's erratic driving behavior, I thought that the woman in the front seat of the cruiser was in need of immediate medical attention; hence I exited the rear of the ambulance in order to assess the situation."
White says the officer was in a rage when he approached them and yelled "get your a-- back here! I am giving you a ticket for failure to yield." White says he told the trooper they had a patient in the ambulance and that they were on their way to the hospital.
"He ignored my statement, became even more belligerent, and demanded my partner come to his patrol car so he could write him a ticket," White says. "I calmly told the officer that we were transporting a patient and we could continue this at the hospital."
White says the trooper then approached him and shouted "you are under arrest for obstructing a police officer" and grabbed his arm to handcuff him. A brief struggle followed, at which point the trooper grabbed White by the throat. The cell phone captured this incident on video.
White says the trooper later told him they could continue on to the hospital, but that he would be under arrest once they got there. White was never arrested, but says troopers told him he should be prepared to turn himself in if a warrant was issued.
Original story: Highway Patrol troopers and a paramedic nearly come to blows while a patient waits to be taken to the hospital. The encounter was caught on a cell phone came by Kenyada Davis, the son of the patient in the ambulance.
The incident started when the ambulance failed to yield to state troopers en route to a call. Davis say the ambulance driver was trying to avoid hitting a car that slowed down and wasn't aware that troopers were nearby until it was too late.
After the troopers finished their official business, they pulled the ambulance over. A struggle ensued as they tried to arrest the driver.
According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the paramedics assaulted the trooper just before the fight broke out.
The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week.
Okfuskee County District Attorney's office (918) 224-3921
Trooper is Daniel Martin - Badge number 606
Call and complain - Troopers Captain 918-423-3636
Source: CNN / KWTV
Paramedics full statement: http://static.ktul.com/documents/emtstatement_0509.pdf
Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KluItc365hU
Arson Arrest: suspect arrested - Murrieta freeway fires
Suspect arrested for grass fire near Interstates 215 and 15 today
MURRIETA - Police arrested a man suspected of starting a grass fire near Interstates 215 and 15 today.
The fire on the right side of northbound Interstate 15, just before the northbound Interstate 215 interchange, was reported at 12:45 p.m., authorities said.
A total of 17 Murrieta and CalFire firefighters worked for more than an hour to extinguish the flames -- which charred about 1.5 acres -- and mop up.
No injuries or structure damage were reported, said Murrieta Fire Department spokeswoman Stephanie Smith.
The suspect's name was not released.
Source: www.myvalleynews.com - Link
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Budget News: 11 Oakland fire recruits denied graduation ceremony
OAKLAND, Calif. — Behind closed doors earlier this week, the Oakland City Council denied a last-minute request to hire 11 fire recruits poised to take part in a graduation ceremony set for next week.
The council's action scrapped a request from the recruits to allow them to graduate and work for two weeks before being laid off while the city figures out how to square an $83 million budget gap.
Graduation from the academy and two weeks on the job would have secured reinstatement rights.
Instead, according to city officials, now the recruits can be rehired individually as openings in the department become available. "As of today, there will be no graduation ceremony, and, as far as I know, their last day was yesterday," said Chuck Garcia, president of Local 55 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, on Thursday
Source: The San Francisco Chronicle
The council's action scrapped a request from the recruits to allow them to graduate and work for two weeks before being laid off while the city figures out how to square an $83 million budget gap.
Graduation from the academy and two weeks on the job would have secured reinstatement rights.
Instead, according to city officials, now the recruits can be rehired individually as openings in the department become available. "As of today, there will be no graduation ceremony, and, as far as I know, their last day was yesterday," said Chuck Garcia, president of Local 55 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, on Thursday
Source: The San Francisco Chronicle
Monday, May 25, 2009
Earthquake 3.4 M - Central California, Cartago, CA
Earthquake Details
| Magnitude | 3.4 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time |
|
| Location | 36.379°N, 117.831°W |
| Depth | 0.8 km (~0.5 mile) (poorly constrained) |
| Region | CENTRAL CALIFORNIA |
| Distances |
|
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 0.4 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 1.2 km (0.7 miles) |
| Parameters | Nph=045, Dmin=19 km, Rmss=0.31 sec, Gp= 47°, M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=G |
| Source | |
| Event ID | ci14463032 |
SAR News: LODD - SLO SAR member dies after vehicle accident
A volunteer member of the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team is dead after being hit by an ambulance. 24-year-old Christopher Meadows died at the Oceano Dunes just after four o’clock yesterday afternoon.
Meadows was riding an ATV, or all terrain vehicle, when he was responding to an emergency medical call as the ambulance that struck him was responding to the same incident.
Meadows had been working with the San Luis Obispo Search and Rescue team for more than a year. He just finished his training last week.
Meadows was riding an ATV, or all terrain vehicle, when he was responding to an emergency medical call as the ambulance that struck him was responding to the same incident.
Meadows had been working with the San Luis Obispo Search and Rescue team for more than a year. He just finished his training last week.
Earthquake 3.0 M - Central California, Cartago, CA
Earthquake Details
| Magnitude | 3.0 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time |
|
| Location | 36.396°N, 117.844°W |
| Depth | 2.4 km (1.5 miles) (poorly constrained) |
| Region | CENTRAL CALIFORNIA |
| Distances |
|
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 0.6 km (0.4 miles); depth +/- 3.2 km (2.0 miles) |
| Parameters | Nph=033, Dmin=18 km, Rmss=0.3 sec, Gp= 76°, M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=D |
| Source | |
| Event ID | ci14462960 |
Sunday, May 24, 2009
CA-JTP-Lost Horse - Wild land fire Joshua Tree Park - 450 acres 100%
CA-JTP-Lost Horse - JTP 7519A2, Wild land fire
Update: 5-27-09 0700hrs - at 450 acres 100% contained and controlled the fire is out. A few firefighters will continue to check for any remaining hotspots.
Twelve people hiking the park’s Lost Horse Mine Trail were unable to retreat back down the trail when they encountered the fire, though never in immediate danger, the hikers were airlifted to safety by helicopter.
Update: 1800hrs- 50 acres inaccessible terrain. Evacuating some hikers in the area,
Location: Sec7, T2S, R9E, Lat 33.56.4, Lon 116.08.0,
Resources: Reload at Hemet and Copter 554 in the area.
Comms: AA on 168.550
Victor 122.575
Cmd 171.575
Tac NIFC 1 168.050
Notes: A burnout was completed around the Lost Horse mine and stamp mill, the Lost Horse Mine, produced 10,000 ounces of gold and 16,000 ounces of silver (worth approximately $5 million today) between 1894 and 1931.
Update: 5-27-09 0700hrs - at 450 acres 100% contained and controlled the fire is out. A few firefighters will continue to check for any remaining hotspots.
Twelve people hiking the park’s Lost Horse Mine Trail were unable to retreat back down the trail when they encountered the fire, though never in immediate danger, the hikers were airlifted to safety by helicopter.
Update: 1800hrs- 50 acres inaccessible terrain. Evacuating some hikers in the area,
Crew 3 and 5 fron San Bernardino N.F. dispatched to the fire.
IC: Lost Horse IC.Location: Sec7, T2S, R9E, Lat 33.56.4, Lon 116.08.0,
Resources: Reload at Hemet and Copter 554 in the area.
Comms: AA on 168.550
Victor 122.575
Cmd 171.575
Tac NIFC 1 168.050
Notes: A burnout was completed around the Lost Horse mine and stamp mill, the Lost Horse Mine, produced 10,000 ounces of gold and 16,000 ounces of silver (worth approximately $5 million today) between 1894 and 1931.
CA-SBC-Aliso - Grass Fire - 320 acres Santa Barbra County
Update: 1650hrs- 320 acres as of 1650 hrs.
Update: 1620hrs- 2 Air Tankers have made their first drops and have been directed to load and return at Paso Robles.
Update: 1615hrs- Fire moving from SRA toward USFS lands in a southeast direction.
Update: 1600hrs- Per AA-07...150 acres, wind driven (15 mph from west), grass and medium brush.
Structure threat: Structures threatened within .5 miles of head.
IC requested one Type III Engine S/T IMMEDIATE NEED, one Type II Engine S/T IMMEDIATE NEED, two additional air tankers (any type, in addition to the initial two ordered at dispatch) and one additional copter (one on scene already)
Four air Tankers en route from Porterville.
View CA-SBC-Aliso Wildland Fire in a larger map
Location: Aliso Canyon Road. Southwest of New Cuyama. Google Map - Link
Reported location: Highway 166 and Aliso Canyon Road, New Cuyama, California
Initial Sizeup: 1545hrs - 10-15 acres, Moderate Rate of Spread in grass.
Aliso IC
Initial resources: Santa Barbara Co Type-3 strike team - 9322 C
Engines 331, 318, 351, 332, 314, Battalion 513
LPF-E37
LPF-E72
LPF-E74
LPF-C4
LPF-WT4
LPF-BC32
LPF-PT37
SBC-E41
From SLU: BC 3416, Engines- 3467, 3473, 3484, Dozer- 3440, Cuesta Crew- 2, 3
AA- 07
Comms:
Command channel - SBC Channel 3, 153.9800
Tac - CA White 3 - 154.2950
Air to Ground - 151.2200 (CalFire)
Online scanner: Aliso IC -http://santabarbara.ca.scanamerica.us/index.php
Update: 1620hrs- 2 Air Tankers have made their first drops and have been directed to load and return at Paso Robles.
Update: 1615hrs- Fire moving from SRA toward USFS lands in a southeast direction.
Update: 1600hrs- Per AA-07...150 acres, wind driven (15 mph from west), grass and medium brush.
Structure threat: Structures threatened within .5 miles of head.
IC requested one Type III Engine S/T IMMEDIATE NEED, one Type II Engine S/T IMMEDIATE NEED, two additional air tankers (any type, in addition to the initial two ordered at dispatch) and one additional copter (one on scene already)
Four air Tankers en route from Porterville.
View CA-SBC-Aliso Wildland Fire in a larger map
Location: Aliso Canyon Road. Southwest of New Cuyama. Google Map - Link
Reported location: Highway 166 and Aliso Canyon Road, New Cuyama, California
Initial Sizeup: 1545hrs - 10-15 acres, Moderate Rate of Spread in grass.
Aliso IC
Initial resources: Santa Barbara Co Type-3 strike team - 9322 C
Engines 331, 318, 351, 332, 314, Battalion 513
LPF-E37
LPF-E72
LPF-E74
LPF-C4
LPF-WT4
LPF-BC32
LPF-PT37
SBC-E41
From SLU: BC 3416, Engines- 3467, 3473, 3484, Dozer- 3440, Cuesta Crew- 2, 3
AA- 07
Comms:
Command channel - SBC Channel 3, 153.9800
Tac - CA White 3 - 154.2950
Air to Ground - 151.2200 (CalFire)
Online scanner: Aliso IC -http://santabarbara.ca.scanamerica.us/index.php
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