SBCFD -60-year-old captain - On duty stroke

A 60-year-old captain with the San Bernardino County Fire Department suffered a severe stroke Saturday while responding to a structure fire in the Angelus Oaks area in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Capt. Vance Tomaselli remained unconscious Sunday night, said Tracey Martinez, spokeswoman with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

The fire was reported at 12:54 p.m. at a caretaker's cabin at Camp Edwards, off Jenks Lake Road, said Tom Barnes, a dispatch supervisor with the department.

Tomaselli and another firefighter from the county's Angelus Oaks Station 15 were dispatched to the fire, Martinez said.

Tomaselli suffered the stroke while driving to the fire. As a result of the stroke, the captain lost control of the fire engine and crashed into a tree, Martinez said.

Neither firefighter was injured as a result of the crash. The other firefighter radioed for help and the captain was airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Tomaselli arrived at Loma Linda at 2:29 p.m. and later underwent emergency surgery, Martinez said.

Officials with the department were not aware he suffered from health problems in the past, Martinez said.

Tomaselli has worked for the department for 27 years as a paid call captain, meaning he is paid each time the department calls for his services.

"Our prayers go out to him and his family," Martinez said.

He has a son who works with the U.S. Forest Service as a hot shot crew supervisor, Martinez said.

The fire burned the cabin to the ground, Martinez said. Another county engine and an engine from the Forest Service responded but were unable to save the structure, Martinez said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Earthquake: 3.5 - No damages - Eastern California

COSO JUNCTION, Calif. (AP) — A 3.5-magnitude earthquake has shaken eastern California but there are no reports of damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit shortly before 4 a.m. Saturday. It was centered 14 miles southeast of Coso Junction in Inyo County and about 23 miles north of Ridgecrest in Kern County.







The magnitude is a preliminary estimate.

Magnitude	3.5 - local magnitude (ML)
Time	Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 3:56:35 AM (PST) Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 11:56:35 (UTC)
Distance from	Coso Junction, CA - 22 km (14 miles) ESE (118 degrees) Inyokern, CA - 34 km (21 miles) NNE (13 degrees) Ridgecrest, CA - 37 km (23 miles) N (352 degrees) Searles Valley, CA - 37 km (23 miles) WNW (303 degrees) Los Angeles Civic Center, CA - 216 km (134 miles) NNE (12 degrees)
Coordinates	35 deg. 57.0 min. N (35.950N), 117 deg. 43.8 min. W (117.730W)
Depth	3.3 km (2.1 miles)

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Department said there were no immediate reports of any problems.

Fire News: Man Convicted in Huge Calif Wildfire

Homeless man Convicted in Huge Calif Wildfire

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A homeless man was convicted Friday in federal court of starting a 2006 wildfire that burned more than 163,000 acres in California's Los Padres National Forest.

The jury also convicted Steven Emory Butcher, 49, of starting the smaller Ellis Fire in the same forest four years earlier.

Butcher was found guilty of two felony counts of starting fires and of one count each of allowing a fire to escape his control, violating restrictions by building a fire on federal forest land and smoking in a federal forest, all misdemeanors.

Butcher's lawyer, Deputy Federal Public Defender Jill Gintsling, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Both the fires burned in Piru Canyon, in a remote wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest. The Day Fire raged for more than a month and cost more than $78 million to suppress. It injured 18 people and destroyed 11 structures.

The Ellis Fire burned 70 acres.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Butcher had an illegal campsite in the canyon, where he lived for part of the year.

Butcher was first charged last August, along with seven other people and two companies, for their alleged roles in starting nine wildfires that together burned hundreds of thousands of acres in California.

Prosecutors have said they could seek restitution for fire suppression costs if they got a conviction in the case, but it was unclear Friday if they planned to do so.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph O. Johns did not immediately return a call for comment.

Source: AP

Report : 2007 Southern California Fires - Lessons Learned

The Lessons Learned Center - the fires in the fall of 2007 in Southern California to determine the potential for lessons learned. They just released their 44-page report- (.PDF).

Every firefighter says that every fire they respond to is different. That is one of the first
things that became apparent when the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center’s Information
Collection Team began talking to emergency responders during southern California’s 2007 fires:
It was not like southern California’s fire siege of 2003. Firefighters said they experienced
dramatic differences even between the fires that were burning simultaneously in 2007.
In a thank you letter to all of the respondents to the 2007 event, Cal Fire Chief Director
Ruben Grijalva wrote “Even though there were 23 fires burning at once, any firefighter can tell
you that the conditions at each fire varied widely. Weather, terrain and visibility can vary
erratically in southern California. The sheer magnitude of the October fires was incredible, and
the fires moved in ways experienced firefighters had never seen. In some locations, flames were
advancing at an acre per second amid 80 mph wind gusts.”
“Firestorm 2003,” as the media tagged it, was unprecedented at that time. More than
12,000 firefighters responded to thirteen wildfires, located within five southern California
counties that eventually were contained at 745,190 acres. California’s Office of Emergency
Services (OES) reported that 3,641 homes and an additional 1,184 other buildings were
destroyed. Suppression costs were estimated at $120 million. The most devastating result of the
fires was the deaths of 22 residents and one firefighter.
Those interviewed for the “Lessons Learned Report” in 2003 said they believed that
events on the magnitude of the 2003 fires would reoccur.
Four years later, almost to the day,
their expectations were met.
During southern California’s 2007 fires, statistics varied somewhat. In addition to the 23
large fires that occurred, another 251 vegetation fires were extinguished by fire service
personnel, before damage occurred, between October 2025,
Grijalva said. The 23 large wildfires
that occurred in a seven county
area were eventually contained at 518,021 acres. The number of
responding firefighters from local, state and federal agencies totaled more than 20,000. Fire
suppression costs of the combined local, state and federal agencies reportedly totaled about
$100 million. The state’s OES reported 2,180 homes and 927 other buildings were destroyed.
Authorities estimate that half a million residents were evacuated from the path of the fires and
seven people died.
For a visual comparison of the burned areas in 2003 and 2007 in San Diego County
alone, please go to http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/multimedia/utmedia/071030fireweek/
Beyond the statistics, several other differences were noted. In 2003, the Santa Ana winds
rarely exceeded 40 mph. In 2007, the Santa Ana winds were regularly clocked at 70 and 80
mph. In 2003, state and federal agencies had not prestaged
resources for the possibility of
winddriven
fires, but in 2007 many state and federal entities froze their offduty
personnel into
preparedness and poised engines, aircraft and management teams in instant response readiness.

The five-person team consisted of Dan Frazee, Phoenix, AZ Fire Department, Dennis Baldridge, U.S. Forest Service, Kevin Pfister, BridgerTeton National Forest, Dave Christenson, Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, and Jim Hollingsworth, Cal Fire.

News: Douglas County SAR Team accepting applications

Tahoe - Douglas search and rescue team is now taking applications
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team currently is accepting applications.

The Search and Rescue Team consists of 28 members who volunteer their time and efforts toward providing wilderness and snow rescues and searches, water searches and swift-water rescues, assisting during natural disasters and more. Members are prepared to respond at a moment's notice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Interested applicants must be in good physical condition and demonstrate a cooperative, team- and goal-oriented disposition. Applicants will be screened via a thorough background check conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Successful applicants then will attend a four-week academy beginning Monday, March 24.

Training will occur on Mondays and Thursdays for two hours in the evening, plus weekends for six to eight hours on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on the training scenario.

Applications should be submitted to the sheriff's office by the end of February.


Douglas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue volunteers conduct rope training above Clear Creek in the northern part of the county. The sheriff's office is accepting applications for the team.

Weather alert: Red Flags for Southern California

[EDIS] Red flag warning now in effect until 7 pm this evening for the lower Colorado river valley and the southeast California deserts due to strong wind... low relative humidity and high fire danger...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST /7 PM PST/ THIS EVENING. STRONG WINDS ARE MOVING INTO SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING... INCLUDING THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...AS A SHARP COLD FRONT CUTS ACROSS THE SONORAN DESERT. SUSTAINED NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 0 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION...MOISTURE LEVELS WILL BE DROPPING THROUGH THE MORNING... WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FALLING BELOW 15 PERCENT. THIS WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LASTING THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF THIS EVENING... THOUGH BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT.

Instruction:
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

Area: CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 231- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA - CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 232 - IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

Affected Counties or parts of: Riverside, Imperial

News: Cal Fire - Hollister AA Base - "on hold a little bit"

Council to consider nixing CalFire base for private development

HOLLISTER

A plan to build a CalFire base at the Hollister Municipal Airport could dissolve if a private developer comes up with a proposal that's appeasing to city officials for the entire 20.5 acres open for building there.

The Hollister City Council on Monday directed staff to send out a request for proposal on projects that would either take up the whole 20.5-acre plot or just the land not included in CalFire's long-negotiated plan to build an air-attack base at the airport. That air-attack base would be on 12 acres, leaving about 8 acres left for private development if the state fire agency builds a base.

City Manager Clint Quilter said the council's decision, as recommended by its airport advisory commission, puts CalFire "on hold a little bit" until the city can review developers' proposals.

CalFire's unhappy about the move, Quilter acknowledged.

"But I think it still has the opportunity to work out for them," he said.

Quilter noted how some developers had told officials they would need the entire plot to make a project feasible.

Requesting proposals for the 20.5 acres lets the council see what the "whole piece is really worth," he said.

The city should be ready to consider any proposals around April, he said.

Source: Hollister Freelance

UPDATE: MCFD Fire Captain Ruben Martin - critical condition

UPDATE: Marin County Fire Captain Ruben Martin, 37 who was injured while assisting in backing a rig.
Captain Martin was pinned between two fire rigs on Monday afternoon and remained in critical condition yesterday, and fire officials are anticipating a long recovery.

Urgent: For those of you in Central/Northern California, there is a BLOOD DRIVE on Saturday for Fire Captain Ruben Martin

Location: Blood drive and BBQ Saturday 1200-1700 Marin City Fire Station 850 Drake Ave, Marin City (right next to Sausalito)

To donate blood on Sat. please make an appointment at www.bloodheroes.com .

Official Information website and hotline - (415) 499-7400

Blood Drives: Captain Martin required an extremely large amount of blood while being treated at the trauma center and during surgery. To help Ruben, and to help local blood banks replenish their supplies for others in need, please donate today.

• February 16: Marin County Fire Department will sponsor a barbecue blood drive and fundraiser at the Marin City Fire Station February 16. Time TBA. Call the hotline at (415) 499-7400 for more information.
• February 29: Santa Rosa Fire in conjunction with AMR will be conducting a Blood drive for Ruben Martin on February 29th, 3 pm to 6 pm at the AMR offices at 1415 North Dutton Ave

BACKING INCIDENT CRITICALLY INJURES FIRE CAPTAIN

BACKING INCIDENT CRITICALLY INJURES FIRE CAPTAIN

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

A Marin County (Calif) Fire Captain is in critical condition after his fire apparatus struck him and wedged him against another fire apparatus. Captain Rubin Martin, 37, was airlifted from the Throckmorton Ridge fire station yesterday, where the incident occurred, to the trauma center...he suffered a broken leg and a "massive blood loss," according to fire radio transmissions. The incident occurred around 1530 hours as the company was returning from a run. Captain Martin got out of the rig to help guide the driver who was backing the fire engine into the bay. When Martin moved from the left side of the rear bumper to the right side, he got pinched between the moving fire engine and a stationary one. The firefighter who was driving the truck, Todd Lando, 35, heard Martin yell and quickly moved the truck forward. Captain Martin temporarily lost consciousness and lost quite a bit of blood. The fire truck was backing up at less than 5 mph. The incident will be investigated by CHP and Cal/OSHA. We will keep you advised on updates. Take Care-BE CAREFUL. STOP anytime you cannot see your backer.

For more information, please contact Marin County Fire Department(MCFD) HQ station 415-499-6717

EDIS: Red Flags in Southern California

[EDIS] Red flag warning in effect from 7 am to 7 pm Thursday for the lower Colorado river valley and the southeast California deserts due to strong wind... low relative humidity and high fire danger

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM MST /7 AM PST/ TO 8 PM MST /7 PM PST/ THURSDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN ARIZONA THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED AS THE FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE REGION. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS FROM 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. VERY DRY AIR WILL ALSO SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FORECAST BELOW 15 PERCENT. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Instruction:
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

Area: CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 231 - LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA -CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 232 - IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

Affected Counties or parts of: Riverside, Imperial

Fire Weather Watch: Imperial, Riverside Counties

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND INTO SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA EARLY THURSDAY. COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING STRONG NORTHERLY WIND ALONG THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AND ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS FROM 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. VERY DRY AIR WILL ALSO SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FORECAST BELOW 15 PERCENT. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY MAY RESULT IN HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Instruction:
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER WATCH.

Area: CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 231 -LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA - CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 232 -IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

Affected Counties or parts of: Riverside, Imperial

Sent: 2008-02-13T01:16:19-08:00

Original Sender: KPSR@nwws.oes.ca.gov