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October 2018 Smokejumper Magazine, October 2018 National Smokejumper Association

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This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives & Special Collections at EWU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Smokejumper and Static Line Magazines by an authorized administrator of EWU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SPECIAL The National Smokejumper Quarterly Magazine Association October 2018 ISSUE Smokejumper

Wildfire—A Problem No One Can Solve? ...... 4 Large Fire Growth ...... 10 No Fault Fire Zones ...... 13 CONTENTS Message from Message from the President ...... 2 Special Wildfire Series the President Wildfire Suppression—A Problem No One Can Solve?...... 4 Large Fire Growth ...... 10 Firefighting Costs Soar as They Reflect Today’s are available because the ap- Methodology ...... 12 Stop the Fire—No Fault Fire Zones...... 13 plicants are so worthy, based A Campus and Curricula for a U.S. Forest Service on their scholarship, their Academy ...... 15 Klump Pump Offers Many Significant Advantages ..17 need, and their vision for their Letter to the Editor of the Missouli ...... 19 future. Applicants of this qual- Fixed Lookouts vs. Aerial Detection ...... 20 ity are an indication that our Fire Lookouts: Then, Now, and Maybe Always ...... 21 Let’s Talk About the Chetco Bar Megafire ...... 26 future will be in good hands Hiring Problems ...... 28 with the next generation. Management of Wildfires on National Forest Lands ...... 31 I want to challenge you The Forest Fire Debate...... 32 readers to consider making

Sounding Off from the editor ...... 36 by Jim Cherry a special gift to the Scholar- Struggle with the Titan ...... 37 (Missoula ’57) ship Fund. If the response is Former Jumper Davis Perkins – Ever Watchful .....38 Off the List ...... 39 President sufficiently strong, we could Snapshots from the Past...... 41 increase our scholarships in Jerry Chisum: At the Controls Wherever Mark your calendars, ladies 2019 from the present six to You Find Him ...... 42 Odds and Ends ...... 43 and gentlemen! Our next Na- maybe seven, eight or nine The Jump List ...... 45 tional Smokejumper Reunion annual scholarships of $2,000 Sexual Harassment … There Is More To It ...... 46 Blast from the Past...... 48 will be taking place during the each. Some of you might even third week in June 2019 in have the individual means to Boise. establish an NSA scholarship – There will be details in the maybe through a gift of appre- months ahead as the organiz- ciated assets or the designation ing committee works through of funds from an IRA. Give it the logistics of schedules, food, some thought. Contact me at beverages and meeting places. [email protected] if you Major emphasis will be placed have questions. SMOKEJUMPER, Issue No. 102, October 2018 on providing blocks of time Even though we are pres- ISSN 1532-6160 Smokejumper is published quarterly by: for conversations with old ently soaking wet here in Iowa, The National Smokejumper Association friends and the telling of tall where I live, I am fully aware c/o 10 Judy Lane tales over a suitable beverage of of the Western fire season Chico, CA 95926 The opinions of the writers are their own and do choice. Stay tuned to the NSA making its annual migration not necessarily reflect those of the NSA. Permis- webpage at www.smokejumpers. from the Southwest to the sion to reproduce Smokejumper in any manner must first be obtained in writing. com and the January 2019 is- northern Rockies. I look from NSA Website: http://www.smokejumpers.com sue of Smokejumper magazine. time to time at the Incident Managing Editor: Chuck Sheley For the second year in a Information System link on our Associate Editor: Ed Booth row, the NSA Scholarship pro- smokejumper website to get a Editing: K. G. Sheley gram has received a total of 19 broader look at the fire picture Photo Editor: Johnny Kirkley applications. As of late June, beyond what the evening news Illustrators: Dan Veenendaal, and Eric Rajala the selection committee is in shows us. Layout/Printing: Larry S. Jackson, Heidelberg the process of reviewing the It’s another tough and Graphics, www.HeidelbergGraphics.com applications. It’s a tough job. tragic year with the loss of for- Front cover: Casa Jumpship drops paracargo ahead of smoke column, Interior Alaska I wish we had many more est and rangeland acreage, and wildfire, 1997. (Courtesy Mike McMillan) than the six scholarships that the loss of homes and liveli-

Check the NSA website 2 www.smokejumpers.com hood for so many in the paths of these fires. It has The next meeting of the NSA Board of Di- become a very different fire environment than the rectors is scheduled for the Seattle area Oct. 24, ones we knew in the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. 2019, at the Residence Inn in Tukwila, Wash. I also check the Smokejumper Status Report link Our meetings are always open to having you on our NSA webpage and see that there is a lot of come as a visitor. We are always interested in boosting taking place from one base to another. having your input. Just let me know in advance so It’s good to see that jumpers are being stationed we can include you in the count for our working where the action is taking place. lunch.

NSA Members—Save This Information Please contact the following persons directly if you have business or questions: Articles, obits, change of address Chuck Sheley, 530-893-0436, [email protected], 10 Judy Ln., Chico, CA 95926 Membership John McDaniel, 785-404-2847, [email protected], 807 Eileen Ln., Salina, KS 67401-2878 All else NSA President, Jim Cherry, 641-927-4428, [email protected], 2335 300th St, Ventura, IA 50482-8502 Smokejumper base abbreviations: Anchorage ...... ANC Fort St. John ...... YXJ McCall ...... MYC West Yellowstone ...... WYS Boise ...... NIFC Grangeville ...... GAC Missoula ...... MSO Whitehorse Yukon ...... YXY Cave Junction ...... CJ Idaho City ...... IDC Redding ...... RDD Winthrop ...... NCSB Fairbanks ...... FBX La Grande ...... LGD Redmond ...... RAC

Check the NSA website 3 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Wildfire Suppression— A Problem No One Can Solve? by Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction ’59)

ne big advantage of being part of the over the highways certainly involves one heck of a smokejumper community from past risk. Highway accidents are commonplace. Oyears is getting continual feedback from If prompt IA can limit a fire to a couple of people who went on to jobs “in the real world.” engines and two Hotshot crews to control it, isn’t Many of these individuals formed the backbone of the “risk” greatly decreased from a fire that eventu- the USFS and were movers in wildland firefight- ally grows into an incident that requires several ing for years. hundred or a thousand firefighters? Their experience and insight, in my opinion, The article by Ben Smith (MSO-64) in the has been relegated to the back burner by the cur- April 2018 issue of Smokejumper concerning the rent wildfire community. There is a new genera- Whetstone Ridge Fire stands key in my thoughts. tion in control. Refer to Dick Rath’s (MSO-73) Please read that one again just to refresh your article on page 10. I know there has been a cli- mind. Ben was run around the block by the USFS mate change, the fire season is longer, and many all the way from the district level to the regional things have changed. But, as much as things have level. He immediately found out the FS was off changed, many things have not. base on the initial reporting of the fire by four I’m going to print as much feedback and hours. Refer to Ben’s “Letter to the Editor” on thoughts from these individuals as possible in this page 19. issue. Anything coming from our membership Ben asked the question as to why smoke- and the NSA that will change the current meth- jumpers were not called immediately as there ods of operation will have a snowballs chance of were available resources listed on the daily re- effecting change. source report. We were told at the Boise meeting Somewhere along the line, the taxpayers will that the daily status report is not always accurate have to demand a change. But, maybe that will and that smokejumpers might not have been never happen. Fighting wildfire takes highly available. skilled people—the public knows little about that The forest administration said that there were but is frightened about the end results of uncon- two Hotshot crews on the way, so, in effect, why trolled wildfire. The budget is open-ended when call smokejumpers? The key factor was that the fire starts burning down houses, and it becomes a two Hotshot crews arrived 23 hours later. blank check situation. Let’s explore some ideas, input from our Last March at our NSA board meeting in members, and expand our thinking about how to Boise, we had a chance to get feedback from handle the current fire situation. top fire personnel in the BLM and USFS. A key phrase stood out—“risk adverse.” This has become Making Money Off Wildfire such a big factor that aggressive initial attack (IA) Two years ago a close friend, a retired Fire has become a thing of the past. Don’t do anything Chief, and I opposed a move by the Chico Fire that will get someone hurt. Dept. (CFD) to keep 17 staff that were funded by Problem with that is the longer you wait to a federal grant. The main argument by the CFD make IA, the larger the fire grows. The larger the was that the reduction in staff levels would put the fire, the more people and resources involved. The community at risk—the fear factor at work. more resources on the road going to a fire, the After a good letter writing campaign and us more chances of an accident. Transporting crews talking to city council members, the retention of

Check the NSA website 4 www.smokejumpers.com those firefighters at taxpayer expense was voted This is a success story from one standpoint. down 4-3. The taxpayers of Chico are saving In the 1980s, I started what I think were the about one million dollars a year and untold mil- first Asian fire crews in the U.S. The Hmongs lions in future benefits and retirement. Chico are people from the hills of Laos and were our firemen average $120,000 a year and receive an mercenary army in the Secret War in Laos. When additional $50,000 in benefits. our government finally allowed them to immi- With the CFD telling the public of the woes of grate to the U.S., Fresno, California, became the being understaffed, they still manage to put out a “Hmong Capital” of America. From there they good number of that staff on wildfire during the moved north to Stockton, Marysville, Willows summer. Why would they want to do that? and Chico. Well, as they say, let’s follow the money. Once At that time, I was running the Type II Crew they are dispatched, they are paid 24 hours a day Program for the Mendocino N.F. Someone told until they return to Chico. Assignments can run me about this little-known source of manpower. up to 14 days before they have to return. A Fire These were people who were hill people and Apparatus Engineer could make about $12,500 in soldiers—pretty good background for wildland overtime PLUS his/her regular salary during that firefighters. period of time. In common lingo, it can also be Problem—how was I going to put them termed the “kitchen remodel.” through the necessary classes to become wild- Nowdays they have many new positions to fill land firefighters? I took one of my best 8th grade on a fire. One that is sometimes filled by local fire Hmong student from my P.E. class and had him departments is the Medical Unit Team—an Emer- translate, one sentence at a time, through 16 gency Medical Team—essentially a “band-aid hours of classroom training. It was not easy, but it and blisters” unit. Could be filled by local EMT’s worked. It was amazing. All of these men showed at a pretty reasonable expense. When it comes up with government approved identification, from the fire department, sometimes a Captain social security numbers, a pencil and paper. Quite goes along. He/she annually makes $200,000- different from the college student types I was $220,000 locally. They would probably make used to teaching. Another big difference from the $14,000 in overtime on a 14-day assignment. I everyday students I had been teaching—after each used to have my crews treated by local EMT’s and class, every one of them came up and thanked me take them to the local emergency room if they for being a teacher. Wow! required additional treatment. Bottom line—I had four crews of Hmong Another unit that is confusing is the Technical firefighters. They were good. Problem was that Rescue Team. Locally they are usually involved in the USFS could not figure out how to feed them technical rescue situations and are a very valued or just didn’t care. These men did not eat steak and trained resource. But, do we need them on a and potatoes and the regular fire camp menu. I fire just to fill in one of the spots on a manpower told the Forest Service that all I needed was a 50 chart? I remember when we just hauled injured pound sack of rice, a cook, and my guys could get firefighters to the top of the hill, loaded them on by on a lot less than they paid the fire camp ca- the truck, and went back to work. Now we have terer. Try to explain that to a person in “Contract- to have a Technical Rescue Team. Are you seeing ing.” I had an overweight person sitting in a chair that fire is a big business? with four wheels telling me what is the required diet for firefighters. Common sense is not a trait Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To of the USFS. Be Cowboys—Cal Fire Better! A few years later Johnny, my 8th grade transla- Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson’s song tor, graduated from the Fire Academy at a local from 1978 tells it all. The future is bleak for you community college. I was so proud of him. The taxpayers—things are not going to get better in graduation ceremony was special. Every member the wildfire situation. Best bet for the young per- of Johnny’s family, youngest to grandparents, was son—join the ranks. there. I had a special invitation and sat with the

Check the NSA website 5 www.smokejumpers.com Hmong family that filled the whole top row of the of lumber near the end of the house, pile covered bleachers. with plastic tarp (toxic when burning), 2nd pile Johnny now works for Cal Fire. He has a high of lumber laying against the house. It’s a miracle school education and a diploma from the Fire Dave is still with us after looking at this. Academy. Last year he made $110,000—more People want to be protected by agencies, e.g. than twice what I made as a 38-year teacher with fire dept., and want to be told how to evacuate a Master’s Degree. Good for Johnny. Do you vs. planning ahead. In other words, they don’t see what the future job market is going to be? If want to be told they are in danger but want to be Waylon and Willie could update their song, it protected when the stuff hits the fan. When that might be: “Let your babies grow up to be Cal Fire happens, even the best of planning will not do the firefighters.” job. Stop here and go to “Stop The Fire—No Building in Areas That Will Burn Fault Fire Zones” by John Culbertson (FBX-69) Santa Rosa Fires—Even after the devastating on page 13. How about it? Build it in a wildfire fires of 2017, they are now rebuilding even more zone—protect it yourself. In a country that prides houses in the same areas than were there in the itself on individual independence, is it unreason- first place. Three major fires burned some of the able to expect those individuals to take some same areas: 1930s, 1970s (40 yrs.) and 2017 (47 personal responsibility? yrs.). What were open fields in the 30s are hous- ing developments now. Insurance Companies When building projects came before the local The Insurance Commissioner in California County Supervisors, Fire Marshalls said fire safety said that the claims for losses total nearly $12 bil- measures for construction were good. National lion dollars from the wildfires that burned during Public Radio (3/18), however, pointed out that October and December 2017. Go back and read 94% of the homes that burned had these safety John Culbertson’s (FBX-69) experiences in the measures. Project approved 6-1. April 2018 issue of Smokejumper. John’s everyday The County Supervisors seemed to feel that experiences gave us a great window into living you can’t tell people where they can or cannot with wildfire day after day. build. People don’t want to be told where to Some residents are receiving non-renewal build even if they are in fire prone areas. They notices for their home insurance. I read about don’t want to take basic steps to protect their homeowners complaining about the drought caus- house—removing vegetation and trees next to ing trees to die and so on. Jeez—if you live in an houses. area surrounded by trees, aka a forest, trees will Dave Blakely (MSO-57) wrote a great article die, burn, and grow over a period of time. You published in the July 2018 issue about him “shel- pick the place you live and determine the risks. tering in place” during a firestorm in Australia Again, people want to be independent on one in 1983. At the time they sheltered in the home hand but don’t want to be told they are living in of David Packham, “one of Australia’s renowned a fire or flood-prone area and, on the other hand, wildland fire researchers.” While reading Dave’s are disturbed when their insurance rates go up. article, which was heart-stopping at times, I They are independent Americans who don’t thought—If Packham is a renowned fire research- want to be told where to live. At the same time, er, and his house was not prepared, how can the they are dependent Americans when it comes to average citizen have any clue on what to do? natural disasters. Let’s up everyone’s insurance so Here was the house of David Packham: Tall “I can live in an area surrounded by trees—subsi- grass surrounding the house, no shutters on win- dize me so I can live on the hilltop. Surround my dows to prevent breaking of glass and fire enter- area with defensible space—that takes work and ing, house surrounded by trees (standing euca- planning. I pay taxes for fire protection.” lyptus—worst possible), propane tanks near his Anywhere from 20% to 50% of the houses in house unprotected (brass caps melted away), pile the northern California areas are identified as high

Check the NSA website 6 www.smokejumpers.com or very high risk areas. The state Insurance Com- and counties were also overwhelmed with fire, missioner wants the state legislature to change negating the possibility of mutual aid. Everyone California law to prevent homeowners from losing was up to their a-- in alligators at the same time. their coverage because of wildfire risk. I really Chaos! don’t want to side with the insurance industry but, Power can be shut off during a natural disaster. in this case, this seems like a good idea. Downside—disrupts hospitals and other criti- I’m using California as an example but, regard- cal facilities, traffic lights become inoperative. less of where you live, the situations are similar. Some advantage—a lot of disadvantage. It is hard Any houses in Montana and Idaho being built in to imagine the nightmare emergency respond- high risk areas? As Red Ryder said, “You betchum, ers from all agencies were facing at that time. Little Beaver.” You could have had an engine and crew on every Tom Kovalicy (MSO-6) recommended that I corner, and the result would have been a lot of lost read “Salmon River Fire” by John Sangster. Great engines and crews. read on the job volunteer fire people do answering Bottom line—people are going to have to do the call and saving homes and property in Idaho. a better job of protecting themselves—shelter in One thing stands out and will never change, place. Build it to burn and it will. be it in Idaho or any other state. The great major- ity of property owners will not even take the basic A National Fire Academy prevention steps to protect their homes and out Refer to Les Joslin’s article on page 15. Con- buildings. Wood piles and trees touch the hous- cerning a USFS Academy. There are a lot of good es—tall grass and brush on the property has not ideas there from Les. Looking at the current been mowed or cleared. Basic firewise steps that wildfire situation, it is evident that experienced could be done at the owner’s leisure during the and knowledgeable people are needed. We have off-season are left undone. During the firestorm, military academies that produce professional the firefighters are left to correct the ills of the soldiers—why not an Academy that specializes in unprepared property owners. wildfire management? My recommendation is that only property that has been worked ahead of time and inspect- Coordination Between All Resources ed for firewise work would be defended. Put your Read Tommy Albert’s (CJ-64) article on page efforts on those who will take the time and effort 12. A great example of a mix that results in the to prepare their property for the fires that will tail wagging the dog. Air Tankers are immediately come. As in the fable “The Little Red Hen,”— dispatched and lead planes waiting for approval You don’t help grow the grain, you don’t eat the from high up. bread. Tommy goes on to say, “When I was in Red- ding, the fire siren would go off, and we (lead Look Out for Yourself—Plan Ahead planes) watched the tankers take off and disap- Let’s look at a national disaster, the Napa/So- pear over the horizon before dispatch would call noma/Santa Rosa Fires (2017). High winds (70 for us to launch. I would go over to dispatch and mph) downed trees that downed power lines that ask what was going on? They said lead planes are caused transformers to blow. The local resources a ‘National Resource,’ so they had to go through were quickly overwhelmed. The 911 systems were the geek, gack, and the gook to get permission overwhelmed. The ability for emergency agencies to launch. So, on our way out to the fire, we, local/county/Cal Fire to communicate was over- the LEAD plane, would ask the RETURNING whelmed. tanker what the fire was doing.” First responders had to wait until downed power lines were inactivated by PGE—they National Resource couldn’t cross active power lines on the ground. I've heard many times that smokejumpers are Dispatch centers lost power and, in some cases, a “National Resource.” At our NSA meeting in rooms filled with smoke. Surrounding towns Boise last March, I head that smokejumpers are

Check the NSA website 7 www.smokejumpers.com still being “held" by home units. Hiring Problems From Dave Nelson (MSO-57): “This fallacy When we come up 40+ short of smokejumpers of ‘National Resource’ availability has been the for a season (2017), there is a glitch in the system same for at least the last 40 years. Most national that needs to be fixed. Refer to my article on page resources, like Hotshot crews, IMT’s, smokejump- 28. I’ve spent six months on this piece and feel ers, etc., are assigned to units – either districts, like I’m chasing my tail. forests or regions, and the old adage ‘possession is nine-tenths the law’ remains true with any asset Management of Wildfires on assigned to a unit.” National Forest Lands Bill Derr (Associate) does an excellent job Reflex Time (page 31) of presenting a consensus of opinions Reflex Time is the time it takes to submit an regarding future wildfire suppression and aerial order and for that resource to arrive at the in- firefighting issues garnered from attendees at the cident. The system is broken. We can see from Aerial Firefighting Conference, March 12 to 14, incident to incident that “Reflex Time” moves 2018, Sacramento, CA. A lot of food for thought at a snail’s pace. I continue to ask the question: there. “If your house was burning, would the local fire department call a meeting and decide when to Harvesting Our Forests send a fire engine?” Please go back to Ben Smith’s When the logging industry was shut down article on the Whetstone Fire in Montana in the years ago, we lost the ability to thin our forests. April issue of Smokejumper—23 hours. Are you Towns dried up, schools were closed, and jobs satisfied with that response? were lost. One thing we do know—trees will grow. Detection There has to be some common ground in the The most critical key to preventing major middle that both sides can agree upon where we wildfire events is quick detection and quick initial can start our lumber and harvesting industry attack. Refer to my article on the Chetco Bar Fire again. Restarting the lumber industry will have on page 26. This fire cost over $61 million. In many benefits: Reduction of the fuel load, cre- addition, it burned in the footprint of the Biscuit ation of jobs, tax money going back into commu- Fire that went over 500,000 acres and more mil- nities in depressed areas, and reduction in the an- lions. Wouldn’t it seem logical to be on the alert nual costs of fighting wildfire. Let’s get the USFS for fire in that area? Pre-plan on how to fight fire back into the field of sustainable, professional log- in that area? ging. Read Bud Filler’s (MYC-52) article on page 32. The President wants to put more coal miners Lookouts back to work. How about thinning our forests—a Lookouts seem to be a thing of the past. We process that will never end. need to revert to a system that worked. A single lookout could save millions in suppression expens- Preventing The Disease VS es. The USFS is asking for volunteers for many Treating The Disease. jobs. I’m sure a well-managed program could find I do not have the expertise of being a profes- hundreds of qualified volunteers to man our forest sionally trained Forester. But, I’m guessing that lookouts—that is, if they even exist any more. the professional foresters in the USFS, BLM, and Refer to Karl Brauneis (MSO-77) article: “Fixed other departments are frustrated with the lack of Lookouts vs. Aerial Detection” on page 20. emphasis given to the management of our forests. Murry Taylor’s (RDD-65) article on page 21 With the amount spent annually on fighting wild- gives us some insight on how lookouts are still fire, forest management has to have been pushed being staffed—volunteers, paid staff, open during to the back seat. high fire danger times. See any ideas there that My wife, K.G., reads and proofs every article could help in your area? that goes into Smokejumper magazine. She knows

Check the NSA website 8 www.smokejumpers.com a lot about fire and smokejumping. Last week- zine. I just got back from a trip to San Francisco end we took a 1400-mile road trip to attend the and drove most of the way under a cloud of McCall Reunion—great reunion! She continually smoke from fires burning around the Clear Lake comments about the overload of growth we see as area in Northern California. I’m beginning to we are driving through our forests—trees touching wonder what is left to burn? Cal Fire is very ag- trees. Every now and then, we come across an area gressive in initial attack (IA) and still the situation that has been thinned. You can see open space and is out of control. good trees—an amazing sight. What is going to happen to our forests where What would happen if we would put a couple IA is very slow at times? I’m guessing our read- billion into the management of our forests on an ers in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon annual basis? Did you know that we have spent will be recovering from smoke inhalation by the over a TRILLION dollars in Afghanistan since time this issue gets to them In October. Most of 2001? I don’t like to delve into politics, but we California should be black. spent $30.8 billion there in 2016. Someone please Let’s do some thinking. Will the fire seasons show me the results for that expenditure. History get any less severe? No way! It’s going to get hotter has shown that our trillion-dollar war will not and drier with no end in sight. 2018 will be worse achieve any of the expected goals. than 2017 and on up the line. Just think what we could do with 10 billion Will the USFS re-establish lookouts and beef of those dollars. There are millions of acres of our up aerial detection in order to get to the fires ear- forests that are at a high risk from wildfire. The lier and cut expenses? No way! In a country that amount of acreage is increasing each year. Some- prides itself on volunteerism, the FS needs to be a one in the higher levels of government needs to leader in this area. make the decision to spend a lot of money on the Will we ever get to the point where homeown- treatment of our forestlands. The easiest way to ers who build in high-risk areas are responsible fight wildfire is to prevent wildfire. for protecting their own property? No way! As For someone to make a decision to move in much as we want to claim we are independent this direction is going to take a big set of brass Americans, people want to be protected from balls. The wildland firefighting industry in the flood, famine and fire. The American public can U.S. is making big bucks and expanding. It seems be likened to the young smiling face of Alfred E. like everyone that has a surplus jet wants to get Neuman, the star of MAD magazine from the into the air tanker business. How long before 1950s—“Me Worry?” we see the Airbus A380-800 being outfitted Will the amount of money spent on fighting with tanks that can drop thousands of gallons of wildfire decrease in future years? No way! The retardant? Has anyone evaluated the effective- taxpayers will foot the bill for any amount of ness of these very large air tankers? How many of money if their lives and property are threatened. the smaller Air Tractor aircraft could we put on Fighting wildfire will have a blank check for the a fire for the cost of a single DC-10? The DC-10 foreseeable future. can carry up to 12,000 gallons of retardant. An Will the future billions of dollars spent make Air Tractor with a scoop system can deliver up to any difference? No way! Get ready to see that 14,000 gallons of water on a fire per hour if there amount increase on an annual basis. is a local water source. Will there be any accountability for the way fires are fought and the lack of initial attack? Final Thoughts No way! The “at risk” card can be played at any I started putting together this issue nine time. months ago. This issue of Smokejumper is differ- I’m not a professional forester, but I think I ent, as I have cut out many of the shorter articles have a good deal of common sense. In my opin- in order to address the problem of wildfire in the ion, the best and most fiscally responsible option U.S. It is now July 2018 and I’m fast approaching is to prevent the disease, rather than treat the my deadline for the Oct. 2018 issue of the maga- disease. If we do not reduce the fuel load, there is

Check the NSA website 9 www.smokejumpers.com no way we can stop the annual burn and terrific no professional management. When our vehicle amount of money spent on wildfire control in the passed one of those logging trucks on the narrow U.S. road, I hoped that it would be a quick pass as Read “The Forest Fire Debate” by Bud Filler those logs were stacked way too high and tilting (MYC-52) on page 32. our way. So, I’m guessing that a good portion of Bud has spent close to 60 years in forestry from your house and furniture might have come from smokejumping to mills and management. Bud another country. Let me know if your house is has some common sense ideas that would go a constructed from Styrofoam and you will get an long way in reducing the wildfire problems in our award. forests. In this day of such political animosity, can’t It is really hard to get people to think about some group sit down and develop a plan to reduce preventing or reducing the disease (wildfire) the fuel load in our wildlands? Logging and fuel vs. treating the disease. Prevention is not in the reduction can be done that would meet the aims thought process of the citizens of this country. of the majority of our citizens. How much do we spend on rebuilding and aiding I went to a wildland fire conference a few years those who build their houses on a flood plain? ago and heard from a bunch of educated and Same with those who build on the coast line in dedicated people. The most discouraging part of hurricane-prone areas. Go back to the start of this the conference was a comment from a high level article and see what is happening in the areas in forester who dealt with the “extreme conservation- Northern California that were burned in 2017. ists.” Bottom line: They would rather the forest They are rebuilding at an increased density. Guess burn than be thinned or logged. I cannot fathom what’s going to happen down the line in 10-20 that this would be the desire of the majority of the years? people in this country. Let’s move to the dream world. There is sud- Sure, there have been many practices in the denly a change in the country. We have figured past that have not been environmentally sound. out that trees grow. They can be harvested. There But, at the same time, does that mean that we give can be a tremendous amount of jobs created by up and go completely the other way? There has to harvesting trees. People look around their house be a middle ground reached. We cannot allow the and figure out that it is mostly made of wood and radicals to rule the roost. that the furniture is not concrete. Wow—where We have so many acres in the United States does this wood come from? that need to be thinned. Jobs would be created, On the trip that I took to Laos and Vietnam new industry would also be created. What would five years ago, I saw forests being cleared with be better—jobs and industry or black ash?

SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Large Fire Growth by Dick Rath (Missoula ’73)

fter leaving the jumper organization, I qualified as a fire behavior officer in the mid- truly became a company man and rode for 1980s and enjoyed that position immensely. Athe brand – i.e., the U.S. Forest Service. In 1987, I was part of Dave Poncin Sr.’s Over the next three decades, I gained experience (MSO-58) Type I team and in September of that in a variety of positions. year, I spent the most challenging month of fire During the same time period, I was assigned to suppression I had ever faced. As I returned to both Type I and II incident management teams. Montana, I realized that something had changed. My primary area was operations, but I became These fires were not following the normal pat-

Check the NSA website 10 www.smokejumpers.com tern of fire suppression as I had grown to know The strategy does nothing. When the fire it. makes a run and reaches the perimeter of the Big The following year, 1988, I saw in the North- Box, it is often too large to contain. If this breech ern Rockies a similar condition, where the behav- takes the wildfire off National Forest lands and on ior that the fire exhibited was far beyond what to private ownership, it becomes the responsibility research and we practitioners understood. The of the local rural volunteer fire department and, benchmark “Yellowstone Fires” received world- ultimately, the financial responsibility of the state wide attention. of Montana. In 1990, I recruited the regional fire ecologist This is a costly strategy that has reduced the – a person named Jack Lewzenski – who spent a State of Montana’s treasury, to the extent that a great deal of time educating me on fire’s role in special legislative session was convened last fall the ecosystem, some of which actually took. to determine how to pay for the huge amount During the 1990s, the number of large fires of red ink for fire-suppression purposes. The that increased in size and acres burned were grow- shortfall from last fire season (2017) was $47 ing significantly each year. During that same time million. period, significant drought conditions played a In a nutshell, here are those things that have part in wildland fire fatalities. Those included compounded the problem: Storm King Mountain and the Thirty Mile Fire in R-6 in 2001. • Successful fire suppression since European At that point, the Forest Service was in lock- settlement has taken fire’s natural role out step with diversity at all levels in the organiza- of the ecosystem. In some cases, we have tion. The leadership positions were filled with missed five fire cycles. very bright minds and potently good leaders, but they had not been tested under fire, nor had they • Global warming has expanded the length grown – as they once were – through the profes- of the fire season while raising daytime sional trainee programs. That is, you start at the temperatures and lowering relative humid- bottom and work yourself up the ladder. Instead, ity. many moved up the ranks based on gender and ethnic preferences. • A large share of the conifer forest in the By the turn of the century, my old mentors had West has to reach culmination, and insect retired, and I found myself training district rang- and disease are playing their role, which ers in fire management issues, who had little or increases the available dead fuel loadings. no fire qualifications – or they completely lacked interest in fire management. Their only desire was • The skill set with leadership in the federal to have someone make the fire go away. agencies is not to the level commensurate Incident commanders were beginning to ques- with the job at hand. tion whether they wanted to take on the respon- sibilities of running a fire team. When developing • During a dry, lengthy fire season, prompt the daily incident action plan, I called for fireline initial attack takes a back seat to covering safety, so when the safety officer questioned the management’s rear. operations persons in taking the risk, it was easy to default to “doing nothing.” I could go on, but those are my primary During the 2017 fire season, the Forest Service concerns. I have to quantify this, saying these are in Region 1 chose a strategy that I have been told my concerns for Montana since I no longer have is called “the Big Box.” It goes like this: Once a exposure to the other Western states. fire has been detected and initial attack has not On occasion, I have wondered whether man- been selected, the incident management teams – agement is looking toward using wildland fire as a in their delegation of authority – are to keep the tool to recycle as many acres as it can, without any fire within that area. public outcry. Just a thought.

Check the NSA website 11 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Firefighting Costs Soar As They Reflect Today’s Methodology by Tommy Albert (Cave Junction ’64)

ederal firefighting agencies alone spent a are most effective when the fire is small and hasn’t record $2.1 billion on wildfires in 2017. Us- had time to gain intensity and momentum. Fing statistics from the last 18 years, the 2017 It will be difficult to alter current rules of engage- season only ranked third in the number of acres ment to address this. The best and most effective burned, seventh in number of fires, but averaged way to reduce fire expenditures is through initial second in acres burned per fire. This is according to attack (IA). To do this, not only will IA forces need NOAA National Centers for Environmental Informa- to be significantly expanded, but dispatching proce- tion: Wildfires, March US release. dures must be changed to assure rapid deployment Wildland fire suppression expenditures have of IA forces. become unprecedented during recent years with no Expenditures on initial attack resources make up change in sight. Agencies blame “global warming” a small percentage of wildfire suppression outlays. and the accumulation of fuels as the reason for the Unfortunately, the federal budgetary system presents escalating costs of wildfire suppression. a challenge for pre-suppression funding. The higher-than-normal drought conditions are Unlike large incidents that are largely financed a factor, but let’s not kid ourselves. An equal influ- from the general fund, pre-suppression dollars ence is how we are fighting wildfires today. come out of allocated agency budgets. Initial attack A key contributor to this are the safety restric- resources are expensive but, when used effectively, tions placed on fire managers. These restrictions, pay for themselves many times over. in essence, require firefighters to fight fire with one Dispatch centers are a vital part of the fire man- arm tied behind their backs. Managers’ careers are agement system. The task of coordinating resources placed in jeopardy if they are deemed too aggressive is a monumental task because of geographical and in their suppression decisions. jurisdictional considerations, varying levels of fire Aerial suppression – air tankers and helicopters danger and activity, and political interaction. The – is often used ineffectively as a result. dispatching community developed a system to ad- Because managers are often reluctant to put dress these factors, but in doing so, hindered initial crews on the line during active burning and are attack. unable to take advantage of reduced activity dur- The “system” has precedence, and common sense ing the night, they feel compelled to attempt to, and prudence often suffer, resulting in the tail wag- at least, slow the progress of the fire using aerial ging the dog. resources. This results in dropping retardant and As an example, lead planes were designated as a water when flame lengths render the drops virtu- “national resource.” Consequently, when an initial- ally ineffective. attack request was received, air tankers that were Retardant is exactly what its name states – re- considered forest or regional resources could be tardant, not suppressant. It needs ground crews to immediately dispatched. take advantage of the “retarding” properties of the Lead planes, on the other hand, being national resource. resources, could not be dispatched until the request Water drops are a greater waste of money without was approved by a series of higher-level dispatch ground resources. Aerial suppression is only effec- centers. This resulted in the air tankers arriving tive when there are ground resources “on the line,” over the incident well ahead of the lead plane – the not standing on the road or in safety zones. It goes cart-before-the-horse scenario. without saying that both ground and aerial resources A single Type I incident can equal or exceed

Check the NSA website 12 www.smokejumpers.com the total IA pre-suppression budget. It gets down public is beginning to question wildfire expenditures to “pay me now, or pay me later,” and that “later” and the lack of progress suppressing large fires. comes with a hefty price tag. Aggressive and timely The “global warming” excuse has been overused initial attack will significantly reduce the unprec- and is coming into question. The public will no edented destruction to our natural resources and longer accept this explanation carte blanche. Effec- private property that we are experiencing today. tive initial attack is the one tool that is available to National resource agencies need to come to terms turn the tide on this costly trend and begin regain- with this and take positive steps to address it. The ing confidence of the public.

SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Stop The Fire—No Fault Fire Zones by John Culbertson (Fairbanks ’69)

recorded my observations during December groups, reminding all that somebody has to pay. 2017 as the Thomas Fire burned from Santa It is a hard thing for me to say, but I think this IPaula, Calif., 40 miles away, through our is all beside the point. Yes, the firefighters work town of Carpinteria and on to Montecito and hard. And yes, the government will never have Santa Barbara, becoming the largest fire in Cali- enough money. With loss, we seek compensation. fornia history. The still-smoldering fire combined But I think there is a different way to look at it. with a heavy rain event in January to produce a I keep going back to my observation that catastrophic debris flow in Montecito, isolating an odd mosaic of green formed during the fire. Carpinteria for weeks as all road access was inun- Where homes sat on hills or at mid-slope, the dated with mud. fire was largely held at adjacent canyon bottoms, Of necessity, the Army Corps of Engineers dozer and road lines, while the public lands moved in and, at this writing in April 2018, they burned and the fire front moved onward to other are still removing mud and debris. communities. During this period, with each rain, our town The firefighters showed great skill in doing has come under mandatory evacuation orders – this—not only saving homes but the green around some lasting weeks. The effect to our communities them as they limited the spread of fire. is extensive. Jobs lost—small businesses faltering And that is the problem. Firefighters were so and a school year in complete disruption—the busy protecting structures that they had little mountain recreation area is completely burned, time to stop the geographic spread of fire. In the and the ocean remains polluted and not safe for end, the landscape scale of this fire produced swimming. catastrophic loss. Certainly fire managers were Everyone knows someone with major loss. All hampered by a focus on structure protection, even are affected and stories of loss are part of every when structures were illogically situated in a fire- family’s dialogue. It would be fair to say that prone landscape. despite much good work by charities and relief or- We can argue all we want about the cum- ganizations a general state of post-traumatic stress bersome nature of large fire organizations. But disorder has set in. looking at it another way, given the systems skill I concluded my December fire narrative say- level at stopping fire when needed, I ask: How ing that I should learn something from all that could we free up firefighters to limit the geo- has happened. And one hears the standard talk graphic spread of fire, in addition to the legitimate that comes after a fire. The public feels indebted and necessary protection of communities, farms, to the firefighters. The politicians beat the drum ranches, resources, and businesses situated in or for money. And the lawyers move in as organized adjacent to wildlands?

Check the NSA website 13 www.smokejumpers.com Poorly situated and unwisely permitted hilltop More personal responsibility—driven by the and mid-slope homes in high fire-danger areas are reality that you are responsible for your loss if disrupting this process by consuming too many you build in a high fire-danger zone—offers the resources. potential for change. I propose that we consider model legislation This is not a new subject. The first laws en- that could be adopted by states that could es- acted in the colonies were directly focused on tablish no-fault fire zones within very high fire- stopping the spread of fire. Personal responsibility danger areas as determined by state or local fire and individual loss versus community protection authorities. Within these zones, a property owner were the themes. This is an ongoing dialogue in would be free to build on his or her land, but America and it must be continued. could hold no one responsible for loss—including One must come out of an experience such as the government. the Thomas Fire and Debris Flow with more than Guarantee of insurance coverage by the state a sense of loss. We owe it to those left behind. or the insurance industry could be eliminated in And to be sure, there are a number of other factors no-fault fire zones. The responsibility would be contributing to large fires. placed on the landowner entirely. Fire agencies Many are now under public discussion, includ- would continue suppression action but be free to ing a lack of clear fire policy, fire management alter that action for the greater good as they see versus fire suppression and ineffective initial fit. Loser houses could be left to stand on their attack. It is my feeling that no-fault fire zones own while fire forces would have the option to should be added to the list. commit to stopping the spread of the fire. The concept of no-fault fire zones would be John Culbertson has worked for public and private fire unacceptable to the lawsuit-driven aspect of the agencies and his own fire management company. He legal industry, but bright minds would also come volunteers on trail and community public service proj- forth with inventive solutions that might find ects, is an ocean swimmer and writes short stories and application in some of our states faced with an poems. He lives in Carpinteria with his wife, Kathy. out-of-control proliferation of housing built in They have four adult children. high fire-danger zones. Legislation acceptable to state governments, a rethink- ing of insurance and pooled risk, and the upgrade of building safety and defen- sible space driven by owner involvement are all potential plusses. Stopping the spread of fire benefits all. What we have now is not working. Individual property rights, influence of wealth, improper planning, ineffective enforcement and a powerful legal industry has held the fire service and the public at bay. We endlessly argue about fine- tuning what is not working, but more firefighting stuff and more building codes and Rich Grandalski (RDD-64) and Leas Dickey (RDD-61) after helicopter rappelling training more government won’t do it. 1964. No, the bottle was found on the lawn. (Courtesy R. Grandalski)

Check the NSA website 14 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION A Campus And Curricula For A U.S. Forest Service Academy by Les Joslin

Reprint from July 2011 Smokejumper The academy staff would comprise of a super- intendent, a registrar, a counselor, a technology t’s one thing to propose and justify the notion assistant, and a faculty organized into several in- of a U.S. Forest Service Academy, as I did in structional departments. All would have appropri- Ithe Summer 2010 “OldSmokeys” newsletter ate Forest Service backgrounds as well as academic, (re-printed April 2011 issue Smokejumper), but it’s professional, and practical experience, and would be quite another to give shape and substance to such selected for their abilities to teach and inspire. All a notion. Encouraged by positive responses to the staff would work daily with students. academy notion from accomplished Forest Service people I have long admired and respected, I share The curricula a notion of what such an academy’s campus might The curricula for both entry-level and advanced be and what it might teach. courses should be geared toward developing all- around forest officers with the psychological and The campus physical wherewithal and the all-important desire The residential campus of a U.S. Forest Service to be forest officers first and specialists second. Academy – at which an entry-level officer candidate Entry-level officer candidate students would be course and a mid-career advanced course would be persons already possessed of academic degrees (or offered – should be located at an easily accessible significant agency experience) in a natural resources site on a national forest in the West that has a sig- management discipline, engineering, business and nificantly diverse multiple-use resource management management, and the “ologies.” Every component program and a large recreation and other public of the entry-level curriculum would have classroom uses program that would provide the widest pos- theory, reinforced by practical and productive and sible array of curriculum-related field experiences meaningful fieldwork on the hosting national forest. for students. Advanced students would be experienced forest Student field experiences would materially ben- officers selected for district ranger and other leader- efit the hosting national forest by accomplishing ship and management positions. The curriculum of much of its workload. This hosting national forest their shorter course would focus on administrative would be, in effect, a “teaching national forest,” management and leadership skills updating for such operating akin to the way a “teaching hospital” positions. Academic rigor would be a feature of both operates with interns and residents. curricula. The campus would be modern, functional, and Four instructional departments would teach reflect the aura of the Forest Service. It would com- courses sequenced in a highly structured flow in prise of: a central hall for administrative and instruc- which academic theory and practical experience tional offices, classrooms and a library; residential would be mutually reinforcing. In the officer candi- dormitories; a practical skills center, equipped with date course, such departments, as below, could offer tools and a shop; an equestrian skills center and the instruction indicated: stock facility; a physical fitness obstacle course; and other appropriate and essential outbuildings • Department of Heritage Studies could help in a properly landscaped setting. Most building students gain appreciation for and knowledge and grounds maintenance could be performed by of Forest Service history, tradition, literature, students. and ethics as a basis for professional service,

Check the NSA website 15 www.smokejumpers.com and enhance their appreciation of what district should know how to do, or at least what he OldSmokey Lyle Laverty terms the “incred- or she should know how to do, to be an effective ible treasures” of the National Forest System. and productive member of a district resource man- agement team, cognizant of resource interfaces and • Department of Professional Skills could teach interoperability and able to work across resource the art and science of rangering (including disciplines and in the field, as well as in the office. how to look and act like a forest officer), In the process, these junior professionals would as well as provide a common grounding in internalize a culture of pride and professionalism in such basic forestry skills as cruising timber, public service that would enable them to provide surveying, road and trail engineering and lay- appropriate training to the many seasonal employees out, range surveys, and public speaking and and volunteers in their charge, who often represent presentation to a wide range of audiences. the Forest Service and the National Forest System • Department of Leadership and Management to the public. Skills would teach the difference between These same instructional departments would leadership (of people) and management (of develop and present the curriculum for the mid- assets). Students would learn that to lead career advanced course. they must first learn to follow. They would learn leadership by precept and example. The challenge They would come to value a congenial and The challenge is first to get the attention of For- constructive form of command and control est Service leadership and communicate the need leadership and management that gets things for such a U.S. Forest Service Academy in a way done efficiently and effectively, and that that convinces and compels that leadership to secure should replace the current counterproduc- the resources needed for the academy’s development tive collaboration-and-control model that and implementation. The challenge then would be precludes timely progress at great personal to design entry-level and advanced-level courses of and public cost. They would learn the orga- instruction and performance that would address nization and mission of the Forest Service, the relevant knowledge, skills, and ability elements National Forest System law and policy, and identified above – and any I left out that should be Forest Service administrative management added – in a reinforcing and rewarding program. systems and procedures (which, one would I don’t know – given what I see these days – if hope, will be improved) which implement such a concept has a snowball’s chance of even being the law and the mission. considered, but it’s got no chance if we don’t try. I do know – as a former district-level supervisor • Department of Traditional Skills would make and a university adjunct instructor who taught a woodsmen of students. Students would be- forestry course – that there is a lot of eager, raw tal- come adept at traditional backcountry skills, ent that, along with the National Forest System and including trail and cross-country travel on the Forest Service, could benefit from such a career foot and horseback, animal packing, hand- forest officer development program that, I believe, is and power tool use in trails and facilities essential to retool the Forest Service into the viable construction and maintenance, etc. Students agency it once was and is essential to the future. would become adept at forest protection I challenge the chief to make it happen and stand skills and qualifications, including skills lead- ready to help. ing to basic firefighting qualifications. Daily physical fitness training would continue Les Joslin is a retired U.S. Navy com- throughout the course. mander and a former U.S. Forest Service In sum, the officer candidate course, during an firefighter, wilderness ranger and staff academically and physically rigorous and rewarding officer. He writes and teaches from his experience of perhaps four months, would teach Bend, Oregon, home. He can be reached much of what a junior professional on a ranger at: [email protected]

Check the NSA website 16 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Klump Pump Offers Many Significant Advantages by Jim Klump (Redding ’64)

Reprint from Smokejumper, October 2014 The machine was designed aerodynamically. It remains quite stable in flight at 80 knots. Once de- or the past several years, I’ve been reading livered out to the line, it’s a matter of a few minutes comments here in Smokejumper magazine to level, begin filling and hose deployment. Fthat many NSA members are dismayed at The uses for the machine include initial attack, how the various agencies, mainly the U.S. Forest support of burnout and back-fire operations, mop Service, are fighting fires. And I agree. up, remote helispot dust abatement, crash and However, the two largest losses of lives on fires fire rescue, reinforcement of a safety zone, and in recent years have not been under Forest Service protection of remote structures and other sensitive jurisdiction. One was the BLM in Colorado and the features. other in Arizona. Some testimonials: Common threads, which exist with these two • “I’ve used this machine on several fires. It fires, are that these officials sat there and skunked adds a degree of aggressive firefighting we around for a considerable length of time. I wonder haven’t had before. In 2008, the Klump if, by any agency not taking aggressive initial-attack Pump was instrumental in picking up the action, they are creating a potential time bomb. entire south end of the Basin Complex. Putting out fires creates a safer environment for It extends your ability to burn out several firefighters, saves taxpayer money, and protects the hours each day. A few years later, I employed environment. five Klump Pumps on the Backbone Fire I want to introduce you to a machine I invented in northwestern California, and they were some 15 years ago now. The troops in the field instrumental in picking the fire up in one named it the “Klump Pump.” The idea of this week. This fire had the potential to burn for machine sprang from my years as a smokejumper, several more months.” Type 1 operations section chief, and district fire —John Truitt, Operations Section Chief, management officer. T-1, U.S. Forest Service This machine, when you look at it, is a “no- • “Three of us picked up a 2.5 acre fire spot- brainer.” It’s a Type II engine without a chassis. The ting in sub-alpine fir. We stopped it at 3.5 1,000-gallon capacity, 2,200-foot hose complement acres with a Klump Pump. It had the poten- and fitting complement fit the Type II engine clas- tial to go to project size.” sification. The decision to use a machine such as this —Todd Sexton, lead crewmember, Caribou- is also very simple. If an incident decision maker asks Targhee Helitack him/herself, “If I can get a conventional engine on • “In addition to the added safety feature of this, would I?” If he or she can’t, the logical solution having water in reserve, the Klump Pump then is another “no-brainer” – order Klump Pumps! cuts the need to staff line in heavier fuels by We have 11 Klump Pumps. They are delivered days. I plan on training my crew on the use to an incident on either two- or three-unit trailers. of the machines this spring.” They are unloaded at the helibase and setup takes —Robert Daniel, Superintendent, Feather 20-30 minutes per machine. The leveling jacks are River Hotshots (R5) attached. Hose, fittings, and support equipment are These are just a few of the comments from op- stowed into their compartment for air transport. erations people. The lifting harness is fixed to the four lifting points. We have a long way to go with regard to this

Check the NSA website 17 www.smokejumpers.com machine being used to its fullest capacity. I recom- mend quicker dispatch and pre-positioning to anticipated hot spots. Also, we need more dialogue in the various agencies by upper management.

Four years have passed since the original article by Jim. When I first heard of the “Klump Pump,” I thought that this is a tool that every forest should have in their inventory—water to a fire that is applied directly as opposed to air drops that are dissipated by trees and brush. Certainly every manager responsible for fire management would know of and use the Klump Pump. Wrong again! I asked Jim for an update for this issue of Smokejumper which follows below. (Ed.) Klump Pump in Action (Courtesy Jim Klump) Pump’s Creator Persists As most fire people of my generation realize, Despite Frustrations fire is not a crisis. It happens every year some- where and simultaneously in the Western United by Jim Klump (Redding ’64) States. This proven design will not be fully utilized In the Oct. 2014 issue, I submitted an article until it is incorporated into the training process. to Smokejumper magazine regarding how the Perhaps I’ve been talking to the wrong people. machine I invented and patented – the Klump I’ve written letters to the previous heads of Fire Pump – could provide a positive contribution to and Aviation at the Washington level and have wildland firefighting efforts. Chuck has asked me written to Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior— to update the progress of how the machine is be- all to no avail. I plan on forwarding the October ing utilized by various agencies. 2014 issue and this current article to the regional My company is still experiencing the inability fire staff here in California. to be dispatched in a smooth and timely manner For those of you who want more information by the federal system. There is currently a system regarding my equipment, please call me at (530) called VIPR, which apparently runs much more 675-0474 or look up “Klump Pump” or www.uni- smoothly than with what I have to contend. engine.com on the web. Having spent considerable time on trying to A good video is on Youtube. Search the “La- get into the VIPR system, my company, Uni- guna Hotshots 2014 Klump Pump.” Many thanks Engine, has been told that we are a “unique to the Laguna Hotshots for demonstrating how piece of equipment.” VIPR is designed for com- the Klump Pump works. mon resources, such as engines, water tenders, On the other hand, we have a preset agree- dozers, etc. ment with Cal Fire that operates how I envision I quoted in the previous article testimonials the dispatching of private-contractor resources of several operations people who realize the ef- should work. That system allows an initial-attack fectiveness, efficiency, and added safety features or extended-attack fire person to order us directly of the Klump Pump. Somewhere above this level and alert their emergency command center to is- is a gap which is preventing efficient ordering of sue control numbers. my equipment. I want to thank those folks who have realized In the case of my equipment, the feeling of the value of the machines and have used us in crisis prevails each time an order comes through. the past, especially those Hotshot crews. As long I believe organizational attitudes are hampering as there are fires to fight, people and land to pro- getting the job done efficiently. tect, Uni-Engine will be here.

Check the NSA website 18 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Letter To The Editor Of The Missoulian (Missoula, Mont.) by Ben Smith (Missoula ’64)

Appeal to Leanne Marten, U.S. Forest Service Northern Region Forester – Jan. 30, 2018 On July 13, 2017, at 4:32 p.m., a forest fire was called in to the Granite County 911 dispatch in Philipsburg, Mont., by a member of the public. I talked to the 911 dispatcher and confirmed that she immediately passed the information to the Dillon Dispatch Center (DDC) of the Beaverhead- Deerlodge National Forest (BDNF). This fire was the Whetstone Ridge Fire and was about 12 miles from my home southwest of Philipsburg. Whetstone Ridge Fire Early Stages (Courtesy USFS) I tracked the fire daily on Inciweb and went to the first public information meeting at the high discovered within 30 miles of the Whetstone Ridge school in Philipsburg. By this time the fire had Fire, in similar terrain and fuel loading. All three grown into a major fire, merged with the Meyers fires received an aggressive initial attack, including Fire, and was being turned over to a Type 1 Incident smokejumpers and retardant. All three fires were Management Team (IMT). contained in a few days. My contention is that this fire should have been One of these fires, the Butler Fire, cost $400,000 discovered sooner and should have been contained and spanned 17 acres. The Meyers/Whetstone Ridge by an aggressive initial attack. After a month of Fire grew to over 62,000 acres, cost $32 million and sucking smoke, I decided to try to find out why this was extinguished by snow in mid-September. did not happen. Question for Marten: Who has been held ac- I talked with and exchanged emails with Pint- countable for the ineffective early detection, the lar Ranger District personnel Melany Glossa, the lethargic initial attack, and the extreme cost in BDNF supervisor, and Leanne Marten, the North- dollars, timber, and public health of the Whetstone ern Region forester in Missoula. Ridge Fire? This is what I was told: The fire was not located I have seen many letters to the editor to the Mis- until 10:18 the next morning even though there soulian and other Montana newspapers, complain- were over five hours of light left on July 13. Two ing about the decisions that were made fighting hotshot crews arrived on site 23 hours after the fire these fires. The Lolo Peak Fire comes to mind. Why was reported. The fire was 25 acres in size when the has there been no public response from Ms. Marten hotshots arrived and only grew to 374 acres over or news media interviews with her that answer the the next five days. This fire did not immediately public outcry? blow up. My appeal to Marten: While we debate the ef- In her letter Ms. Glossa stated that her orders to fectiveness of the current wildland fire policy of the BDNF were for “full suppression” on every fire. managing and not controlling fires, the impact of Smokejumpers were available but not used. Forest global warming, the effectiveness of prescribed burns Road 5110 ends a quarter-mile from where the fire and thinning, etc., would you please prepare your started. The time it took to get eyes and people on region for a robust early detection and initial attack this fire cannot qualify as “full suppression.” strategy for the 2018 fire season? Small fires are safer Within the next two weeks, three fires were to fight and less expensive than large fires.

Check the NSA website 19 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Fixed Lookouts vs Aerial Detection by Karl Brauneis (Missoula ’77)

Author’s note: My favorite pilot was Terry Watson, an Later, I put pencil to paper. I compared the Army fixed-wing and helicopter aviator. She was also cost of the Bold Mountain Fire to the cost of a graduate and instructor at the National Outdoor keeping the lookout open over the years that it Leadership School here in Lander, Wyo. “Tougher was closed. I can’t remember the exact calcula- then a two-dollar steak,” Terry knew the Wind River tions, but something like this: The lookout would country like the back of her hand. We flew many years have paid for itself four times over when com- together on aerial fire detection flights. Our record was pared to just the cost of one fire. something like nine fires in one day. I knew that if we I always believed that aerial fire detection was ever crashed, Terry would get me out alive. I trust the only a supplement to an established fixed-lookout feeling was mutual. We shared the old smokejumper detection system. This fire proved my thoughts and forest aviator ideal of a brotherhood. were correct. That winter I proposed rebuilding the old ur standard flight pattern took us south Warm Springs Lookout near Dubois, Wyo. From out of Lander to gain altitude before this lookout point, one has a spectacular view of Oturning north at South Pass for our the Wind River Ranger District. The old lookout high-altitude pass over the backcountry and wil- and tower were torn down years ago. derness areas. Part of my assessment for a new lookout took We flew detection for the national forest, Wind into account the increase in property values due to River Indian Reservation, and Bureau of Land the present-day urban interface that boast million- Management public and state lands on most all of dollar homes in the area. I proposed a Job Corps our patrols. build of the lookout with operational costs to be We flew north over the reservation and on to shared by the U.S. Forest Service, state forestry, the Wind River District, turning along the Teton and a homeowners association. Forest Line, then east over the Ramshorn country I sent the information out through the Na- before turning south along the front of the Wind tional Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping River on a lower pass to touch down back at notice process. I found that the greatest critics Lander. were internal within the Forest Service. Com- One key landmark for me was the abandoned ments and phone calls amounted to a “you can’t logwood cupola Bold Mountain Lookout on be serious” attitude. the Wind River Indian Reservation. It was said With a delay in construction of the new Job that the lookout got its name for anyone “bold” Corps facility at Riverton, Wyo., I decided to wait enough to staff it. for better timing. Unfortunately, better timing for On this particular flight, all was clear above me came about with my retirement. The Warm Bold Mountain. We were then called north to Springs Lookout idea died. assist in locating a fire west of Cody, Wyo. After Fast-forward to the recent Lava Mountain refueling in Cody, we spent several hours in the Fire of 2016 within the old Warm Springs look- North Fork Canyon of the Shoshone River and out view shed. This fire characterized all of the finally located the fire and directed a crew into it. detection and staffing problems as noted in Ben We now turned for home, and a big surprise. Smith’s (MSO-64) article (Smokejumper April Upon entering the Wind River Valley, we saw a 2018) on the Whetstone Ridge Fire. The Lava huge convection column rising near Bold Moun- Mountain Fire cost $19.8 million to control and tain. Several hours earlier, the sky was clear. Now a burned more than 14,000 acres. The fire threat- running forest fire was on the move. ened approximately 300 homes along with nu-

Check the NSA website 20 www.smokejumpers.com merous cattle and guest ranches. It does not take much of an accountant to reach a conclusion on fixed-detection costs versus large-fire costs. Today, we have the added advan- tage of homeowner associations willing to share in the detection facilities. We also have outfits such as the Job Corps and the National Guard who can learn and train, on the job, to assist with construc- tion.

Conclusion I loved the old Forest Service. I am saddened at what it has become. Looking back over 45 years of forestry, I can clearly see a ”long trail to disaster.” Some of those seeds of destruction were sown when the Forest Service turned its back on her lookouts. A re-emphasis on fixed-lookout detec- tion will not in and of itself solve the multitude of problems facing the Forest Service today. It just might, however, be a step in the right direction. Karl Brauneis (Courtesy K. Brauneis)

SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Fire Lookouts: Then, Now, And Maybe Always by Murry A. Taylor (Redding ’65)

hanks to our fearless literary leader in zel Rock, I came to see that lookouts were back, at all things jumpers, fire, and otherwise, least partly. TChuck Sheley (CJ-59), you now have this The story of fire lookouts begins in 1876 when piece. Chuck knew I’d been a lookout for Cal Fire the Southern Pacific Railroad built the first one on for the last 17 years and, I suppose, considered Red Mountain, near Donner Summit, to watch me a possible sage source on the topic. I did some for train fires. By 1908, as part of Chief Forester research and here’s my best shot. Gifford Pinchot’s new, energized fire-suppression Until around the turn of the century, I thought program, California had built three. lookouts had gone the way of the itinerant cow- The Forest Service added more, year by year. boy, the solitary gold miner, and other icons of the At first they were very primitive – just a camp on older, wilder West. That changed in 2002 when a rocky high point, or some simple “crow’s nest” Cal Fire asked if I’d like to staff – they don’t say affairs in the tops of tall trees. “man” anymore – Paradise Craggy Lookout, just During the Great Depression, President Frank- north of Yreka. I did that for two years and then lin D. Roosevelt created the Civil Conservation moved to Duzel Rock, my lookout home for the Corps and assigned its employees various tasks in past 15 years. our National Forests. Building lookouts was one Duzel Rock Lookout stands at 6,020 feet, the of them. These were the cab-on-a-tower lookouts highest point in the Mineral Range east of Scott most common today. Valley, where I live. During my first years on Du- During the heyday of the late 1930s, there

Check the NSA website 21 www.smokejumpers.com were 8,000 lookouts nationwide, 600 in Cali- In the Siskiyou Unit there are five look- fornia alone. The Army utilized lookouts during outs: Quartz Hill, Duzel Rock, Paradise Craggy, World War II for early warning stations against Black Fox and Siskiyou Bear. Historically, Cal Fire enemy aircraft. Some were staffed 365 days a year. has had as many as 77 lookouts statewide. Only The year 1944 marked the beginning of 24 are currently staffed. Of the total California lookouts staffed by women. A lot of them made lookouts listed online, 505 still exist. Of those 88 history. Nancy Hood, for example, staffed Lake are staffed either full-time during fire season – as Mountain Lookout for 63 straight summers here with the Forest Service – or on a call-when-needed on the Klamath National Forest. She retired two basis, as with Cal Fire. years ago. The Klamath National Forest currently staffs Hallie M. Daggett was the first woman fire eight lookouts. You can review the lookout scene lookout employed by the Forest Service. She further in California by going online and typing in served on Eddy’s Gulch Lookout on the Klamath a search window: California Lookout Sites, 505 ac- from 1913 until 1927. tive and abandoned sites listed. Revised April 2018. During the 1960s and the 70s, most of the As you will see, other agencies having lookouts lookouts were phased out, along with their faith- include the National Park Service – including ful occupants. With increased use of airplanes for monuments and national recreation areas, state fire detection, helicopters for suppression, let-burn parks, the Bureau of Land Management, Indian policies in wilderness, and the growing numbers reservations, and private land owners. of visitors and residents in the forests, attitudes I didn’t research the lookout situation in other toward staffing lookouts changed. Most were western states but feel it’s likely similar in terms abandoned and considered relics of the past. of total and percentage staffed, especially with the There are only a few hundred in operation to- Forest Service, BLM and National Park Service. day. Once a proud symbol of our nation’s conser- There are varying opinions as to why the lookouts vation heritage, the forest fire lookouts of old may are again viewed a good idea. now be facing extinction. Or not? There is more This is my take. First, the Clinton Administra- to the story. tion asked for $1.6 billion in 2000 for increased Although many lookouts have been aban- personnel and forest thinning. Then George W. doned, vandalized or destroyed, there is a growing Bush and Barack Obama followed suit with vari- trend toward lookout revival. Lookout buffs and ous increases in federal wildfire budgets. All that concerned historians are involved in restoration helped, but the biggest thing, I think, by far, was projects, including rebuilding, remodeling, creat- the realization that these fires are becoming more ing museums, and the Forest Service’s practice dangerous to suppress, more threatening to private of renting them out to private citizens for special property, and outrageously more expensive. mountain retreats. Given these factors, there is an increased need The love and devotion to this old American for quick detection. Although aircraft fly routine icon has in many instances been its saving grace. patrols after lightning events, most of the fires – While many have gone their way, many are still at least here on the Klamath N.F. and Cal Fire used today just as in the past. In California, Cal response areas – are picked up by lookouts. With Fire lookouts still play an important detection role the prevalence of cellular communication, many in the northern part of the state. These lookouts fires are turned in by people – that is, where there are staffed in several different ways – by volun- are people. teers, by seasonal personnel, or by old-time fire Most lookouts, however, watch country out people (like me) who still want to be part of the of sight and far in the backcountry. Cell phones wildfire scene. rarely play a role there. Cal Fire staffs its lookouts here in the Siskiyou Be assured that lookouts quickly report a Ranger Unit in this way and usually just during respectable number of wildfires. The most I’ve periods of lightning, high fire danger, or of units turned in during one season is 10; the fewest, only being gone from the unit on other fire assignments. one, and that was last year.

Check the NSA website 22 www.smokejumpers.com On some mornings after a lightning event, the dispatch, Duzel Rock, fire traffic.” After a mo- Klamath Forest lookouts and local state lookouts ment, “Duzel Rock, Yreka.” And then, “Yreka, have reported as many as 25 fires by 10 o’clock. I’m picking up a smoke on the north side of Rus- I’ve turned in fires as far away as the Oregon sell Peak, southeast corner of Section 7, Township border 40 miles to the north. I turned in one fire 44 N, Range 9 West. Single column, mid-slope, before the logging crew knew that they’d started it. low rate of spread.” Another time – on a very hot summer day – I After Yreka acknowledges the report, the call reported a fire started by a local farmer cutting dry goes out to the local Cal Fire station and resources oats before he could get to his pickup and call it are launched. That’s how it goes with Cal Fire. in. The Forest Service responds, but not as ag- The most dramatic smoke I turned in was a gressively. For example, one morning in 2014 lightning fire just below a person’s remote resi- when the Feds already had a number of fires being dence. The owner had worked the fire the previ- worked, there were 24 new fires reported by Forest ous night, scratching a line, then left the next Service lookouts by 9 o’clock. The response was morning without checking it. the local fire-management officer calling for a I spotted it just as it began to run up the hill reconnaissance flight of the area. toward his house, garage and outbuildings. By I couldn’t understand that so I called the the time the first unit – a Cal Fire engine – ar- FMO, reached his cell and, since he didn’t answer, rived, the fire had spread up to and partly across left this message: Why call for a recon? We already his parking area, burning under one vehicle. In have a big problem with existing fires. Now there five more minutes the fire would have been on the are more. A recon may be in order, but why not house. also order a load of jumpers to check it out and I think my experience is representative of most jump what they can? lookouts. Besides early detection, most lookouts I never heard back. So while detection by – given their knowledge of the country and road lookouts seems to be working fine, sometimes the systems – often help initial-attack crews by sug- initial-attack response by the Forest Service is not gesting the best routes to access fires. what I’d call aggressive. It’s frustrating, to say the As to the experience of being a lookout, as I’ve least. told friends, “It’s not a bad thing to spend time Some fires go as much as two days before be- alone on a mountain.” ing staffed; some get away and go big. To be fair, On lookout you go to bed when it gets dark initial attack seems to be getting better lately in and get up at first light. There’s something won- the wake of so many big fires in the last five years derful about watching the sunrise over a cup of here on the Klamath Forest. They are using more coffee. There’s also something wonderful about jumpers, mostly from Redding. watching the passing of a common, ordinary day. Another good move is that in 2017, the Klam- I call it grace. ath used the R-5 Redding jumpers for a couple In the quiet peace of a lone mountaintop, of Type III teams, plus some single-resource guys nature reveals a wonder not normally seen when to great effect. These folks made a strong posi- distracted by regular life. Some sunsets are simply tive impression on the forest. I know, because the spectacular. Of course, the most exciting time is forest staff has told me so. Hopefully that use will during an actual lightning storm. As lightning hits continue. around the tower, the wind sometimes reaches I hope this gives some idea of where we are 50 mph, and hail blasts the cab with such force with lookouts these days. Some of my stats may that one cannot shout over the roar. Then comes be a bit off since they came from various (some- the calm, the light shafts down between clouds, times conflicting) sources. Still, as I say, “It’s not a the remaining sheets of virga track the storm, and bad thing to spend time alone on a mountain.” good lookouts have their binoculars scanning the And, it’s not a bad thing to know that there are areas where the strikes hit most. still local sentinels watching over our national The typical fire report goes in like this: “Yreka treasure of wild land.

Check the NSA website 23 www.smokejumpers.com Gobi Reunion 2018 Photos & Layout: Johnny Kirkley (CJ-64)

Al Boucher (CJ-49) & Don Boucher (NCSB-75) Valerie & Dave Towers (CJ-60) & Mary Gossett Emily Allen & Larry Lufkin(CJ-63) Mike Hardy (MYC-75) Troop Emonds (CJ-66) & Steve Mankle (CJ-76)

John Manley (CJ-62), Cli Hamilton (CJ-62) & Rod Dow (MYC-68), Kathleen Allen, Chuck Sheley (CJ-59) Doug Beck (CJ-70) & Willie Lowden (NCSB-72)

Gene Hamner (MSO-67), Lee Gossett (RDD-57) & Gary Buck (CJ-66), Leroy Cook(CJ-64) & Mike Cramer (CJ-59) Tommy Albert (CJ-64) Gary ornhill (CJ-68) Doug Bucklew (CJ-67) Tom Hunnicutt (RDD-78)

Check the NSA website 24 www.smokejumpers.com Gobi Reunion 2018 Photos & Layout: Johnny Kirkley (CJ-64)

Al Boucher (CJ-49) & Don Boucher (NCSB-75) Valerie & Dave Towers (CJ-60) & Mary Gossett Emily Allen & Larry Lufkin(CJ-63) Mike Hardy (MYC-75) Troop Emonds (CJ-66) & Steve Mankle (CJ-76)

John Manley (CJ-62), Cli Hamilton (CJ-62) & Rod Dow (MYC-68), Kathleen Allen, Chuck Sheley (CJ-59) Doug Beck (CJ-70) & Willie Lowden (NCSB-72)

Gene Hamner (MSO-67), Lee Gossett (RDD-57) & Gary Buck (CJ-66), Leroy Cook(CJ-64) & Mike Cramer (CJ-59) Tommy Albert (CJ-64) Gary ornhill (CJ-68) Doug Bucklew (CJ-67) Tom Hunnicutt (RDD-78)

Check the NSA website 25 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Let’s Talk About The Chetco Bar Megafire by Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction ’59)

n this issue we’re doing a lot of discussion timeline—thanks to Bill for making it easy. about wildfire and initial attack (IA). I want The second load of rappellers viewed the Ito review the Chetco Bar Fire on the Siskiyou fire from the air. They noted steep ground, etc. N.F. in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area. It burned Wow—these are Siskiyou N.F. rappellers and they 191,090 acres and billed the taxpayers $61 million noted steep ground in the Kalmiopsis. This is new and had 730 personnel assigned at one time. and unexpected? The fire was started by a lightning storm From Bill Gabbert: “Upon landing, their (sec- around June 25, 2017. It was finally spotted and ond group of rappellers) perspective changed. ‘The reported by an airline pilot on July 12, 17 days ground was really, really steep. We know views later. I’m trying to be objective on this, but that from the air can be deceiving, but we couldn’t see is hard to do. This is the same story as the Biscuit the fire or the smoke from the helispot. I origi- Fire in 2002 that burned 500,000 acres and cost nally thought the trees below the helispot were hundreds of millions of dollars. Added to that, it reproduction from an old fire, but then I real- is in the footprint of the Biscuit Fire. ized the slope was so steep, I was only seeing the Wouldn’t common sense dictate that you fly treetops. They were actually 200 foot tall, 4-foot the forest after a lightning storm? Fly it for a few DBH (diameter at breast height) trees,’ said a weeks. Do we have to rely on an airline pilot to re- senior firefighter on the second load of rappellers. port a fire? Wonder how many lookouts you could (Try parachuting into these same trees—you get a finance for $61,000,000? Is there any accountabil- different view from 200 feet above the ground but, ity anywhere in the Forest Service? somehow, we made it to the fire. Ed.) After the airline pilot’s report, the fire was at- One rappeller said, “The ground was covered tacked by airdrops and four rappellers—all within with Madrone leaves that were slick – combined an hour and a half of the report. That is good. with the steep terrain, it made staying upright a The fire was reported at three-fourths of an acre. challenge. At one point, I remember it taking me It looks like the rappellers built a helispot and no 30 minutes to move about 20 feet. I was having one went to the fire. to cut away brush to clear a narrow path. I kept Dave Nelson (MSO-57) is probably one of falling, and basically had to belly crawl across the most experienced firefighters in the country, the slope. The extremely steep slopes covered in having spent years in the business and having lead Madrone and tan oak leaves made it very difficult a Type I team for 10 years. With this background, to walk, especially downhill because of how slip- Dave asks a few questions: pery the ground cover was,” he said. By the time Why didn’t they discover the fire before 17 he returned to the helispot, his pants (Nomex and days? Why only four rappellers the first day? Kevlar) were in tatters. “I kept thinking to myself, Smokejumpers available? It’s too steep, too dangerous in here.” There are some more questions, but they are (Why not use chainsaws to cut a path down to the the same as you and I would ask. Bottom line— fire, making initial attack by reinforcements possible? no one went down to the fire. Ground was “too Ed.) steep and slippery.” Then two Type II crew bosses (40 firefighters) On the second day, four more rappellers went declined the assignment for various reasons. Later to the helispot. I’m using information from Bill that afternoon, day two, all resources were taken Gabbert’s Wildfire Today website to complete the off the fire.

Check the NSA website 26 www.smokejumpers.com From the Grants Pass Courier October 17: “Fire Let’s see how this fire might have been attacked officials explained that steep terrain and extreme with the available resources. There were at least danger in fighting the Chetco Bar Fire’s early eight rappellers, 40 Type II firefighters and three stages in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness kept them helicopters that had already made 17,280 gallons from snuffing it when it was less than an acre in worth of drops. The fire was at 3/4 of an acre. The mid-July. water drops from the helicopters were ineffective “Someone asked if the agency has learned any- and knocked more fire down the hill. thing from catastrophic fires, such as the Biscuit Fire in 2002 which overlapped the Chetco Bar Plan of attack using the above: footprint and was more than twice as big. “What we’ve learned has been offset by climate 1. Use crews to build line down to the fire change and lots of fuel buildup, and we have more from the helispot. severe fire than ever before,” said Craig Trulock, deputy forest supervisor. (What they didn’t learn 2. At same time, set up “Klump Pump” at or from the Biscuit Fire is that tardy initial attack leads near helispot. What is the Klump Pump? to a megafire. Ed.) Invented by Jim Klump (RDD-64) and “Firefighters described how hard it was to walk covered in Smokejumper October 2014, on steep slopes with brush and slick Madrone it is, as Jim describes it, a “Type II engine leaves. Snags from the old Biscuit Fire posed without a chassis.” It has a 1,000-gallon extreme danger of falling on firefighters. (Another capacity and comes with 2,200 feet of example of how the hills have gotten steeper since hose. It is set up at the helibase, attached the closing of the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base—that with a lifting harness to the helicopter and excuse would not have been acceptable to Jim Allen flown to the fire. It remains quite stable in (NCSB-46). Ed.) flight at 80 knots. Using the attached level- “Monty Edwards, fire management officer ing jacks, the outfit is ready for filling by based at the Wild Rivers Ranger District in Cave helicopters in a matter of minutes. (Refer Junction, showed photos on Day 1 and Day 2 of to Klump Pump article page 17.) ‘rollout’ fires, where burning material caused spot fires downhill. Any benefit from water dumps was With this, you have a large amount of water offset by those dumps knocking more fire down that is on the ground and effective. the steep hill. (Wonder what the fire would have I looked at a photo of the fire on July 13, been like 17 days earlier? Ed.) 2017, on day two after the fire was reported. This “He decided against sending in two 20-person country was the same as I dropped Cave Junction teams because of the safety concerns. Another jumpers on many times. If I had returned to the group of rappellers made the same decision. At base with a load (four jumpers) still in the Twin 4:38 p.m. on that first day, all firefighters were Beech, Jim Allen (NCSB-46) would have sent me called off. There was no way to get tight to the down the road. I’m glad I worked for a boss who fire, so an indirect strategy was adopted.” (Best wanted the job done—he didn’t disregard safety, way to get tight to the fire would have been to cut a but he wouldn’t allow us to use that as an excuse line from the helispot to the fire. Certainly 40 fire- for not doing the job. fighters would have been able to do that. Ed) In 1944, Jim parachuted into the Netherlands “Had firefighters been sent forward and some- in Operation Market Garden. He was 19 at the one been hurt, ‘It would be difficult to look a time. Later he was wounded at the Battle of the parent in the face later and justify that decision,’ Bulge. We were never told to be unsafe or take said Virginia Gibbons, forest spokesperson.” (The chances at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base in safety card will be the major hindrance to getting Cave Junction. However, not doing the job we aggressive firefighting back in the picture. It’s an hired on for was unacceptable. Too bad we don’t easy, acceptable way to hide the results of poor initial have people from the “Greatest Generation” attack. Ed.) leading us now.

Check the NSA website 27 www.smokejumpers.com SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Hiring Problems By Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction ’59)

t our March 2018 meeting in Boise we Personnel Management (OPM). heard that the USFS smokejumper pro- Agram was 43 positions short of their goal Guy Hurlbutt: “The response does not describe the of 320 jumpers for the 2017 season. There seems makeup of the ‘FAM hiring managers.’ Are actual to be a real breakdown in the process from the Al- smokejumpers included? This is critical in under- buquerque Human Resources Management, who standing the knowledge of the FAM selection team. screens the applications and forwards them to the Further, it appears the only role of the FAM hiring hiring unit. managers is to advise HRM of ‘the positions they I listed some of the problems the smokejumper need to hire.’ They are not invited to participate in Base Managers were having and forwarded them actual hiring decisions.” to the appropriate people. The questions were kicked up the line. The answers I got back from From HRM: Who does Human Resources Manage- Human Resources Management (HRM) were ment (HRM) work with to hire smokejumper positions? confusing, and I could not match them to the For permanent smokejumper positions, HRM’s questions I submitted. Having only a B.A. and a National Fire Hire Staffing Team works directly with Master’s Degree, I forward them to some of our identified Regional FAM Points of Contacts (POCs). PhD’s and smokejumper lawyers for interpreta- Permanent smokejumper positions are hired using tion. centralized hiring events. Former NSA legal counsel Guy Hurlbutt For temporary smokejumper positions, HRM’s (IDC-62) responded with an answer similar to National Temporary Employment Team works directly several others: “Overall, the responses from the with the FAM POC who submitted the personnel Forest Service are unintelligible and come chill- action to HRM to hire a smokejumper temporary ingly close to the bureaucratic ‘Doublespeak’ we position. were warned about by George Orwell in his classic book ’1984.’ I have rarely seen better crafted non- Guy Hurlbutt: “These two responses are mostly responses to straightforward questions.” unintelligible. Who are the ‘FAM Points of Con- I’m going to print the response to my ques- tacts’? What are ‘centralized hiring events’? There is tions that I received from Human Resources no indication that smokejumper base managers or Management (HRM). I am not going to list my similarly qualified people are part of the process.” questions for two reasons: Space, and I can’t relate any of the answers to the questions. I’ll list Guy’s From HRM: How does HRM interact with the thoughts after the HMR response. Try to bear smokejumper managers to fill positions? with the acronyms and not getting lost in the For permanent positions, HRM’s National Fire alphabet soup. Hire Staffing Team meets regularly with Regional FAM POCs about all positions to be hired using centralized From HRM: The Forest Service’s Human Resources hiring events, which does include smokejumper posi- Management (HRM) and Fire & Aviation Manage- tions. ment (FAM) Leaders work in partnership to fill FAM For temporary positions, HRM’s National Tempo- positions agency-wide. rary Employment Team schedules meetings prior to the HRM relies on our FAM hiring managers to tell us beginning of seasonal hiring to provide information the positions they need to hire to meet their program about the hiring process. These meetings are open to areas needs. HRM will always adhere to the hiring anyone who wants to attend. policies and regulations established by the Office of HRM does meet regularly with Regional FAM

Check the NSA website 28 www.smokejumpers.com POCs to review their regional temporary hiring needs, Rich Hilderbrand (MSO-66) responded: “Having which does include smokejumper positions. spent some 30 years of my life involved with work- ing at hiring, managing, and even firing Federal Guy Hurlbutt: “See my comments to the earlier Civil Service workers, there are a number of expla- questions. There is no indication in this response nations that come to mind about the recruiting of that qualified smokejumper representatives are sub- smokejumpers. In my time of recruiting and hiring stantively involved in the process. On the of various job classifications, we had some flexibil- contrary, the role of the FAM POCs (whoever ity at the local level and could find people through they are) seems limited to providing information local advertisements and then help them complete on ‘hiring needs.’ the difficult application process. That most likely “The final question posed to HRM (possibility of will still work, but limits the number of potential returning to local hiring decisions) does not appear applicants. to be addressed by the Forest Service.” “Here is my take on the information the ASC- HRM provided – maybe right, maybe wrong. John Culbertson (FBX-69) responded: “Chuck’s questions are direct, reasonable, and relate to a 1. The situation: considerable problem in wildfire administration; a. 43 jumpers short in 2017 and, over 3 an understandable hiring process that connects years, ASC-HRM says only 91 vacancy supervisors with workers. Answers from the Forest announcements sent with 19 not being Service Albuquerque Service Center (ASC) appear filled. Someone is not doing their job at generated by an automaton and are unfocused on getting the vacancy announcements out all but government processes internal to that office. for applications and to be filled. Is this The ability to clearly communicate is key to effec- the USFS (smokejumper administrators) tive administration. That is a missing element here. or OPM? “I have fifty years experience in public and b. ASC-HRM says 40 applications received private fire suppression, prevention, public infor- per vacancy announcement and almost mation, research and administration. ASC seems 460 applications per year for the 20 to uniquely problematic. I hope the Forest Service will 30 vacancy announcements. Applica- consider returning hiring to the Forests and Admin- tions don’t appear to be the problem. istrative Units. The human element in personnel c. 55 of these were permanent positions, management is essential, and one is closer to that and I would hope were filled from with the home unit.” among temporaries that had shown potential. Thus, perhaps creating some Dave Bennett (MSO-61) responded: “The FS re- additional vacancies in the temporary sponse indicates that there are plenty of applications slots that would not be filled until the for jumping. However, the number of job openings following season. listed by the HRM doesn’t tally with the unfilled d. One important question not addressed vacancies sighted in your last board meeting. The is the reason for non-selection—person ambiguities need to be cleared up so we can figure not interested, not physically qualified, out what the story really is. can’t pass drug test, etc. This is a key “Out of the 91 vacancy announcements, 18 posi- factor. tions were not filled: 1 position was not filled due to an error 2. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management 17 positions were not filled and the reason stated by likes to centralize and control the application the hiring manager was ‘no selection made’ process primarily through the www.USA- “With regard to ‘no selection made,’ it seems like JOBS.gov. So I tried the website and found: there might be a problem with qualifications of the a. Search for ‘smokejumper’ produces no applicants in the eye of the hiring manager(s), or the results. hiring manager fouled up somehow.” b. Search for ‘firefighter’ gave a start, and

Check the NSA website 29 www.smokejumpers.com I finally found job classification 0462 questions and answers. Forest Technician. I’m going to summarize some of Fred’s c. Then found Forestry Technician (Fire) thoughts: for wildland fire. 1. It is imperative that continuous dialog be d. There were no vacancies listed that ap- present between Fire & Aviation Manage- peared to be smokejumpers. ment (FAM) and Human Resources Man- e. This may explain why USFS gets ap- agement (HMR). plications for people not interested in 2. HRM needs to understand FAM issues and smokejumper duties – someone just ap- be open to resolve those issues. plies as a Forestry Technician (Fire) that 3. If they are not getting it, Smokejumper can be USFS, DOI, NPS etc. Managers need training and updates from f. Also, the website is difficult to navi- HRM about HR standards, regulations, gate – even if one knows the system. and procedures. USFS does not want techies that play 4. It appears recruitment may be the issue. It video games but can’t lift their sneakers is the role of FAM to recruit quality appli- without pain. The guys USFS needs are cants for positions, not HRM. probably lifting hay bales and not work- 5. For Smokejumper positions, perhaps FAM ing their computer – not particularly should conduct personal outreach recruit- computer savvy. ment to Hotshot Crews. Use the Military recruitment model in which soldiers in 3. The OPM and HR staffers that I worked uniform do the recruiting, not their HRM with were not particularly good about select- staff. ing qualified applicants to pass through to 6. If minimum qualification standards, timing managers for additional review.” of vacancy announcements, or there are other process management issues, FAM Here are my thoughts: and HRM together need to change those The problem appears to be in the number of regulations, standards, or administrative vacancy announcements being prepared and ad- processes. There are policies for making vertised. Combined with losses and promotions, changes. etc., the pipeline is not sufficient to meet the How about Fred Cooper coming out of retire- needs for qualified applicants. There appear to be ment, sitting down with FAM and HRM and a credible number of applicants if qualified. solving the smokejumper hiring problem. There may have been hiring restrictions that On a side note, I took the following from the played into this shortage. Nothing we can do Lewiston, Idaho, Morning Tribune: “There are 58 about that restriction. jumpers at the McCall smokejumper base, down Ask OPM to establish a job classification specifi- from a high of 70 two years ago. Johnson (Payette cally for smokejumpers (and for hotshots, as well). Forest) said some of that decline has to do with I could not find one, but it may exist. Then an a change in the parachute training program, and applicant will be screened for the actual job and the difficulty of finding people who want to be desire to fill that job. stationed in remote areas where they may not have That hotshot crews be used as personnel cellphone service.” sources with some heavy recruiting. Do we need to add cellphone service offered to My opinion, this is a recruiting and HR prob- the smokejumper recruitment program? lem, not an interested applicant problem. On the BLM side we have input from Bill Cra- Fred Cooper (NCSB-62) gave some very valu- mer (NIFC-90): “We’ve seen a gradual reduction able insight. Fred was Human Resource Officer in total number of candidates in the last decade. It on three forests and retired as Recruitment & has our attention but we still have far more quality Employment Policy Staff Director in D.C. He candidates than we do openings. stated that he, too, had a disconnect with the “Alaska would like to move towards career-sea-

Check the NSA website 30 www.smokejumpers.com sonal positions for our rookie positions versus the have those face-to-face discussions with our HR current temporary appointments. Overall, there officers. The USFS lost that ability when they are considerably more career-seasonal appoint- moved everything to Albuquerque. Maybe they ments in wildland fire, and we certainly lose some will decentralize at some point in the future. whom would otherwise apply. Boise has been able “As far as quality applicants, I think that across to do this but our budget situation is different and the fire community we are seeing a decrease in the has precluded us from getting there.” amount of interest we have for this profession. As From Great Basin Smokejumper Base Manager state minimum wages increase, the federal wages Todd Jinkins (NIFC-98): “I think that any time have stagnated for decades. To start as a GS-3 you ‘Centralize’ systems in remote locations you firefighter, you would have to accept $12.50/hour have a tendency to lose those personal connec- while you could make $15/hour in California, tions. Luckily for us here in Boise, our HR office Washington or Oregon at a minimum wage is 100 yards away and we can work directly with flipping burgers at McDonalds. I don’t know how them on positions. That is beneficial when we sustainable that model is.”

SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION Management of Wildfires on National Forest Lands by Bill Derr (Associate)

April 10, 2018 NAFSR Fire Committee Meeting, to some observers. Adequate funding for increased Sacramento, CA use of prescribed fire is a better alternative to the he potential added fire suppression, relative uncertainties of “managed fires.” The issue resource, and property damage costs of of appropriation integrity in the use of FF funds Tmanaged fires must be considered versus for “managed fires” remains, despite the assumed immediate full suppression designed to contain protective cloak of “forest plan objectives.” At and control wildfires as soon as possible. There- some point, Congress, OIG, OSC, GAO, and fore, what are the annual costs (suppression and OMB will likely review a managed fire program. damage) of all “managed fires” versus the costs Following is a consensus of opinions regarding had these fires been suppressed at the outset? future wildfire suppression and aerial firefight- Another factor is the added risk to firefighters and ing issues garnered from attendees at the Aerial the public due to increased burned acreages over Firefighting Conference, March 12 to 14, 2018, longer durations with more firefighters on the Sacramento, CA: line. The relative risk potential becomes greater versus full suppression at the outset. The unavail- • Enhanced fire prevention efforts are ability of firefighting resources already committed needed to focus on historical ignition on a “managed fire” translates to fewer firefighting sources in areas of highest occurrence resources available for new starts. during high to extreme fire danger peri- Doubling the burned acreage between 2015 ods with special attention to areas with and 2016 thru “managed fire” raises some concern resistance to control and escape poten- about future increased acreages and cost, absent tial in addition to beefing up current more complete assessment data. across-the-board efforts. Reporting managed fire acreages as treated • State of the art remote sensing technology, acres in the context of “achieving natural resource including satellites for wildfire detection, management objectives” can look like a shell game needs to be developed and used.

Check the NSA website 31 www.smokejumpers.com • Virtually all wildfire starts require an im- is needed to guide future decisions regarding mediate aggressive air and ground initial and its use. extended direct attack with sufficient resources • A “Wildland Fire Suppression/Indus- to contain and control them as soon as pos- trial Complex” condition seems to have sible. Failure to do so exposes firefighters emerged and needs to be monitored very and the public to increased risk of injury carefully, lest the supplier is driving the and death when wildfires are allowed to user. However, industry does provide new burn vast acreages over long durations with and innovative solutions to wildland fire more firefighters engaged. Resource and suppression. private property damage increases as well as suppression and overall damage costs. In addition to the above issues, concerns have The relative risk to firefighters is therefore been raised about the lack of Fire Management’s greater than experienced by aggressive ini- knowledge, skill, and abilities (KSA) among a tial attack. The successful history of Smoke- growing number of Line Officers. Ill-informed jumper use in swift aggressive initial attack risk management decisions by these persons have proves this point. prevented proper and aggressive full suppression • Prescribed fire and harvesting of forest responses to wildfires and have allowed some to products remain the mainstay of hazardous burn as “managed fires” resulting in unnecessary fuel reduction. escapes, thereby creating additional risks. These • Managed fire (allowed to burn) is problem- concerns recently surfaced at the NSA board atic due to the absence of pre-planning and meeting in Boise by current USFS and BLM approval coupled with the lack of pre-po- employees. Other credible current and former Fire sitioned firefighting resources and control Management employees have raised similar lines. Past “managed fires” have been more concerns. The selection criteria for Line Officers destructive than beneficial to the natural needs to ensure that the person selected meets resource environment and create significant specific KSA standards related to Fire Manage- exposure to criminal and civil liability. ment responsibilities. The adverse impacts of • Scoopers and SEAT’s are under-utilized smoke from wildfires will drive efforts to contain by the USFS, and there is an overreliance and control them in the early stages and utilize on VLAT’s and Large Air Tankers. Other prescribed fire in lieu of managed fire. agencies and countries are very successful in suppressing wildfires in the early stages Presented by William A. Derr, retired Special Agent with Scoopers and SEAT’s. A comprehen- in Charge USFS, R-5 after 38 years with the USFS, sive cost/benefit analysis of all air tanker use including 17 years in fire management.

SPECIAL WILDFIRE EDITION The Forest Fire Debate by Bud Filler (McCall ’52)

ust finished reading Michael Rains’ letter to Mr. Rains proposes increasing the U.S. Forest President Trump on Forest Fires and Forest Service budget by a billion dollars, which includes JManagement, and also Jim Petersen’s disserta- a “fire fix.” Mr. Petersen implies that the managers tion on Taming the Forest Service Fire Culture in the of the government have been seduced into believ- Evergreen magazine. Both presentations are right on, ing that nature knows best, and the fires should be in my opinion. The authors have spent 30 years each allowed to burn. Outdoor writers of our local press in their careers of forestry. have been made to believe large fires are inevitable,

Check the NSA website 32 www.smokejumpers.com and to accept the smoke. What gives? are smart, tough, and very experienced in putting The government managers talk about a “fire fix” out forest fires. and “fuel reduction.” I’m not sure I want to know Most of them, after summers on the firelines, go what those terms and strategies mean. on to become doctors, lawyers, professors, business Looking back, I too would like to contribute my owners, military officers, and government managers. thoughts, having spent 57 years, exactly, in the forest The pilots who fly them to their firefighting work and timber industry, starting in the woods swinging on the ridges are also very experienced. They remain a Pulaski as a smokejumper, then a forester, logger, in the aero profession for years. and after that, the mills and management. I suggest doubling the smokejumper numbers The last 23 years I was a co-owner of an engi- for initial attacks on fires. For a lightning strike on neered-wood products manufacturing company in a ridge, the expenses of a plane, a pilot, spotter, and Idaho. It was, when we sold it, one of the largest two jumpers are minimal compared to retardant specialty engineered-timber companies in North drops and dozens of ground crews and support America. personnel at fire camps. My partner was Wayne King, a Hotshot firefight- We do not want these small fires to burn, and er from the Angeles National Forest. We compared here is why I say this. I have traveled much of the a lot of notes on throwing dirt on burning branches backcountry of Idaho on horseback, on foot, and by and building firelines. plane. The drainages in central Idaho – the Salmon Here are my thoughts on fire and forest manage- River country – have been burned over. Most of ment – of preventing large fires and of controlling these beautiful valleys are now nothing but black our forest resources now and for future generations. snags and brush. Our country’s population is growing, as well as Ten to 15 years after a fire, these burned trees the world’s. We will need all the wood fiber we can begin to fall, making passage on foot through the process. We need the cellulose, which nature pro- woods virtually impossible. Do we want to accept vides and which our industry processes into lumber, this as nature’s way? paper, fiberboard, and a myriad of products. The whitebark pines on the high ridge tops, Plastic waste is maxing out the landfills, polluting once centuries old, are gone, not from disease but our rivers, and now the oceans. Some communities from fire. Regeneration is lodgepole pine and brush. are stepping up and restricting plastic bags. There Twenty-five to 35 years later, lodgepole pines – the is also a finite source for plastics. forest “weed trees” – become vulnerable to bark Not so with wood fiber. It continually grows. beetles, and the trees soon die. The forest becomes We will need more wood fiber for construction, for a tinder box, and the cycle starts over. paper and newsprint, for containers, and, I predict, Some regeneration of ponderosa pine, Engel- for the many products that are now plastic. mann spruce, and Douglas fir begins on the edges Let’s not allow the trees to burn. of the burns. But the mixed forest is gone. Is this We should utilize Forest Service smokejumpers what we want? for the reason they were initially intended, suppress- “Fuel reduction.” What is this? The environmen- ing forest fires immediately. I’ve read government talists say the forests need fire. Experts say the Native statistics from the 1950s and ’60s showing how Americans burned the forest. What? Who made that firefighting costs were significantly reduced after the one up? Okay, maybe the grass on the prairies. jumper program was started in the 1940s and early The timber industry – and our country – needs ’50s. And that was before the Forest Service began more wood fiber. Loggers face a social problem, using costly aerial retardants. not a scientific one. The tourist, driving through It’s my impression that some politicians and the Northwest, sees old clearcuts or streaks in the managers in the upper bureaucracy of government forest canopies from line logging, and the thinking think the firefighting smokejumpers are an adven- is “the timber barons are ravaging the forests again.” turous, half-crazy (who would want to jump out Not so. an airplane in the mountains?) group of muscular Select logging management was practiced by the prima donnas. I can assure you they are not. But they Forest Service in Idaho in the 1950s—the policy at

Check the NSA website 33 www.smokejumpers.com that time. This type of timber extraction followed public, the small towns, the schools, and keep folks sound principles: First, foresters marked trees for employed. cutting a hundred yards away from the streams and I believe this kind of soul-searching is possible forest roads. Then the selection for logging was in collaboration with the Forest Service, the wood to mark only several trees from a stand of mature products operators, and the environmentalists. We spruces, pines, Douglas firs, and white firs. cannot pass the task to nature to control and man- Other trees were marked – mature trees with age our forest lands. We cannot allow fires to burn, flattened tops, some with splits, lightning scars and eroding the hillsides, filling the mountain streams potential decay. In a grove of similar species, selec- with silt, destroying the nests and habitat of forest tion was maybe one out of four. birds and small creatures, and even killing off some Timber stands and species vary from slope to of the larger animals. slope, soil types, exposure to the elements, and to Where is PETA when these fires are allowed to moisture. Forget the clearcuts. The loggers may burn? make the case as the species and the terrain changes. Forest utilization can be achieved. When my But the population rejects this kind of a forest. partner and I were in the timber business, we had The purists say, never mind—let’s burn. You get two manufacturing lines. The first was a high- the idea. speed operation where we produced the products Selected forestry is followed today by many gov- the customers needed, in volume, and in time for ernment agencies and private companies who own construction. the trees. This type of tree removal started in Europe The second line was a slower recovery process and was learned and practiced by our first foresters, where we utilized short lumber lengths, retrimmed, led by Gifford Pinchot, more than half a century resurfaced, and regraded the wood, and then applied ago. Why not bring these practices back—sound adapted engineering principles to laminate these fire control methods, and tree selection? products for strength. The timber industry, as well as the Forest Service, We made a nice profit on this secondary line. has to give some. The logging trucks seen today In addition to engineered products for the con- transport logs from the woods of long lengths, prob- struction industry, nothing was wasted. Sawdust ably 35-footers. The mills efficiently want the large was used for fuel; shavings for particle board; and logs with the largest diameters. “Overrun” at the low grade and knotty lumber dried, graded, and mill is increased with the larger logs, and a higher trimmed again for non-stress portions of structural grade of lumber is usually milled from big trees. This timbers or decking. is a natural business desire, almost a requirement for The point here is that the timber in the forest is the lumbermen. aesthetically beautiful and commercially valuable. Where are the short logs, the busted and small Black and gray burnt timber is worthless. In the diameter logs? They are in the burn piles. Why wilderness areas, where there are no roads, and in doesn’t the Forest Service “price” the small and the parks where there is no extraction, the woods broken logs at a number to be economically utilized can and should be protected from fire. by the lumber, plywood, and particleboard mills? Okay, maybe Yellowstone 30 years ago was all The Forest Service could move these reject logs dead bug-killed pines, waiting to burn. That was the at a significant discount off contract stumpage fees. exception. There was no thinning, nor care taken The loggers would remove them, skid them from the over the years. woods – perhaps using separate equipment – and The forests should not become a thicket of black then on trucks with short log carriers. snags and brush. If allowed to mature naturally If the Forest Service and timber owners could through the years, we can look at wooded hillsides significantly discount these rejects, the slash piles the way they once were, covered with large, mixed would be smaller. The lumbermen and loggers will softwood species—the forests as they should be. tell you “they can clean up the forest, saving govern- The smokejumpers should be used for the rea- ment crews the work, and the taxpayers the cost.” sons they are trained for. Stop the fires on the Let’s compromise. Return tree revenue to the ridges. Keep them small.

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Check the NSA website 35 www.smokejumpers.com SOUNDING OFF from the editor

keep it vanilla. That (MSO-75) and Tony Pastro is not the way I (FBX-77). They had trans- taught school and lated (from Russian) the coached. Listen- “Notes of The First Forest- ing to a variety ry Parachutist,” by Giorgy of opinions and Alexandrovich Makeev. thoughts makes This story was intriguing for good reading and and difficult to cut down to discussion. four parts. The first major In Makeev, I found an part of our History individual who had the same Preservation Pro- drive as Frank Derry by Chuck Sheley gram is to record all (MSO-40) and our other (Cave Junction ’59) issues of The Static smokejumper pioneers. Managing Editor Line and Smokejump- I could not figure out his er. Besides being available on age, but knew he was probably It has been almost 20 years the NSA website, they will be older and had some things since I took over the editorship permanently saved and avail- going against him in establish- of the quarterly NSA publica- able to anyone in the world ing a smokejumper program in tion. Jack Demmons (MSO- at the Smokejumper History Russia. He was a professional 50) had been doing a great job Collection we are building at forester with at least 10 years for the organization in putting Eastern Washington Univer- working in the field. He had together The Static Line. When sity. fought in several “imperial and Jack decided to no longer do The October 1999 issue civil wars.” Lastly, he easily that job, we were left with a of Smokejumper was number got airsick. When he came void. 25 continuing the count from up with the idea of dropping It was September and we The Static Line. This issue is a retardant via parachute, he didn’t have anything ready for number 102. When I look was asked who would apply the October issue. I felt, and back and read the past 100 this retardant once the bladder still do feel, that a publication issues, I am amazed at the was on the ground. He replied, is key to keeping us informed amount of good writing and “People must be dropped by and together as an organiza- history we have preserved. parachute.” tion. The first issue of Smoke- A couple articles stand The story is long—four jumper came out in October out in my mind due to their issues. The amount of road- 1999. It was 28 pages and, significance and the possibil- blocks thrown in his way by looking at it, I can see that we ity that they have never been the naysayers was numerous. have rounded many corners published anywhere else in the To Makeev, they were just and made a lot of changes world. hurdles to be overcome. He from the original. In July 2009 we started a jumped right over the top of Along the way, I was ad- four-part series on “The Birth his bosses and went to the next vised not to publish anything of Smokejumping.” I had level. To use our terminology, that might have a hint of received a large amount of he took it to D.C. The more controversy—in other words, information from Bruce Ford I read, the more I admired

Check the NSA website 36 www.smokejumpers.com Makeev. He was focused, intel- my mother. This story is a forests and rangeland over a ligent, and his thinking way straightforward, unembel- number of years. Smokejump- ahead of his time. lished account.” ers went out into the Forest Somewhere along the way One very interesting part Service and BLM and were Fred Rohrbach (MSO-65) of this story is the addition of big-time players. Now, they gave me 50 plus pages of a USAF helicopter pilot Duane have retired and many of them document written by Pisi- Martin and USN pilot Di- have passed away. dhi Indradat (Deceased Life eter Dengler to the prison. I respect the work that all Member). Phisit was one of Phisit, Gene, and the others of these people have done. the five crewmembers that had already been imprisoned Therefore, I’m taking a differ- parachuted from a flaming Air for over two years at the time. ent approach with this issue— America C-46 in 1963. One of The escape of the group was the feature will be on how we those crewmembers was Gene chronicled in Dengler’s book are handling the wildfire situa- DeBruin (MSO-59). (Escape From Laos) and the tion in the U.S. We’re going to Those pages were con- movie “Rescue Dawn.” look at some ideas and input densed into a two-part article, At the time of the movie from people who have been “Prisoner In Laos,” published and book, only Dengler was successful in past years. in October 2006 and January known to have survived the After reading some of these 2007. It is an amazing story escape. It is very interesting to articles, you might think that of survival. As Phisit says in read Phisit’s version and that the wheel has already been in- the introduction, “This is a of Dengler. If Phisit had been vented—we just need to revert true story, one that has never an American, it would have to the days when it could roll before been revealed to any- been a best seller. Read it only down the road. one in writing. It is being told in Smokejumper. As Hawkeye Pierce and at the urging of my subordi- So many of our members Trapper John from M*A*S*H* nates, and being published have played a major part in said, “Relax, the pros from in the funeral memories of the handling of wildfire in our Dover are here.”

Struggle with the Titan by Pat Harbine (Missoula ’51)

he fire jump was an important one be- the engine. The unit appeared old and well worn. cause it was near the border of the Bob The brand name was stamped on the fuel tank, TMarshall Wilderness area. The DC-3 the Titan. A single bit axe, two wedges and as- carried a full crew of smokejumpers. As we sorted tools accompanied it. stepped out into the prop blast and our chutes My partner carried the tool bag over his shoul- opened, we could see the wisps of smoke and the der and the two iron wedges in his rear pock- orange markers of the landing zone. The sixteen- ets while handling the stinger end of the saw. I man crew assembled quickly on the ground and struggled with the broad handlebars on the motor awaited the low level drop of tools. The last item end. Heavy brush impeded us as we worked our from the airplane was oddly shaped and on a way to the fireline. We paused occasionally to lift single chute. It was a two-man chainsaw! Most the machine over deadfalls. of the crew had never seen one, as they were Our role was to cut away deadfalls that lay uncommon in the early 50s. I volunteered with across the fireline the others were building. The another jumper and inherited the heavy end with saw was intended to saw through sizeable logs

Check the NSA website 37 www.smokejumpers.com with its five-foot blade aided by the wedges. The and more chopping than sawing. alpine timber we confronted was seldom more It has been many years since I have thought than a foot in diameter. The saw cut would bind about the old Titan chainsaw. Over the interven- the saw when we were several inches deep, not ing years, I have successfully used many other deep enough to use the wedges but too deep to models, but I recently became aware of people withdraw the saw blade. Removing the stinger who collect such things. A quick check on the handle to pull the blade free proved time con- Internet and there it was, the 1947 vintage Titan suming and the full-length bar above the blade that overcame two grown men in the remote for- prevented a cut from below. We resorted to ests of Montana. chopping away at the sides of the cut with an axe We had left the one we used beside the trail to widen it when the saw was impossibly bound. hoping a wise old mule would refuse to pack it Our day went slowly with frequent frustrations out!

Former Jumper Davis Perkins – Ever Watchful by Bob Bahr, PleinAir Magazine

n his work as a smokejumper in Alaska and St. Mary’s. the Western states and as a paramedic in crisis “I often think of smoke when I paint fog,” Ihot spots around the world, California oil says Perkins. “It has a similar consistency. I love painter Davis Perkins (NCSB-72) needed to pay capturing clouds and fog and their movement. I’m close attention to his surroundings—a discipline still trying to perfect the look.” that has had a direct impact on his paintings. The motif of fog is the subject of a 36-by-48- Strangely enough, this prepared him for plein inch painting Perkins is completing for Marin- air painting. Scapes, a fundraiser for Buckelew Programs—an “When you are fighting a fire in the forest, agency that helps people recover from mental you are really cognizant of the terrain, of what illness, provides housing, and offers addiction kind of fuel is around, and certainly the nature of services in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties in the wind and how it is going to affect the fire,” Northern California. Perkins says. Perkins was chosen as the featured artist, which “When I was in the Army, I was a paratrooper, means his painting will appear on the event’s and with aviation, you are cognizant of the clouds posters, and the original will be sold to benefit the as well. So this is where it all started. Once you are non-profit. a smokejumper, it never leaves you. You are always It’s a prestigious honor. Susan Schneider Williams, the widow of Robin Williams and an "Once you are a smokejumper, it accomplished painter, served as last year’s featured artist at MarinScapes. never leaves you." Perkins’s path to Marin started in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, where he was a para- calculating, If the fire were to come up this draw, troop sergeant; that is where he first became where would I go?” acquainted with aviation, clouds, and jumping Examine the clouds in a Perkins piece, such as out of airplanes. He moved on to a Special Forces Hills Above Nicasio to see his informed depiction unit, and after an honorable discharge, became a of clouds. Likewise, look at the mist described in smokejumper.

Check the NSA website 38 www.smokejumpers.com Remember and honor fellow jumpers with a gift to the NSA Good Samaritan Fund in their name. Hard times can fall on many of us at any Off time. The NSA is here to support our fellow jumpers and their families through the Good Samaritan Fund. Mail your contribution to: The Chuck Sheley 10 Judy Lane List Chico, CA 95926

Walter R. Holcomb (North Cascades ’61) military honors in Twisp, Washington. Brent Walt died April 19, 2018, in Winthrop. He rookied at Redmond and transferred to Missoula was a lifelong resident of Winthrop growing up where he jumped 1979-83 while attending the on a dairy farm where he acquired a strong work University of Montana. He jumped at NCSB in ethic that continued throughout his life. Walt 1985 and finished with over 100 fire jumps and, jumped at Winthrop during the 1961, ’63 and like many others, said it was the best job he ever ’64 seasons. He worked in the Winthrop area as a had. millworker, ranch foremen, and finished a 34- Brent was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and attended year career with the Okanogan County Electric medical school at the University of New Mexico Cooperative as a lineman and customer service on an Army scholarship. He took his residency in representative. Emergency Medicine at Darnall Medical Center, Fort Hood, Texas. He deployed to Desert Storm Robert F. Schumaker (Missoula ’59) in 1990-91, the Sinai Peninsula ’94-’95, Afghani- Bob died April 19, 2018, from brain cancer at stan ’04-’05, and Iraq ’07. After leaving active his home in Hamilton, Montana. He graduated duty, he moved to Louisiana where he worked for from the University of Idaho with a degree in the Willis-Knighton Health System. mechanical engineering. Bob earned his commis- sion in the ROTC program and was stationed in Doyne L. “Mike” Tank (Pilot) Germany after his graduation, earning the rank of Mike died May 20, 2018, in Ogden, Utah. He Captain. was a graduate of the University of Montana with After his discharge from the Army, Bob worked a degree in Forestry. Mike started his career with for the Sandia Laboratory in Livermoore, Califor- the USFS in 1959 in Montana and Idaho. He nia, and then at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard moved to Redding where he was a pilot and man- in Bremerton, Washington. While in Bremerton, aged the smokejumper aircraft support program. he used the G.I. Bill to earn his pilot’s license and In 1981, Mike moved to Ogden, Utah, where he was a member of the Seattle Mountain Search and was Regional Aviation Officer until his retirement Rescue group. in 1988. Bob was active in the NSA Trails Program, Mike served as a pilot in the USAF from 1953- was an accomplished skier and spent many hours 1959 and in the Army National Guard Reserves soaring as a member of a gliding club. He was a retiring with 23 years of service. After retirement, founding member of the Selway/Bitterroot Foun- Mike started a 17-year career as a charter pilot at dation and was also part of the volunteer group Sunbird Aviation in Belgrade, Montana. that manned the Salmon Mountain Lookout. Bob jumped at Missoula in 1959, ’60, ’62, ’70 and at Bill Adler (McCall ’82) Grangeville in 1961. Bill died January 26, 2017. He lived in Sonoi- ta, Arizona, and grew up in the Bay Area graduat- Brent A. Smith (Redmond ’78) ing from Napa High School. Bill loved the out- Brent, 60, died May 29, 2018, in Louisiana. doors. Just prior to his death by a quickly spread- Colonel Smith, USA, Ret., was originally from ing melanoma, he hiked five miles. Bill jumped at Tonasket, Washington, and will be buried with McCall in 1982-83.

Check the NSA website 39 www.smokejumpers.com Michael P. Utigard (North Cascades ’71) two years in the USAF and was in the reserves un- Mike died May 30, 2018. He spent his teen til 1959. Clyde worked for the USFS as a forester years in Omak (WA) where he went to Omak and ranger all over the Pacific Northwest retiring High School. He played football and was senior in 1988. He then worked the next eight years for class president. Mike jumped at North Cascades the state of Idaho. 1971-76. He studied art at Evergreen College, and his fa- Issac B. Martinez (McCall ’76) vorite mediums were drawing, carving and wood- Ike, 65, died June 10, 2018, at the McCall working. Mike was involved in the family organic Rehabilitation and Care Center. He graduated farm business in Tonasket, Washington. from high school in 1971 and started working for the Payette N.F. 1974 in Council, Idaho. Ike Clyde D. Blake (Missoula ’51) rookied at McCall in 1976 and jumped there until Clyde died June 19, 2018, after a battle with 1980. He retired from the Alamogordo (NM) cancer. He graduated from the University of Mon- Interagency Dispatch Center as Logistics Coordi- tana with a degree in Forestry in 1953. He served nator where he worked for 11 years.

NSA Good Samaritan Fund Contributions

Donor In Memory of/Honor of Rob Shaver (MYC-67) ...... Good Sam Fund Chung family Linda Stoudt ...... Bob Schumaker (MSO-59) Constance Hutson ...... Bob Schumaker (MSO-59) Leonard Wehking (FBX-85) ...... Good Sam Fund) Jeannie/Ken Green ...... Bob Schumaker (MSO-59) Squad VI ...... Bert Tanner, Steve Walker, Willie von Bracht (all MSO-68) Pat Durland (MYC-75) ...... Kevin Hughes (CJ-76) Jon Klingel (CJ-65) ...... Good Sam Fund

Contributions since the previous publication of donors July 2018 Total funds disbursed to smokejumpers and families since 2004 – $153,200. Mail your Good Samaritan Fund contributions to: Chuck Sheley, 10 Judy Ln., Chico CA 95926

Check the NSA website 40 www.smokejumpers.com Snapshots from the Past

Kootenai Forest July 13, and Leonard Krout (MSO-46) continued doing miscellaneous threw out a single set of drift work in the parachute loft as streamers. It didn’t matter; we loft foreman. were going to jump anyway. We were called for a rescue I quickly devised a simple flight at 9 a.m. July 20. One ground signal, since we were of our TMB tankers – this going to remain radio-silent: one rigged for bug spray – was “X” meant “fatal” while “O” overdue. Hardy Sandvig had meant “alive.” been spraying down around It was a rough jump. I got Lost Trail Pass on the Idaho/ to the ground OK, but some by Jeff R. Davis Montana divide, and was an of the guys were scattered and (Missoula ’57) hour past his ETA. one man was hung upside Rescue Jump The senior foreman, Delos down in a juniper tree. We Rescue jumps were neither “Dee” Dutton (MSO-51), yanked him out. The plane routine or welcomed. Whether and I handpicked the crew. was already roaring overhead, it was an injured smokejumper The six buck jumpers were dropping the heavy bundles or one of our mountain pilots Nels Jensen (MSO-62), Dale right on top of us. past his estimated time of ar- Trenouth (MSO-61), Dan We’d arrived over the rival (ETA), we threw out all Hensley (MSO-57), Don downed aircraft a little after 10 the rules when we mounted Haugo (GAC-61), David a.m. By 10:30 eight men and one. Lancaster (GAC-63) and Wil- five cargo bundles were on the When we found the injured liam Locklear (GAC-63). We ground. jumper or the downed aircraft, took off in 67 Victor, John- We hustled down the ridge we disregarded the jump list, son’s DC-2, at 9:25 a.m. with to the tangled TMB and excessive winds or bad terrain. Milton “Cookie” Calloway Hardy Sandvig. He was em- We were going to jump, no at the controls. I didn’t know phatically dead. The aircraft matter what. that familiar DC-2 could fly had an unfortunate flight At the time of my first that fast. Cookie hammered it characteristic of inverting and rescue jump on July 20, 1964, down to Lost Trail Pass on full diving if pulled into too tight I’d had a fairly active season, military power, red-lining it all a turn. That’s what had hap- receiving a call to head up a the way. pened in this case. The twisted booster crew bound for Silver We spotted the TMB im- props were a clear sign that City, N.M., July 5. We flew mediately as it lay crumpled he’d gone straight in with full immediately to Silver in John- near the bottom of a slight power. son’s C-46, and I stayed busy ridge. We also saw what I expected a lot of blood dropping men and supplies for looked like a white parachute when I first viewed the body; the next five days. canopy, strung out near the it was torn up pretty badly. We returned to Missoula aircraft. Our hopes were There was none because the at 2:55 p.m. July 11. I made raised; possibly Sandvig had heart had stopped instantly. another practice jump July 12, survived despite the obvious I quickly ran back up the dropped four jumpers on the wreckage splayed out below us. ridge and laid out the “X”. Parsnip Mountain Fire on the The winds were high as Over the airnet I asked Cookie

Check the NSA website 41 www.smokejumpers.com if he’d seen the signal: “Do Within a half hour of fin- ject to using his body bag, be- you see my “X” down here?” A ishing the helispot, the coroner cause “that bag cost me almost one-word reply: “Yeah.” arrived, and after my two-hour eight dollars, you know.” The impact had exploded association with that slimy son Before one of us could step Hardy out of the cockpit and of a bitch, I’ve detested coro- over and strangle the miserable opened his parachute on im- ners ever since. SOB, he saw the look in our pact. The contents of Hardy’s He delayed for long min- eyes and handed over his pre- pockets had blown free and lay utes from viewing the body cious body bag without further scattered around the body. At so the photographer with him word. his head was a small juniper could take five different shots It took all eight of us to tree; it was festooned with bills of him posing near the chop- pack our heavy burden to the from Hardy’s wallet. There, per. Finally he went down and helispot. We got there at 3:30 stuck in the tree above his pronounced Sandvig dead. p.m. By 4:10 the body was head, was a color photograph Then he counted the money on its way to Missoula and of Hardy and his wife and two scattered about and came up we breathed a sigh of relief. I young daughters. with fifty dollars. We’d already took off in the second chopper It was so poignant I counted the bills and my diary at 4:30, arriving at the North damned near wept. I’ve never showed the exact amount: Fork Ranger Station at 4:45. been able to get that image out $117. Dutton took the bastard We were all shuttled to the of my head. aside and had a quiet little talk Ranger Station by 5:30 p.m., We started immediately with him. He returned the sto- and we left by pickup truck for to cut a helispot. We couldn’t len cash and nothing further the drive to Missoula, arriv- touch the body until a coroner was said. ing there at 8:45 p.m. It was a was on the scene and viewed We were eager to wrap the silent trip for all of us; no one it. We had it done by 1:30 body in the coroner’s rubber had anything to say. p.m.; I never cut a chopper- body bag and get it to the If it had turned into a true spot that fast. For years I car- helispot and back to Hardy’s rescue and we’d brought Hardy ried a large clasp knife with the widow, now probably notified out alive, there would have large blade broken in half; I of the tragedy and waiting at been chattering all the way used it to snap the metal band- Missoula County Airport. The home. Not on this trip, it ing off the chainsaw box. f—-ing coroner started to ob- scarred us all.

Jerry Chisum: At The Controls Wherever You Find Him by Lee Gossett (Redding ’57)

[Editor’s note: Lee’s story refers to the April 2018 for a flight back to Fairbanks. Smokejumper magazine article by Don Havel (FBX- As we loaded our gear in the Cessna 180, I no- 66) “Do You Remember the B-25?”] ticed this “young kid” pilot who was going to fly us back to Fairbanks, and he looked to be 15 years first met Jerry Chisum in 1963, my last season old. I sat up front with the pilot who turned out to as a smokejumper in Fairbanks. Three of us be Jerry Chisum. Ijumpers were flown by helicopter to an airstrip Being a commercial pilot myself at the time, I on the Yukon River to a waiting BLM Cessna 180 studied his every move, and it didn’t take long to

Check the NSA website 42 www.smokejumpers.com figure out this “kid” really knew his stuff. been approved. Jerry took my room in a guesthouse The next time I saw Jerry was during the summer in Saigon, and off I went to Vientiane. of 1966 in Fairbanks. I had put in a year as an Air As my wife and I were leaving Laos on our America kicker following my 1963 season in Alaska first annual leave, who should show up in Vien- but decided I needed to “move up the food chain” tiane? None other than Jerry Chisum. I tossed Jerry and become an employed pilot. the keys to our house and my Mazda pickup for I left Air America and headed for New Zealand his use during his stay in Vientiane. Jerry is now and my first flying job as a crop duster. After the a Platus Porter captain with Air America based in season finished, I returned to Oregon and flew fire Saigon. patrol for the 1965 season. Many years passed and just by chance, I heard Wanting to return to Air America as a pilot, I Jerry’s name mentioned on a visit to New Zealand, knew I needed to add bush pilot to my resume. Off where my wife, Mary, is from. Sure enough, it’s the I went to Alaska for the summer of 1966 and flew same Jerry Chisum, and we met up again after more a Cessna 180 for the BLM. than 30 years. Now Jerry is flying everything in the BLM fleet, Jerry had immigrated to New Zealand, married but the prize was the “Pink Lady,” a P-51, painted a beautiful Kiwi girl, and was flying an F-27 on a pink and equipped with two drop tanks of exter- night mail run. We reconnected and have stayed nal fuel. Jerry could stay aloft for eight hours and in touch since then. We have spent time with Jerry covered most of Northern Alaska without refuel- and Jan in New Zealand, and they have spent time ing. Now Jerry looked all of 16 years old. with us in Oregon. After the 1966 season in Alaska, Air America of- Jerry is a highly respected pilot in New Zealand fered me a pilot position, so off I went to Saigon in and is one of the “chosen few” who was selected to late 1966. After several months, who should show fly the World War I replica aircraft at special air up in Saigon? None other than Jerry Chisum. shows. Ask any pilot in New Zealand, and he or she I had requested a transfer to Vientiane, Laos, will know Jerry Chisum. If it has wings, then Jerry where I had been as a kicker, and my request had has flown it.

ODDS AND ENDS by Chuck Sheley In a footnote in Jack’s last letter, he Congratulations and thanks to George said he had walked 5,190 miles in Steele (NCSB-72), David Chris- the past 60 months and is going for tensen (MYC-52), and Don Sten- 10,000. I’m guessing that most of berg (BOI-74) who just became the miles are to the library where he our latest Life Members. does a lot of his work. Keep it up, Ravalli County District Court Jack. Judge Jim Haynes (MSO-82) an- Lee Gossett (RDD-57): “A group nounced his retirement (April 2018) of 45, including six family members after more than 15 years on the bench. of Roland Harry Korvinius Andersen Jim was a graduate of the Univ. of (GAC-52), better know as “Big Andy,” met Montana School of Law and practiced in Wenatchee, Washington, at the Coast in Hamilton for 20 years. Wenatchee Center Hotel to bid farewell to It is always good to hear from Jack an old friend and former smokejumper who Demmons (MSO-50) when he sends in his passed on December 12, 2017. Big Andy didn’t “Blast From the Past” column for this magazine. want any sort of service, but many of us felt

Check the NSA website 43 www.smokejumpers.com he owed us a memorial. Many of those present out such a good account of all the jumpers.” were former smokejumper/Agency mates that Recently I was communicating with a mem- served in Southeast Asia and other hot spots ber about finding the smokejumper who was the around the globe. oldest when he/she was actively jumping. “Big Andy was present at the CIA ceremony, I went right to Murry Taylor (RDD-65) and May 24, 2017, that honored three of our fellow got this reply: “My last season was 2000 and I smokejumpers that died in the line of duty while was 59. BLM in Alaska, especially Tom Boat- on a cargo resupply mission in Laos in 1961. ner (FBX-80) and Jim Raudenbush (FBX-82), Ken Hessel (MYC-58) also attended the cer- worked with the overhead up there to allow me emony and wrote a great article in the October to keep jumping even though I was over the 57 2017 issue of Smokejumper about the ceremony. limit. I had a break in service at one point and “Big Andy had quite a history, being a smoke- needed the extra time to get full retirement and jumper, Air America pilot, Intermountain pilot, they let me do it. I’m proud to say that I passed and finishing his career as a USFS lead plane the Super PT test (the run for your job test) ev- pilot. I first met Big Andy in January 1964 in ery time, on the first try. I finished with 205 fire Vientiane, Laos, when we were both with Air jumps and 375 total, not a great record, but glad America. They broke the mold with Big Andy.” I got to 200 fire jumps. My last year was the year “Ozzie” Bender (MSO-47): “I was reading that Jumping Fire came out, a fine ending to my years excellent article in our magazine by Ben Smith as a smokejumper.” (MSO-64). I never met him, but his father, Bob Reid (MSO-57) comes close to Murry and Glenn (MSO-40), was called ‘Smitty’ around certainly had the longest break in service of any- Missoula in 1947-48. He was one of the originals, one. After jumping at Missoula 1957, ’59 and along with the Derry’s, and only had one eye and ’60, he went into the USAF. After 35 years he was a rigger and originally a ‘barnstormer’ from came back and jumped a year at Redding (1995) California, and he also composed ditties. The at age 57. Wow! one I remember most is ‘Everybody ready said John Spencer (NCSB-98) turned 58 last April and the spotter looking up?’ to the tune of the Battle has been jumping since his rookie year. Three Hymn of the Republic. pretty amazing guys. “When I went to the Bob Marshall Wilder- Fred Ebel (MSO-57) sent along a good article from ness Area on a Trail Crew Project a couple of the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, newspaper. Retired years ago, none of the jumpers in the group Lt. Col. Carl Gidlund (MSO-58) was the main seemed to know that song. speaker at a Memorial Day ceremony in McEuen “I wonder if you could tell me the name of Park in that community. Carl’s message was excel- the jumper who appeared in a photograph in lent and timely. the Smokejumper magazine a couple of years The “Mann Gulch Doug,” housed at the Mu- ago with Bob Crow (MSO-46) and Jim Ward seum of Mountain Flying, will potentially take (MSO-46)? I can’t remember their first names, part in the 75th anniversary of D-Day. There is but these guys were all from 1947. Ward was work to be done and airworthiness regulations from Portland, Oregon, area and Crow was from to be completed. Stay tuned. Miles City, MT. Crow was one of the 7 other “Swede” Troedsson (MSO-59) passed along a guys that carried Carroll Rieck (MSO-46) out remembrance of a jump he made in Redding after he broke his back falling out of a lodge- in 1959: “In late July 1959, 17 of us Missoula pole when his chute collapsed. Ward sold his ’81 jumpers, led by Al Cramer (MSO-43), flew to Harley to me and another jumper, Cliff Euwema Redding. (MSO-46) for $600 in 1947. We rode it back to “On July 25, 13 of us were dispatched to the Michigan where we were both in College. Water Gulch Fire located on the shore of Lake “I have enjoyed the Smokejumper magazine Shasta. Upon arrival we observed that there was very much and look forward to receiving it every a line around the fire. While circling around the quarter. You should be commended for putting fire and over the lake, we saw recreational mo-

Check the NSA website 44 www.smokejumpers.com torboats circling to watch the jump show. who is living in Thailand and receives this maga- “My jump partner and I were kicked out zine via the internet. After jumping the 1959 early and landed on the lakeshore close to the and ’60 seasons, Barrie joined the 101st Airborne water. A motorboat roared up to us and offered and became a helicopter pilot in the 1st Air Cav. to take us to join the rest of the crew. We gladly He participated in the battle of the la Drang Val- accepted. ley in November 1965 and received the Bronze “The rest of the jumpers landed in a tall brush Star. For a very interesting interview with Barrie, field. They were commenting that the brush had go to Youtube and type in “Warrant Officer Bar- provided such a cushy landing. It turned out the rie Turner.” Good to hear from you Barrie. fire was already contained, so we gathered our After 25 years as a founder and executive di- gear and returned to Redding. rector of the Museum of Mountain Flying in “Little did we realize that the brush was poi- Missoula, Stan Cohen (Associate) has resigned son oak. As I recall, six of our crew were off the from the museum. “Just getting older, some jump list for two weeks recuperating from a poi- health problems but still keeping busy writing son oak infection.” and publishing and shipping books. Will miss Got an email from Barrie Turner (MSO-59) meeting old jumpers as they visit.”

THE JUMP LIST

The "Jump List" is intended to bring you up-to-date on your fellow NSA members. Send your information to Chuck Sheley; see his contact information on page 3 of this magazine.

MIKE BINA (Missoula ’68) Mike enjoys running, Mike vividly recalls Bases jumped: MSO - woodworking and writing, going through U.S. Army Now living in: Baltimore, Md. which he will have more parachute training after his Since jumping: Mike has time to do when he retires. smokejumping days. He can served as president of The Two projects that provide still hear the drill sergeants Maryland School for the Blind great “therapy” for him are angrily getting on “his case.” in Baltimore since 2008. He restoring a 1952 Ford Pickup The drill sergeants’ “red- and his wife, Mary, have three and building a 5x12 foot adult children, two grand- O-scale train layout which children, and two Llewellin includes exact replicas of each (English) Setters. of the homes his family has At 71, he is confident he lived in, including models of could still jump, land, and if all the family vehicles. Thus necessary get down safely from far he has been able to keep a “hang up,” dig fireline, and secret from his wife the truck get back to the base. He awaits restoration cost. Periodically, a call from the dispatcher she will probe, “Let me have in the event of a shortage of it again – exactly how much jumpers. He could use the money do you have into this extra income and misses the project?” The good news: No adventure and camaraderie of special prosecutor has been fellow jumpers. named. That is, yet. Mike Bina (Courtesy M. Bina)

Check the NSA website 45 www.smokejumpers.com faced and yelling displeasure” During college, he worked at the Texas, Indiana, Hadley, was due to Mike’s confusion two years on the Nine-Mile and Perkins schools for the over the Army Airborne’s Hotshot crew and two as a blind. Mike is currently board Standard Operating Procedure Missoula smokejumper. chairman of the United States which conflicted with the Following college, he Association for Blind Athletes. smokejumper parachute served three years during the In this role, he attended the landing fall. He estimates Vietnam era as a U.S. Army 2016 Paralympics in Rio de he did 10,000 push-ups as Special Forces military intel- Janeiro. discipline for not doing “it” ligence officer. After military Mike says: “Every time I fly, I the “Army way.” This just service, Mike earned a master’s look out the window and proves old habits are hard to degree in Special Education imagine jumping again. I break. Bina admits when no in 1972 from California State dream of going to the back of drill sergeants were around on University, Los Angeles, which the plane, hooking up, negoti- Army jumps, his landings were three years ago honored him ating with God for a safe smokejumper PLFs. as a distinguished alumnus. landing, jumping, being hit Mike began his career in He taught and coached at with the prop blast, and after 1966 teaching swimming the Wisconsin School for the seeing a full canopy overhead, to students at the South Visually Impaired, 1973-78, marveling at the quiet calm at Dakota School for the Blind then earned a doctorate from 1,000 feet. What a thrill, and Visually Impaired, while the University of Northern pleasure, and honor it was to earning his bachelor’s degree Colorado in 1980. Mike has have jumped. Only a few know at Northern State University. served in leadership positions and have had the privilege.”

Sexual Harassment…There Is More To It by Don Maypole (Idaho City ’54)

ightly so, many women are finding their women emphasized that the harasser’s behavior was voices to publicly describe experiencing unwanted. This understanding is supported by C. A. Rsexual harassment at work. Politicians, MacKinnon’s definition, “the unwanted imposition movie stars, and businessmen have been identified of sexual requirements in the context of a relation- as harassers. But there is much more to the prob- ship of unequal power.” lem than just these events. This definition aids us in understanding the ap- In the early 1980s, I conducted a research project proach and the response to the rejection behaviors to determine the incidence of sexual harassment of by the perpetrator, as well as the possibility of a white-collar workers (social workers in public and hostile environment. The approach can involve non-profit agencies). Taking into account that the sexually-nuanced language and touching. The per- incidence of harassment is based on the perception petrator’s response to the rejection could be punish- of the victim, the reported rate for women was 36 ment in some fashion, and the hostile environment percent and for men, 14 percent. could be cultural or physical, such as suggestive The harassers were identified as supervisors, pictures on the wall. coworkers and clients. Seventy five percent of the The study victims were asked about what they victimized women were between 25 and 44 years did in three categories: conflict avoidance, dif- of age. fusion, confrontation. In conflict avoidance, the Most of the women saw the problem in terms victim looks the other way or leaves the situation, of the dominance of men over women. Moreover, whereas in diffusion, the victim tries to minimize

Check the NSA website 46 www.smokejumpers.com their jobs. But there are other recourses available to victims, such as through Titles VII and IX of the Civil Rights Act, criminal law, and state employ- ment laws. In some states, professional organizations may consider complaints as breaches of professional ethics and licenses can be withdrawn. Is the phenomenon of sexual harassment differ- ent between the 1980s and now? Doubtful. But the cultural wave of change is expanding. Although it has been long in coming, the genie is now out of the bottle. As potential or actual perpetrators under- stand their vulnerability in their own work and personal lives, they may be led to curtail their be- havior.

Dr. Maypole was the first director of the Department of Social Work at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and has taught and/or consulted in universities and agencies in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Get Smokejumper Don Maypole (Courtesy D. Maypole) One Month Earlier it. With confrontation, the victim uses a power play NSA members are signing up for the electronic or negotiation. version of Smokejumper that is delivered via email. The responses of the victimized women in the It is sent in a PDF file that contains everything study were unambiguous. With supervisors, they that is in the hard copy issue. tried to avoid the harasser; with co-workers, they The advantages are: early delivery (a month tried to defuse the situation; and with clients, to ahead of USPS), ease of storage, and NSA postal reason. No one attempted confrontation or any expense savings. If you like the hard copy, you can form of legal recourse. download and print it at home. These responses reinforced an understanding NSA Director Fred Cooper (NCSB-62) says: of the importance of the supervisor’s control over “I will opt to have my magazines delivered elec- working conditions such as pay, assignment of tronically rather than via USPS to save us direct clients, promotions, effectiveness reports, etc. How- $ in printing and mailing, not to mention your ever, avoiding someone working at the next desk is hand labor in processing. I think I mentioned in another matter. an earlier message that I’m having other maga- The acceptance of the work group is vitally zines/newsletters delivered electronically. It takes important. The victim may try to underplay the ha- less space to store them electronically and if I do rassment and even join in with jokes. This demon- want a hard copy, it is easy to print using the Fast strates that the victim accepts the behavioral norms Draft printer option which allows printing 48 of the work group. The potential fear and anxiety pages in less than two minutes on my printer and provoked by victimization can create psychosomatic uses a lot less ink.” problems, impaired social relations, and reduced If you want to be added to the electronic mail- effectiveness in one’s work. ing, contact Editor Chuck Sheley (CJ-59): cnkg- Victims are turning now to the mass media for [email protected]. social justice. Many of the perpetrators have lost

Check the NSA website 47 www.smokejumpers.com BLAST FROM THE PAST by Jack Demmons (Missoula ’50) know Wag Dodge. They knew The Daily Missoulian, their squadleader. In facing May 1, 1988 death it is natural to follow the one they knew, certainly not Widow Remembers Wag Dodge whom they evi- Mann Gulch dently “knew not” or trusted? I am sure the Forest Service has I am the former Mrs. Wagner remedied the foregoing… Dodge (MSO-41). He was the Smokejumper friends (I can foreman on the horrendous, not recall any “who shunned heartbreaking, 1949 Mann The “grim reaper” had come him”) made a cross out of parts Gulch Fire. Although Wag to share our home. Because of of the Trimotor engraved with physically lived through that medical expenses, I returned to the words “R. Wagner Dodge fire, he died that day. employment at Fort Missoula – Friend of the Forest.” Smoke- When a smokejumper friend and later as secretary to Jack jumpers and other friends of drove Wag to our home after the Barrows at the Northern Forest Wag’s, in a Trimotor piloted by fire, his first words were, “The Fire Laboratory. Wag’s transfer Bob Johnson, scattered Wag’s Old Boy upstairs has been rid- to the Powell R.S. ultimately ashes and dropped the cross in ing in my hind pocket.” proved to be a blessing for him. a remote wilderness area of the One of the Missoulian’s ar- However, I could not be with Powell R.D. The cross was later ticles stated, “Ultimately, he Wag at the station. I deeply retrieved and permanently set as (Dodge) was blackballed, he felt that he needed me. When a monument. As we made that was shunned by the jumpers.” an unwelcome guest invades horseback trip into the wilder- That is not true. He did not your home permanently, it is ness, memory tells me there die at the age of 30. He died necessary to become actors – were jumpers with us. The front in his 39th year, at St. Patrick great pretenders – in order to page of the Missoula Sentinel, Hospital, and at the time of his give each other courage and June 2, 1955, had a picture of passing he was surrounded by strength and normalcy during a Trimotor and Dick Johnson smokejumper friends and Bud waking hours. As one attempts holding the cross, accompa- Moore from the Powell Ranger restful sleep, believe me, blood nied by an article stating, “Wag Station (RS). His doctor called does run cold. We needed each Dodge returned to the land he me out and asked, “Who are all other. loved.” these people? Is it necessary?” My prayers for the survivors Fortunately, I have a great My reply: “They are all his of these young men who lost capacity for remembering only friends and want to be with him their lives in that fire were, that which was good, happy, as long as possible.” and are, that time and Mother healthful and beautiful. To me At the time of Wag’s trans- Nature decreases whatever bit- life is like driving a car: Quick fer from the smokejumpers terness they rightfully had and glances in the rearview mirror to the Powell R.S., I was the will forever be a part of their are most necessary, but in too only one who harbored bit- lives. many cases cause difficulties on terness because of the timing. These young men did not the road ahead.

Check the NSA website 48 www.smokejumpers.com