Winter 2013 ▲ Vol. 2 Issue 4 ▲ Produced and distributed quarterly by the Wildland Lessons Learned Center

What if you lost nine of your fellow crew members—almost half your crew? Kim Lightley knows. That’s Kim circled in white in the 1994 Prineville Interagency photo (upper left). This picture is taken just two days before these Oregon hotshots are

assigned to Colorado’s South . That’s the blow-up (upper right) on this incident that takes the lives of 14 , including nine of Kim’s fellow crew members. Taking Care of Our Own

We are dedicating this issue of Two More Chains to the theme of “Taking Care of Our Own.” Kim’s story is a powerful account of the

devastating impacts that this traumatic event had on her life. Today, this former hotshot speaks to other firefighters—sharing her

journey to recovery. This issue also shares Ben Goble’s story. The Supervisor of the Ahtanum Initial Attack Crew, Ben lost two of his

crew members last September to an off-duty traffic accident. His message: It is imperative that our focus shifts to taking care of

those who remain. You’ll see that we try to address this essential theme for you—taking care of each other—throughout this issue.

Kim Lightley

Taking Care of Our Own

South Canyon Fire Survivor Kim Lightley’s Long Journey Home

By Paul Keller

Kim Lightley remembers studying the fatal Mann Gulch Fire members,” Kim recalls. “But I also think, at that moment, I at fire guard school (what we now call a “basic fire dismissed that thought and those emotions with:

academy”) in 1989. ‘It could never happen to me’.”

“As I sat in that classroom, I probably felt some sadness for Unfortunately, 5 years later, on the afternoon of July 6, 1994, it does.

the firefighters who lost their lives and for the family [Continued on Page 3]

In this Issue

How do we know this job is dangerous? Page 2 Q & A with South Canyon Fire Survivor Kim Lightley Page 6

Lending a fellow a hand Page 7 Are you ready for a traumatic event? What’s in your Crew Boss Kit? Page 8

Insights from a supervisor who lost two crew members Page 9 1

Ground By Travis Dotson

Fire Management Specialist Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center Truths [email protected]

How Do We Know This Job is Dangerous?

Answer this question: “How do we know fighting fire is increase or decrease risk. But the decision to take action dangerous?” kicks it all off.

If you are like me, you say: “Because people get hurt and Putting the call out to drop the blade, spin rotors, or fire-out killed doing it.” Right? It’s dangerous because people die. But the next road unleashes the greatest risk—at any stage of our goal is to operate safely. What does that look like? Easy, attack. And we often make that decision unconsciously no one gets hurt or dies. Right? So, if we figured out a way to because we are just doing what we have always done. (“Let’s operate where no one got hurt or killed, this would cease to take a recon flight.” “Let’s put in some check line.” “Let’s be a dangerous job. back off to the next road.”)

I know it seems like I’m Avoid the Fight chasing my tail here, but “Supreme excellence consists of breaking the Are we being honest? bear with me. enemy's resistance without fighting.” I don’t think we always

What happens when you acknowledge the real risk on ask the question in a – Sun Tzu, The Art of War the front end—only after different way? something bad happens. Overall, our strategy Do you think this is a continues to boil down to: dangerous job? (Always a “Let’s do what we did last resounding “YES!” from everyone.) time and hope nothing bad happens.” This works out a vast majority of the time (making us think we did the right thing). Do you think we can fight fire safely? I just don’t think we hear ourselves sometimes: “Let’s go Different people answer this second question in different ahead and continue to try and stop this fire in lodgepole pine ways. I have found that the people who emphatically answer in the middle of August—after a month of doing the same— “Yes” to this question are on either end of our position with no forecasted change in conditions. But remember—no spectrum: Those at the entry level and those at the trees or bushes are worth dying for!” administration level. Why is that?

If we start acknowledging that it’s not “safe” to fight fire, Every Time We Mobilize maybe it will make us think of ways to avoid the fight (just The new folks believe we can do this job safely because we like we should have learned in grade school). After all: tell them we can when we say things like: “Here is a list of things that will keep you safe…” “Safety first!” “Fight fire “Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's aggressively having provided for safety first” etc. resistance without fighting.”

– Sun Tzu, The Art of War The administrators believe it’s true because: 1) We tell them it’s true; and 2) It makes things really complicated if it isn’t Trust me, I believe there is a right time and a right place to true. Who wants to consciously ask someone to risk their fight. I just don’t think it’s as often as we have made it out to lives because people keep calling about “that smoke”? be.

Every time we mobilize and take action we are risking the Lead up, Tool Swingers. loss of life or limb, and our brothers and sisters die every year, making this a dangerous job.

My point is the job is dangerous—not the way we do the job. I know, I know. The way we carry out the mission can 2

[Continued from Page 1] It is the sixth day of July, 1994. Kim, age 23, is enjoying her third season aboard the Prineville Interagency Hotshot Crew. So far, she says, it has been a super-busy “awesome” year.

Her crew has just helicoptered onto a ridge on western Colorado’s South Canyon Fire. [See summary box on right.] The first group of nine unloads and is sent to help improve the fireline down below the ridge. Kim and the remaining ten Prineville Hotshots, along with other firefighters, stay on top of this main ridge to hammer line through Gambel oak.

Within a few hours, sudden 45 mph dry, cold-front winds hit the steep, preheated hillside and fan flames up toward the firefighters.

“We were ordered to run up the ridge to a safety zone,” Kim says. “But Photo of fatal blow-up taken at 1611 hours looking down—southwest— the 200-foot flame front had other plans for our escape. toward the “West Flank” fireline where firefighters died.

“As billowing black smoke and a wall of red approached us, we had to 14 Firefighters Perish as They Try to Outrun the Flames retreat back down the ridge.” On July 2, 1994, seven miles west of Glenwood Springs, Colo., lightning

ignites a Bureau of Land Management fire in pinyon-pine juniper on a “But the 200-foot flame front had other plans ridge at the base of Storm King Mountain. The fire is paralleled by two deep canyons.

for our escape.” The past two days, lightning has started 40 new on this BLM District.

The entire general area, in a one-year drought, is experiencing low “Dolmars of chain saw fuel were exploding humidities and record-high temperatures.

from the heat.” Over the next two days, the South Canyon Fire increases in size. Visible

from Interstate 70 and nearby residential areas, the public becomes “That wall of flames thundered toward us—along with concerned. Some initial attack resources are assigned. At the end of July 5, frantic yells—and a sense of pending death the fire is 50 acres. The next afternoon, on July 6, it spreads to for our fellow crew members below us approximately 2,000 acres when a dry cold front moves into the fire area. As winds and fire activity increases, the fire makes several rapid runs on that mountain.” within the existing burn—in dense, highly flammable Gambel oak.

Fourteen firefighters perish as they try to outrun the flames. The remaining firefighters survive either by escaping down a deep drainage or “The roar of the fire,” Kim says of what she heard as she ran, “was like a by seeking a safety area and deploying their fire shelters. hundred railroad trains. Dolmars of chain saw fuel were exploding from the heat. Staff Ride to the South Canyon Fire: “That wall of flames thundered toward us—along with frantic yells— http://www.fireleadership.gov/toolbox/staffride/library_staff_ride9.html and a sense of pending death for our fellow crew members below us on that mountain.”

Impact Her Life Forever “So, against all common sense, we dove down into a ravine on the opposite side of the mountain from where the fire was raging [see photo next page]. The Gambel oak was so thick that we had to practically swim underneath the brush to get through the vegetation. “Ashes and embers were falling around us—like snowfall in winter.”

Kim and 10 other Prineville IHC crew members assigned to the top of the ridge—along with more than 20 other firefighters—defy the odds and successfully make it off the hill that day. Kim’s nine other crew- mates—along with five more firefighters—do not. These 14 people never come home from South Canyon.

And while Kim does return home, she has no realization of—or game plan for—the emotional and physical distress and trauma that still await her.

Am I Going to Return to the Hotshot Crew? Of the five women on her crew, Kim is the only one to survive the South Canyon Fire. Her first week home, she and her 10 surviving crewmates travel across Oregon to attend the funerals “of our nine

The Prineville Hotshots—on July 6, 1994—unload their gear/red bags before being [Continued on Page 4] helicoptered up to the South Canyon Fire (in background). Kim Lightley is in middle of photo (with braid) with her back toward the camera. 3

[Continued from Page 3] beloved brothers and sisters who lost their lives on Storm King Mountain.”

In the immediate aftermath of this horrendous event, Kim says she knew she had to make a decision: “Am I going to return to the hotshot crew?”

“I was in a lot of grief at that time. It was terribly painful. To have something like this happen pretty much stabbed me in the heart. So I decided not to return that summer. And I wasn’t the only one who chose not to go back.”

Kim explains that fire managers viewed the surviving hotshot crew members as a unit. “Because the unit seemed to act OK, they thought that each crew member was fine. But, individually, I was not OK.”

A Lot of Death Going On When Kim decides not to go back on the crew, because she has a degree in biology, the District managers decide to insert this firefighter on the fish survey crew. “I think they thought: ‘She’ll go out and she’ll have a good summer with the fish guys’.”

Reverse effect time. The deep “East Drainage” escape route that Kim and the other firefighters positioned on top of the “Main Ridge”—to left in “So they put me on this crew and we would go out and shock fish,” Kim photo—are forced to descend down to Interstate 70. recalls. “They would come belly up.” Kim extends both her arms out, palms up, as if she is carrying something. “And they wouldn’t come back to life. There was a lot of death going on. So I didn’t last too long on the fish crew.” Kim can smile about the sad irony of it all now. But she wasn’t smiling a whole lot back then.

Before joining the Prineville Hotshots, during her three seasons on a neighboring District’s engine crew, Kim enjoyed her stints as a “relief” fire tower lookout. “The District managers knew this. They thought this would be a perfect location and occupation for me. At the time, I did, too.” So, Kim is now sent up to a tower. “I took my dog with me. We sat up on that butte for two months. There was a lot of isolation. I went hours and days without speaking to people. No human interaction happened. Looking back now,” Kim reflects, “that may have been the catalyst to my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” [Continued on Page 5]

South Canyon Fire

The Firefighters on the Incident When Fatal Blow-Up Occurs

Prineville Hotshots Who Perish Kathi Beck, Tami Bickett, Scott Belcha, Levi Brinkley [pictured top row, l to r]; Terri Hagen, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Jon Kelso [pictured 2nd row down, l to r]; and Doug Dunbar [pictured 3rd row down, 3rd from left].

Prineville Hotshots Who Survive

Bill Baker, Kip Gray, Tony Johnson, Brian Lee, Louie Navarro, Tom Rambo,

Alex Robertson, Bryan Scholz, Tom Shepard, Mike Simmons, and Kim

(Valentine) Lightley.

Smokejumpers Who Perish Jim Thrash [pictured 3rd row down, 1st on left]; Roger Roth and Don Mackey [pictured bottom row, l to r].

Smokejumpers Who Survive Sonny Archuleta, Sarah Doehring, Kevin Erickson, Eric Hipke, Michael Cooper, Mike Feliciano, Dale Longanecker, Tony Petrilli, Quentin Rhoades, Eric Shelton, Sonny Soto, Bill Thomas, and Keith Woods.

Helitack Crew Who Perish Richard Tyler [pictured 3rd row down, 2nd on left] and Robert Browing [pictured 3rd row down, on far right].

BLM/U.S. Forest Service Firefighters Who Survive Todd Abott, Butch Blanco, Jim Byers, Eric Christianson, Mike Hayes, Loren Paulson, Brian Rush, Michelle Ryerson, and Neal Shunk. [Continued from Page 4]

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Nightmares and Flashbacks Over the next 12 months, Kim experiences nightmares and flashbacks. She has an ongoing compulsion to visit the gravesites of her fallen comrades. “That’s where I would let down my guard and sob. I was carrying around a fake smile—so folks didn’t know I was in so much pain. I had a lot of survivor’s guilt. I believed 100 percent that I should have died on that mountain with my friends.”

Kim explains: “I got accustomed to the pain. I couldn’t imagine living without the hurt. Therefore, every time I laughed, I felt guilt. Every time something good happened to me, I felt guilty.”

Then, on July 6 of 1995, the one-year anniversary/reunion to commemorate the firefighter fatalities is planned at South Canyon. “Everyone was going back to Glenwood Springs,” Kim says. “I didn’t know if I should go. I didn’t want to see that mountain again. I didn’t even want to say the word ‘Colorado’.”

The young firefighter finally decides to return to the South Canyon Fire “We were having fun,” Kim Lightley (on left) says of this photo—taken accident site. on ’s Dunnigan in 1992—with her Prineville Hotshot buddies Bonnie Holtby (middle) and Ellen Hollander. “When I climbed up to that ridge and came across the very first cross, it was my good friend Bonnie Holtby—her cross.” Kim says she sat down and began to weep profusely. “I suddenly realized that I hadn’t mourned for Bonnie that year. I felt like I hadn’t done her justice. There were just too many deaths to really grieve—to really mourn for all of them. It sent me back into more guilt.”

Getting Rid of Survivor’s Guilt Another troubled year passes. “Finally,” Kim says, “in 1996, I had the courage to say that I need help.”

Unfortunately, the first two counselors she tries can’t provide this help.

“I believed 100 percent that I should have died PTSD Triggers: on that mountain with my friends.”

“It’s Like ‘Black Leg’—You Scrub and Scrub “Finally, in 1996, I had the courage to say But You Can’t Get the Ash Out of Your Pores” that I need help.” Just going to the beach can be a “trigger” for South Canyon Fire survivor Kim Lightley’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder condition. Determined to kick-start an effective recovery process, Kim goes to

On a recent trip to the Oregon Coast, she pulled up and got out of the a third counselor. “This woman was awesome. She is a specialist in car. “I noticed something physically different in my chest—a pressure. EDMR.” [Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing I immediately identified the sound of the ocean. The roar. I immed- http://www.emdr-therapy.com/emdr.html ]. “She knew what iately reflected back to that [Storm King] mountain. The roar.” ‘trauma’ was. She knew what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is. We set to work working out the grief. After a while, I didn’t have to go For Kim, the following sounds and sights can all be PTSD triggers: back to the grave sites all the time. I got rid of some of that yelling, trains, sirens, wind storms, the sounds of wind through tree survivor’s guilt. Together with my counselor, we were working branches, traffic, airplanes, helicopters, retardant planes, smoke through all these things.” columns, black smoke . . . ‘I Should Have Died on July 6, 1994’ “The mind keeps the memory. It’s like a tattoo,” Kim explains. “It’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be a persistent, obstinate condition. like ‘black leg’—you scrub and scrub but you can’t get the ash out of Kim knows. In 2005—11 years after South Canyon—the former your pores. Trauma is like that. It stays in the secret compartments hotshot—once again—cannot shake her powerful, heartfelt realization of your brain. When you’re least expecting it, it will rise up and scare that: “I should have died on July 6, 1994.” the crap out of you. That’s a trigger.” She calls that counselor—whom Video Kim says that these triggers, today, don’t have the same she hadn’t seen in years—and shares this death revelation with Critical Incident Stress overwhelming impact that they originally did after she returned Management Video – Includes Kim home from her South Canyon Fire experience. her. “In so many words,” Kim Lightley in 2008 sharing her South remembers, “she said: ‘Get your Canyon Fire experience: “It took a lot of work,” she assures, “to work through these sights, rear in here. We have some work http://bit.ly/1095wTNWFLcismvideo sounds, smells, taste, and touch triggers.” to do’.” [Continued on Page 6]

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Q & A with South Canyon Fire Survivor Kim Lightley Q: What key insights from your South Canyon Fire experience can you share with current wildland firefighters and their supervisors? A: “Don’t think for a second that if you bring in a CISM [Critical Incident Stress Management] team directly following an incident, that you’re done. You’ve just started. Physical wounds last a long time. Mental wounds can last a lifetime. You have to find a way to stay connected with your people—especially seasonal firefighters. Find a way to follow up at three months, six months, one year after a traumatic event. There is no magic timeline when folks will recover. Be prepared. Have resources in your back pocket (trauma therapist, clergy, the Wildland Firefighter Foundation [see “Shop Talk” on page 8], EAP [Employee Assistance Program], peer support).

I know the AAR is part of the wildland fire agency policy today. I like it. I hope people take it seriously and talk about their day. Review what happened, what was successful, what could have gone better, and how they may improve next time. Simply, I hope people TALK. Talking to fellow firefighters who ‘Get it’. I can’t stress this one enough. Peer Support is where it’s at. The greatest help (mentally) I ever received in the past 18 years has been talking to fellow firefighters who ‘Get it’. It doesn't matter if they are wildland or structural. The fact that they lost comrades, or experienced flashbacks, or had excessive anxiety over sights, sounds, smells, taste, or touch—that was validation that I was OK. By peers talking with peers who have experienced similar traumas, you get validation. You get encouragement. And you get Hope. And remember, a trauma for one firefighter may be a routine event for another.” The First Step to Healing

Q: Who is responsible for taking care of those In 2006, the deputy chief of Kim’s local department asks Kim to speak to involved in traumatic events? his graduating rookie structural class. “It was epic,” says Kim. Prior to this, she had A: “We all are. From the WO to the FMO. And this never before spoken publicly about her personal path to recovery down her long and bumpy PTSD road. “I fell in love with speaking and sharing my story. By my doing so, it responsibility also lies with every single firefighter. You can’t gave others permission to speak.” rely on the ‘agency’ to make things right. Firefighters need to take the ownership to recognize when a fellow firefighter Since then, Kim has become a strong advocate for taking care of surviving coworkers needs some help. Management at the District level also needs in the aftermath of critical incidents. Employed as a fulltime research chemist and mother of a 10-year-old daughter (Kim’s husband, Bob Lightley, worked as a to have pre-incident contacts in place (mental health officials for 14 years), Kim still manages to travel around the country sharing her trained in trauma). This way, when an incident occurs, there is “Journey to Recovery Following the Storm King ” presentation. She no guesswork about what to do next. emphasizes and explains the need for critical incident stress management and follow-

We all need to make observations and be aware when folks are up after a near miss or line of duty death. not doing well. Know your people. Know when you see The wide variety of groups Kim has spoken to include: USFS and BLM fire refreshers; someone deviating in behavior—excessive drinking, anger, Missoula Smokejumpers; BLM Leadership Team in Alaska; U.S. Fish and Wildlife irritability. The physical and mental stress of can Service’s Region 8 FMO Team Meeting in South Carolina; USFS Region 6 Line Officers have negative impacts on individuals. The cumulative effect of and Forest Supervisors; CISM Fire Peer Support Team Meeting with the BLM, USFS, and BIA in Tucson, Ariz.; and the USFS Type 3, 4, 5 IC Workshop in northern Idaho. difficult decision making, physical demands, potential threats to safety, long durations away from home, can adversely affect In 2007, Kim signed on as a facilitator with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation the wildland firefighter. Measures to reduce stress reactions in this organization’s “Taking Care of Our Own” training program. “It covers pre- are critical. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) incident planning, survivor notification, family and coworker support, and benefits and has developed Stress First Aid (SFA), a training program to resources available to the families,” Kim informs. (She says its website has “a ton” of information: http://www.firehero.org/training/.) identify those at risk and help reduce the likelihood that these stress reactions will develop into more severe or long-term As reflected in her talks, Kim says she is also interested in the “human factors” relating problems. SFA offers a flexible set of seven core actions that to the decision making process when stress, fear, and panic enter the equation. can help firefighters address and mediate stress reactions. [For “When I was in the depths of PTSD—because I had all the symptoms—it would have more information about SFA training, contact JoEllen Kelly, NFFF been really awesome if somebody would have come up to me and said: ‘Hey, what Behavioral Health Program, at [email protected].] you’re experiencing right now is normal. Because what you experienced is very abnormal’. If I had heard that, I think I would have felt less crazy. Q: What is the most important thing “Everyone has a story,” Kim assures. “But not everyone is willing to disclose their that someone who is suffering can do? deepest, darkest fears. I guess when I open up and pour my soul out in my talks, it A: “Don’t lose hope. Humans can’t survive without hope. Keep makes it OK for others to share. That’s the first step to healing.” ahold of the belief that you will persevere, that you will feel joy again, that there is a tomorrow. When I was in my darkest I Wish I Had Seen This ‘Trauma Screening Questionnaire’ in 1994 hours, there were times I almost lost sight of hope. I never want to go there again.” “I was 23-years-old when South Canyon happened,” says Kim Lightley. “I didn't know a darn thing about trauma or what it could do to my brain. I wish I had Q: How do we prepare ourselves to be able to help seen this ‘Trauma Screening Questionnaire’ in 1994. I wish I knew it was ‘normal’ in the aftermath of traumatic events? to have adverse reactions to trauma. I didn't see this questionnaire until January 2007. Guess what? I sobbed. For the first time, I realized that someone else “Pre-incident training. Prepare and learn from those who A: ‘Got-it’.” have gone through critical incidents. Unfortunately, there is no Trauma Screening Questionnaire cookie-cutter ‘how to’ book for dealing with tragedy or near misses. There were 11 survivors from the Prineville Hotshot [A link to this document—and others—is also provided in “Shop Talk” on page 8.] Crew. I bet each of us had different needs following the tragedy.” [Continued on page 7] 6

[Continued from page 6] “The more we understand about the human brain and how trauma affects it, the better we all will be at helping our veterans, our emergency medical personnel, our police officers, and our awesome firefighters.”

Q: What’s it like being a facilitator for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s ‘Taking Care of Our Own’ training program? A: “The first time I participated in a “Taking Care of Our Own” training course was at NIFC in Boise in 2007. It was a very emotional time for me to share my story in front of wildland firefighters. I’ve sat through many of these trainings over the past six years. Each class is hard. It is a hard subject to talk about (death), because everyone in the room has been affected by a death of a loved one, coworker, pet . . . There are moments when the heads go down and I know those folks are either reliving an event or thinking hard about a loved one. It is so critical, though, that we offer these courses. Pre-incident planning and having “prediction.” That’s what it’s all about. I’d prefer to also talk about preventative safety measures. That way we never have to bury another firefighter. But as history has presented itself, firefighters are still dying—and we must be prepared to take care of their families and their coworkers.”

Q: How are you doing with your own recovery process today? A: “Let’s just say, I still go see my EDMR-specialist counselor. I still get small triggers and we work through them. It’s like a huge onion. You unpeel one layer, and there’s another layer. It’s a process.”

Q: This article’s title is: ‘South Canyon Fire Survivor Kim Lightley’s Long Journey Home.’ Are you there yet? A: “Let’s just say, I see the lights of home. It’s been a LONG journey and I am tired. I wish I could say I was home and resting in my easy chair. But I still have some work to do in the world of trauma and recovery. Perhaps it’s because I still have some healing to do and I know there are multitudes of folks out there that still need help.

I believe we can heal from past traumas. I believe we can heal and feel joy. But there will always be that twinge of sadness when I look into my rearview mirror of life. But I must focus forward, fixing my eyes on the future and on hope.”

Union Hotshots/Firefighters Respond to an ‘Unacceptable Situation’ – Lend a Hand to Fellow Firefighter

“How many wildland fire survivors do we have who deal with emotional trauma?” asks Jody Prummer, Superintendent of the Union Interagency Hotshots. “We tend to forget about survivors of accidents. As an organization, we do a great job of remembering the fallen—but what happens to the survivors?”

When Jody and his crew recently spotted an opportunity to help out a fellow firefighter who has survived a traumatic injury on a fire—they put this concern into action. Here’s their story.

Last spring, Krstofer “Krs” Evans drives his aging, gas-hog, van up to northeast Oregon to present his “Don’t Be That Guy” training for Union and the La Grande Interagency Hotshots. Krs is the former Plumas Interagency Hotshot sawyer paralyzed by a falling snag on an arson fire in 2001. (For more information on Krs and his story, see: Krs Evans, behind the wheel of his new car, with Union Hotshot http://wildfirelessons.net/documents/Two_More_Chains_Summer_2011.pdf.) Superintendent Jody Prummer, who helped spearhead the fund drive that successfully raised money for the car—and more. “When we saw his old van it was obvious it was on its last legs,” Jody says. “OWCP [Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs] would replace it with a similar vehicle—old and gas-guzzling. But we heard that a car would better suit Krs’ needs with gas mileage and for servicing the vehicle. His van was so tall, he couldn’t see into the engine compartment. So, we have a permanently disabled firefighter with needs that are not being met. This was an unacceptable situation.”

Jody and his crew’s overhead decide to raise funds to help Krs buy a new car. “We made a bunch of flyers and spread the word with other firefighters and asked them to spread the word,” says Jody, who also shared their fund raising story on fires last season at morning briefings. In just sixth months, they had successfully raised $17,500—mostly from firefighters from across the country. Last November, they presented Krs with his new car, a 2010 Honda Civic Coup LX. “The car was in excellent shape—it looked brand new—with a 7-year 100,000-mile warranty,” Jody informs. “We also found a place that installed all the special controls that Krs needs at a great price for us. We had additional money left over to help pay Krs’ insurance for some time to come.”

Jody says it’s hard for him to imagine what it must be like to survive the emotional challenge of being a firefighter one day, and the next day, you’re suddenly no longer able to do this job again. “For a lot of us,” Jody explains, “fighting fire is more than a way of life. It becomes our identity. We need to recognize that, for some survivors, there are permanent physical and emotional wounds that may never heal. For me, the term ‘Never Forget’ also includes survivors.”

Helping Krs get a new car, Jody says, was one of the most fulfilling activities he’s ever been involved in. “The fire community is a very generous group of professionals. To see us take care of one of our own is incredible. I can truly never express—to all those who helped—how much this has meant. I just wish everyone could have been there when Krs received his car. I hope this is a start of more good things for other survivors. I know there are many out there who still need the support of their fire community.”

Jody points out that the family of Anne Veseth, the wildland firefighter killed by a snag last August on Idaho’s Steep Corner Fire, contributed to Krs’ fundraiser. “I plan on contacting them,” Jody says, “and presenting them a picture of Krs with his new car.” 7

What’s in Your Crew Boss Kit?

To Help You Prepare for a Traumatic Event

Shop Talk If something bad happens to one of your folks, how will

you get the word out? Who will you contact? What will you say? How do you take care of your folks?

The reminders and references on this page

can help you prepare for this situation.

Photo: Keith Redington

Preparation is the Key

Before you face the challenge of a serious accident:

1. Talk with your personnel and your supervisor about this potential outcome: What is your unit’s protocol for emergency notification? Are your personnel and their families ready for this possibility?

2. Make sure your Emergency Contact information is up-to-date and accessible to you and your supervisor.

Check out this Emergency Contact Form

Improve your Crew Boss Kit

Wildland Firefighter 1. Is your crew’s updated Foundation Emergency Contact Info with www.wffoundation.org you?

Phone: 208-336-2996 2. Do you have extra forms for detailers or fill-ins?

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation’s main 3. Do you have several copies of these forms with you? (One packet of focus is to help families of firefighters killed in completed forms in each vehicle?) the line of duty and to assist injured firefighters and their families. If you need help, As the Dust Settles . . . call them. They have answers to questions you have asked, as well as those you don’t know Bad things affect folks in different ways. Use This Checklist from the National you need to ask. Fallen Firefighters Foundation to monitor yourself and your folks.

Other Online Resources

Lessons from the Esperanza National Fallen Firefighters More Help for Survivors: Fire and Engine 57 Foundation http://bit.ly/nffftools

http://bit.ly/Engine57Lessons www.firehero.org [Look under: “Download Class Materials”]

Phone: 301-447-1365

Is there something you’d like to add to this toolbox? Please let us know! Or, if you have any other ideas for the next Shop Talk, please contact: Paul Keller [email protected] 503-622-4861

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One of Our Own

Photo by Eli Lehmann

Ben Goble

“The Prarie was Set on fire. . . The fire went with such Insights from a Supervisor Who Lost Two Crew Members velocity that it burnt to death Late last September, an off-duty single-vehicle accidenta man & claimed woman thewho lives Could of two Ahtanum Initial Attack Crew members. Matthew Trost, 20, and Sam Amaral-Gallaway, 20,not had get beento any on place mandatory of Safty. R&R and were returning to their Ahtanum Guard Station when Sam’s Jeep Wrangler went off the side. . Among of a logging other, a road Small and boy rolled 480 feet. Their acting Crew Supervisor, Ben Goble, was suddenly responding—on several levelswho—to was this Saved unexpected by getting accident . Ben now wants to share all that he learned under a green [fresh] from this tragic experience with the wildland fireBuffalow community skin.— . so. The that Fire others did might be better prepared for reacting and responding to critical incidents. not burn under the Skin, Ben Goble’sleaving the Overriding grass round Message the to Us: boy. This fire passed our “We hear about fatalities in the wildlandCamp community about 8 everyoClock season. P.M. It Fatalities and fatality prevention are key themes every season. However, the unthinkablewent with will great unfortunately rapitidity happen again to someone else. Despite these precautions, are we really prepared to dealand with looked the Tremendioius.” overall effects from a fatality? It is imperative that our focus shifts to taking care of those who remain. Crew members involved, supervisors, and other staff need to be treated and helped just as much as a patient with a life-threatening injury. Not only do we deal with the loss of our brothers and sisters, but the mental toll that it takes on survivors and coworkers can last forever. So, how do we minimize the effects of the fatality and speed the healing process? Critical Incident Stress Debriefings are crucial to ensure that staff members involved are cared for in this critical time.

Do you know what resources are available in your area? Do you know your agency policy regarding critical incident management? Do you have a plan in place to help you as a supervisor get through the incident?

These are some of the lessons learned last summer by our Ahtanum IA crew, operated by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as we responded to and worked through an off-duty traffic accident that claimed the lives of our two crew members.” [For related, helpful information, see “Shop Talk” on page 8.]

How Do We Take Care of Those Who Remain?

Ben Goble, acting Supervisor of the Ahtanum IA Crew, says last September 28 started out as a typical, late-September, end-of-season morning. Some crew members are leaving to return home, others are staying on till the snow flies. However, when two of his six remaining crewmembers fail to report to work as scheduled, Ben grows concerned. Next, a local cattle rancher drives into their Ahtanum Guard Station to report seeing tire tracks dropping off the road approximately four miles away. The rancher says he couldn’t see the vehicle—down the steep embankment—from the road.

“My other crew EMT and I respond to the location to confirm that EMS is needed,” says Ben, a veteran EMT IV (Intravenous Therapy) Technician who is also a volunteer Training Captain/EMT with his local structure .

Ben Goble (pictured above) believes we tend to “We arrive at the scene and I proceeded to go down to the vehicle. My other EMT stays at the overlook talking about dealing with traumatic events because we focus on the prevention road to manage communications. This is when it sinks in that I am dealing with two of my own. side—preventing entrapment and fatalities— Even before EMS help arrived, I knew I was going to be dealing with a critical incident. Despite and taking the appropriate steps to avoid basic life support, rescue and EMS efforts, both crew members passed before they could be tragedies in the first place. He says we should also be prepared for when tragedy does extracted out of the canyon.” (Washington State Troopers will later confirm that both Matt and happen—understanding the protocols and Sam were wearing their seatbelts, but could not survive the massive fall.) necessary steps that we need to take to avoid the long-term hazards and dangers associated Ben says his focus then shifted from patient care to: “How do I take care of my crew?” with traumatic incidents. 9

They Will Be Forever Missed

Matthew Trost (pictured on left), a Senior Firefighter on the Ahtanum IA Fire Crew, had served on the crew the past three years. Firefighter Sam Amaral-Gallaway (pictured on right) worked on the crew in 2011 until he broke his arm. In 2012, he had been serving on their DNR Southeast Engine 561 until September, when he rejoined the Ahtanum IA Fire Crew—two weeks before the fatal accident.

“Matt was a skilled firefighter. He loved his job,” says Ahtanum IA Fire Crew acting Supervisor Ben Goble. “There was never a dull moment when he was around. Anytime the crew was feeling down, you could guarantee Matt would be there to do something goofy to bring the smiles back to peoples’ faces. Matt had that ‘get-it-done’ attitude. He was definitely a leader to the crew and was instrumental to his squad.”

“Sam loved the outdoors,” Ben says. “He always had a positive attitude. It seemed that whenever there was a task that needed a little more manpower to complete— Sam was right there ready to pitch in.”

“Both men,” Ben says, “continue to live in our hearts and minds. They will be forever missed.”

“My supervisors were notified and the wheels started turning to get a Critical Incident Stress Debrief in place immediately. I knew this was going to hit the crew hard.”

Ben started his wildland fire career in 2000 on a Gifford Pinchot National Forest engine crew. Six years ago, he became a Forest Crew Supervisor for DNR’s Larch Correctional Camp, running one of eight inmate crews. He was detailed into the supervisor position on DNR’s Ahtanum IA Fire Crew last June.

Your Agency Policy Might Not Cover Addressing Those Who Remain Ben explains that, from a supervisor’s perspective/position, a significant key to dealing with a critical incident is knowing and understanding your agency’s policies and guidelines for responding to these tragedies.

“Even though this accident was off hours and was not an on-the-job fatality, the management of the incident remained the same,” Ben points out. When it comes to advice for other supervisors, Ben explains that “while agency policy can often provide a basic framework for dealing with the incident itself, it might not cover helping those who remain.” He explains that his agency’s “Critical Incident Management Protocol for Managers” document was helpful. “It laid out the framework, what each supervisory position should be taking care of—such as designating a liaison for the families. As managers, it provided a checklist that allowed us to run through the incident smoothly with no real hang-ups or questions. However, it wasn’t real specific in dealing with the critical incident stress and managing the incident after the incident.”

Doing the Right Thing “So I had no idea what resources were available for our debrief. I didn’t know if I was going to have to try and facilitate it myself—or if a facilitator was available.” After checking with his manager, Ben—“thankfully”—learned that a local facilitator was available.

“Doing ‘the right thing’ is very important to success,” says Ben. “In times of high stress and loss, something that seems small and insignificant can mean a lot to those affected. Everyone reacts to a fatality differently. Some people want to ‘get away from it’, and others become statues in shock.

“Immediately after I cleared the scene, I gathered the crew 2012 in the cook house and told them the sad news. I also Ahtanum informed them that a critical incident stress debrief was Initial Attack going to take place in about 20 minutes and that they Crew needed to stay until we completed that defusing.”

Ben explains that, for some people on his crew, this request turned out to be extremely difficult. “A couple of our crewmembers just wanted to leave and go anywhere but the guard station.”

Incident ‘Defusing’ Helps Immensely “This critical incident defusing process helped those involved immensely,” Ben confirms. “It is critical that within the first 24-hours post-incident this ‘defusing’ takes place. This Front Row: (l-r) Stephen Sewell, Leo Billon, Anthony Reyes, Antonio, Aviles, Allen Rey, provides a benchmark as to where people are in the grieving Miguel Alba, Nathan Mould. Middle Row: (l-r) Michael Van Rossen, Matthew Trost, Sean process. And it also helps to identify those people who may Salinger, Jerimiah Turner, Annie Schinnell. Back Row: (l-r) Ben Goble, Brice Zerck, David need additional help.” [Continued on page 11] Sowers, Noah Greenwald, Adrian Cardenas, Holly Thorpe, Jonathan Vargas, Jonathan Corona. (Sam Amaral-Gallaway is not pictured.) Photo by Koshare Eagle 10

My Coworkers Did Not Need That Burden After the incident, I found myself lacking focus. I was unable to concentrate on one task for more than about 15 to 20 minutes. This was primarily due to my need to debrief with EMS “ personnel—separate from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fire community. I was able to help myself through this by calling and talking with EMS providers in my home unit and with the local fire district personnel who had responded to the fatality scene. I was the only DNR staff involved with the patient care who actually saw the patients—no one else on the crew did. This is also a very important lesson learned. Those directly involved with patient care need to limit descriptions of what was seen. They should not share those details with personnel who were not involved in patient care. In my case, the things I saw that day, my coworkers were not prepared to deal with. Nor did they need that burden.

Ben Goble, Acting Supervisor, Ahtanum IA Crew Washington State Department of Natural Resources ”

[Continued from Page 10] Ben stresses how it is critical that anything shared inside this defusing discussion/process remains confidential. “The point of the defusing is to let people’s emotions flow in a safe environment—away from ridicule or scrutiny.”

One of the Hardest Things to Do “One of the hardest things to do that day was waiting to call each of the crew members who had already ended their season and tell them the news. It was important that they heard it directly from me as their supervisor. I didn’t want the crew to hear about it through social media or the rumor mill or from other sources. But, first, I had to wait until Matt and Sam’s families were notified by law enforcement. This notification process took around ten hours—and it seemed like forever.”

Ben says that as soon as he began making those phone calls to his crew, crew members farther down his “call list” started calling in. “Through the social media channels they’d heard that something had happened to the Ahtanum Crew. They wondered what was going on—they weren’t sure what it was, but they knew it was something big.” Sam had been a volunteer with the local fire district who responded to the accident scene. These firefighters knew Sam. They put the word out via social media.

Four days later, a second debriefing occurred. This facilitated session “The more those affected talked about the included members no longer employed for the season, managers, and incident, the better they were able to cope other staff. with the loss.”

The Benefits and Power of Crew Cohesion “This incident was a true testament to the benefits and power of crew cohesion,” Ben says. “Within 24-hours, half the crew had gathered here (in Yakima, Wash.)—even though, for many, their fire season had ended and they had gone home. They returned to support one another. Within one week, we had 75 percent of our crew here (many from )—and a quarter of the crew from the previous season. Everyone wanted to be together and support each other.

“In the weeks after the accident, the crew took comfort in helping each other and supporting the families of the fallen,” Ben says. “The more those affected talked about the incident, the better they were able to cope with the loss.”

Ben says he now realizes that throughout the immediate post-critical incident time it is helpful to have a checklist of things that need to be done “to help maintain focus and to help bring some order to chaos. I did not have a checklist immediately available to me during the incident,” Ben explains. “I now know how that would have helped immensely.”

Ben’s Checklist After this traumatic fatal incident, Ben has added several key actions to his supervisor’s checklist. These include: notifying your crew members individually, first hand. “And, when you deliver this news (via the telephone), make sure that people aren’t on the road driving.” (Ben says he gained this advice earlier in his structure fire career.)

In summary, Ben says: “I think the support from management and crew cohesion was critical in getting everybody through this tragic incident.”

Got a potential “One of Our Own” candidate? Ahtanum IA crewmembers on the 2012 Yakima Complex, Wild Rose Incident. Pictured Please let us know. Contact: Paul Keller 503-622-4861 (from l-r): Anthony Reyes, Tony Aviles, Matthew Trost, Miguel Alba, and Sam Amaral- [email protected] Gallaway. Photo by Jonathan Corona. 11

Your

FEEDBACK

Can We Practice Emergency Driving? Yes Afterwards, I ask these folks to think about what risks a pair of In the Fall Issue of Two More Chains, I really liked the loose fencing pliers—or a not fastened emphasis on driving and the story about Engine 713 (One of correctly—could pose in an actual incident. Potential Our Own feature). As the Incident Commander of the Rocky scenario: You survive the rollover but get seriously hurt from Mountain Engine Academy, the question in this article: “Can some piece of equipment in the cab. We Practice Emergency Driving?” truly hit home with me. Keep up the good work at Two More Chains. You can't go Engine 713’s Assistant Captain Jesus Valdez mentioned the wrong sharing lessons learned and providing real examples. skills that he learned from attending an engine academy. That Jason Virtue hit the nail on the head. I wish other Geographic Areas would Assistant Fire Management Officer implement engine academies. Black Hills National Forest I believe that we are the only engine academy that has access to a rollover machine that the military uses for driving Hit Driving Safety Harder training. We run each student through this machine to identify I do fire training. I always cover driving safety. things that they can do differently in the future should they ever be in an actual rollover incident. After reading your last issue of Two More Chains (on the hazards of driving), I will now hit this subject harder than I Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do. I think we have before—going into it much deeper. all realize this. But until you are placed into a training environment that requires you to do something out of the Roy Cates ordinary is when everything really hits home. Crew/Module Leader AAA Thunderbolt Fire Service I am currently writing a lesson plan for our 2013 rollover training at the engine academy. Nobody wants to plan for a rollover. But you would be surprised what loose items in a cab Two More Chains, published quarterly by the Wildland can potentially do to a person. Fire Lessons Learned Center, is dedicated to sharing information with wildland firefighters. For story tips, When folks are turned upside down and told to get out, questions, or comments, please contact: Paul Keller, people crash to the ceiling, pocket change, pocket knives, and [email protected], 503-622-4861. every other loose item in cab also tumbles around.

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