Tom Wolf, Governor Ellen Shultzabarger, State Forester Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary Mike Kern, Chief Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Division of Forest Fire Protection

A Summer to Remember

Having just experienced what is being called the “wettest Summer on record” for central Pennsylvania, it has been challenging to focus on wildfire issues here at home, but it has been evident lately that we have some folks within our wildland fire program who are doing outstanding work. Please join me in congratulating the following personnel who have received awards related to their work in wildland fire:

• Pennsylvania Wildland Fire Leadership Award: Ray Miller, Forest Fire Specialist Supervisor, Buchanan Forest District, was selected as the recipient of this award for 2018. The award was created to recognize individuals who have provided superior leadership skills in wildland fire suppression and training.

• DCNR Excellence Award for Customer Service: Rick Temple, Fire Cache Manager within the Division of Forest Fire Protection was honored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for his outstanding commitment to customer service both inside of and outside of the department.

• Arthur N. Creelman Award, recognizing extraordinary effort in wildfire prevention in Pennsylvania: The Bureau of Forestry’s Fire Prevention Action Team was selected as the recipient of this award for 2017. The award is dedicated to the past and present members of the team and their efforts over that time to further the cause of wildfire prevention in Pennsylvania.

• Eugene F. McNamara Award, recognizing outstanding service in the field of wildfire prevention in the northeastern area: Terry Smith, Special Investigator for the Division of Forest Fire Protection was selected for this award in 2018 by the Northeast Area Association of State Foresters Wildland Fire Committee. This award was created to honor individuals or groups who have made a significant contribution to wildfire prevention throughout the northeastern region.

• Gold Smokey Bear Award, the Division of Forest Fire Protection, part of a group of seven states comprising the Mid-Atlantic Forest Fire Protection Compact who were recently honored with a Gold Smokey Bear Award. This prestigious award is the highest honor given to organizations or individuals for wildfire prevention service that is national in scope.

Please join me in recognizing these outstanding achievements and congratulate these fine individuals when you see them. We all have much to be proud of given our accomplishments within the wildland fire program.

Michael D. Kern, Chief Forest Fire Warden

Fall 2018

Division of Forest Fire Protection Personnel

Mike Kern

Chief Forest Fire Warden

Charlie Choplick Logistics and Finance

Section Chief

Matt Reed Operations and Planning

Section Chief

Levi Gelnett Wildfire Operations

Specialist

Jason Williams Aircraft Operations and

Safety Specialist

Todd Breininger Prescribed Fire

Specialist

Brian Pfister Wildfire Prevention

Specialist

Chad Northcraft Fire Operations Forester-East

Terry Smith

Special Investigator

Rick Temple Fire Cache Manager

Diane Schmidt

Administrative Assistant

Katie Thomas Fire Operations Technician-East

Leadership: The Subtle Changing of the Guard

At a recent staff meeting, I was honored to receive a certificate commemorating ten years of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This milestone in my forestry career also marked another anniversary. After my first five years of service, as a resource management forester in the Susquehannock Forest District, I was bitten by the fire bug, and sought a change in my chosen career path. I applied for a job in the Bald Eagle Forest District, as a fire forester, I prepped my resume, pressed my suit, got my haircut, and did everything that I could to ensure that I would be bringing my “A-Game” to this interview. Well, as most of you already know, my preparations must have been sufficient, because just before Deer Season, Assistant District Forester John Portzline was able to reach me on my cell phone as I was walking across a long ridge top in Southwestern Potter County to offer me the job. Now, five years after that phone call, I find myself learning to manage a different type of resource, people. More specifically, I’m fortunate enough to work day in and day out with the Volunteer Firefighters and Forest Fire Wardens that make up our wildland firefighting force here in Central PA.

I came to the Bald Eagle State Forest to work as a Fire Forester, I didn’t know much more than that. My only advanced qualification on my red card was that of a FALLER B. I didn’t know how to be a leader, and I only had a rough idea of how to fight a fire. Since then, I’ve been doing a lot of learning. I’ve learned quite a few things over the last 5 years: fire behavior, fire effects monitoring, portable pump operations, engine operations, fire engines and fire engine maintenance, air operations, radio communications, etc. And last, but certainly not least; I’ve learned just a little bit about what it means to be a leader, at least in the fireline leadership sense of the word. Leadership is a pyramid, built upon a solid foundation of three cornerstones, Duty, Respect, and Integrity. Without these three cornerstones; a Sense of Duty, the Giving and Earning of Respect, and Transparent Integrity, any attempts at building oneself up as a leader will all be in vain.

For some individuals, the ability to act and function as a leader comes naturally, and for others, the ability to become a leader is unattainable. But for most of us, traits and qualities of leadership must be learned, as we try to become the leaders that we strive to be. Now I’m at a point in my career where the learning curve for leadership is about to get much steeper.

Many of the experienced and seasoned leaders of the wildland fire service are passing the torch on. The ones that have always kept us on track are succumbing to knee pains and family life and trusting us to carry on from where they left off. As aspiring leaders, we will never stop learning, and it is still a long and bumpy road to reach the caliber of those that came before us, but for those that are coming after us, our duty is to lead.

We need to turn our thoughts from ourselves, and we need to focus not on the type of leader that we strive to be, but on the type of leader that our newly recruited followers need us to be. We need to be recruiting youth to fill the ranks that we leave behind, and we need to do our best to ensure that they are trained well. Times and technology are changing so rapidly in the modern world that it seems virtually impossible to establish common ground with the young men and women that fill out the ranks that we used to fill. For leaders in the Wildland Fire Service, that common ground must be the job that every one of us loves. In training, we focus on the job, we know the fundamentals of fire operations; the rules of engagement, the standard firefighting orders and watch out situations, LCES, etc. As instructors, we are not simply teaching checklists and procedures, we are instilling a passion for the job that we do and a sense of pride in a job well done. If we teach students well, and if we train students right, we will be well on our way to becoming leaders, because we will have someone to lead.

This is the subtle change of leadership, we’re not just changing ourselves. We’re recruiting, just the way that we were recruited, to fill the empty boots that we leave behind. I’ll close with a quote from U.S. Army, Retired, Brigadier General Stanley McChrystal that he closed his TED Talk entitled “Listen, Learn… then Lead.”

“A leader isn’t good because they’re right; they’re good because they’re willing to learn, and to trust. This isn’t easy stuff. And it isn’t always fair. You can get knocked down, and it hurts and it leaves scars. But if you’re a leader, the people you’ve counted on will help you up. And if you’re a leader, the people who count on you need you on your feet.”

Shaun Doran, Fire Forester, Bald Eagle Forest District

Burning From Above

A lot of work goes into planning a prescribed fire, especially when you want to burn a 1,900-acre unit. The Michaux Forest District was interested in conducting a prescribed burn this size in Cumberland County. With a burn of this scale, two things became clear very early; many hours of planning and preparation work lie ahead and we would need to use aerial ignition to safely pull off this burn. The District was willing to take on the extra work and we started the process.

Once the plan was written it was time to start prepping the unit. This consisted of the normal unit preparations plus blacklining critical holding sections of the line. Blacklining is burning the fuels adjacent to the line during Low Fire Danger and when there is less of a chance of spotting and it is done before the main fire is ignited (can be the previous year to a few days before the burn). The purpose is to widen the fireline to reduce a chance of escape on burn day. The district spent many days blacklining critical holding sections of the unit as well as burning another unit on the downwind side of the big unit (that serves as a “catcher’s mitt” if the fire threw spots).

Work was also going on behind the scenes to secure a nationally qualified Type 1 Burn Boss. A Type 1 Burn Boss is required for a high complexity burn and Pennsylvania didn’t have anyone that was nationally qualified. Since you can’t just pick a day on the calendar for a burn and the reality of people’s busy schedules, we reached out to a few burn bosses across the nation that work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The Bureau of Forestry has an agreement with FWS that allows us to share resources.

Early in the spring it seemed as soon as it was getting dry enough for us to burn the unit, we would get enough rain to push it back. We didn’t get the weather window to burn early in the spring, and there was concern about negatively impacting rattlesnakes by burning later in the season, so we ended up cutting 500 acres out of the unit to protect them.

A few resources from outside of Pennsylvania came in to assist with the burn. Mike Granger, a Type 1 Burn Boss from Montana as well as a few other regional resources from FWS traveled to Pennsylvania to help. New Jersey Forest Fire Service sent their helicopter with a PLDO operator (person who operates the dispenser that drops the plastic spheres out of the helicopter that ignite fires).

Finally, on May 1st all the resources gathered at the site and the Hairy Springs Prescribed Fire was ignited. Firing crews burned the perimeter of the unit while the helicopter was adding depth and burning in the interior of the unit. All the planning and preparation showed as the 1,400 acres was safely burned with few issues. The Burn Boss from Montana was not expecting to see the fire behavior in the East that we had at this prescribed fire and was very impressed with how our personnel handled the fire.

The burn helped set the stage for future landscape level burns on State Forest Lands. We were able to get our Type 1 Burn Boss fully qualified as well as two PLDO operators. Each addition of BOF fully qualified RX personnel allow for more self-reliance to plan and conduct larger scale burns.

The burn couldn’t have been completed without the hard work Michaux Forest District staff. In addition, many other districts provided personnel and equipment for both the blacklining and the burn itself. Thanks also to the Fish and Wildlife Service and New Jersey Forest Fire Service for sending resources. This effort was great example of resource sharing among districts and agencies.

With the Bureau being in a better position to support aerial ignition burns and you will be seeing more of these large-scale burns in the future. So, next time you are at a large prescribed fire keep your eyes toward the sky because you will likely be getting some firing assistance from above. Todd Breininger, Prescribed Fire Specialist, DFFP

State Radio System Review and Update

Many have heard that the state is changing the way it communicates with radios. This is true. It will be a long transition of several years that has started in 2017. For DCNR and our wardens, the changes will happen as funding becomes available. During the changeover of the system the radios as we currently use them will not go away. In the areas where the newer system is installed and active we will be replacing radios in vehicles and with forestry personnel. These radios will keep the functionality of the current system. The districts that get the new radios will be able to communicate on the new system for their district communications to allow them to become used to the new system.

The radios that we are expecting to purchase will allow the capability to communicate on the new statewide system along with having the capability to talk to county radio systems where the county allows us to use their system. It will still have the analog VHF capability that our current portable radios have today. This is an exciting time however it will take planning and lots of testing to ensure a smooth transition. The current system will not be removed from service until sometime after June 2021. We will have a good handle on needs and the changes that will come with the shutdown of the system as it gets closer to that date. In the words of Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy, “Don’t Panic”.

Jesse Geiman, Radio Comm. Section Chief, DCNR

Fire Training – Summary of the Summer Academy

and Forthcoming Trainings/Academies

The Division of Forest Fire Protection holds a series of academies focused on wildland fire training throughout the year. This year the division made a few adjustments to the summer Wildland Fire Academy including the location, duration, and courses offered. Instead of being at Camp Karoondinha over a prolonged weekend, it was held at Lock Haven University over the course of a full week at the end of June.

There were twelve courses offered at this academy, with three of those twelve having 2 sessions throughout the week. There were also a handful of students who arrived to attempt their Faller 2 certification. The campus was packed with Wildland Fire Academy students.

Classes offered were:

• S-130: Firefighter Training

• S-190: Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

• L-280: Followership to Leadership

• S-131: Firefighter Type 1

• FI-110: Wildland Fire Obs & Origin Scene Prot

• S-215: Fire Ops in the Wildland/Urban Interface

• S-211: Portable Pumps & Water Use

• S-212: Wildland Fire Chainsaws

• S-230: Crew Boss

• S-236: Heavy Equipment Boss

• DZOP: Dozer Operator

• Basic Wildland Fire Camp

The Basic students were able to spike-out overnight Saturday on the mountain, despite the discouraging weather outlook that was presented throughout the week. For the past few years the Basic students had to camp close to base because of weather, but were able to break free this year. The warm weather earlier in the week brought out several rattlesnakes, but everyone was able to stay clear of them.

The academy also hosted several students from other states and other parts of DCNR. This year we had more people show up and less no-shows than in recent times - we did well with a turnout of 92%! We are looking forward to continuing this positive trend, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the instructors, students and the host district.

The upcoming Fall Academy will be at the Antiochian Village Conference Center in Ligonier, PA.

Classes offered:

• S-212: Wildland Fire Chainsaws

• S-211: Portable Pumps & Water Use

• S-200: Initial Attack Incident Commander

• S-270: Basic Air Operations

• S-390: Introduction to Fire Behavior Calculations

Katie Thomas, Wildfire Operations Technician, DFFP

Aerial Reconnaissance

The purpose of aerial reconnaissance or detection flights is to locate and relay fire information to fire management. In addition to detecting, mapping, and sizing up new fires, this resource may be utilized to provide ground resources with intelligence on fire behavior, provide recommendations to the IC when appropriate, and describe access routes into and out of fire areas for responding units. “Recon, Detection, or Patrol” flights should communicate with tactical aircraft on the Air-to-Air frequency.

The aerial reconnaissance or detection flights

flew 141 hours which included working on 7 active wildfires. Forest Fire Protection conducted an After-Action Review and we discovered many areas that need improvement. The most troublesome area was communication with ground resources and district offices. On the communications issue, we have worked with a company to produce an interface device that allows the observer to communicate with the pilot and the ground forces and is compatible with most of the radio systems currently in use. This system also interfaces with multiple headset models.

One other issue that was discussed was the lack of knowledge that the recon pilots had of firefighting tactics and fire activity. I have instructed the fire recon pilots to conduct online fire training so that they become more knowledgeable of fire activity and firefighting techniques. Several classes are available on the Interagency Aviation Training website.

Jason Williams, Aircraft Operations Specialist, DFFP

2017 Incident Management Team Review

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry has had organized Type III Incident Management Teams for several years now and with each year their activity level keeps going up. With fires and natural disasters becoming more prevalent the need for such an organization continues to grow along with DCNR’s involvement.

2017 was a year of light activity for the incident management teams in the state with no full team deployments on fires or other such incidents. We did move a few single resources around to help out districts with a need. This enabled us to get some ink in some position task books and some task books completed. Doing this has helped not only the districts requesting the resource, but also the state program as a whole by moving individuals forward with their qualifications.

The out of state deployments last year is where we had a lot of activity. Several single resources responded across the country to assist with a fire season that started very early and lasted well into October. The majority of these single resources fill slots on our IMT rosters. These two-week assignments bolster our own in state program by providing the opportunity for individuals to work with other agencies for a long period of time.

With the history of incident management teams running large fires, it was just a matter of time before the forest service was task with helping manage all hazard incidents as well Pennsylvania did something in 2017 that has never been done before in the country. The DCNR IMT and the PEMA IMT combined to send teams to other states for hurricane relief. The first of these deployments went to New Jersey, second of these teams responded to Florida, the third team was sent to South Carolina. Even though these requests were to support FEMA operations they came through the forest service and it was the first time that a Department of Forestry and Emergency Management Organization combined to respond out of state on a forest service request.

The New Jersey assignment was straight forward with what the team was task to do. Set up a receiving and distribution center for FEMA. The team set up on site at the Hindenburg Memorial, and processed equipment that would then be placed on a ship and sent to the Bahamas. Supplies such as food, water, and generators would be hauled in by tractor and trailers and staged until needed.

The Florida assignment was chaotic in the beginning. The teams left the state with one assignment and by the time they arrived in Florida it had changed three or four times. Ultimately, they ended up setting up a large “camp” at the Buckingham Airfield to support the emergency responders headed to the area.

The South Carolina assignment was the same as the New Jersey. The FEMA receiving and distribution center that had previous been set up at the Hindenburg Memorial being moved to Charleston South Carolina.

The merging of the teams did get national recognition at a higher level in the Forest Service and we did get some kudos for bring it together when the rest of the country was tapped out.

2017 ended up being a good year for our Incident Management teams and we are looking forward to seeing what the future brings.

Chad Northcraft, Fire Operations Forester, DFFP

Smokey Bear – 75th Birthday

Next year we will be celebrating Smokey Bear’s 75th

Birthday on August 9th 2019. In preparation for this monumental occasion, the Bureau of Forestry in conjunction with Pennsylvania’s Volunteer Forest Fire Wardens and the US Forest Service is planning various events across the Commonwealth.

Please contact your local forest district if you are willing and interested to assist them with a local event or activity to celebrate Smokey’s 75th.

A Retirement Salute to

Joe Miller

On July 13, 2018, Joe Miller, one of the longest-serving and dedicated employees of the Bureau of Forestry decided that it was time to transition to a new phase of life. For the vast majority of those years, Joe served as the wildland fire training coordinator for the Division of Forest Fire Protection. He also served as the manager of the Moshannon Tanker Base at Mid-State Airport.

Joe was born in West Virginia but spent most of his early life growing up in California. In 1976, after two years of military service and three years working for the U.S. Forest Service on the Dalton Hotshot crew based in southern California, Joe came to work for the Bureau of Forestry as a Forest Fire Inspector in the Weiser Forest District. In 1980, Joe began working for the Division of Forest Fire Protection and served there for the remainder of his career. Throughout his career, Joe made significant contributions to the fire program. Most notably, Joe was instrumental in developing many early training programs, assisting with fire camp and the Specialized Crew program, and the formation and development of the DCNR Type 3 Incident Management Teams.

Joe has stated numerous times that he intends to stay active as a Forest Fire Warden during his retirement, so if you see Joe in the future, please congratulate him on his service!

As Smokey Bear says-

“Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.”

Smokey’s message certainly rings true here in Pennsylvania, as 99% of all wildfires are human caused. Whether the result of a campfire, debris burning, equipment use, or arson, the majority of wildfires are preventable.

Proper care and precauton wwen outdoors is the responsibility of all Pennsylvanians. Debris burn caused fires account for over walf of all wildfire occurrences witwin twe Commonwealth. Ensure the following items have been properly considered prior to burning debris to reduce the probability that your debris burn will cause a wildfire.

Always consider alternatves to out-door burning sucw as compostng, recycling, or chipping woody debris.

If you are interested in more informaton about preventnn wildfires, please contact your local forest district office.

A listnn is available att

www.dcnr.pa.nov/stateforests/findaforest

For More Information

www.dcnr.pa.nov/stateforests/findaforest

The Message

Weather – Do not burn on windy or very dry days.

Fire Danger – Check with your local Forest District office to ascertain today’s Fire Danger. As a general rule, only burn when the Fire Danger has been determined to be LOW.

Licatio – Always burn away from utlity lines, overwead limbs, buildings, and flammable items.

Size – Keep the burn area small, no larger than 4-feet in diameter.

Perimeter – Maintain a cleared area devoid of vegetaton 1-feet adjacent to the burn area.

Tools – Have a garden hose, rake, and shovel on-hand at the burn area.

Reduce the Risk

Supervision – An adult should always be present while burning debris. Never leave the burn unatended.

Extonguis – Ensure to properly drown twe fire witw water. Mix twe water and aswes witw a swovel. Repeat process untl no weat is sensed by twe bacc of your hand when held near the ashes.

Peooiylvaoua Wuldfire Preveotio

An Hour of Preventon aves a ay of uppression