Beef: Fire Service Administration

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Fire fighting policy

In Oregon, the major fire threat during the summer is from forest fires which occur perennially. To counter these fires, Oregon has adopted three systems for prevention, reaction and reconstruction of forest land.

The condition class system: This system provides data on the situation regarding vegetation and fuel. This method helps in designing allocations for resources and funds and prioritization of restoration serviced. It also helps in the evaluation of progress made in management of wildlife. Under this classification, fires are categorised according to their deviation from normal patterns with the most deviated being the highest in class condition (Wuerthner 2006).

Wildland-Urban interface policy: This is the standard used to designate areas as ‘red zones’ i.e. high fire risk areas. The purpose is to provide guidelines on infrastructure and housing development to aid in loss mitigation. The policy also assists in determining compensation for losses to citizens caused by wildland fires.

Fire Economics Management policy

This is the policy employed in determining the tradeoffs between various fire management methods. The mix of tools to be used is decided on a case by case approach and though some method might be applicable in one area, it could worsen situations in others (Wuerthner 2006). Such tools could be suppression, mechanical reduction of fuels and prescribed fires.

The Team

Armed with these general theories, and cognizant of the vision articulated by the Chief of achievement of reasonable objectives safely while maintaining the least exposure to firefighters and at the same time enhancing the support our management receives from the stakeholders, the team sought to come up with a localized fire policy. Contributions from members were diverse and each with its own unique reasoning.

The team’s policy was on three angles as enumerated in Tidwell (2013);

The Pre-season

This is a critical time for the success of firefighting. The department has to build capacity in decision making by stakeholders to be able to respond to inherent risks and uncertainties. The risk assessments in the landscapes should be carried out during this period and these should be put in line with the objectives and goals spelt out in the plan for land resources management.

The Actual during fire period

This phase is an actual test for the preparedness during the previous phase. The team agrees that the ability to apply the principles of risk management is under test and this makes it necessary the t the paradigm ‘aggressive and safe initial attacking is the best strategy in suppression in keeping undesired fires controlled and at low costs’. Decisions are to be made relative to available resources, the risk to life and property and the estimated chances of success. This phase is to be guided by the seven principles of:

Assessment f what faces risk and the possible mitigations

Consideration of all alternatives and their respective success chances in a complete analysis of risk.

Engagement of leaders in the communities, government officials and other partners associated with the risk of incident to enlist their input in a two-way communication of risks.

Engagement of senior officers and any appropriate political figures to create an understanding, support and acceptance for any decisions made. Here the departments of the Interior and Agriculture’s ‘Red Book’ (2012, Chapter 05.11) comes in handy.

Make decision in an informed manner and decide when revisiting of the decision will be necessary.

Documentation of all risk related assessments and communication.

Monitor and adjust as necessary.

After incident

Firefighting is a dynamic and living profession in that it improves with lessons learnt from incidents. To this end, we should complete an after incident action review to know what worked or not and have improvements suggested. Peer reviews should also be done with those who have suffered such incidents to learn improvements possible to strategies and finally, strive to have the improvements implemented by pinpoint ting the people responsible for such duties.

References

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Depts. Of the Interior and Agriculture, 2012 ‘Red Book’ Interagencies’ Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations. Available at <thttp://www.nifc.gov/PUBLICATIONS/redbook/2012/2012RedBookALL.pdf> [Retrieved 25 May 2013].

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Tidwell, T. L. 2013. Forest Service Wildland Fire Response Protocol. Forest Service SW Washington, DC.Top of Form

Wuerthner, G., & Foundation for Deep Ecology. (2006). Wildfire: A century of failed forest policy. Sausalito, Calif: Foundation for Deep Ecology by arrangement with Island Press.Bottom of Form