An East Coaster's Guide to CAL FIRE

CAL FIRE Station - San Luis Obispo

The Nation's Largest Fire Department Isn't FDNY


SACRAMENTO -- The state of California is protected by 21 CAL FIRE Operational Districts. There are 803 fire stations (228 state and 575 local government), 39 conservation camps, 13 air attack, and 9 helitack bases.

The heart of CAL FIRE’s emergency response and resource protection capability is a force of nearly 4,700 full-time fire professionals, foresters, and administrative employees; 3,100 seasonal firefighters; 5,600 local government volunteer firefighters; 2,600 Volunteers In Prevention; and 4,300 inmates and wards.

To transport and support these forces, CAL FIRE operates over 1,095 fire engines (336 state and 759 local government); 215 rescue squads; 63 paramedic units; 38 aerial ladder trucks; 58 bulldozers; 5 mobile communication centers; and 11 mobile kitchen units. The department funds, via contract, an additional 82 engines and 12 bulldozers in six counties – Kern, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. From the air, CAL FIRE operates 23 1,200-gallon air tankers, 11 helicopters, and 13 air tactical planes.

CAL FIRE Super Huey, one of 11 Helicopters owned by the agency.

Helicopters, or rotary-wing aircraft, are used to transport firefighting hand crews into fire areas. They also drop water and retardant chemicals on fires.

 CAL FIRE Website 


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Dallas Firefighter Killed Following MAYDAY Transmission

 

 DALLAS (AP) — A firefighter's body was recovered Monday several hours after he called for help because he was trapped in a condominium complex blaze.

Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans did not immediately release the name of the man, whose body was pulled from the rubble after a frantic, hours long search during the six-alarm blaze in northeast Dallas.

"From where they thought the firefighter was there was pretty much an assembly line of debris, coming where guys were just handing back debris," Evans said.

The fire was reported shortly before 3 a.m. Monday at the three-story condo complex, Evans said. A U.S. flag covered the firefighter's body when it was located and removed.

Two firefighters were transported to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. Five residents were rescued from the fire and two were treated for minor smoke inhalation, Evans said.

Authorities are trying to determine what sparked the fire, Evans said.

He declined to release details about the firefighter's call for assistance, saying it was a very sensitive matter to victim's family and to the department.

"It's not something that you'd want to hear, you'd want to forget it," Evans said, at times choking back tears during a news conference.

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Full coverage at FirefighterNation 

NYS Firefighter/EMT Shot, Killed by Patient

EMT Shot in the back after patient becomes uncontrollable

Thousand Islands, NY (February 3, 2009) -- A 25 year old Firefighter-EMT from Cape Vincent (NY) Volunteer Fire Department was shot and killed when he and three other emergency services personnel were assaulted by an agitated patient.

The murdered EMT, Mark Davis, along with other EMS personnel had been summoned to the residence Christopher G. Burke in Cape Vincent by a 911 call. While being assessed by the EMS workers, Burke revealed that he had weapons in the home, police said. He became agitated, went into another room and retrieved a high powered rifle.

"They (EMS Team) heard the action of a weapon being activated. At that point the EMTs attempted to retreat from the residence," said State Police BCI captain Mark Lincoln.

As the EMTs retreated, Burke allegedly fired two rounds, one of them hitting Davis and killing him. Burke then ran from the home and was tackled and held down by another EMT. Clayton Police officer Robin Pearce took him into custody with help from Alexandria Bay Police officer Jerry Delosh.

EMTs at the scene attempted life-saving efforts on Davis and continued during the ambulance transport to Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, where he was pronounced dead.

Please send your condolences to Thousand Islands Rescue (New York State)
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Update on Delaware LODD, Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith pictured with Warren Jones, President of the Delaware Volunteer Firemen's Association during the 2008 conference. (Photo courtesy Delaware City Fire Company) Click here for more Photos

Driver with Revoked License Arrested in Firefighter's Death

Line-Of-Duty Death Update:

NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DE (December 23, 2008) -- Delaware State Police late Monday identified the driver of a BMW which ran down Firefighter Michelle Smith and an injured motorcyclist, as Joseph Taye, 28, of Bear, Delaware. Taye was arrested and taken to Troop 2 in Glasgow, state police spokesman Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh said.

Taye was expected to be charged with manslaughter, second-degree assault, driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of a crash and failure to report a crash, Whitmarsh said.
He is being held in Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $37,000 cash bail. Sources close to the family say that he expected to make bail sometime today.

In the meantime, firefighters throughout the First State mourn the loss of a brave woman who was a dedicated firefighter and loving mother.

Michelle L. Smith had served the Delaware City Fire Company and the Delaware City Ladies Auxiliary for over five years. She also served as a member of the Volunteer Hose Company of Middletown, DE. A graduate of Middletown High School, Michelle worked for Coventry Healthcare. She leaves behind a 12 year old daughter.

Department spokesperson Dave Carpenter, Jr. characterized Michelle Smith as a truly positive person who specifically became a member to provide assistance to the community, through fire prevention and emergency medical services. Her work in fire prevention earned her the Edward McCormack Award, presented by the Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission.

Funeral arrangements are being made and will be posted on the Department's website at Delaware City Fire Company (Station 15). I am personally asking my fire-rescue-EMS colleagues in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland to consider sending a representative to Firefighter Smith's funeral.


Lou Angeli
302-275-4535

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Delaware Firefighter Dies After Weekend Accident

DELAWARE CITY, DE (December 22, 2008) -- A Delaware City (DE) Volunteer Firefighter died today of injuries she sustained after being run down by a motorist on US Route 13 at the New Castle County Airport. Firefighter Michelle Smith, 29. was assisting in the treatment of the victim of a motorcycle accident when a driver sped through the emergency scene, running over Smith and the patient.

Smith and her EMT partner were staffing the Delaware City BLS Unit, which had been covering Wilmington Manor Fire Station #28, when they were dispatched to the report of a motorcycle accident with injuries, about 1 mile from the station. In Delaware, accidents involving motorcycles receive a multi-tiered response, which includes the nearest BLS unit, a county Paramedic unit, a Rescue/Pumper, Fire Police and the Delaware State Police helicopter.

The Delaware City ambulance responded immediately, arriving less than a minute after being dispatched. On arrival, Smith noticed the motorcyclist lying in the median of the four southbound lanes of busy US Route 13, and placed the ambulance in a blocking position. Smith and the EMT began to access the victim's injuries as traffic in adjacent lanes sped by at 55 miles per hour.

A passing New Castle County Police Officer stopped to render assistance, pulling his patrol car near the grass median. According to a News Journal report, "as he opened his door, the officer noticed a 2004 BMW 760 speeding in his direction and quickly got back into his car to avoid being struck."

Witnesses say that the BMW sideswiped the police cruiser, swerved around the ambulance and ran down Smith and the accident victim, Edward Reiss, 30. of New Castle.

The driver of the BMW fled the scene, then abandoned the car further south on US Route 13. He is said to have jumped into another vehicle, which quickly left the area. Delaware State Police believe they have identified the runaway driver, but offered no further information.

According to initial information released by the Delaware City Fire Company, Ms. Smith was treated on scene by NCC Paramedics and EMT’s from Wilmington Manor and Goodwill Fire Companies. She was transported to Christiana Emergency Department, where she was initially listed in stable condition as her injuries were further being evaluated.

News of her death came at around Noon on Monday, sending a shockwave through Delaware's small, tighly knit emergency services community. Smith is the first Delaware firefighter to perish in the line of duty in nearly 9 years. In 2000, a Greenwood (DE) Assistant Fire Chief was killed in a flashover during a training exercise gone bad.

Offer your condolences by visiting Delaware City Fire Company on the web.

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Resources:

-News Journal Papers
-Delaware City Fire Company

-Delaware State Police