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Firefighters gather in Oracle to receive instruction on coming training. Nina Crowder | Miner
Radio and Communication Training.
Group of Fireman in gear and with tools.
San Manuel Miner
There was a whole lot of learning going on in Oracle Saturday, and this time it was the adults who were sitting in the desks.
At Mountain Vista School in Oracle nearly 200 firefighters from Southern Arizona participated in firefighting drills for the upcoming wildfire season. The drill was hosted by the US Forest Service, Arizona State Forestry Division and several local fire agencies from Pima and Pinal Counties including Oracle Fire Department, Golder Ranch Fire District, Casa Grande Fire Department and the Northwest Fire District. Pinal County Sheriff’s Office had representatives on hand to help with the drills as well.
These drills are intended to provide wildland firefighters the opportunity to go over critical safety standards and refresh the techniques used during state and national deployments. Wildland fire exercises included of driving safety, radio communication, land navigation, entrapment avoidance and mapping and GPS. There is a great deal of preparation and planning that goes into fighting wildfires.
The training exercise was coordinated the same way that emergency incidents across that nation are organized using the Incident Command System structure (ICS) with wildland teams assimilating into groups and handling their assignments. The training participants would be the first units on the scene to protect the local community against wildfire.
The goal for the Wildland Firefighting is what would be done if this happened in our area and how the event would be handled. There are policies, procedures, protocol and rules for each scenario. Living in Arizona in the dry climate we are prone to having wild fires either man made or from nature. Winds, drought and high temperatures have combined to make Arizona’s forests and desert area’s dry and in danger of wildfires. Unpredictable fire behavior, changing conditions are contributors to fire danger. When you are enjoying the outdoors stay informed on current weather conditions for your safety.
We thank all the Firefighters for all they do to keep our community safe including putting in time for special trainings and drills that take place throughout the year.
Nina Crowder is a resident of Mammoth. She volunteers in several local organizations. She covers events throughout the Copper Corridor and Superior Town and School governance.
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