DOCUMENTS WORTH READING
| Common Errors, 1919 |
The Western Firefighters' Manual, 1919 lists the common errors in
firefighting in 1919. Sounds surprisingly like today. Submitted by WP on
06/09/00. Referred to by DF on 02/07/03. |
|
1993 SoCal Wildfire Siege |
AAR, a 94 page pdf file. |
|
1957 Fire Task Force Report to the Chief |
Report of Task Force to Recommend Action to Reduce the Chances of Men
Being Killed by Burning While Fighting Fire. |
|
Tony Petrilli's witness statement from the South Canyon Fire report
(small 96 K pdf file) |
Tony Petrilli's witness statement from the South Canyon Fire report. May
be used as pre-course reading (along with the IRPG) for S-130/190 classes. |
| Stand Down for Safety '94 |
Following the 1994 deaths on Storm King Mountain, firefighters were
stood down. These are the things they thought about while they reflected
on safety. |
| Firefighter Pay, 1998 |
Federal Firefighters Overtime Pay Reform Act of 1998. |
| Herger, 1998 |
Rep. Herger's testimony before the House Committee on Government Reform
and Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Service, 1998. |
| Herger Again, 1998 |
CA Rep. Herger blasts USFS Region 5 Forest Service Conference 1998. |
| Lyle Shook, 1998 |
Quotes from Lyle Shook's retirement speech 11/98. |
| Dombeck 3/99 |
House Subcommittee on Appropriations for Interior and Related Agencies
questions Dombeck policies. |
| Kentucky Fatalities, 1999 |
An insightful chronology regarding firefighters deaths in Kentucky,
April 1999. |
| Recruitment Problems, 1999 |
A perspective regarding the difficulty of recruitment/retention of
quality USFS employees, 04/99. |
|
Sadler
Entrapment Report |
Official report on the Sadler Fire fire shelter deployment, near Elko,
Nevada, August 8, 1999 (pdf) |
| Dragon Tamers |
A paper on wildland firefighters from Tiny, The R5 Fire Pup, 04/05/00. |
| Ab Speaks, 2000 |
Original Abercrombie tells the story of how and when and why theysaid
began, 04/00. |
|
Kates
Basin Report |
The Report of the fatal burnover on the Kate's Basin fire in Wyoming, 08/11/00. |
|
Putnam on Human Factors |
"Fire Safety Up in Smoke" from the father of Human Factors
Effects in Wildland Firefighting. |
| Thomas Addresses Congress, 2000 |
Jack Ward Thomas, Chief of the Forest Service, addresses Congress,
09/00. |
| Thomas Addresses Fire, 2000 |
Jack Ward Thomas, retired Chief of the Forest Service, addresses the
Fire 2000 Conference in San Diego. |
| Cerro
Grande Report pdf |
The Cerro Grande Investigative Report, 02/26/01, in pdf. |
| SenateCommittee
30-mi Investigation |
Senate Committee Thirtymile Fire Investigation, 09/26/01. |
| Brauneis' "Original Intent"
Ten Standard Fire Orders, 2001 |
The logic in the way the Ten Fire Orders were originally conceived - as
directions for engagement and disengagement of the fire... Authored by
Karl Brauneis. |
| Crew Cohesion, Wildland Fire Transition, and
Fatalities |
A paper that discusses the degree to which crew cohesion or lack thereof
contributed the the 30mile tragedy, 03/07/02 in pdf. |
| American Indian Use of Fire in
the Ecosystem |
A Bibliography, 2002. |
| Fire It Up, CDF Budget Issues, 2002 |
California's state budget has been cut drastically. This is a discussion
of what shouldn't be cut in CDF Fire. Pay now or pay more later. |
| Daley Fire Disengagement, 2001 |
A description of timely and prudent action taken in the face of extreme
fire behavior by meteorologist, dispatcher, and fire overhead to get
firefighters to safety. |
| Pentagon Journal, Sept '01 |
Elizabeth Cavasso, member of CIIMT 3, went to provide support at the
Pentagon following the terrorist attacks of 9/11. This is her journal. See
also: the photos. |
| Final
Thirtymile
Investigation Report |
In pdf format, 106 pages.
Photos here at wildlandfire.com. |
|
Thirtymile Report Errata |
pdf file of changes made after the report was submitted by the
Investigation team. |
|
Thirtymile Legislation |
Hastings-Cantwell Bill, H. R. 3971, June 24.2002 |
|
Thirtymile
Memorial Brochure |
A tribute to Tom, Karen, Devin and Jessica created for the opening of
the Thirtymile Memorial at the one year anniversary of their deaths. In
pdf format, 621 KB. |
| Lessons
from the Thirtymile (training) |
Lesson suggestions from MTDC with accessible information including
chronology, etc. |
|
Thirtymile staff ride |
Thirtymile staff ride on the Fire Leadership website. |
| John Watt's Letter to the BRP on Aerial
Firefighting, 2002 |
Following a number of air tanker accidents in 2001 and 2002, the Blue
Ribbon Panel was convened to look into and make recommendations on how to
deal with the aging air tanker fleet. John provided info to the panel and
allowed us to post his letter. Here's Info
on the Panel Members and the 60
page BRP Report itself (1.2MB pdf file). Published in early Dec '02. |
| Craig
Goodell's "Better Way" Fire Orders, 2002 188K pdf |
Craig Goddell's dynamic way of thinking about the 10 Standard Fire
Orders with description of how they apply to changing fire environment;
also a discussion of the Situations that Shout Watchout that may be in
conflict with some individual Orders. Take a look back at Brauneis'
"Original Intent" Fire Orders above. |
| Guy Pence on Competitive
Sourcing 03/03/03 |
Written to benefit the retention of the National Forest System, to keep
professional land managers at all levels in the Forest Service, and to
bring out the problems associated with competitive sourcing. |
| Dan Fiorito's Hotshots and
Prescribed Fire 04/18/03 |
Tasking hotshots to tackle prescribed fire projects is too much to ask.
This article was printed in Wildland Firefighter Magazine and is
posted here at the request of the author. |
|
like the Swiss Cheese Model
Hugh Carson on
Accident Investigation 07/26/03 |
Specifically on a model like the "Swiss Cheese" Model of Accident
Investigation (NB, Henry Reason's work stresses correcting the latent
systemic holes in the Swiss Cheese; human factors, well you can work on
those with training, but don't plan to avoid accidents at the last step) |
|
like the Swiss Cheese Model
The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System–HFACS, 2000 |
DOT, FAA, AM commissioned report (1242 K pdf) describes the logic behind the
Swiss Cheese Model of accident causation and creates the HFACS. Report
written by Scott Shappell and Doug Wiegmann, based on Reason's work on human
error. |
|
like the Swiss Cheese
Accident
Investigation Guide, 2003 |
USFS Accident Investigation Guide (3400 K pdf) contains aspects of the Swiss Cheese Model. |
| CDF Benefits,
How and Why? |
A commentary to remind us by "Another CDF BC" |
|
Fire Behavior
as it Relates to Firefighter Safety: Seven Key Points for Discussion |
Discussion points presented by Martin Alexander, recipient of the 2003
International Award for Fire Safety. |
| Mission
& Vision Statements - Revealing Firefighter Ethics |
Unless you know a wildland firefighter's ethics, how do you know their
attitude toward safety? How do you gauge their situational awareness or
understand how their leadership skills might come into play? |
| Cramer
Where
Did All the ICs Go? |
An Opinion by Jeff Blackwood, following the Cramer Fire. 03/10/04 |
| Fire Prediction using the
Fire Signature Prediction Method - Focus on Cramer |
Hard questions from Mellie; Doug Campbell replies. |
Another Way to Prevent a
Reoccurrence - Cramer
(last links on the page) |
A powerpoint on solving the Cramer Fire Incident using the Fire
Signature Prediction Method. The Fire Signature Prediction method is a
logical method for looking at current and expected fire behavior that allows
groundpounders to determine safe firefighting tactics. Includes similarities
between Cramer and South Canyon. 3/04. |
| Comparing the deadly
Cramer Fire and South Canyon Fires with the Dillon Fire (where all went
home) (large ppt file
7 MB) |
Powerpoint demonstration of the Fire Signature Prediction method used
with LCES.
Compliments of Doug Campbell.
- using wind, slope and solar preheat and recognizing when these
Forces are In Alignment / Out of Alignment,
- how to Time Tag a tactic,
- set a Trigger Point, and
- use Tracks on your map
- in conjunction with LCES.
If you have trouble downloading this, do it early in the morning
and/or find a broadband computer. Ab. |
| Why Agencies
Should Support Their ICs |
An Opinion by SteveM on why the Federal Fire Agencies should support the
Incident Commanders, 4/7/04, civil suits? ability to discipline their own?
jury of your peers? |
| Similarities of Fatality Fires,
Observations of Payne, 04/04 |
Some of the key similarities of three fatality fires: South Canyon,
Thirtymile, and Cramer.
Twenty firefighters lost their lives on these fires in the last decade. ppt
is also available, check the
site map
under software. |
|
Finger Pointing re AT Contract Cancellations |
With regard to the cancellation of 33 large AirTanker contracts
following the NTSB Report by the Forest Service in May, 2004 |
|
Safety Protocol Review SoCal Fire Siege, 2003 |
A review of whether and how safety guidelines resulting from fatality
fires (most recently the Cramer Fire) were followed in the SoCal
Firestorm of 2003. |
|
Southern California Firestorm 2003,
Lessons Learned |
From fuels, interagency cooperation, command and control, evacuation,
work/rest, strategy and tactics. Interesting read. |
| Drinking on Fires |
This topic comes up on theysaid rather routinely so we're including TC's
points here for reference. Ab. |
| Docs on the
Cramer Fatality Investigation, 2003 |
Posted at the Colorado Firecamp Website. FS and OSHA investigations,
including the Management Evaluation Report, and the un-redacted Findings
section and Appendix E from the Factual Report; the OSHA investigation
citations and the USFS response. The OIG report is not available to the
public. |
|
Cramer: Legal
Process Involving the OIG Investigation |
With Reference to the Cramer Fire Fatalities, 2003. Researched by
Mellie. |
|
Aftragstaktik, or Commander's Intent a paper |
A paper related to doctrinal change. |
|
Nuttall Fire Shelter Deployment After
Action Review |
Coronado National Forest, 7/2/04 (pdf file) Also
Nuttall Fire Shelter Fact Sheet (pdf file);
Map of
Deployment Site (pdf file); important for lessons learned |
Waterfall Fire Staging Area Burnover '04
-Lessons Learned
(HUGE 9.833 MB pdf file) |
72 hr report 7/14/04 (77K pdf file)
Lessons learned powerpoint is by Pete Anderson, NV State Forester-Firewarden,
Carson City NV
Burned engine 1 picture;
Burned engine 2 picture;
KOLO TV article |
|
Cramer: Implications |
Of the changing the accountability level in fatality incidents, by DC.
Stimulated by discussion of the Cramer Incident. From 12/3/04 theysaid. |
|
Cramer: Accountability and Legal Outfall |
From theysaid 12/2/04. A dissertation on responsibility and
accountability on the Cramer Incident, the changing litigious scene and
Agency Support, by Misery Whip. |
|
Cramer: Human
Factors, Large Organizations & Accountability |
From theysaid 12/13/04. An exposé by Misery Whip on the Cramer Incident. Two
more docs along the same thread:
Accountability 3 and
Unreasonable
Expectations |
|
John Wendt On Fire |
Reflections on a FS Fire Career: What was expected in the beginning and What's
expected now. Centralizing fire is one suggestion for dealing with the
burgeoning expectations placed on fire managers that can make fighting fire
unsafe. 12/04 |
|
Thoughts in Times of
Change |
Thoughts on Cramer, the professional wildland firefighter, the
rule-bound system of so-called accountability, commander's intent (a better
way), and ...district rangers and forest supervisors more and more at risk
for criminal negligence when fires kill people. Mellie et al. 12/13/04. |
|
Aftragstaktik, also known as Commander's Intent |
Commander's Expressed Intent (mission type orders) to accomplish a task
in the face of complexity and uncertainty. Some other good readings listed
in the
Leadership Toolbox. |
| Argument for
a Professional Firefighter Series |
Why a clearly designated professional wildland firefighter series makes
more sense than IFPM's Series 0401, and tech series 462 and 455. Dozer, 1/6/05. |
| Forest Service Fire Organization |
Unreasonable Expectations? A Systemic Organizational Problem that Impacts Safety?
Mellie's review of forest structure and how it might impact firefighter
safety, from theysaid 2/8/05. |
|
Forest Service Fire Organization: Facts, Issues, Suggestions |
A Safer Option? Centralization of Fire within Forests by "Concerned for
the Future", from theysaid 2/8/05. |
|
HR-408 Wage
Comparison |
Fact Sheet comparing existing fed firefighter pay with portal to portal
pay. |
Wildland Firefighter -
Formal Education |
What academic courses a professional wildland firefighter might need. Does not
fulfill the Biology 0401 Series requirement, from theysaid 3/7/05. |
|
Legal Deep Survival |
In the face of too many expectations, too many checklists, and the FS
failure to back up its employees, from theysaid 3/8/05. |
|
Incompetence |
Incompetence & Self-Awareness of Competence, by "Competent, I think"...
from theysaid, by SteveM, 3/14/05. |
|
Fire Behavior vs. Human Behavior: Why the Lessons from
Cramer Matter (755 K pdf file) |
Kelly Close's paper, presented at the IAWF Human Factors Conference,
Missoula MT, 4/26/05. Adds insight and lessons learned. |
| 20
Minutes at H-2 – Linear Decision Making in an Exponential Fire Environment |
Kelly Close paper, adds insight and lessons learned on the
Cramer Fire. 3363 K pdf file; large,
14 pages |
|
Novato Fire Department Report on the Cedar Fatality |
5900K very large pdf file. Came out May, 2004. |
|
CDF Cedar Fire Fatality Report |
2750K pdf file. Came out 5/24/05. Discussed on
Theysaid starting 5/25/05. Cedar
Fire MAP |
|
Fire
Suppression: Foundational Doctrine (in html) |
Results of the Pulaski Conference Doctrinal Review, June 2005. Here's
the draft in pdf with photos
Fire Suppression: Foundational Doctrine (huge
6,476 K
pdf). Also, go here for a link to the FS
streaming video of the process. |
|
Tuolumne Fire
Report (LARGE 5.95 MB pdf file, 183 pages) For easier pieces, the CDF
site has broken it down. |
CDF
Greensheet/72hr USFS Report plus Map 1,
Map 2,
Map 3
Executive
Summary (5 pages)
CDF
Site has broken the Tuolumne Fire Report down into parts for easier
download.
Article from Fire
Engineering (Note: based only on minimal information released.)
|
|
Potential Entrapment,
Rivera Mesa Fire (doc file) |
June 18, 2006, Las Vegas, New
Mexico, Santa Fe Interagency Hotshot Crew |
|
Balls Canyon NearMiss, Peer Review
(html file) |
June 27th, 2006, HumboldtToiyabe National Forest near Cold Springs, NV. This
document is a Peer Review, which bridges the gap between After Action
Reviews and Investigations. Discussion of the rationale for a Peer Review is
presented in addition to review of the incident. |
|
72 Hr Report Sawtooth Complex
Entrapments, 3 Incidents |
July 11, 2006, Wildland Fire Entrapment, Minor Burn Injuries and Smoke
Inhalation, Fire Engine Damage, Command Vehicle Damage; Southern CA; Joint
investigation: BLM, San Bernardino Co Fire, CDF |
|
Little
Venus Entrapment, Peer Review (1,327 K pdf file) |
July 24, 2006, Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming. |
|
New York Peak 72 Hour Report |
July 25, 2006 Eldorado Hotshots were hit by a firewhirl on
the New York Peak Fire near Winnemucca NV. 3 were burned, 2 seriously. |
|
New York Peak Factual Report (3076 K
pdf file) |
7/25/06, Eldorado IHC was hit by a firewhirl on the New York Peak Fire |
|
Mudd Fire Deployment/Burnover |
August 26,2006, Wildland Fire Deployment, Elko, Nevada. Bakersfield BLM
engine crew. 2 firefighters were burned over and burned. |
What Was He Thinking?
Decision Making and Judging |
137K doc file. Researched and written by Mike Johns, Assistant US
Attorney and Senior Litigation Counsel and former wildland
firefighter. This is a "brief summary of concerns about and solutions to
inherent problems associated with decision making and judgment. This paper
was prepared for the Serious Accident Investigation course." Discussed on
theysaid 9/26/06. |
Roadmap to a Just Culture
Enhancing the Safety Environment |
546K pdf file. Please read the copyright information. This paper
is prepared by: GAIN Working Group E, Flight Ops/ATC Ops Safety Information
Sharing, September 2004. It was prepared by the worldwide aviation
community to improve aviation safety, but the principles are relevant to
safety in our wildland fire learning environment. Ab. |
|
Map of Esperanza Site with Risks |
10/26/06 Wind driven fire blows the flames into the fuel in front of the advancing line of fire.
Spotfires introduce radiant heat in the fuel in advance of the line of fire. Under high
fire danger conditions, the spot fires become can so numerous and preheating fuel so
intense that the area seems to ignite all at once. This situation is one of these with the
potential for area ignition. The burn pattern signature seems to indicate this is what happened.
The fire and observations of the fire behavior are the ground truth. The fire models
are ill equipped to account for all the variations in this scenario. Doug
Campbell |
Esperanza Green Sheet (559K doc)
Spread Map
(1509 K pdf file)
Labeled Contour Map (665 K pdf file)
Site Map
(82 K pdf file)
Site Map Detail
(320 K pdf file) |
72 hour report on the 5 burnover fatalities of Engine 57 on the Esperanza
Fire, 10/26/06; also 24 hour Report:
Esperanza Blue Sheet (91K pdf) |
|
Free Ellreese.htm |
Theysaid posts relating to the criminal incitement of Ellreese Daniels,
Incident Commander, for decisions and actions on the 30 Mile Fire. |
|
30 Mile: Hindsight Bias & Conflicting
Witness Statements |
Analysis by Misery Whip rebuts the contention that Ellreese was
lying. December 31, 2006 |
|
2006 Fire Season – What Went Wrong and How Do We Learn From It? (3481K
pdf file) |
pdf of a powerpoint keynote presentation delivered by Assistant U.S.
Attorney Mike Johns at the Wildland Urban Interface Conference in Reno Feb,
2007. |
|
30 Mile Charges |
70 page pdf file Charges brought by the DOJ against Ellreese Daniels
more than 5 years after the burnover and deaths on the 30mile fire. |
|
Rod Altig on 30 Mile Criminal
Prosecution |
30 Mile Criminal Prosecution, an Agency Slippery Slope, January
7, 2007 |
|
R6
Chief Snell on Issues Re: 30 Mile
Criminal Prosecution |
R6 FAM Chief Snell's White Paper on Issues surrounding 30 Mile Criminal
Prosecution |
| IAWF
Online Survey Results of 30 Mile
Criminal Prosecution |
in News Releases section. A survey of 3,362 firefighters (2/07)
shows that 36% of the full-time wildland firefighters surveyed will make
themselves less available to be assigned to wildland fires as a direct
result of manslaughter charges filed recently against a firefighter in
Washington state. |
|
Esperanza Investigation Report (pdf
file, 3.8 MB HUGE) |
(or look
here for smaller pieces) |
|
Esperanza Action Plan (23k
pdf file) |
The FS chief's response for what will be done to mitigate the findings
of the Esperanza Report. |
| What Was He Thinking? (4854K doc file) |
by Mike Johns, Assistant U.S. Attorney
The Human Factors Context to help in assessing the
Esperanza Report; also important in decisions involving judgment. |
|
Misery Whip's Critique
of the Esperanza Report & Action Plan |
Thoughtful evaluation, taken from Theysaid discussion 6/6/07. |
| Rick
Halsey on Fire Suppression, Science, and Richard Minnich. |
In response to a June 16,2007 San Bernardino County Sun news article "Forests Need to Burn".
Rick is Director of the California
Chaparral Institute. |
|
Shari Downhill on The Media |
Good tips on what to expect and how to work with the Media. |
| Fed OSHA Report on
Esperanza
|
Came out on 7/19/07 (290 K pdf file) |
| Q's Perspective on Forest Service 1.5 Years after Retirement |
I was recently asked my perspective of the Forest Service since my
retirement a year and a half ago. Without being a “side line quarter-back,”
what would I change? ... What Q thinks... |
| Cascade
Complex Accident Prevention Analysis |
APA - Formerly called "Peer Review" (huge 8,241K pdf file); In
the spirit of Lessons Learned. |
|
Pie chart: Cause of death of Federal FF from 1990-2006 |
(3,927 K pdf file) from the NWCG Safety and Health Working Team: Federal
Employees by Cause of Death 1990-2006 (73 employees) 29 or 39.7% died from
burnover;
Table of Data
Entire Document:
Wildland Firefighter Fatalities in the United States: 1990–2006 (5838
K pdf file); A publication of the NWCG Safety and Health Working Team,
PMS 841, August 2007 |
|
Research on Recruitment, Retention and Pay |
A problem in California and other Wildland Urban Interface areas with
extremely high cost of living. |
|
2008 Retention Draft |
22 p. draft following a week long meeting of Fire
Professionals,12/10/07; no action resulted... |
|
R5 Module Configuration |
If R5 were staffed at levels budgeted by Congress, these are the
resources we'd expect on each of the R5 Forests.
R5 Forest Unit Identifiers |
|
FWFSA Response to the FS Recruitment & Retention Analysis |
(112 K doc file); FS Recruitment & Retention Analysis was presented at
the Senate Hearing on Appropriations on 4/1/08, Black Tuesday. |
|
VIDEO: Doug Campbell using CPS on the '88 Fayette Fire (WY) |
Historical 1/2 hr footage showing the fireground logic of the Campbell
Prediction System, now called the Fire Signature Prediction Method |
| Centralized
Fire Organization & Firefighter Retention |
Exposé by "Never Forget Black Tuesday". Pertinent,
meaty, a strong argument for reorganization, 5/24/08. |
|
The Art of Wildland Firefighting (3425 K doc file download) |
by Doug Campbell and Bruce Schubert lays out the logic and vocabulary of
Doug's "Campbell Prediction System" (also known as "The Fire Signature
Prediction System"). This paper describes Doug's body of work, the only
fire behavior training in which you can find a distillation of and a focus
on the "old firefighting wisdom" of the past for groundpounders of the
present. It's truly valuable training, a "force multiplier" for safety. Part
science and part art, it provides terminology to communicate tactics based
on what the fire is telling you, given wind, slope and solar preheating of
fuels.
USFS
Trainer Will Spyrison's comments. Documentation of European
training:
EU Training Plan;
Marc News;
Countries using CPS;
EU Grant |
|
The AAR Process - Army (138 K ppt file) |
Major R. L. Kennedy (2002); The After Action Review Process: intent, key
elements and the application of the process to training and operations;
compare with
Organizational Learning Tools and quick table:
From AAR to SAI. The AAR focuses on what was done correctly,
incorrectly, and how to do better next time around. |
|
Australian Bushfire Management: a case study in wisdom versus folly |
The issues leading up to Black Saturday. (66 K pdf file) It is
one person's view, Roger Underwood's, and was a talk that he recently
delivered to the Stretton Group (of influential business leaders etc) in
Melbourne. Underwood is a forester with 50 yr
experience in bushfire management and bushfire science. He's worked as a
firefighter, a district and regional manager, a research manager and senior
government administrator. He is Chairman of The Bushfire Front, an
independent professional group promoting best practice in bushfire
management. Sent by Alan Thompson, New Zealand. |
|
USFS
Wildland Fire Risk Management 2009 (482 K pdf file) |
Based on data through 2008; graphs, charts, fatality and accident trends |
|
Comments on the FS Redesign |
From theysaid 6/19/09 |
|
Fire Behavior Tuneup for Structural Firefighters |
A review of Doug Campbell's method of wildland fire prediction (1/22/10)
Nice... |
| very large download:
Campbell Prediction System Language: Glossary of Terms |
In honor and memory of Tim Stubbs, Doug Campbell is offering an e-version of his
Campbell Prediction System Language: Glossary of Terms. It's normally for sale on his website, but
he says he wants it offered free to theysaiders, to all interested in fire
behavior. The file is large, 6,519 K. Doug says: The use of the CPS language was
to promote communication of fire behavior potential. A language promotes
clear thinking and situational awareness. Describing a fire situation is an
important safety factor. Without language thoughts and unease about
situations on the fireline cannot be communicated. Practice describing fire
scenes to gain experience using the language, or create some phrases of your
own. Without some method of describing the changes in fire behavior safe
practices are compromised." Doug Campbell, 2010 |
| Site Map |
There may be more documents, please see the Site Map. |
