Please slow down for Emergency Responders and Maintenance Crews working on roadways

Fire fighters face a serious risk of being struck and killed by traffic when offering emergency assistance along busy highways.

From 1995 to 1999, 17 firefighters were struck and killed by motor vehicles while working along highways at crash scenes, an 89 percent increase over the number killed in the previous five years. These fatalities demonstrate that line-of-duty risks to fire fighters are not limited to the hazards of fighting structural blazes and wildfires.  The weather, the time of day, lighting, traffic speed and volume, and road configuration are among the factors that affect fire fighter safety along roadways.

ICFR firefighters follow national standards for visitbility on roadways, wearing a high-visibility safety vest on all scenes on highways and roads.  These vests are not worn during firefighting operations. 

Please slow down when approaching an emergency scene or in the area of road maintenance crews.  Pull into the left lane if possible to give emergency workers some room.  Look for traffic control staff, safety cones, and signals for proper routes through or around the scene.

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are conducive to the rapid growth of wildfires. Dry conditions combined with high winds and low humidity are the hallmarks of weather conducive to producing large wildfires.

The three basic ingredients for a wildfire are strong winds, low relative humidity, and high temperatures. In addition, persistently dry vegetation provides an easy fuel source for the fires. Living on or above a steep hill is a risk factor for rapid spread of fire.  If the conditions are either not currently occurring or about to occur, a Fire Weather Watch is issued.  Red Flag Warnings mean there is an expectation for explosive fire growth potential.

Incident Command System

ICFR uses the Incident Command System (ICS) on every call.  From the EMS call with an ill patient to a large rescue effort in Deer Creek Canyon Park, each call has an Incident Commander (IC) responsible for the scene.  When working with other agencies ICFR apparatus and staff report to the IC for that scene. 

A summary of the Incident Command System from FEMA:
The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazards incident management approach that:

• Allows for the integration of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications operating within a common organizational structure.
• Enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and functional agencies, both public and private.
• Establishes common processes for planning and managing resources.

ICS is flexible and can be used for incidents of any type, scope and complexity. ICS allows its users to adopt an integrated organizational structure to match the complexities and demands of single or multiple incidents.

ICS is used by all levels of government—federal, state, tribal and local—as well as by many nongovernmental organizations and the private sector. ICS is also applicable across disciplines. It is typically structured to facilitate activities in five major functional areas: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics and Finance/Administration. All of the functional areas may or may not be used based on the incident needs. Intelligence/Investigations is an optional sixth functional area that is activated on a case-by-case basis.

As a system, ICS is extremely useful; not only does it provide an organizational structure for incident management but it also guides the process for planning, building and adapting that structure. Using ICS for every incident or planned event helps hone and maintain skills needed for the large-scale incidents.

Diagram of the Command and General staff at larger incidents.  Not all positions may be filled at smaller incidents:

Chimney Fires - Safety in your home

Chimney Fires

While the weather may be warm in the foothills and in Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District this week, winter will return.  Homes wihich use a fireplace or stove as a heat source should consider the risks of chimney fire.  It may seem unlikely that the fire will get to the rest of the house if it even gets started in the first place. But dirty chimneys are susceptible to fires that can destroy homes.

Chimney fires can catch on explosively, shooting flames and dense smoke out the top. Or they can be slow-burning and barely noticeable until they've gotten hot enough to damage the chimney irreparably and even catch your house on fire.  With a little care, chimney fires are easily preventable.

First, let's understand how chimney fires happen. The wood you burn sends smoke up your chimney. That much is obvious. But it may not be obvious that the smoke doesn't have to remain in a gaseous form. Wood smoke contains significant amounts of material that can condense on the sides of the chimney's interior. The result is a tar-like or flaky substance called creosote. Once it's formed, the creosote remains stuck to the inside of the chimney, just waiting for a flame or spark to reach up and set it off.

Any wood can create creosote, but unseasoned wood is the worst culprit. Colder than normal temperatures can encourage higher than normal condensation of creosote. And restricted air supply can add to the problem.

Unseasoned Firewood

Burning green wood isn't an easy task. Green wood contains a lot more moisture than seasoned wood, and that moisture has to be removed somehow in order for the wood to burn. The resulting smoke is cooler than if seasoned wood had been used. Cooler smoke is more likely to come out of its gaseous state, condensing on the inside of the chimney.

Cold Temperatures

Cold on the outside of the chimney can also help cool the smoke down to the point where it condenses and forms creosote. If it's an exterior chimney, running up the side rather than through the center of the house, this adds to the possibility.

Air Supply

It helps to have good currents of air to lift the smoke out of the chimney before it condenses. If the fireplace can't draw air in freely, this interrupts the flow and, again, creosote forms. Closing the fireplace's glass doors or not opening the damper all the way are the main ways in which air supply gets restricted.

But most importantly, have your chimney inspected and cleaned regularly. Nothing can completely prevent the creation of creosote. But a certified chimney sweep can keep the problem from getting out of hand.

If you recognize a chimney fire call 911 and evacuate your home.