By John R. Hawkins Fire Chief & Operational Area Fire & Rescue Coordinator & William Weiser, Division Chief Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Go! is the message from public safety officials telling you to evacuate. When you are told to evacuate, the message means now. The Ready for Wildfire website contains a downloadable GO! pamphlet,…
By John R. Hawkins Fire Chief & Operational Area Fire & Rescue Coordinator & William Weiser, Division Chief Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Decks: Surfaces within 10 feet of the building should be built with ignition-resistant,* non-combustible or other approved materials. Ensure that all combustible items are removed from underneath your deck. Rain gutters: Screen…
By John R. Hawkins Fire Chief & Operational Area Fire & Rescue Coordinator & William Weiser, Division Chief Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department The following excerpted information will be very valuable as you plan and act to create or maintain defensible space: Defensible Space Zones Two zones make up the required 100 feet of defensible…
Fire Chief & Operational Area Fire & Rescue Coordinator Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Editor’s note: Chief Hawkins uses an imaginary, but realistic, scenario to describe the thought process and actions of an incident commander during a fire on the Hill. This is continued from last week. This is the first of a two-part series….
By John R. Hawkins Fire Chief & Operational Area Fire & Rescue Coordinator Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Editor’s note: Chief Hawkins uses an imaginary, but realistic, scenario to describe the thought process and actions of an incident commander during a fire on the Hill. This is a series of articles explaining how a fire…
Editor’s note: Chief Hawkins uses an imaginary, but realistic, scenario to describe the thought process and actions of an incident commander during a fire on the Hill. This is continued from last week. The air tankers have arrived and are assigned to drop aerial fire retardant along the Idyllwild rim pretreating the vegetation below…
Editor’s note: Chief Hawkins uses an imaginary, but realistic, scenario to describe the thought process and actions of an incident commander during a fire on the Hill. This will be the first of four articles explaining how a fire officer assesses, strategizes and tactically implements an incident action plan to combat a rapidly escalating, life-threatening…
By John R. Hawkins Fire Chief Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department A major wildfire is burning below the ridge and above Hemet. You wonder if the fire will reach your house. Then, your mind wanders to your own personal responsibility. You question what will you do if the fire reaches your house. How will your…
Your pulse is fast, your hands are sweaty. You grab the phone and dial 911 because you need help NOW! Whether this is the worst moment of your life, or just a report of something unusual, calling 911 can be stress inducing. Frequently, it is known as “siren anxiety.” Understanding how the 911 system works…