Report to the anchor point, pass the word, fire crowning.
Prepare to backfire, don�t light up until I give the word.
Prepare to backfire, wait for the word.
In high risk environments, the best level of protection against errors and accidents
is effective communication.
Firefighters are often required to convey information to a broad audience that may include
public and private sector organizations, media, disaster victims, and co-responders.
It�s the duty of all firefighters, regardless of position, to communicate critical information
to others.
Some of these structures that are off to the west, northwest part of this fire, they�re
going to be impacted here shortly.
The things going to back down and it�s going to line up with the topography and probably
get a little wind on it.
It�s in some pinyon pine, brush understory.
It�s definitely going to come across here pretty hard and impact some of those houses.
Communication is a tool firefighters need to be proficient with in order to succeed.
But it is also a tool that can sometimes be the most challenging for firefighters to learn.
Whatever their title, they need to establish and maintain clear and effective communications
with each crew member.
There are many aspects to communication.
Some examples are verbal, hey spot fire, over there.
Dick, Leroy get out there, hurry up, move it out don�t be so slow.
Non-verbal, and listening.
First, I got a lot of listening to do.
Our division boss is Floyd Cowls, Floyd briefs us on well he covers just about everything.
Often, communicating in the fire environment requires the use of different tools to deliver
and receive your message, such as writing, phones, and computers to name a few.
The �Five Communication Responsibilities� provide a guideline of what needs to be communicated
on the fireline.
To carry fire down the hill is to mitigate for that is to snag it.
A listing of the Five Communication Responsibilities can be found in the IRPG and in the Leading
in the Wildland Fire Service handbook.
Heath�s looking at it right now.
It sounds like this green finger and this saddle is pretty significant and we need to
get this taken care of.
This road at Cave of the Winds.
The last couple of days that�s where they�ve been putting buckets.
I hold a morning briefing.
The idea behind it is to communicate to every level.
In other words, if we don�t all get the message we�re in trouble.
Use briefings to ensure accurate situation awareness.
Keep incident personnel, including dispatch informed with relevant information.
We�re amassing four dozers and six hand crews on this particular segment of the line
and with the wind easing slightly, we should be able to pick this up in a couple of hours.
Know your audience, use clear terminology, give directions using task, purpose, and end
state.
We�ll start our line here and build it straight up that hill and to the ridgeline the dozer
crew is building.
Now we�ve got to finish this line before the winds come up.
You�ll be safe here, but watch out for rolling rocks.
Now we�re anchored to the road so we�ll cut through this pine stand to the edge of
the fire, then we can burn it out.
Any questions?
Okay let�s hit it.
There she goes, falling.
Heads up, cargo!
Use hazard identification to identify tactical, situational, political, or organizational
hazards.
Firing!
Hazard communications should be timely, accurate, and clearly stated
Floyd we�re ready to start our burnout over.
Fine, Andy did you copy the fire weather forecast a little while ago.
Negative Floyd.
Well they same we�re going to have some gusty and erratic winds in a short while and
this may cause you to get a little spotting over your line over.
Ten four Floyd.
Acknowledge and ensure clarity of received communications on conditions, assigned tasks,
intent, and other important information.
It�s not enough to deliver a message.
The message must be received for the communication to be successful.
I�ll get the transport heading to you and everyone else headed to that other meadow.
Copy?
Okay say again Brian.
We�re sending everyone to the green meadow that I went to.
They�re not going to make it there to you right now.
Okay yeah let�s get to the green meadow and I�ll get all the other trucks turned
around nobody else will come down.
Alright.
Guard against making false assumptions when the picture is not clear.
For example; next time a leader states their intent, try restating it back to them to check
your understanding.
Keep burning out with your line construction.
Floyd we�ll notify you when we do any major burn out.
Right?
Yeah just keep me informed on that, I�ll expect you to keep going all the time as soon
as you get a little line built out ahead.
Any questions?
What kind of fuel are we up against?
Mixed brush, some big mesquite.
Nice and dry, sixty percent dead.
Now how about the terrain?
Pretty steep country, there are some, some loose rocks, but I think you can get a hand
line in there okay.
Use After Action Reviews to build accountability and learn from experience.
Focus on the what, not the who.
Ensure the whole group is involved, others may have seen something you did not.
Conduct After Action Reviews in timely manner, with intent to improve operations.
Do it while the facts are still fresh in your mind.
Any notes you took during the suppression action can be very helpful.
That line represents the line we built today.
That point is approximately where we were this afternoon.
And do you recall where we tied in with the dozer?
That�s the place right there.
So the first fire is always kind of rough getting rolling and back in the business you
know, okay this is what we do.
What are we thinking about?
What are we doing?
So there�s always little bugs to work out especially when you come up here.
New fuel type or not as common, not as intuitive.
So, I learned a bunch today too.
Little examples, good stuff, good communication is what we need to do right now.
Using the �Five Communication Responsibilities� is one way to enable firefighters, at all
levels, to help develop good communication skills.
The wildland fire community is exceptional at improving skills and learning how to use
firefighting tools.
Sawyers are constantly making sure their saws are running in peak condition.
Like learning how to run an engine or fix a chainsaw, communication skills can be learned
and improved through practice and use.
Good day, such a good day.
Mason to Dryer, Mason to Dryer over.
Cliff, Cliff are you alright?
Sure I am, but that fire isn�t.
Hey how about dropping me some bush apes, I can start a line around the flanks.
Heads up two o�clock high.