LAFD Crews Staff Special Rescue Team at Northern California Wildfires

Special Team Charged with Quickly Rescuing Wildland Firefighters

by Joe Zwierzchowski
Information Officer, Florida Forest Service
Assigned to July Complex Wildfires in Northern California

The Klamath Mountains are known for two things: rugged terrain and wildfires. Neither are forgiving elements and when combined can create one of the more dangerous working environments available for wildland firefighters.

Given the recent run of wildfires during the past years and the area’s long relationship with fires throughout history, the Klamath National Forest is a fitting place to pilot and hone a new technique for firefighter search and rescue. Started on the Klamath in 2012, a Rapid Extraction Module (REM) has been brought together as part of the July Complex wildfires.

The seven-man REM team is made up of five members from Durango (Co.) Fire and Rescue and two members from the Los Angeles Fire Department. "This team is capable of anything the forest needs us to do," said LAFD Capt. Tom Henzgen. "The program is in its infancy but I can certainly see the tremendous value of something like this."

Henzgen and his training partner, Frank Aguirre, also from LAFD, ran the Durango crew through its paces near Etna Summit to practice the skills they might need to employ in a worst-case scenario. The team consists of two Technical Specialists who are also Emergency Medical Technicians and trained in low angle rescue techniques, as well a five-person engine crew. One of the Technical Specialists is the module leader.

Along a small slope near the summit, the team cross trained on all positions so each member could become familiar with all possible responsibilities. Durango members swapped roles between main line, belay, edge protection, communications, etc.

The team members (Dan Dosch, Kyles Eckes, John Max Henry, Allen Ottman and Pete Stockwell) come from southwest Colorado and are familiar with the ropes and techniques used on the REM but as all firefighters know, there are learning opportunities on every assignment.

"It’s a beneficial addition to wildland firefighters, especially in terrain like this," Rockwell said. "It’s an added tool and safety feature that completes this total package." Team safety is paramount – rescuers cannot help the patient if they become patients themselves.

Henzgen of the LAFD, a trained paramedic, said the team's purpose is to be able to traverse the rugged terrain like the Klamath Mountains in case of an injury, locate and reach the patient using a rope system and pull the victim to a safe location in order to speed up the extraction process.

"The 'Golden Hour' is the key," Henzgen said, referring to the critical time from when an emergency call is received to when the patient is properly treated. "We need to get the patient out of this canyon, out of this forest and to a hospital within one hour."

Another factor specific to the Klamath and other forests in the region is unique weather. Inversions – low lying layers of temperature variances often found in the Klamath as well as Rogue-Siskiyou National Forests – often prevent the use of helicopters for an air extraction.

"The inversion is the difference around here," said Matt Lipson, Medical Unit Leader for California Interagency Incident Management Team One. "The progression of medical response over the past 10 years in the woods and in the urban interface areas has been incredible. This is part of that and our firefighters are out there risking their lives; they deserve the best we can provide them."

While speed is the key to the program – and survival – should a firefighter, hunter or hiker ever need the REM, LAFD's Henzgen and Aguirre maintained a mantra while running their team through drills: Speed is Consistent with Safety.

"It’s an awesome program because of the area (the Klamath) and the mobile capacity of taking care of our own," Aguirre said, adding "We can be incredibly effective in places others cannot."

Safety, of course, is top priority on all fire suppression efforts and Incident Commander Jerry McGowan summed that sentiment up well during a recent morning briefing. "We have a plan for communications, operations …" McGowan said. "Safety is not a plan. Safety is a belief." That belief and commitment to safety is demonstrated by the inception, presence and practices of the REM.

"I’m surprised this hasn’t been implemented sooner - and I’m excited to be part of it," Durango’s Eckes said. "To know there is somebody on the incident that is trained and setup for this is a great improvement to the way we (firefighters) work."

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