1 Narrative from Writer/Editor detail:
Fire on the Umpqua: The Rattle Fire 2008

The manuscript will be released Spring 2010 by the Umpqua National Forest , Supervisor's Office, Roseburg, OR. The detail also included production of a
youtube.com video: 'rattlemeyeah'. The video (9 mins) is primarily footage and
stills from fire personnel. DJ Cam authorized used of his music for the soundtrack.

My fireblog has a discussion and some responses: hop to link with embeded video at :
http://pio2x.blogspot.com/2009/08/socialmedia4-rattle-fire-rattlemeyeah.html

From the blog:
As part of my public information detail on the Rattle Fire (2008), I complied a video short from images provided by firefighters, incident management team members, and other personnel working the wildfire,
including myself. This was not footage compiled from a film crew with lots of '3 chip toys', dollies, and a high end caterer.

The low resolution quality of the production (in certain segments) was unavoidable where the dpi (dots per inch) of the source imagery was 72. I feel the truth of the images is the in situ authenticity of shots taken on the run, with phone cameras and small, portable digitals pulled out of packs chucked around in all types of fire rigs: cameras dusty from the grimy work that is inherent in firefighting.

DJ Cam, French hip-hop artist, authorized limited use of his cut "Success", ' D J Cam Revisited' (2005). While I am a total fan of this artist, I chose this music for two reasons: it is of a genre that a lot of firefighters listen to on their iPods off-shift and the message of the jam is eXactly aligned with incident command system practices. "Learn from your mistakes, learn from your success, that's how you do best." It was my expectation that some of the older guard would not enjoy the hip-hop style, however, I thought if they could hear through the music to the message they might be... less annoyed. With the emphasis on
IMT's as HRO's, wow the anchronisms are flying here: IMT= incident management team, HRO=highly resilient organizations.

In reviewing some of the commentary forwarded to me from the forest Public Affairs Officer , I feel pleased that the video provoked strong sentiment either very liked or very disliked emphatically. Such a response is a complement, I prefer passion to mediocrity. Viva! Andele!

The video can be viewed online in a highly pixelated youtube version at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt4_uZXhgwI.
You can also forward this higher res version from this blog.

Running time is 9 minutes.
NOTE: the presence of helicopters was not overstated, I rather missed them after I left fire camp.

2 Article from duty as Public Information Officer
The Tolo Fire InciWeb site,
August 2007 www.inciweb.org/Incident/884

Anniversary of Mann Gulch Fire.
Alexis West, Public Information Officer

On August 5, 1949, thirteen firefighters were killed in the Mann Gulch Fire, near Helena, MT. Since that incident, firefighter training has evolved to a regulated system of training and qualifications for firefighting and support services. Coupled with the Incident Management System, wildfire incidents are managed with safety of personnel as the primary objective.

Teams within the Incident Management System continually evaluate all units on fire incidents. By evaluation in After Action Reviews, teams assess what worked, what didn't work, and how they could have worked better. Incident Management Teams continue to provide a proven successful organizational tool for coordinating wildfire and other emergency personnel in catastrophic events.

Much was learned for the fatalities at Mann Gulch, as well as, other firefighter fatalities. These lessons are summarized in the 18 Watch Out situations and the 10 Firefighting Orders. These guidelines are the foundation of safety and situational awareness in wildland fire.

The following website is one of many which provides information about the Mann Gulch Fire and a virtual visit to the Memorial. Please take a moment to honor all members of the Mann Gulch crew, as well as, all firefighters dedicated to wildland firefighting.

http://manngulchfire.com/index.htm

Fire Orders
Fire Behavior
1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts.
2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.
3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire.

Fireline Safety
4. Identify escape routes and make them known.
5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.
6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.
Organizational Control
7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your supervisor and adjoining forces.
8. GIve clear instructions and insure they are understood.
9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.

If 1-9 are considered, then...
10. Fire fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.

The 10 Standard Fire Orders are firm.
We don't break them;
We don't bend them.
All firefighters have a Right to a safe assignment.

Watch Out Situations
1. Fire not scouted and sized up.
2. In country no seen in daylight.
3. Safety zones and escape routes not identified.
4. Unfamiliar with weather and local factors.
5. Uninformed on strategy, tactics and hazards.
6. Instructions and assignments not clear.
7. No communications link with crew members/supervisors.
8. Constructing line without safe anchor points.
9. Building fireline downhill with fire below.
10. Attempting frontal assault with fire below.
11. Unburned fuel between you and the fireline.
12. Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyonewho can.
13. On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuelbelow.
14. Weather isw getting hotter and drier.
15. Wind increases and/or changes direction.
16. Getting frequent spot fires across line.
17. Terrain and fuels make escape to safety zone difficult.
18. Taking a nap near the fire line.

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