St. Helena >> The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit inmate fire crews from Delta Conservation Camp and Konocti Conservation Camp will hold their annual Fire Crew Preparedness Exercises in Lake County on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Fire Crew Preparedness Exercises provide the opportunity for 11 fire crews from the two conservation camps to be evaluated on their physical conditioning, firefighting knowledge, fire safety and personal protective equipment at the Konocti camp. The exercises will be managed by using the Incident Command System (ICS). The ICS is a management system designed to enable effective and efficient domestic incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications operating within a common organizational structure.
CAL FIRE in conjunction with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) operate 39 conservation camps with approximately 200 fire crews throughout the state. This partnership of agencies provides a large force of trained crews for all types of emergency incidents and resource conservation projects.
The Annual Fire Crew Preparedness Exercise is an important part of preparing for fires in California. The crew members are educated and trained to work under extreme fire conditions, many times in triple-digit heat. Under competitive pressure; the fire crews will construct fire lines utilizing chainsaws and hand tools, hike a set distance on varying terrain into a pre-designated location, deploy fire shelters, as well as expand their knowledge in fire, bulldozer and helicopter safety. During the exercises, proctors will remind them of the importance of their personal protective gear, communication and proper hydration. It is an outstanding opportunity to put their year’s training to the test and to gear-up both physically and mentally for the ensuing fire season.
