NewYorkers’skills,systems,teamworktested
BySHERRYHALBROOK smokewokemeup.Thefirewasabout ThestateDepartmentofParksand
I
twasawarmFridaynight,April18, threemilesfrommyhouse.Andmylittle RecreationandDECwereinvolvedright
whenPEFmemberMichaelCallan woodlotwasjustparched.” fromtheget-go.Anincidentmanagement
andhisfamilywenttobedintheirhome AforesterforthestateDepartmentof teamledbyDECforestrangers(not
onBermeRoadinKerhonkson,sothey EnvironmentalConservation(DEC), representedbyPEF)ledthebattle.
leftwindowsopen. Callanistrainedtofightforestandbrush PEFmembersatthestateDepartment
TheCallansdidnotknowasmall fires.Hewastednotimevolunteeringto ofState’sOfficeofFirePreventionand
brushfirehadbeenreportedat12:30 helpfightthisone. Control(DOSOFPC)werealsoamongthe
p.m.thepreviousdayatastatepark “Igotuptothefirestagingareaabout firstcalledtothescene.Theywerecalled
overlookafewmilesawaynearRoute 11a.m.,”Callansaid.Hekeptatit bytheUlsterCountyBureauofFireat
44/55inUlsterCounty. throughtheweekend. about6:30Fridaynightandaskedto
Now,flameswereracingoutofcontrol HewasnotthefirstPEFmemberto provideandtrackawiderangeof
throughthetinder-dryforestsand respond,norwouldhebethelast.Ittook resources,frompeopletohelicopters,at
underbrushofthe20,000-acre anarmyofhundredsoflocalfirefighters thefire.
MinnewaskaStateParkonthe andthecarefullycoordinatedeffortsof PEFDivision295membersLes
picturesqueShawangunkMountainridge. manystate,countyandprivate GreenwoodandAndyJoneswereamong
Itwouldsoonberecognizedasthebiggest organizationstofinallystoptheblaze, thefirsttoarriveatthestagingareathat
wildfiretoravageNewYorkin13years. whichwasdeclaredofficially“out”more night.Workinginshifts,DOSmembers
“Iliverightnexttoit,”Callansaid.“The thanaweeklaterat2p.m.,April29. wouldbetherearound-the-clockuntil
April24,afterthefirewascontainedand
undercontrol.
Keepingtrackofexactlywherepeople
andequipmentwereontheridgesandin
thevalleysthroughthelongsmoke-filled
daysandnightsiscrucialtoprotecting
lives.Italsoensurestherightresources
gettotherightplacesintimetobe
effective.
DOSmembersalsoservedonthe
incidentmanagementteam,alongwith
representativesfromthestateEmergency
ManagementOffice,thatdeveloped
objectives,strategyandtacticsforfighting
thefire.
BecausetheOFPCroutinelyprovides
firetraining,arsoninvestigationandother
resourcestolocalandcountyemergency
TRACKINGFIREFIGHTERS—PEFmemberAndrewJonesandUlsterCounty services,theDOSmemberswerethe
DeputyFireCoordinatorEdWilhelmcheckthemapoftheOverlookFire.Atleft,is liaisonamongwhatgrewtobeatotalof
PEFmemberMarilynSchrader,afireprotecti 134stateandlocalgovernmentand
Page14—TheCommunicatorSeptember2008
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