LODD: FIREFIGHTER DIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY-APPARATUS CRASH AT WILDLAND FIRE

FIREFIGHTER DIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY-APPARATUS CRASH AT WILDLAND FIRE

We regret to advise you that around 0830 yesterday, 19-year-old Jesse Trader was killed Tuesday morning while working the Big Windy Complex Fire about 25 miles northwest of Grants Pass in Josephine County.

 Initial reports are that he lost control of the water tender/tanker vehicle he was driving, down a hill, lost control and went over the edge of a cliff. Rescue medics arrived within minutes but he could not be saved.

Jessie was a contractor FF was operating in the area of the big windy complex fire (one of five major forest fires in the region) was killed in the Line of Duty in a truck crash

Sheriff Gil Gilbertson says Trader was driving a water truck around 7:20 a.m. along Bear Camp Road near Soldier Camp when he lost control and slammed into an embankment.  Gibertson estimates he might have been going 30 to 40 mph at the time of the accident.  Life Flight got to him right away but it was too late.  Trader was coming off his overnight shift.

He was a 2012 graduate of West Albany High School.

 The southwestern fires were ignited by lightning late last month. They are burning in some of the state's most difficult mountain terrain, fed by vegetation parched by a widespread drought. 

Our condolences to all-RIP.

California Fire News: News - Tahoe blaze burns moments into memories - sacbee.com

CAL FIRE News - Tahoe blaze

News - Tahoe blaze burns moments into memories - sacbee.com:

Tahoe blaze burns moments into memories

Portraits from the fire

By Chris Bowman - Bee Staff Writer

Last Updated 12:20 am PDT Sunday, July 1, 2007

PAT HENNESSY: For the first time in 30 years, the retired firefighter is seeing destroyed homes, especially his own, in a new way. "It's just full of skeletons of childhood memories," he said. Sacramento Bee/Hector Amezcua

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- The sudden losses suffered by hundreds amid the splendor of this alpine resort area are by now known the world over.

What's left behind?

The spirit to rebuild, the will to protect the famously clear lake, the determination to reduce the risk of another catastrophic forest fire.

And the moments frozen in time by journalists from all points to chronicle the Angora fire.

In other words, photographs.

The Bee revisited some of these moments to sketch out the stories and complete the portraits of individuals caught by the camera.

PAT HENNESSY

'We've still got the view'

Pat Hennessy, 54, is a retired firefighter who drafted himself back into the ranks to battle the Angora blaze -- after seeing his own house burn to the foundation.

No sooner did his home of 20 years vanish than he hopped on his water-tender truck and got himself assigned to fire crews.

On Saturday, he returned to his home site off Lake Tahoe Boulevard to search for anything left intact. There was more at stake than just his own family's belongings. His garage had served as a storehouse for many generations of Hennessys, dating back to their arrival from Germany during the California Gold Rush.

His '49er ancestors owned butcher shops in Downieville and Sierra City. They used the income to run the family-owned stamp mill, the Kentucky Mine, now a historic Nevada County park.

"I've seen the aftermath of many house fires," Hennessy said Saturday as he surveyed his own ashen heap. "They're really no longer homes -- they are just rubble."

Now, of course, he's developed a different perspective.

"It's just full of skeletons of childhood memories," Hennessy said as he pointed out a toddler-sized 1950s pedal tractor. He found a heap of twisted, tiny railroad track that went with the 1930s Lionel train set handed down from his father.

What remains of those homes? The outline of very personal property.

"This was the first time in 30 years of firefighting that I don't like the media trampling on ruins. Before, I never thought about it. It was just rubble.

"You start recognizing things, and then you start thinking, hey, maybe I'll find something. I found myself walking around saying, did this make it? Did that make it?"

On Friday, an insurance adjuster had stepped into the garage area to document damage, Hennessy recalled. "I said, 'Hey, you're trampling all over my Life magazine collection.' Not everybody has every issue of Life magazine -- and I mean every issue from 1936 to 1975."

Hennessy continues to talk about his house and things in the present because his family has no doubt about rebuilding.

With arms akimbo, Hennessy stood in what had been his living room and looked out at what had been his picture- window view of a forest service meadow.

"We've still got the view," he said. "It just has a little charcoal."

Water Tender rollover on wildland fire

wtr-tndr-rollover.jpg (JPEG Image, 640x480 pixels)

http://www.wildlandfire.com/pics/equip10/wtr-tndr-rollover.jpg

Bolli Incident,WaterTender Accident; 72-hour Briefing
Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity Arlen Cravens, Fire Management Officer, Shasta-Trinity

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Preliminary factual findings: On May 25^th, contract Water Tender (WT) E41 was assigned to dust abatement on Forest Road 35N18 on the Bolli incident on the Shasta-McCloud Management Unit of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. E41 was driving southerly along 35N18 towards Curl ridge. The vehicle’s left tires left the hardened surface of the roadway causing the vehicle to roll and slide down the embankment approximately 200 feet. Cab & chassis were separated from the water tank and came to rest right side up approximately 200 feet down the embankment. The driver was discovered outside the vehicle and about 50 feet above it. The driver had lacerations to the head and was bruised with possible fractures. Rescuers performed extraction procedures and a medical evacuation to Mercy Medical Hospital. The driver was treated and kept overnight for observation and released on May 26^th.

Narrative: WT E41 is a type 2 water tender, 1974 Kenworth 900, license number SE505316, with 2500-3000 gallon capacity. At 1130 at the Water Tender Group briefing in the field, water tender E41 was assigned to continue watering 35N18, the main access route to the fire. WT E41 proceeded southerly from the bottom of Sheep Camp access road to begin dust abatement where the previous water tender had left off.

At 1208 a call from WT E59 indicated that a water tender had gone off the road and that the driver was found outside the vehicle trying to climb back up the hill. Tracks indicate that WT E41 was headed southerly up a relatively straight stretch of road 35N18 when the left wheels of vehicle went onto the soft shoulder and the vehicle could not return to the hardened travel way. Apparently, the vehicle rolled upside down and slid down hill until another obstacle flipped it back upright. It is unclear when the cab/chassis and the water tank became separated. The roof of the cab was ripped off, remaining attached only at one corner, and the top of the water tank was severely scraped. However, damage to the vehicle was not as severe as expected: the water tank was not ruptured; the truck tires were all intact except the left inside dual; the dash, steering column, and seat were intact; and the fuel tanks were intact. Debris from the descent was distributed in a fairly narrow corridor. There was no water left in the tank and no evidence of loss of a large quantity of water at the scene. The road bed at the scene was not wet when the responders arrived.

It is unclear when and how the driver got out of the vehicle. It is also not clear if the driver was wearing his seat belt at the beginning of the accident or removed it during the accident. When found by E59 contract water tender driver, E41’s driver was told to remain in place until medical assistance could arrive. Due to the driver’s injuries and the difficult nature of his location, CHP worked with Incident Command on a helicopter extraction. Bolli Incident staff prepared the driver for extraction; the CHP Helicopter extracted the driver and transferred him to the life flight helicopter (REACH) for transfer to Mercy Medical Hospital for evaluation and necessary medical care. The driver suffered lacerations, bruises and a fractured thumb.

At this time there is no evidence that any other vehicles were involved in the accident. Road 35N18 is a level 2 road in steep terrain. Road conditions at the accident site were unremarkable: road alignment grade in the direction of travel was 4-6% uphill; there is no outsloping evident on this stretch of road; and the hardened travel way is 11 feet wide. As you are facing the direction of travel, there is a sheer rock cut bank on the right side of the road and the embankment on the left drops off at about an 80% slope. Turnout opportunities were available about 100 feet before the site and another visible farther south up the road at the next spur ridge.

Records indicate that appropriate vehicle inspections had occurred prior to the incident. There is no information available about the speed of the vehicle.

Vehicle inspection will occur after recovery and a coordinated CHP and Law Enforcement investigation is still ongoing.

/s/ Donna F. Harmon

Donna F. Harmon

District Ranger South Fork Management Unit

4,755 gallon Close Support Tanker For Water (CSTW)

4,755 gallon Close Support Tanker For Water

Cab Seating:
3-person

Axle Configuration: 6x6

Curb Weight (VCW): 28,000 lbs (12,700 kg)

Gross Combined Weight Rating: (GCWR): 122,000 lbs (55338 kg)

Fifth Wheel Vertical Loading: 32,000 lbs (14515 kg)
Length: 297.4 in. (7554 mm)
Width: 98 in. (2489 mm)
Height: 140 in. (3556 mm) Reducible to 98 in.
(2489 mm) with preparation
Track: 80.8 in. (2052 mm)
Wheelbase: 184 in. (4674 mm)
Maximum Speed: 65 mph (105 km/h)
Tires: 16.00R20 XZL Michelin
Wheels: 20 in. x 10 in. (508 mm x 254 mm) two piece bolt
together, steel disc
Central Tire Inflation System: Standard
Fifth Wheel: Fully oscillating with 2 in. SAE kingpin capability
(3.5 in. optional)
Fuel Capacity: 78 gal. (295 liters)
Cruising Range: 300 mi. (483 km)
Fording: 60 in. without kits (1524 mm)
Transportability: •C5, C17, and C141 aircraft (w/preparation)
• CH53 Helicopter at VCW
• Shipboard crane loading at VCW
Engine:
Caterpillar®, C-12 electronic control, 425 HP
Transmission:
Allison 4700SP, automatic electronic control
Transfer Case:
Oshkosh 30000 Series
Suspension:
Oshkosh TAK-4™ independent suspension system
Electrical System:
24 volt vehicle with 12 volt/10 amp accessory
in cab, 12/24 volt trailer attachment, 150 amp alternator
Brakes:
Anti-Lock Brake System with automatic traction control
Steering:
All wheel mechanical steer
Turning Diameter:
60 ft. curb to curb

Axles:
(2) BPW Model 10110 E36.1 Eco Plus tubular non-driving axles
2 x 22,046 lb. rating
82.5 in. track width
Brakes, Service:
BPW S-Cam, air-operated, drum type brakes with internal shoe
Brakes, Parking and Emergency:
BPW S-Cam spring brakes on first axle
Interlocked with pumping system
16.5 x 7.9 in.
Gross Weight:
58,422 lbs.
Electrical System:
24-volt with road legal lighting and convoy lights
Kingpin:
SAE 3.5-inch (89 mm) dia. with a 70.7 in. design height
Pumping Module:
Self-priming stainless steel centrifugal water pump
264.2 gal./min. capacity
Piping:
Stainless steel, welded construction with flanged
or threaded connections
Trace heating elements on manifold prevent freezing
Self-cleaning
Manhole:
(2) 19.7 in. dia. hinged fill covers
Overall Length: 408.3 in.
Suspension: BPW air suspension on two axles
Tank:
4,755 gal. capacity, single compartment tank with two lateral
baffles and two longitudinal baffles
Cylindrical and conical sections with domed ends constructed
of cold-rolled AISI 316L stainless steel with a .18 in. tank shell
Contents gauge with external reading display is standard
Insulation: 4 inches surrounding tank, stainless steel clad
Tires:
Michelin® 16.00 R20 XZL
One spare