Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

The Facebook request for firefighters sounds very much like a person with ignorance of the process.  Incident command certainly won't be using FB to request additional resources. Forwarding this kind of "outside the system" unofficial request for resources will just perpetuate the ignorance.

 

Incident management can pick up the phone and get firefighters and other resources from elsewhere in the state, from the state level, and even from out of state. Fire nationwide tends to be well organized for mutual aid. TX is part of FEMA Region VI that also includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. As region they are organized for interstate resource coordination, and have done so for many fires, hurricanes, tornados, etc. If needed, resources can be tapped nationwide. When we had lots of large fires all over the western states and resources were stretched thin, CA even brought some resources down from Canada.

 

If the fire's incident commander was short resources "last night," s/he should already have ample help before morning through the mutual aid system, and more coming for the next operational period if needed.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jorene Downs

SAR, CERT, Emergency Communications

Mounted SAR

http://www.ceoates.com/msar

KJ6JCD

 

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From: Karen Nesbitt

This message is circulating on Facebook... I do not knwo the calidity of the telephone number so if someone else wants to look into it or verify.. have at it....

 

 ATTENTION TEXAS AND SURROUNDING AREAS.WE NEED FIREMEN!Begging for retired and any fireman to call number to help.We were short 25 fireman last night.Cannot contain town of Bastrop, 35 miles away fire is 16 miles long,6 miles wide,jumped Colorado river, evacuated entire town and also neighborhood called Steiner ranch of 5500*PLEASE EVERYONE REPOST EVEN IF NOT IN TEXAS.SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS MAY BE. HELP!! Call 512-978-1187