Things You Should Do

By Travis Dotson
Analyst
Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

[This is Travis’ Ground Truths column that appeared in the 2024 Winter Issue of Two More Chains.]

Some people learn quickly. Some do not. I learn slowly. I am working on writing longer sentences.

Learning involves change. Change is hard. I like short sentences.

The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center wants you to learn. We collect lessons all year. We put the lessons in Two More Chains. You read Two More Chains.

Then what?

Hopefully . . . Change. But change is hard. I like short sentences.

I will now tell you two things you should do. Maybe you already do them. Strong work. If not, please change.

UTVs

Treat your UTVs like the engine or crew rig. Have a checklist used for preventive maintenance and use it to routinely inspect the UTV.

Why?

Multiple UTV incidents where the primary lesson from those involved was “do better routine inspections”. These incidents involved broken welds, exposed wiring, dry vegetation accumulation, old or loose tie-downs, and leaking cargo (fuel cans).

Medical Incident Report

Gather the people you go to fires with and look at the Medical Incident Report on page 118 of the IRPG. Discuss the fact that the color priority (RED, YELLOW, GREEN) has nothing to do with HOW the patient will be transported.

The color is about the medical condition of the patient and the urgency (how SOON do we need to get them out?). HOW the patient is transported is completely dependent on the location, environmental conditions, and extraction resource availability. To be clear: RED does not automatically = helicopter, and helicopter does not automatically = RED. Figure this out and get it right.

Why?

Multiple instances of confusion related to assumptions. Lessons from 2023:

“Is there a perception that a medical incident must be ‘Red’ (‘Priority 1’) before considering the use of extraction aircraft? A patient could even be ‘Green’ yet be unable to walk with a twisted knee or ankle—and be in a compromised location due to geography or fire behavior.” – Anvil Fire Extraction

“Getting in the habit of adjusting the patient priority based on what those on the ground think is available, possible or prudent upends the intent of the MIR.

The MIR should paint an accurate picture of the situation which allows command and support staff to orchestrate the best available extraction support.” – Whiskey Creek Fire Burn Injury

There you have it. Two simple things you should do. Maybe you already do them. Strong work. Teach someone else to do them.

Learning involves change and change is indeed difficult, but I assure you it is possible—and I offer the length of this sentence as proof.

Adapt and Improve, Tool Swingers.