Double Check Escape Routes
According to the Modesto Bee, a federal report is out on a line of duty death from 2004. One of the key finding was the fact that even though safety zones and escape routes had been identified, the safety zones couldn't be reached quickly.
"However, due to the steepness of the slope and rapid change in fire behavior, they did not all reach safety," concludes the report by a joint investigative team formed by the state forestry department and the U.S. Forest Service.Among the factors:
"Escape routes were inadequate to allow sufficient time for the firefighters to reach safety zones."
Another major finding was that the fire crew did not consider what the fire might do, instead basing their tactics exclusively on what the fire was currently doing.
I'll find the official report and post a follow up.
Posted August 5, 2005 01:52 PM · Link
· Line of Duty Death
