GFC's Baldwin Co. Ranger and Crew Boss, Troy Helms, Jr., surveys the Holter Lake Complex fire near Wold Creek, Montana.
specialized training and expertise. Thomas Barrett and Reggie Lanier served in positions that kept the operations’ wheels turning smoothly. “I am trained in the Plans section,” said Barrett, Assistant District manager for GFC’s Ogeechee District. “We’re in charge of all intelligence, weather information, maps; we conduct briefings at daily meetings and ensure personnel are accounted for. The Logistics folks use the information we gather and maintain to support personnel assigned to the fire. They get the food and set up the showers, and we keep the supplies going,” Barrett said. “Basically, we get everything mobilized so firefighters can work, eat, and sleep.” One of the improvements Barrett saw this trip was a new GPS-guided para-cargo drop system. When tools and supplies were needed by firefighters in remote areas, the package was guided there by a GPS unit. Barrett said the device enables pilots to fly at higher altitudes and reduces the hazards produced by thick smoke when making a drop. Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Stewardship Specialist, Reggie Lanier, traveled to montana on August 23. 24
Lanier’s ImT training centered on financial jobs, and he brought a great deal of experience to the summer fires. Lanier’s past work on finance teams included the 1996 Summer Olympics, Waycross fires of 2007, and Honey Prairie fire of 2011. Like Kline, most of his work was done at base camp, where as deputy finance section chief, he performed incident tasks related to land use agreements, contracted equipment, and personnel. “The incidents I’ve worked on in the past definitely prepared me better for the job,” said Lanier. “We go into these places to play a role and move forward. you don't hear a lot of complaining; people accept the situation and move on.” Lanier credits the people who handled public information with greatly aiding overall communications during the fire crisis. The public information officers (PIOs) ran ‘trap lines,’ which are routes that take the officers into nearby towns, so citizens and businesses can get the latest information directly from knowledgeable sources. “The PIOs really enhanced communications between fire services and the local community,” Lanier said. “People relied heavily on them. Plus, social media
played a big part. A dedicated Facebook page had updates and photos and was a great resource.” Moving Forward
The GFC contingent is back on southern ground now, and team members who served out west are sorting through their memories of the summer’s fire crises. Despite the heat, the smoke, the dust, and the danger, each person who went said they came back grateful for the experience, and better prepared for ‘next time.’ “There are always things to learn,” said Buck Kline. “Any time we’re exposed to different fires and different measures to handle them, our skill sets are expanding. We’re learning better ways to do our job.” “It better prepared me for anything that could happen here in Georgia,” said Reggie Lanier. Despite the hardships, Lanier said he is also grateful to have experienced such beautiful country. “montana’s just amazing,” he said. “There’s a reason they call it ‘Big Sky Country.’ It’s something else.” v November | December 2015