Firefighters plan Tuesday wildfire drill

Local emergency responders will prepare for the upcoming wildland fire season Tuesday by hosting a wildland fire exercise near East Fork Fire Station 12 on North Sunridge Drive.

"We try and perform inter-agency simulations annually to fine tune our responses before the fire" reports District Chief Tod Carlini. He added, "Trying to predict the fire season is impossible, so we prepare for each one as if it will be the worst."

This exercise is coordinated by East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts.

Local agencies participating in the drill include the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Emergency Management, Douglas County 911 Emergency Service Dispatch, Carson City Fire Department and the Tahoe Douglas Fire District. State and federal responders, including the U.S. Forest Service, Nevada Division of Forestry and Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch are also participating.

This drill will incorporate firefighters working from the ground and the air. State foresters' helicopter will perform water drops as if it were a real wildland fire. Firefighters will work from their engines to lay hose along the simulated fires' edge in order to box in the fire. Fire officers will establish a command structure that includes the participating agencies and law enforcement in order to manage the fire.

"This drill is important to East Fork and our cooperators," said Training Capt. Larry Goss, who is coordinating the drill.

He said the "opportunity to train together will promote better communication, as well as identify equipment, terminology and tactics."

 East Fork is also conducting wildland fire training for its career, volunteer and seasonal firefighters in assistance with three local fire safe chapters.

The fire safe chapters are assisting Goss in obtaining homes where firefighters can practice the skills they would use if a fire approached the residence.

"These are skills we train on, but being able to do the training at various homes within the district makes this exceptional training that can be applied to real life" Goss said.