March/April 2009

Cover Story

Shelter of Last Resort

By Eric Peuch

Every forest-fire engine sold in France must meet national standards designed to prevent the cabin from crushing, burning and smoke penetration; keep the window panes from breaking and the hydraulic system from overheating; and provide the crew with shelter and breathing air inside the cabin....

Features

Practice in Context

By Tod Schimelpfenig

Inconsistent EMS delivery on wildland-fire incidents comes from the differences in training between EMTs and wilderness first responders. The EMT curriculum focus on treatment. Wilderness medicine focuses on prevention....

Applied Science

By Josh McDaniel

When fire behavior modelers worked closely with incident management teams to provide information critical for accurate long-term planning on a large, complex fire, the result was a real-time integration of science and practice....

Olympic Training

By Gwen Beavans

Three Forest Service specialists traveled to Athens to study and instruct the USAID-supported Hellenic Fire Services on U.S. fire-investigation and fire-prevention techniques....

From the President's Desk

Australian Policy in Review

By Chuck Bushey

Following the extraordinary fire runs of Feb. 7, Victorian Premier John Brumby said that the long-standing approach of "Prepare, stay and defend, or go early," had not saved lives and that an in-depth examination of all of the issues associated with the recent fires was needed....

Thoughts on Leadership

Leading in a Time of Crisis

By Mike DeGrosky

Crises present enormous leadership challenges, in part because there is so much to do. Fire personnel are needed — and expected — to lead both in the communities they serve and within their organization....