Civil Air Patrol

Composite Squadron 6750

Group 3, CAWG

S/M Jim Gundred, PAO

(909) 866-7675 (W)

(909) 584-9195 (H)

e-mail - jim.gundred@swgas.com

November 10, 2003

CAP MEMBERS HELP DURING CA FOREST FIRES

By CAP Lt. Col. Joe Orchard

ON SUNDAY, October 26^th, the wildfire that started in Old Waterman Canyon on Saturday (known as the “Old Fire”) was becoming a concern in Big Bear. The Big Bear Valley Fire Safe Council called a meeting at 1100 hours at the office of the Municipal Water District to discuss the situation. CAP 1^st Lt. Kathy Sawyer, also a member of the Fire Safe Council, called members from Composite Squadron 6750 to let them know of the meeting.

The Fire Safe Council asked if anyone could perform an arson/fire watch in the valley. Nine members of the squadron acting as private citizens volunteered for service, six as ground lookouts and three volunteering their aircraft to perform the fire watch from the air. Capt. Ron Hirzel took the first shift in the early afternoon, and patrolled the perimeter of the valley at 9,000 feet msl. (The valley floor is 6750 msl). At approximately 1400 hours Big Bear City Fire Chief Dana Van Lueven requested that Capt. Hirzel land and attend a meeting of the Mountain Mutual Aid (MMA) that was called for 1500 hours.

Mountain Mutual Aid is an organization of several agencies in the Big Bear Valley, including the fire departments, law enforcement agencies, public works, utilities, emergency service agencies (including the CAP), city and county governments, the media and others. Chief Van Lueven is the current president of the MMA, and Major Bill Hartmann of Squadron 6750 is the incoming vice-president. Regular meetings are held to discuss and plan for emergencies, to use the resources of all members in support of the emergency response effort of whatever disaster should occur in Big Bear.

Members of Composite Squadron 6750 attending the MMA meeting that afternoon included Lt. Col. Joe Orchard, Major Hartmann, Major Hank Peralez, Capt. Hirzel, Capt. Leonard Weekley, 1LT Sawyer, 2LT Lt. Don Munroe, and 2LT Keith Andren.

Chief Van Lueven briefed the MMA on where the fire was and the potential for it to reach our valley. He called for a meeting of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for 0800 Monday. At that meeting, the EOC was activated at a level one, for planning purposes. On Tuesday, the EOC went to a level three, and assignments for members were established. Major Hartmann became the EOC Safety Officer, and shared the duties with other CAP members during the incident. Lt. Col. Orchard was the Agency Liaison Officer for CAP, and Lt. Col. Mike Prusak, California Wing State Director, acted as contact between Lt. Col. Orchard and CAWG. Major Peralez worked the EOC Operations desk. 1LT Sawyer worked in various positions throughout the week. 2LT Munroe served on the administrative desk, ensuring that anyone in the EOC had properly signed in. Shift teams were set up to man the safety desk through the night. Mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents about 1100.

Wednesday, October 29^th was the tensest day in the valley. The smoke was everywhere, and the fire had advanced to within 6 miles on the west and southwest. The U.S. Forest Service, up to now managing the fire from San Bernardino, sent federal Fire Management Team 5 to Big Bear to establish an incident command post here. All non-essential support personnel were evacuated at this time. 1LT Sawyer and 2LT Munroe remained at the local EOC until it closed the following Monday.

Although many members of Big Bear Composite Squadron 6750 were involved in the emergency effort, no tasks were ever assigned specifically to CAP.