Page 2

  
A new United States agency, formed to streamline wildland firefighting could be responsible for;

1.     Developing a National uniformed professional fire and rescue agency which is not possible under the current system.

2.       Create a national supply depot for firefighting equipment to eliminate the need for small departments to request grant money for hose, breathers, turnout clothing and fire apparatus etc.

3.       Eliminate discussions at fire scene as to who is responsible to pay for firefighting services.

4.        The development and production of newer and state of the art air tankers, amphibious air tankers, and heli-tankers

5.       Study and develop new tactics emphasizing immediate air task force response of all types of air-tankers to wildland fires. 

6.       Study and evaluate new tactics to include direct fire attack by airtankers on wildland fires.  Airtanker tactics have been mostly restricted to chemical fire retardant drops outside fire perimeters.  Study and evaluate the use of amphibious aircraft to operate from lakes, & the Pacific Ocean.  Note… during offshore winds and highest fire danger the ocean is calmest and an excellent source for amphibious air tankers.  Most of the historic fires in the state of California were only minutes of air response time from the Pacific Ocean.

7.       Study and develop new tactics emphasizing immediate air task force response of all types of air tankers to wildland and urban interface fires.  Example of task force could be, 2 super tankers (over 7000 us. gallons), 2 type 1 air tankers, (3000 us. gallons), 3 small fixed wing tankers (under 1000 us. gallons), and 2 Type 1 or 2 Heli-tankers.

8.       Reduce the emphasis on establishing a fire line and focus on structure protection first.

9.       The Air Tanker Safety Board & Federal Aviation Administration is held accountable for  unnecessary delays for certifying air tankers & a more realistic evaluation for the use of foreign built aircraft.

10.   Develop GIS – GPS technology to produce fire modeling in real time and position locaters for firefighting units.  Develop GPS hardware and software for use by unit commanders for information on safety and position relative to fire direction.

11.   The National Interagency Fire Center be modified to be a useful tool of the new U.S. WFRA

12.   Expand Low Intensity Compulsory Burning Programs based on scientific studies.  Use these LICB fires as training opportunities for air tanker pilots. 

13.   Developing shared costs and resources with Australia as our fire seasons are opposite.  This would give full time career opportunities to many firefighter’s, officers, and fire management teams who would be out of work during winter months.

14.  Existing local environmental studies to be consolidated into a document to create                       national guidelines for firefighting tactics.  Study to make air Tankers exempt from restrictions while fighting hostile wildland fires.