Delaware News


Delaware crew heads to the Northwest as wildfire season heats up

Forest Service | News | Date Posted: Saturday, July 19, 2014



 

Link to crew departure on Delaware Forest Service Facebook photo album

In response to increased wildfire activity in the western United States, the Delaware Forest Service (DFS) dispatched a crew of volunteer wildland firefighters from Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna on Saturday, July 19 that traveled to Redmond, Oregon. The team is getting in position to fight a wildfire in that region and should receive its assignment in the next 24 hours. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho recently upped its National Fire Preparedness Level to 3 on a 5-point scale. However in the Northwest, the regional level is currently at the maximum 5 on a 5-point scale due to the incidence of 17 new fires and 24 large uncontained blazes.

Delaware’s crew is a mixture of veterans and newcomers from public agencies, volunteer fire companies, as well as private citizens who have completed the rigorous training and are interested in wildland firefighting. Five members of the crew are making their first trip on this assignment. The crew is being led by veteran Samual Topper of the Delaware Forest Service, a regional forester based at Redden State Forest in Georgetown.

Crew members must all hold “red-card” certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), have passed a core set of wildfire training courses at the Delaware State Fire School in Dover, completed “live-burn” fire training at the DFS’ annual “Fire Camp,” and completed the demands of the work capacity or “pack test,” which involves carrying a 45-pound pack over a three-mile course in less than 45 minutes.

Front Row: Bart Wilson, Dover; Jeffrey Wilson, Clayton; Monica Testa, Newark; Louis Sparko, Rehoboth Beach; Alexander Pratt, West Conshohocken PA; Andrew Plotts, Claymont; Second Row: Tyaire Ferrell, Wilmington; Thomas Morgan, Claymont; Jenifer DeCarlo, Felton, Matt Dotterer, Milton; Samual Topper, Federalsburg MD Back Row: Amber Havrila, Felton; Adam Keever, Port Penn; Tyler Torres, Smyrna; Michael Krumrine, Newark; Doug Rawlings, Newark; Alexander Jenks, Rehoboth Beach; Scott Veasey, Millsboro.
FRONT ROW: Bart Wilson, Dover; Jeffrey Wilson, Clayton; Monica Testa, Newark; Louis Sparko, Rehoboth Beach; Alexander Pratt, West Conshohocken PA; Andrew Plotts, Claymont; Nathaniel Sommers, Smyrna.   SECOND ROW: Tyaire Ferrell, Wilmington; Thomas Morgan, Claymont; Jenifer DeCarlo, Felton, Matt Dotterer, Milton; Samual Topper, Federalsburg MD.   BACK ROW: Amber Havrila, Felton; Adam Keever, Newark; Tyler Torres, Smyrna; Michael Krumrine, Newark; Doug Rawlings, Newark; Alexander Jenks, Rehoboth Beach; Scott Veasey, Millsboro.

Delaware Crew Members

Name, Hometown and Affililiations
Samual Topper, Federalsburg, MD – Delaware Forest Service
Monica Testa, Newark  – EMT, Volunteer Firefighter
Nathaniel Sommers, Smyrna
Jeff Wilson, Clayton  – New Castle Co. Forestry
Bart Wilson, Dover  – Center for Inland Bays
Alexander Pratt, W. Conshohocken, PA
Andrew Plotts*, Claymont  – Claymont Fire Co.
Louis Sarko*, Rehoboth Beach
Matt Dotterer, Milton  – Milton Volunteer Fire Dept.
Thomas Morgan*, Claymont  – Claymont Fire Co.
Tyaire Ferrell*, Wilmington  – Holloway Terrace Fire Co.
Jenifer DeCarlo, Felton  – Felton Fire Co.
Scott Veasey, Millsboro  – Millsboro Fire Co.
Tyler Torres, Smyrna  – Citizens Hose Co. of Smyrna
Adam Keever, Newark  – DNREC Parks & Recreation
Doug Rawling, Newark – DNREC Parks & Recreation
Amber Havrilla, Felton  – Felton Fire Co.
Alexander Jenks*, Rehoboth Beach

* First assignment with Delaware crew

Additional Crew (not pictured)
Matt Scheetz FALB unknown
David Scamardella FFT2 unknown

###

More information, contact John Petersen – john.petersen@delaware.gov

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Delaware crew heads to the Northwest as wildfire season heats up

Forest Service | News | Date Posted: Saturday, July 19, 2014



 

Link to crew departure on Delaware Forest Service Facebook photo album

In response to increased wildfire activity in the western United States, the Delaware Forest Service (DFS) dispatched a crew of volunteer wildland firefighters from Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna on Saturday, July 19 that traveled to Redmond, Oregon. The team is getting in position to fight a wildfire in that region and should receive its assignment in the next 24 hours. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho recently upped its National Fire Preparedness Level to 3 on a 5-point scale. However in the Northwest, the regional level is currently at the maximum 5 on a 5-point scale due to the incidence of 17 new fires and 24 large uncontained blazes.

Delaware’s crew is a mixture of veterans and newcomers from public agencies, volunteer fire companies, as well as private citizens who have completed the rigorous training and are interested in wildland firefighting. Five members of the crew are making their first trip on this assignment. The crew is being led by veteran Samual Topper of the Delaware Forest Service, a regional forester based at Redden State Forest in Georgetown.

Crew members must all hold “red-card” certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), have passed a core set of wildfire training courses at the Delaware State Fire School in Dover, completed “live-burn” fire training at the DFS’ annual “Fire Camp,” and completed the demands of the work capacity or “pack test,” which involves carrying a 45-pound pack over a three-mile course in less than 45 minutes.

Front Row: Bart Wilson, Dover; Jeffrey Wilson, Clayton; Monica Testa, Newark; Louis Sparko, Rehoboth Beach; Alexander Pratt, West Conshohocken PA; Andrew Plotts, Claymont; Second Row: Tyaire Ferrell, Wilmington; Thomas Morgan, Claymont; Jenifer DeCarlo, Felton, Matt Dotterer, Milton; Samual Topper, Federalsburg MD Back Row: Amber Havrila, Felton; Adam Keever, Port Penn; Tyler Torres, Smyrna; Michael Krumrine, Newark; Doug Rawlings, Newark; Alexander Jenks, Rehoboth Beach; Scott Veasey, Millsboro.
FRONT ROW: Bart Wilson, Dover; Jeffrey Wilson, Clayton; Monica Testa, Newark; Louis Sparko, Rehoboth Beach; Alexander Pratt, West Conshohocken PA; Andrew Plotts, Claymont; Nathaniel Sommers, Smyrna.   SECOND ROW: Tyaire Ferrell, Wilmington; Thomas Morgan, Claymont; Jenifer DeCarlo, Felton, Matt Dotterer, Milton; Samual Topper, Federalsburg MD.   BACK ROW: Amber Havrila, Felton; Adam Keever, Newark; Tyler Torres, Smyrna; Michael Krumrine, Newark; Doug Rawlings, Newark; Alexander Jenks, Rehoboth Beach; Scott Veasey, Millsboro.

Delaware Crew Members

Name, Hometown and Affililiations
Samual Topper, Federalsburg, MD – Delaware Forest Service
Monica Testa, Newark  – EMT, Volunteer Firefighter
Nathaniel Sommers, Smyrna
Jeff Wilson, Clayton  – New Castle Co. Forestry
Bart Wilson, Dover  – Center for Inland Bays
Alexander Pratt, W. Conshohocken, PA
Andrew Plotts*, Claymont  – Claymont Fire Co.
Louis Sarko*, Rehoboth Beach
Matt Dotterer, Milton  – Milton Volunteer Fire Dept.
Thomas Morgan*, Claymont  – Claymont Fire Co.
Tyaire Ferrell*, Wilmington  – Holloway Terrace Fire Co.
Jenifer DeCarlo, Felton  – Felton Fire Co.
Scott Veasey, Millsboro  – Millsboro Fire Co.
Tyler Torres, Smyrna  – Citizens Hose Co. of Smyrna
Adam Keever, Newark  – DNREC Parks & Recreation
Doug Rawling, Newark – DNREC Parks & Recreation
Amber Havrilla, Felton  – Felton Fire Co.
Alexander Jenks*, Rehoboth Beach

* First assignment with Delaware crew

Additional Crew (not pictured)
Matt Scheetz FALB unknown
David Scamardella FFT2 unknown

###

More information, contact John Petersen – john.petersen@delaware.gov

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.