Addressing the hazards that exist in the wildland/urban interface (WUI) can be very challenging. Fighting fires in this type of environment presents unique obstacles, and often the best way to confront those obstacles is by figuring out strategies prior to the occurrence of incidents.
Preplanning provides the opportunity for fire personnel to determine the tactics that will best protect life and property in the event of a WUI incident. Unfortunately, it can often be difficult to get communities involved with preplanning. “I think it is safe to say that communities don’t take action unless faced with a prior event that makes them realize how unprepared they are,” says Captain/Training Officer Seth Barker of the Big Sky (Mont.) Fire Department.
Today at FDIC, Captain Barker will discuss the importance of preplanning, concentrating on finding target hazards, identifying problems and formulating a firefighting strategy in the WUI–with a focus on community education and involvement. I had the opportunity to speak with Captain Barker recently to discuss WUI preplanning.
Firefighting Strategy
Preparing for a major incident within your district, response area, community or agency can be a daunting task. One of the responsibilities of any agency is identifying their target hazards and coming up with solid incident action plans.
It’s important that a WUI preplan be specific enough to be useful at the company level. “Firefighting strategy means exactly that. Having predetermined lookout locations, communication plans, escape routes and safety zones in the WUI is invaluable and saves time,” says Barker. “Look at your district and have a plan for each structure protection team. You can determine how many engines/resources will be needed, how much water is available, and how the area has been pre-triaged for each street/subdivision/neighborhood.”
Available Resources
Preplanning also provides department personnel with the opportunity to have a working knowledge of what resources are available within their own department and in other departments as well. “From a structural fire department standpoint, it is important to understand the limitations of the responding agencies,” Barker says. “They are experiencing new terrain, resources and environment.”
When it comes to preplanning, the goal is to have things mapped out so that no one has to waste valuable time on issues that could have been addressed prior to an incident. “It is important to minimize ‘recon’ on the company officer level when a structure protection team is assigned a certain area. This can be accomplished by identifying safety zones, establishing escape routes, understanding pre-existing fuel loads and highlighting topography,” Barker says.
In addition, preplanning provides responders with information that can keep them safe on the fireground. “Showing potential evacuation routes, landing zones, water supplies, and refueling locations is critical to ensure that the responding structure protection team, or the company officer from another district, knows they are being well taken care of,” Barker says. “Identifying where to go and what to do from a ‘resupplying’ standpoint is also a very important factor to ID. Know where personnel can go to get food, water, fuel and supplies for an extended stay.”
Community Involvement
One final essential component of WUI preplanning: community involvement. When it comes to preplanning, getting the community involved can only increase the odds for success when it comes to fighting fires in the WUI. “Community members should focus on continuity with mitigating hazards in the WUI,” Barker says. “Community education, at this stage, becomes crucial on a neighborhood level.: He recommends departments hold informational meetings on the community level to better educate community members on construction and landscaping techniques that can mitigate fire risk.
“This can create an environment that fosters community buy-in,” Barker says. “If the neighborhood manages each other, and recognizes that they need to set their subdivision up for success, it is much more powerful than the local agency always telling them what they are doing wrong.”
Community education not only empowers residents, but also underscores to them the limitations of what the fire department can do–and how their actions can directly affect firefighter capabilities. “By being involved in training and task-level job functions, the customer can appreciate what work they can do to increase the likelihood of firefighters defending their home,” Barker says.
“Having a 360-degree approach with the fire department and the community working together creates an environment of mutual respect,” Barker says. And it also provides the department and the community with a greater chance for success when it comes to facing hazards in the WUI.
