He had just traveled over 3,000 miles and now he was facing a drive through six or seven counties before he was home, and still Thomas Erdman was gracious with answers when questions were asked. John Hecker could not wait to get home to see his family, but still he waited a little bit more.

For two weeks these wildfire fighters and 32 of their DCNR co-workers had volunteered their sweat, time and well-being, battling a blaze outside Fairbanks, Alaska.

(Photo: Pennsylvania volunteers head toward the fire line of a wildfire outside Fairbanks, Alaska.)

They were headed home now—Erdman to Clarion County, Hecker, to Clearfield—but the men and women who answer the call found time to answer the questions of the media who greeted them on the tarmac Sunday night when they flew into Harrisburg International Airport.

Even more notepads, microphones and cameras greeted them early Monday when they awoke, stretched aching muscles on cots, and greeted the day at Lower Swatara Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co. In the wake of the recent Arizona wildfire disaster, in which 19 of their brethren perished, the media army had a barrage of questions: what did you do on this Alaska fire? How were your trained? Special equipment needed? And, always, queries about safety.

Their safety was paramount when DCNR Acting Secretary Ellen Ferretti greeted the firefighters Sunday night as they emerged from their charter jetliner. Safety was at the forefront when she addressed the firefighting crews before breakfast and dismissal the next morning at the Lower Swatara fire hall:

“We are so thankful that you all came home safe,” Ferretti told the crews comprised of Bureau of Forestry employees and members of local, volunteer fire companies. “As always, you represented our state so well. Gov. Corbett and the people of Pennsylvania are very proud of you and what you accomplished in Alaska.”

Joining six 20-person crews from other neighboring states, the Pennsylvania volunteers flew out of Harrisburg on Saturday, June 6, bound for the Stuart Creek 2 Fire outside of Fairbanks. Duties included constructing firebreaks and mopping up hot spots using hand tools and pumps.

The blaze was large and growing before the new firefighting crews arrived from Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, Maine and Vermont. Throughout their two-week tour, the crews’ cell phone service and contact with the civilized world were limited.

Novel sights in the Northland were not, however.

Asked by Acting Secretary Ferretti of “anything especially interesting you saw,” no less than a dozen firefighters blurted out: “moose!” And then there were gin-clear streams and rivers brimming with Arctic grayling. And forested tracts viewed from the air that appeared to “go on forever.”

Ferretti was asked some questions of her own, from the news media who wanted to know why Pennsylvania repeatedly gets the call when wild lands are burning in states to the north, west and south.

Last year, she pointed out, almost 300 bureau staffers and volunteer firefighters were assigned to western and southern state fires. Pennsylvania over the years has provided both crews and highly specialized individuals to wildfires in many Eastern states and every state west of the Mississippi.

All volunteers from Pennsylvania have received intensive training at a Bureau of Forestry training camp that dates back 27 years. The three-day camp duplicates real-life firefighting experiences found across the nation. Because of the training—and organization—Pennsylvania’s volunteer wildfire fighters continue to get the call when the going gets rough with forest and brush fires across the country.

“Over the years, we have seen our people regularly receive high reviews for their training, attitude and knowledge,” Ferretti said. “After training and their out-of-state assignments, these Pennsylvania firefighters bring home more than the satisfaction of giving 100 percent. They bring back first-hand knowledge to help them fight large fires in our woodlands.

“They know how to work as a team in the face of impending disasters. There is a strong underlying ‘You help me, I’ll help you’ approach to this cooperative effort. If we ever face a major wildfire in Pennsylvania, we know help is just a phone call away.”

(Reprinted from the July 24 DCNR Resource newsletter.)

7/29/2013