Andrew Prom
Hello again everyone,
For my first full post about what all I’ve done for Starker Forests this summer as an intern, I will walk you all through some of the training we started the summer with.
In the opening week of work, we went through standard CPR and First Aid training in order to receive our certification cards. After that, we dove deeper into more hands-on training focused on wildfires.
In the past, Starker has sent the summer crew to a wildfire course put on by a larger company, however, due to COVID-19, that was not possible this year. Instead, an in-house fire training program was put on by members of Starker Forests to ensure the entire crew would be ready in case of a fire event. The multi-day fire training involved the physically demanding job of digging fire line, as well as more technical aspects like learning how to lay a fire hose and run all the pumps.
As we have progressed later in the summer, we’ve spent small amounts of time reviewing fire procedures and looking over the three fire trucks the com
pany owns. The last time we did this, I got the opportunity to run the hose, as you can see in this picture. We tested it for holes and made sure all the truck pumps ran smoothly.
Though everyone at Starker Forests and in the community hopes no fires break out this summer, we must be prepared in case it occurs. For anyone in the community who utilizes Starker grounds for recreation, it is very important, especially as the summer heat spikes, to make sure that you are doing your part in ensuring no fires break out.