Lassen National Forest firefighters recently completed their annual fire preparedness review; a critical training exercise designed to sharpen their skills and integrate new personnel ahead of the fire season. The drill, held on Wednesday, June 18th, put crews through a realistic scenario involving smoke devices and simulated fire incidents.
During the exercise, fire personnel actively engaged in various firefighting techniques, including deploying progressive hose lays, cutting fire lines, coordinating and directing water drops, and managing simulated medical incidents within a fire zone.
A particularly intense moment during the review involved the Lassen Hotshots, who faced a separate training incident focused on medical care. Demonstrating swift action and expert knowledge, the Hotshots successfully evacuated an “injured” employee from off the hill for medical attention within 22 minutes, emphasizing the crucial importance of the “golden hour” in emergency medical situations.
“Our resources came together as a cohesive unit and effectively used their training and experience to hone their skills and to integrate new firefighters in tactical and communication training, making their preparedness review a success,” a Lassen National Forest spokesperson stated.
The successful completion of this annual review underscores the Lassen National Forest’s commitment to ensuring its firefighters are well-prepared and highly skilled to protect the forest and surrounding communities from wildfires.
