DCR Sends Crew of 20 Wildland Firefighters to Help

                           Battle Blazes in Oregon

Massachusetts Wildfire Crew mobilizes to Oregon today with other eastern crews to Redmond, Oregon Air Center for assignment to one of 29 active large fires burning in the Northwest 

BOSTON – August 8, 2015, Today, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced that it is sending a crew of 20 wildland firefighters to Oregon to help battle fires that have raged over nearly 263,000 acres across Oregon, Washington and California in the last week. The crew is made up of 10 DCR state firefighters and 10 municipal fire fighters from various towns around the state. The 20 firefighters departed from Erving State Forest in Erving, Massachusetts. They will join with crews from New York and the Mid Atlantic states at a mobilization center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania before departing for Oregon. 

 “We are happy to answer the call of Oregon and send these extraordinary public servants to assist in their time of need,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Massachusetts is proud of our history of national and international cooperation in battling wildfires that know no borders. On behalf of the entire Commonwealth, I offer my prayers for those impacted and for the safe travel and return of our firefighters.”

The deployment is in response to a request DCR Commissioner Sanchez received from the U.S. Forest Service and the Northeastern Interagency Coordination Center in Camden, NH. 

“Massachusetts is the home of some of the most talented and well qualified firefighters in our country,” said EEA Secretary Matthew Beaton. “With little notice, these state and municipal firefighters are answering the call of Oregon and I am confident they will put their extensive training to use in battling these wildfires.” 

On this assignment, the crews will be initially prepositioned at Redmond Air Center and Smoke Jumper Base in Redmond, Oregon for assignment to one of the 29 fire currently burning out of control in both states.  The crew, which is also referred to as a “Type 2 initial attack hand crew,” will engage in direct fire suppression, working on the fire line up to 14 days – building fire breaks, securing fire perimeters, containing fires, and protecting structures.

“We are extremely proud of the DCR and municipal firefighters who have been called upon to help our friends and partners in Oregon,” said DCR Commissioner Carol Sanchez. “These are extremely well-trained and dedicated firefighters whose skills are much needed, and whose help, we know, is enormously appreciated.”

Partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission, DCR’s Bureau of Forest Fire Control has been sending crews since 1985 to fight fires in areas of the western and Rocky Mountain States, Alaska, Florida, Virginia and Quebec.  

All firefighters are federally certified for the work, having passed a 40-hour federal wildland firefighting class and physical fitness test. Through the mutual aid agreement of the compact, the requesting state or province pays all expenses of the out-of-state crews, including salary, transportation, lodging, and food.

Massachusetts sent a 20-person crew in 2014 to assist with containment of several lightning caused fires in and around Leavenworth, Washington.

The responding Massachusetts firefighters are as follows:

STATE DCR Firefighters:		Municipal/Private firefighters:
Whittier, Gregory	Deerfield	Belanger, Jeffrey	Deerfield
Armstrong, Robert	Conway	Belote, Alex	Kingston
Jennell, Benjamim	W. Newbury	Branscombe, John	N. Brookfield
Hallinan, Jonathan	Peabody	Forgea, Bruce	Windsor
Digirolomo, Rebecca	Worcester	Hanecak, Jesse	Whately
Hoffman, Ryan	Billerica	Kalweit, Christel	Sandwich
Liard, Roy	Wakefield	Korby, Charles	Montague
Luongo, David	Sandwich	Nolette, George	N. Brookfield
Nutter-Upham, Cassie	Nashua, NH	Ward, Ezra	Montague
Robbins, Keith	Westhampton	Renshaw, Christopher	Tolland, CT

Press Release Contacts:  Kevin O’Shea - (617) 626-4967 or kevin.o’shea@state.ma.us