Fire at Mann Gulch
Introduction:
In 1940 the U.S. Forest Service created and trained firefighters known as smokejumpers, these highly trained men were to jump out of planes and parachute into small fires and attack them before they have the chance to become large. The training the smoke jumpers underwent was extremely rigorous and challenging, even undergoing 3 weeks of training before each season. The USFS used a rotation basis to keep the men fresh so after a man fought a fire he was put at the bottom of the list of available fighters, thus the teams changed for every fire. Smoke jumpers were used to small ground fire caused by mistakes made by humans or weather. The smoke jumpers responded by digging a trench around the fire so that there was no flammable material around the fire to spread it. In 1949 what seemed to be a routine firefight for the smokejumpers turned into a catastrophe and the men had to run for their lives, only three of the smokejumper crew that day survived the experience.
Problem Identification: 1. Crew varied in experience (from a few months to 8 years) 2. Most of the crew had never jumped together 3. Dodge missed summer training session before the 1949 season
Present Options: 1. Crew training/ teamwork training
Pros: the men all know each other and get alone. Crewmembers know who is in charge and whose orders to follow, also more team chemistry. All the men who are individually excellent at fighting fires become an efficient team together.
Cons: requires time on top of the three week training before every season 2. Cooley refuses to drop men into fire
Pros: The men never enter the dangerous environment and avoid the situation entirely, no lives are lost
Cons: the fire spreads and more precious forest is lost
Recommendations: 1. Implement teamwork training and leadership training to the smokejumpers before the season so they do not become confused during a mission 2. Cooley should exercise his right to refuse the
In 1940 the U.S. Forest Service created and trained firefighters known as smokejumpers, these highly trained men were to jump out of planes and parachute into small fires and attack them before they have the chance to become large. The training the smoke jumpers underwent was extremely rigorous and challenging, even undergoing 3 weeks of training before each season. The USFS used a rotation basis to keep the men fresh so after a man fought a fire he was put at the bottom of the list of available fighters, thus the teams changed for every fire. Smoke jumpers were used to small ground fire caused by mistakes made by humans or weather. The smoke jumpers responded by digging a trench around the fire so that there was no flammable material around the fire to spread it. In 1949 what seemed to be a routine firefight for the smokejumpers turned into a catastrophe and the men had to run for their lives, only three of the smokejumper crew that day survived the experience.
Problem Identification: 1. Crew varied in experience (from a few months to 8 years) 2. Most of the crew had never jumped together 3. Dodge missed summer training session before the 1949 season
Present Options: 1. Crew training/ teamwork training
Pros: the men all know each other and get alone. Crewmembers know who is in charge and whose orders to follow, also more team chemistry. All the men who are individually excellent at fighting fires become an efficient team together.
Cons: requires time on top of the three week training before every season 2. Cooley refuses to drop men into fire
Pros: The men never enter the dangerous environment and avoid the situation entirely, no lives are lost
Cons: the fire spreads and more precious forest is lost
Recommendations: 1. Implement teamwork training and leadership training to the smokejumpers before the season so they do not become confused during a mission 2. Cooley should exercise his right to refuse the