San Bernardino National Forest Offers Emergency Medical Technician Training (EMT)

The San Bernardino National Forest has been authorized as a Basic Life Support (BLS) provider agency since it was first accredited by the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) in 1996. The San Bernardino National Forest BLS program operates under the strict medical direction and program oversight of ICEMA, and participates in a QA/QC program as mandated by California Title 22. As provided for in Title 22, medical direction for BLS programs in California is provided by local EMSA regulation, authorization, and protocols, as well as participation in a QA/QC program.

The San Bernardino National Forest’s BLS program was developed directly in response to a horrific line of duty death that happened during the 1987 fire season. Captain Bruce Visser tragically died after being struck by a motorcycle on the Klamath National Forest. He died after local fire department responders chose to cancel an air ambulance and transport him via ground “since he seemed stable” and the Forest Service folks couldn’t argue. He died of internal hemorrhage enroute to the hospital over 90 minutes away.

Over the next decade, folks started going to EMT classes, and advocating for EMS training and equipment. Unit by unit, folks started buying EMS gear with their limited station budgets.

As time went on, the word spread that the USFS firefighters had trained and equipped fire engines. Soon, local cooperators started requesting them since they were the closest responders. A Duty to Act developed.

Recently, the San Bernardino National Forest has equipped all of their fire engines, crew carriers, and helicopter modules with Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDS) . In addition, each of those modules carry Epi-Pens for employee administration if needed. BOTH of these programs have direct medical direction and authorization in place for their specified use.

In addition to the BLS programs, San Bernardino National Forest instituted a citizen AED program (also authorized by Title 22). In each District Office and the Forest Supervisors Office, AEDS are placed for both the protection of employees as well as the visiting public. Employees receive basic first aid training…. and American Heart Association CPR Training….. both include modules on the use of AEDS.

I’m pretty honored to have been around in the earlier days of EMS in the counties I’ve served… and participate as a “forestry technician” in EMSA QC Reviews… I’ve been even more blessed to help bring a successful program to the agency that I love and see struggling so bad to embrace the future. We have a functioning local model… that can be applied regionally and nationally as needed. It’s not rocket science…. It’s Fire Science.

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Danny Rhynes Interagency Training Center

602 S. Tippecanoe Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92408
(909) 382-2984 Fax (909) 382-4192
Email: drtc@fs.fed.us
Course Dates: February 13, 2010 – May 22, 2010

Hours: This class will be held one day a week on Saturday from 0800-1800.

Location: Danny Rhynes Interagency Training Center 602 S. Tippecanoe Ave San Bernardino, CA 92408.
Length: Estimated 160 hours of lecture and 72 hours of lab for a total of 9 units.

Nomination deadline: January 15, 2010

Tuition: $300 per student (Upon successful completion of the course, students are eligible for certification as an EMT Basic, and are able to register for the National Registry examination).

Instructor: Provided by Victor Valley College who is affiliated with the San Bernardino National Forest.

Prerequisites: High school Diploma or GED. Student must be 18 years of age to be certified. Current Healthcare provider CPR Card is required. Current negative tuberculosis test is also required.

Course Description: The Emergency Medical Technician course is an intensive 16 week course that will provide training in the recognition of the signs and symptoms of illness and traumatic injuries. The course will consist of classroom lectures, manipulative skills, and clinical internships. The internships require a minimum of four (12) twelve-hour shifts in a local emergency room and transport ambulance. This course is approved by the Inland County Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA). For orientation information visit the EMT website at www.vvc.edu/academic/emt/

This class meets EMSA regulations and upon successful completion of the course, students are eligible for certification as an EMT Basic, and are able to register for the National Registry examination. The estimated fee associated to sign up for this exam is $90.00 which will need to be paid for by the student.

All Students must be in Uniform

Items to bring to class: Safety Gear full Personal Protective Equipment; nomex shirt, boots, eye protection etc.

Nomination Due Date: Please submit NWCG Nomination Forms through your training officer to the Danny Rhynes Interagency Training Center (DRTC) via email at drtc@fs.fed.us or fax (909) 382-4192.

Coordinator: Questions can be directed to Kristel Johnson (909) 382-2984, or by email at drtc@fs.fed.us.
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Want more info in our participation in such things as:

• Firefighter Burn Treatment Success: Re-Institution of the CDF Burn Treatment Standard and The NWCG Standard Protocols for Wildland Firefighter Burns?
• Firefighter Trauma Treatment Recommendations
• Smoke Exposure and Research?
• Cyanide Exposure and WTF?
• Excellent Knowledge of the Federal OWCP Processes?
• Forest Service Honor Guard?
• Why we support the Wildland Firefighter Foundation?

Email: Comments@ramblingchief.com

Editorial – Station Fire Congressional Inquiry Request

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We agree with the editorial piece below. Something is critically broken within the federal wildfire program… and it needs to be fixed soon. Congressional hearings and increased oversight of the Forest Service is a positive move forward in the right direction. 

Most wildland firefighters and fire managers agree that the whitewash document (see posts below) that the Forest Service “land managers” produced didn’t fully address community concerns, nor did it address issues brought forward by cooperating fire agencies.

Folks, we can do better. We owe it to our firefighters and our community.

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Our View: The fire next time
Pasadena Star News
Link: Opinions


IT’S not that we necessarily think a congressional investigation will fully uncover what went wrong in the early fight against the Station Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains.


It’s that some authorities clearly need the kick in the pants that the threat of such an investigation by Congress will bring.


So Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, was absolutely right to say this week that he wants a hard House look at just why the United States Forest Service declined to use the aerial resources that were available to knock down the fire before it spread.


For the rest of the editorial piece, please CLICK HERE ...

When Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge, who represents the area at the front line of the blaze, asked authorities to coordinate on an analysis of what went right and wrong, “Cal Fire responded appropriately,” Portantino said. “The Forest Service was still mulling the request over and never got back to us to say if they would participate.”