THAYNE, Wyo. — Over the May 18 to 19 weekend, firefighters and first responders from all over the valley participated in the annual All Fire Days to train and prepare for the upcoming fire season.
The event was held at Star Valley Ranch in Thayne and firefighters and first responders from the Caribou-Targhee and Bridger-Teton National Forests teamed up with partners from the Alpine Fire Department, Thayne Fire Department, Star Valley EMS, Wyoming State Forestry and Lincoln County to participate in the annual Alpine Area Wildfire Protection Coalition (AAWPC) spring field exercises.
Bridger-Teton National Forest Strategic Communications and Planning
Public Affairs Officer Mary Cernicek told Buckrail that firefighters and partners use this day each year to train together, familiarize themselves with various agency equipment and to coordinate communications in order to prepare for the possibility of a large fire event in Western Wyoming.
“At 3.4 million acres the Bridger-Teton National Forest borders several communities across Western Wyoming,” Cernicek said. “It’s special training events like this that gives us the chance to really build the relationships and hone our skills that will benefit our neighbors and keep firefighters safe in multiagency responses.”
Caribou-Targhee National Forest posted on Facebook that crews participated in five stations to practice lifesaving exercises, which included initial attack/size-up, pump and roll, radios, medical response and aviation safety.
The organizational system employed by firefighters throughout the day is known as the Incident Command System (ICS). This system has proven effective in many situations besides wildfires, which require the organization of mass resources and people.
According to Bridger-Teton National Forest, All Fire Days training was established in 1998 to provide opportunities for interagency fire personnel to complete field exercises that test wildland fire suppression skills. The exercises also promote safety and efficiency in wildland firefighting, while building relationships and better communication through increased agency coordination.
