Have Their Backs. Live Firewise

Arizona is what’s known in the emergency management business as a “wildfire state,” which is another way of saying our state has a history of large, destructive wildfires. The reasons for that unfortunate designation are long-term drought and hot, dry and windy summers—the perfect conditions for wildfires.

Last year, over 1,500 wildfires occurred in Arizona. That total is below our 10 year (2005 - 2014) average of 2,233, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center, but one or two slow seasons doesn't mean this summer won’t be busy.

In 2006, there were 1,601 reported wildfires in Arizona, including  the largest in state history. The Wallow Fire burnt over 538,000 acres, forced the evacuation of thousands, and damaged or destroyed 78 total structures in Apache, Greenlee, Graham and Navajo counties.

While there is no way of knowing where or when the next big wildfire will spark, there are ways to protect lives and property in the Whole Community. Wildfire mitigation is the focus of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs’ first ever public service announcement (PSA) campaign.

The Have Their Backs PSAs focus on the home and/or business owners’ responsibility to the Whole Community. The radio and television spots and billboards pay tribute to wildland firefighters who “go to extraordinary lengths to save lives and property,” and asks Arizonans to “have their backs” by living Firewise®.

A person who "lives Firewise" takes steps to reduce the impact of wildfire on lives, property and the local economy. With the 2015 wildfire season a few weeks away, Arizonans who own homes and businesses in the wildland-urban interface are asked to make do-it-yourself improvements on their property:

·         Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves and debris.

·         Trim trees that overhang your house.

·         Replace or repair loose or missing roof shingles.

·         Enclose under-eave and soffit vents or screens with metal mesh.

·         Cover exterior attic vents with metal wire mesh.

·         Repair or replace broken windows and damaged or loose window screens.

·         Screen or box in areas below raised patios and decks.

·         Move flammable materials such as mulch or firewood piles away from exterior walls.

·         Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches such as lawn furniture.

The Have Their Backs campaign will continue through June and was produced in association with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Arizona State Forestry Division, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, freelance photographer Kari Greer and videographer Renette Saba.

DEMA is working with the Arizona Broadcasters’ Association to air its television and radio spots statewide. Billboards were placed in fire-prone areas, including Globe, Heber-Overgaard, Prescott and Sierra Vista.

The Firewise Communities Program®, www.firewise.org, is a national fire prevention and mitigation campaign that “teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourage neighbors to work together and take action now to prevent losses.” DEMA received permission from the National Fire Protection Association to use the Firewise trademark.

For more information on the PSA campaign and what you can do to Have Their Backs, visit the Arizona Emergency Information Network website at https://ein.az.gov/have-their-backs-live-firewise.

Share your opinion of the campaign with us at azein@azdema.gov. 

Captain's Log June 11th; My First Day in the JIC

JIC inductee Nichole Fortson

I appreciate Judy, Ethan and Greg for allowing me to be featured on their BLOG.  This is such an honor! 

Saturday, June 11, was my first day working in the Joint Information Center (JIC) during a real-world event.   

I wanted to do my best to support them because they do such a terrific job trying to get out fundamental and accurate information to the public. I definitely felt the pressure being the rookie, but Judy and Ethan made me feel at ease and after a couple of hours of taking calls and answering emails and updating a media monitoring document in support of the Wallow Fire that feeling disappeared.

This was such an eye-opener and learning experience for me.  I witnessed with my own eyes the challenges that Judy, Ethan and Greg face working in a Joint Information Center (JIC) during a disaster.  They have to keep up with social, local, national media. I have never heard of half the news and social media websites before.



You were done with the trail mix, right?

They are constantly coordinating with public information officers in the field, county public information officers, news channels, emergency managers and working issues with internal co-workers.  I can’t express enough how much I admire what they do and their remarkable accomplishments. They get out helpful, accurate, efficient and effective information as quick as they possibly can. 

Ok, enough about my admiration and envy for them, let’s talk about how I witnessed Ethan eating a whole bag of delicious chocolate trail mix. I didn’t realize he had an amazing hidden talent--catching trail mix in his mouth while I threw it from across the room, he never missed!



"Officer" Riley

It was funny hearing Ethan state that he was receiving emails referring to him as “Officer Riley”.  So… the next time you see him, please refer to him as Officer Riley…J   

Towards the end of the day, I felt that in stressful situations it is wonderful when you can enjoy the company of your co-workers, work well together as a team, and work towards a common goal to assist and support the community in need. It was a pleasure working with Judy in the JIC…..Oh and with Ethan too!   These two are truly great at what they do!

Contributed to AzEIN by guest blogger Nichole Fortson

Preparedness By the Pound

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure--Ben Franklin

During summers in Arizona it can sometimes feel like the entire state is burning. Sometimes it actually is…

Over the past few weeks, we’ve become familiar with the names Bull, Greaterville, Inception, Locust, Picket and Horseshoe Two—all wildland fires that collectively caused road and trail closures, the opening of Red Cross shelters, evacuations and re-evacuations.

Most Arizonans are strangely accustomed to wildfire. They don’t wig out when they see a story about a fire in the news. That is not to say people don't care. Unfortunately, it's usually not their first exposure to images of thrashing flames and smoke plumes.

There have had some bona fide conflagrations in the Grand Canyon State’s history. Remember the Rodeo-Chediski Fire of June 2002? It burned over 460,000 acres, forced the evacuation of Northern Arizona communities, and cost something like $43 million.

But, again, that was in June. Historically, June is when Arizona sees most of its big fires—the Brins Fire (2006), the Cave Creek Complex (2005) and the original Horseshoe Fire (2010). (see Judy’s 2010 blog entry, A Few Anniversaries We Don’t Want to Repeat)

Granted we usually see a few fires in early to mid-May, but it’s been extraordinarily busy for this time of year for AzEIN; that’s to say nothing of the labors of the crews doing the actual firefighting day in, day out. What’s disconcerting is that fire season goes for another couple months.

What’s the deal?!

Like it or not (put me in the “Not Like” category), it’s getting warmer outside, the winds are picking up (i.e., Red Flag warnings) and the desert is parched, which means the grasses and shrubbery that make the Sonoran Desert a desert are dried out. Add low humidity to the mix and you’ve got a perfect storm conditions for wildfire.

By Memorial Day most of the state, including state trust and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) lands, national forests and parks, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holdings and national wildlife refuges, will be under some degree of fire restrictions. In most cases, fire restrictions mean no fires outside of developed campgrounds, limitations on smoking and absolutely no fireworks. If you’ve got questions, call 877-864-6985.

And if you do build a campfire in one of those designated areas, knowing how to put it out is a must:

Consequently, we beg…we plead…we implore that you mind the fire danger where you live and when you visit public lands, heed legislated fire restrictions, and practice good fire sense. A good place to start is http://www.azein.gov

I’ll Have Flood Preparedness, Á la Mode

March 14 is celebrated by TI-82 calculators, compass makers, Archimedes’ devotees alike as “Pi Day.” That’s Pi (π) as in 3.14159265, as in the reason for high-school night terrors and cold sweats.

The significance, never mind the existence, of Pi Day would be lost on a past English major like I were it not for the curious custom of eating actual pie, a tradition that catapulted Pi Day to among my favorite quasi “holidays” right after End of the Middle Ages Day on May 29.

Comparatively, Flood Safety Awareness Week (March 15 to 21) is decidedly less delicious. It’s unfortunate, but Flood Safety Awareness Week shares no titular likeness with anything in the dessert case. Rather, Flood Safety Awareness Week centers on the risks of and truths about flooding.

What Flood Safety Awareness Week does serve is actionable information on flood preparedness and identifying neighborhood flood hazards, the value of flood insurance, and tips for safe and responsible driving.

This year, the National Flood Insurance Program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collaborated on an interactive website, www.floodsmart.gov/noaa, with information about the financial costs of flooding, how to get a policy and how to best recover after a flood.

Per usual, the all-hazard readiness messages of “Prepare a Plan,” “Make a Kit” and “Be Informed” are also applicable when talking flood preparedness.

As it relates to floods, part of emergency planning is having the insurance to cover losses caused by flooding. Because most homeowners’ insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, FEMA recommends looking into flood insurance for your home and belongings.

There’s plenty more information available on what it means to be ready for flooding. You can start with visits to the Arizona Emergency Information Network (AzEIN) at www.azein.gov and FloodSmart at www.floodsmart.gov/noaa.

Preparedness information doesn’t dazzle the taste buds like a slice of coconut cream pie, but, when applied, it can make a big difference in the event of a flood.

So, let’s give Flood Safety Awareness Week its due, and hope against hope that someone, somewhere, sometime thinks of a baked good accompaniment.