Interagency hotshot crew

Members of the Flathead IHC

In the United States, an interagency hotshot crew (IHC), or simply hotshot crew, is a Type 1 handcrew of 20 firefighters specially trained in wildfire suppression tactics. Hotshot crews are considered an elite group among wildland firefighters, due to their extensive training, high physical fitness standards, and ability to undertake difficult, dangerous, and stressful assignments. They often respond to large, high-priority fires and are trained and equipped to work in remote areas for extended periods of time with little logistical support.

As an interagency resource, hotshot crews can be requested to respond to wildland fire incidents in any jurisdiction. As of 2009, there are 107 IHCs in operation in the United States, organized by diverse agencies such as the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, as well as state, county, and city governments. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho coordinates Hotshot crews on the national level.

Hotshot crews trace their history to Southern California in the late 1940s on the Cleveland and Angeles National Forest. The term "hotshot" comes from their having been assigned to the hottest parts of the fire. In American English, the term also connotes "a person who is conspicuously talented or successful".

While not fighting fires, hotshot crews typically work in their home units to meet resource goals such as thinning, prescribed fire operations, habitat improvement, and trail construction projects. Hotshot crews can also respond to other emergency incidents, including search and rescue and disaster response. For example, in 2009 the Cherokee IHC was assigned to clear trees downed by rare tornadoes in Prospect Park and Kissena Park in New York City, their first employment in an urban setting.

History

Prior to the 1930s, wildland firefighting crews were organized on an "as-needed" basis, hiring firefighters without any formal experience or training. The Civilian Conservation Corps, which operated from 1933 until 1942, was a work relief program that employed young men primarily in natural resource conservation projects. However, CCC members were also utilized for fire suppression operations, marking the first time that standing crews had been established for this purpose.

At least one of the first crews carrying the name "hotshots" grew out of a former CCC camp in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. Conflicting sources report the first hotshot crews as starting in 1946 (Del Rosa and Los Padres Hotshots) or 1947 (Del Rosa and El Cariso Hotshots). In 1961, the Interregional Fire Suppression (IRFS) program was developed, establishing six 30-man crews across the Western U.S. These IRFS crews were stationed near airports for quick transportation to high-priority fires. Due to their effectiveness and value in fire management, the program expanded to 19 IRFS crews by 1974.

In 1980, the term "Interagency Hotshot Crew" was adopted by all IRFS crews. In the mid-1990s, an Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations Guide was developed to standardize the training, responsibilities, and recognition process of IHCs. The number of IHCs has grown to 107 as of 2009, with crews sponsored by diverse federal, state, tribal, and local agencies.

Operations

Further information: Glossary of firefighting equipment and Glossary of wildfire terms

Hotshot crews are known for their extensive training, and are expected to display proficiency in the full range of fire suppression tactics. Like other handcrews, IHCs are primarily tasked with constructing, firing out, and holding handline, through the use of chainsaws, hand tools, ignition devices, and water delivery equipment. Hotshot crews can engage in all phases of wildfire response, from initial attack to mop-up. They are also trained in specialized operations, such as hot spotting, spot fire attack, tree felling, and structure protection.

Fatal Accidents

On July 5, 1994, nine members of a hotshot crew based in Prineville, Oregon, died after being overtaken by the fast-moving Storm King fire west of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Five other firefighters, three smokejumpers and two helitack firefighters, also died in the conflagration.

On June 30, 2013, the Prescott Fire Department's hotshot crew perished in the Yarnell Hill Fire near Yarnell, Arizona. Nineteen of the twenty members of the crew were killed when their escape route was cut off by an approaching fire, all nineteen entrapped members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots deployed their fire shelters.

Living conditions

Redmond Hotshots crew truck on the Bear Gulch fire in Washington

When not on fire assignments, the crew performs project work such as prescribed burning and fuels reduction.

Living conditions while on assignments can be primitive. Fresh meals, soft beds, and regular showers are not to be expected. Field assignments away from home can last several weeks with daily work shifts averaging sixteen hours, but sometimes extending up to 48–64 hours. Sleep deprivation is common, as is routine exposure to dust, smoke, poison oak, extreme weather (both heat and cold), and other environmental hazards.

Hotshots' crew vehicles become their homes during the peak fire season, when Hotshots may rarely spend more than two consecutive days at their own station. These vehicles, also known as Crew Hauls, Buggies, Crummies, or simply the Box, carry Hotshots along with personal gear, tools, and everything else necessary to make the crew self-sufficient for several days.

Crew breakdown

A crew working a fireline in the Grapevine Pass in California.

A hotshot crew consists of 20–22 members. There are two national formats certified for hotshot crews.

The first format is:

• One GS-9 superintendent;
• Two GS-8 foremans, (also known as captains or assistant superintendents)
• Two GS-6/7 squad leaders;
• Two – Four GS-5 senior firefighters; and
• Approximately twelve GS-4 and/or GS-3 temporary firefighters.

The second format is

• One GS-9 superintendent;
• One GS-8 assistant superintendents;
• Three GS-6/7 squad leaders;
• Three GS-5 senior firefighters; and
• Approximately twelve GS-4 and/or GS-3 temporary firefighters.

In addition, crewmembers are assigned various other specialized roles within the crew structure. These specialties may include:

• Medic – certified as first responders, wilderness first responders, emergency medical technicians-level B or higher.
• Helicopter crewmember (HECM) – responsible for manifesting and packaging crew supplies and equipment into "sling-loads" for transport by helicopter long-line into and out of remote locations.
• Faller – Highly skilled chainsaw operators who specialize in the safe felling of hazardous snags and burning or damaged trees.
• Saw team – Consisting of one sawyer and one "swamper." The sawyer will use a chainsaw to cut brush and woody material away from the fire's edge while the swamper pulls and throws the cut material to the non-fire side of the fire line. The members of these teams sometimes trade tasks each time the chainsaw needs to be refueled.

Physical fitness

In order to effectively perform their duties, Hotshots must maintain a high level of physical fitness. Whenever they are not on a fire assignment, crews devote at least one hour a day to physical training (PT). This training can include steep hikes, weight lifting, and long-distance runs. Traditionally, 5- to 10-mile runs were the favored PT for hotshot crews. Recently, there has been a shift towards more hiking. On these hikes, Hotshots may climb without stopping for over an hour while carrying upwards of 60 lbs. in gear and tools.

At a bare minimum, each Hotshot must complete a 3-mile hike carrying a 45-pound pack in under 45 minutes. Other minimum PT standards commonly adhered to are, 1½-mile run in 10:35 or less, 30+ push-ups in 60 seconds, 45+ sit-ups in 60 seconds, and 7 pull-ups all completed consecutively. These standards are an absolute minimum, and most hotshots' capabilities far exceed those numbers.

See also

• Fire Use Module
• Smokejumper
• Wildland fire engine
• Wildland fire tender
• Wildland fire suppression

External links

• Index of all Hotshot Crews
• Wildfire Management: Hotshot Crews Congressional Research Service