DIVISION 5
DAVE BENFIELD DIVISION CHIEF
LABOR REP. DARRELL FEUERHAHN
BY: JEFF ALLEN
Division 5 had a very busy quarter, handling a variety of incidents, including a major traffic collisions, several
structure fires, swiftwater rescues and some significant training. The division said goodbye to a veteran
captain and also welcomed several new promotions.
SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS
On July 12 companies from Division 5 responded to a rollover
traffic accident on Alta Loma Dr. in Joshua Tree. County firefighters
and paramedics extricated numerous critically injured patients
from the vehicle and provided a safe landing zone for multiple air
ambulances and Air Rescue 06. There were fatalities and numerous
critical injuries involved. This incident proved the value of having
paramedics on fire engines, and highlighted how the specialized
safety gear that firefighter/paramedics wear minimizes the hazards
that comes with auto extrication.
Later that month Division 5 crews completed a refresher in auto
extrication training just in time to respond to the real deal. On the
afternoon of July 26—while practicing extrication scenarios on
donated cars at Station 42—crews responded to a reported traffic
collision in Landers on Highway 247. Upon arrival it was determined
that one critically injured occupant was trapped in the vehicle and
would require extrication. Quickly the victim was removed from the
vehicle and transported to an awaiting Mercy Air unit for transport to
a trauma center. This was one of those times when keeping up on
our skills truly made a difference, and Local 935 would like to give
special thanks to Hills Towing for donating the vehicles.
The City of Needles had two structure fires in July, illustrating how
County Fire crews in this area must often complete major tasks
with minimum staffing. The Needles fire contract features a unique
personnel configuration, as one Local 935 captain and three limitedterm (LT) firefighters staff Station 31. Further, while a the City of
Needles is small (population just under 5000), the area Station 31
covers includes an approximate 50-mile stretch of Interstate 40,
from Kelbaker Road to the Arizona state line. This I-40 corridor is an
“unfunded” area, which means there are no tax dollars generated
for fire protection or paramedic service. Therefore Company 31
functions at the basic life support (BLS) level, which means there are
no paramedics provided by County Fire. Baker Ambulance Company
provides paramedic service. This staffing configuration, coupled with
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the unsustainable LT program, has made this area a prime
candidate for an increased level of service.
TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN!
The summer months in the eastern Mojave bring an
increase in temperatures and also an increase in monsoonal
thunderstorms. Typically these storms are strongest in the
afternoons during the daytime and can cause intense flash
flooding that turns roadways and low-lying areas into raging
torrents of water and debris. The division had two significant
swiftwater rescue incidents this summer. The first ne was
located near Vidal Junction and involved numerous vehicles
stranded and one actual rescue in which several victims were
rescued by SBCoFD firefighters as floodwaters overtook their
vehicle. The second incident occurred in the community of
Joshua Tree and involved a local resident who drove through
approximately 12 inches of moving water across the roadway.
The victim’s vehicle became stranded in the roadway and was
eventually overtaken by a much larger surge of water, which
pushed his vehicle downstream and trapped him as his vehicle
was inundated with floodwaters. Medic Engine 41, staffed with
Captain Matt Anderson and Engineer Travis Anway, arrived on
scene of this incident while en route to another call. The crew
attempted to evacuate numerous individuals who were in the
water attempting to rescue the victim in the car. The incident was
upgra