Been using blowers to fight fires in Australia for years. Some things we have learned if your interested. Wear a full face mask with filter and full ppe. Install a hand shield in front of operating hand. Move discharge tube up and down rather than left to right. Blow into the black. Get a fire fighter follow you and put out hot spots. Blowers are fantastic tools for fire fighting.
12/31/2019......................You folks in Australia need to use a number of CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters for a few days. The amount of "rotor downwash" that would be generated from low hovering helicopters would BLOW OUT all of the fires in your country in less than 7 days.
Best tool you can use for brush fires like these. We had one in Kentucky earlier this year that got out of hand quick due to high force winds in the area. I was off duty from my career department and spotted it right before the local volleys got there. Threw on some gear and helped out as it was the middle of the day and they were short handed. Grabbed the blower and went to work. Even had some enhancement by hitting some puddles in the fields (a lot of the brush that caught fire was sitting on top of natural springs) and splashing water up onto pockets of fire with the blower. They’re phenomenal tools for wildland jobs!
We did a prescribed fire this past spring, and utilized our backpack blowers. They expected that we would help the fire spread, I explained that once it gets going - it will take care of itself. They're great for snuffing it out and clearing a line. But what I think the land owner expected was it would act like a fan. No, no, it will just put it out in tall grass. Worked perfect for securing the line though.
I just finished Co-operative burn week in the Loess Hills last week! It was fantastic experience for new and experienced firefighters alike. If anyone is looking into wildland firefighting and needs experience (and is around Iowa or willing to drive), this is the perfect way to get involved. We had two WFFT2's from Arizona come all the way to Western Iowa to participate!
Solo was the first real u.s. market supplier of backpack blowers. They were loud and heavy. The thing is, they were originally used and marketed as a fogger/mister for orchard use. Hence we would cut off the tank which you would put liquids. Use the blowers to clean up yards. Sure was easier and faster than a broom. Come to modern backpack blowers, the original solo misters are still around. But who wants to carry 5 gallons of water on top of the weight of the blower? I know what's like to backpack with 60lbs pack, sure is no picnic. So yes there is a way to use water with a blower, but the weight issue would defeat the ability/mobility of a firefighter doing a controlled burn/line.
Stihl makes an awesome water option leaf blower that I've used for a number of years in solution distribution for mold remediation. That would be the ticket!! Awesome watching you guys work!
You can also use the blower to direct fire. Useful to stall the line progressing if there's still fuel to burn or if you need to speed the line up in a section that lagging.
the ones that have a water mist for spraying crops are great if you have little surfactant in the water They produce a fine mist of "wet" water that cools the fire too
You should get a blower with a three gallon tank on top. Takes a few days to get use to but I'm pretty sure being able to use water on low/medium to medium/high would help keep the flames out.
We use them in GA, a lot faster then rakes an shovels. We use them in pre suppression also to put in line to burn off of which reduces the spotting you have happening. But great video.
So I think you guys did amazing controlling that but also I think there was a lot of situations in this video we’re blowing it back into the burnt patches would have caused less spot fires and helped clean up with only the initial burns. Other than that I think the blower is amazing and though so simple it is so effective
Why aren’t more FF using the Macaw by Intelagard for prescribed wildland fires? It can do a 1/2 mile wet line and also get the loose embers. Using it and blowers would give so much more control!
Kinda undid the basics of the fuel triangle in my mind. I guess while you are seemingly throwing oxygen at it you're really taking heat away. Or?? Great tool for sure.
Both taking away heat, and disrupting the fuel source. Remember, technically it's not the material that "burns", it's the gasses that the material gives off when it's heated. An extreme stream of air can disrupt and disperse those before they can concentrate enough to sustain combustion. At least, that's how I understand what's being seen here.
How to use the blower in Tennessee and also in Missouri. The only limitation is the operator. The reason why that flare back it's cuz you're blowing it freaking hard as hell and when you pass it again the air gives the Amber enough air to Flame back up.
Years ago I had used a leaf blower to put out a grass fire.I went to my local fire station and talked to the men about using a leaf blower for grass fires and they laughed at me and walked away. Under the right conditions a leaf blower will work wonders. I rigged up a gallon tank of water just to add some moister and waited for the next grass fire which never came. Oh well.
Could you, or is it possible, to use the blower to direct the direction of a burn instead of blowing the burn out? Use a follow up as you mentioned about 15 yards back to kill off flare ups ? Maybe it nay help more?
Think about this. "Blowing fresh air at burning material rather than taking it away." Think of a lawn mower type handle and structure with wheels dragging a fire proof mat on the ground that was around 5' long and 3' wide. It would remove the air from the burning material and keep it away long enough for it to cool and Not reignite. Then a person follows with a water tank and sprays a mist of water on the embers rather than having to use much more water per square foot.
JB91710 A. Cost B. Time it takes to put out fires with only taking away oxygen C. Mist isnt great because very little water actually is able to reach the embers and itll just make it more prone to sparking up again
Fire needs 3 conditions. 1) a dry burnable fuel source..........2) oxygen..........and 3) CONCENTRATED heat. As long as the concentrated heat is not dissipated enough for a long enough period of time it might re-ignite (including re-igniting some materials that look like they're burned out but aren't). Please keep reading below. Now in CERTAIN places (ESPECIALLY HILLTOPS that fall down in all directions from one highest peak), if there was a low hovering helicopter right along the "forward line", that forward line could NEVER advance because the concentrated heat needed to keep a fire going would be dissipated as far as 200 YARDS away within 5 seconds.
Oh, I wondered why this looked familiar. I live in Western Iowa and have burned in Harrison County several times. I'm pretty sure that is the outlook at Prepararion Canyon State Park which I helped burn just a month ago. It was pretty sweet!
I've been in the fire service for 24 years on the communications side, and I'm JUST learning something new today. I had no idea a leaf blower could be used this way. VERY interesting. I'm sending a link to this video to our crew supervisor. Is this a new thing or pretty well known in the hand crew world?
@bdelder42 to start your leafblower when you accidentaly kill ittake your right shoulderbelt off and keep your left on, you can turn your blower and reach the starter and pul it without putting it on the ground. it starts easy because the engine is still warm
Fire fighters fight fire, but also start them as to prevent the over pile of fuel. In this case, grass has become too tall and dead. They prefer to create a larger fireline by the road so that any fires that may follow have less chances of starting if there is an ember coming from elsewhere.
Ok sorry for being ignorant but I’m confused as to the point of starting the fire as you can see in the beginning of the video? I would understand doing it in a controlled area but this seems fairly open and potentially disastrous again sorry if I’m misunderstanding what’s going on that’s just what it looks like from an outside perspective and I would love to understand the reason they do this.
ik this is odd, but i would love to become apart of a hotshot crew i am in college right now, once i am done that is the next step is there anyway to fast track it
Apply on USAJOBS.gov. Apply for any wildland firefighting position you can get. Work a season. Don't complain, do what your told as long as its safe. Learn to hike. And carry awkward things while your hiking. Did I mention hiking yet? Yeah.....they hike a lot.......and Im not talking about little hills. And if they hike a little hill, you best bet they are walking very fast. Learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Like, being super sweaty and grimy while working for hours, sometimes on super steep hillsides where you can bet you will fall a few times while your carrying a hand tool.......oh and if your not a sawyer on a shot crew you will be a swamper, doing a lot of grabbing very large piles of branches and throwing them where they belong. Get good at grabbing large piles of branches that have leaves and dirt getting all on you and in your shirt while your sweating your butt off. You will be carrying a hand tool in hand plus one on your back for your sawyer because hes gonna be carrying a pounder on his back plus his saw in his hands. Some crews pack around about 50lbs or plus some. Be prepared to do lots of mop up also......working 14 days on straight and getting two days off and then rinse and repeat for 6 months straight. Hopefully your able to work 14 days straight working hard and being uncomfortable, not showering usually. Sometimes wearing the same shirt for 5-14 days straight. Probably a cotton shirt that gets kind of crusty from the salt in your sweat. Bring some baby powder or cream for your balls when you start to chafe from walking/hiking all day long in your logger boots 👢 Hopefully your feet are callused by that time else your gonna have some mean blisters and get some bad pinching that they call white bite on top of your foot. You can get liners to help with preventing blisters to go under your wool socks. Also, if your boots or pants get soaking wet be prepared to wear those as long as you have to. When the boots get wet and start to dry they get awfully stiff and are not that fun to wear so youll have to deal with that for a few days probably. Our Fmo said his toenails started to fall off from hiking so much ande went through 2 pairs of boots in one season. Thats quite a lot considering if you hike hard in a pair of good boots usually they'll last a whole season. When you start to sweat a lot it attracts lots of bugs so be prepared for fire beetles to bite you and flys bugging you while you are trying to sit and eat for your very short lunch break out of your MRE. Also, you may encounter lots of bees, snakes, scorpions, etc if you are working outside alot. Just some realistic things to keep in mind. If you cant keep up or hold your own crews do not like that at all. Ive heard of crews doing 14 mile runs just to get someone they didnt want on their crew to quit. Not all crews are like that and theres some good people in fire but you will also encounter a lot of hard headed folks, some just plain heathens🙂 Be prepared before getting into it and you will do just fine. Taking care of your feet is super important. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Someone I know who is a retired pararescue jumper said it was the hardest work hes ever done. Ive a friend who said he knows of guys who were green berets, seals and the like and they get on the crew and couldnt hang. I also know of women who are 5'4 and weigh 130 that were hotshots for multiple years and had a lot of fun. Went on to be a smoke jumper. You will get to see a lot and make good money but you will have to earn EVERY SINGLE PENNY of it. I think its something to be proud of and a good experience but it can also be very taxing on your body, our D.O has a bad wrist from sawing so much but he also said he doesnt feel like it was too taxing on his body, although hes a hunting outfitter and has been hiking all his life. Things to think about. Plus it can be very dangerous as well. Just keeping it real. Youll have big live burning trees falling around you, loud snaps from who knows what direction, big logs rolling downhill at you sometimes, people just being reckless swinging sharp tools near you, etc etc You may have days where you question your decision and you may have days that you have a lot of fun. Youll have a good chunk of money after the fire season but doing it just for the money may not be enough to see you through the miserable moments. Youll get good experience for sure but some people opt on getting their firefighter 1 before going to a shot crew. That could take anywhere from a year to 3 years. Ive known plenty of firefighters who never worked as a hotshot and never wanted to. Personally, I think itd be a good life lesson and experience but thats me. LAST THING I WILL ADD, I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WORTH LOSING YOUR LIFE OVER. AND MANY HAVE LOST THEIR LIFES FOR NO GOOD REASON BECAUSE OF SIMPLE MISTAKES OR FOOLISH LEADERSHIP. Now if you were saving a life, a drowning kid, getting someone in a dangerous situation out, that might be worth risking your life for.
Fire shelters are used if an uncontrollable fire is closing in at a rate which would catch up to the crew. This is a contolled situation and would not require them to hunker down. Perhaps you mean't their standard fire retardant over alls?
I work with the forest service and we required to wear a fire shelter regardless...only time we dont have to wear one is when we working right next to an engine
It will if you are not using it wisely. Look at the other videos. If I blow into standing fuel, it will slow the air down and give the fire more oxygen. The fire will flare up. On stumps, woodies etc, it will force the coals to burn hot and can/will reignite the fire. So as long as you blow into the back, it puts it out. There is a sweet spot where it works. As you move out from that spot, it promotes fire. We see this on high pressure fire hoses where the water pulls air along the outside of the stream. Where the water hits, all goes great, but just outside the stream 1/4" the fire flairs up. So the Blower has a great sweet spot, that is surrounded by a fire promoting ring of air. If you don't move the sweet spot around, you will make the fire much bigger. You can see that too in the other videos.
Certain trucks are only certified for foam carry, you have to have a pump with 2 storage tanks that mixes the mixture, money is the main problem, to have a truck retrofitted with new gear costs fortunes due to certificates and capabilities. The majority of trucks have a 7-10year lifespan in heavy service, most are outdated by 20+years due to funding. So when a department is granted to be retrofitted with new equipment the majority cant afford foam trucks. Another aspect is refueling, foam is 1/10 of the products used and mainly for helicopter and aircraft use only leaving water expenses to the hand crews. 9/10 trucks are water only and refueling water is as simple as finding a water truck to pump from.
Hole in the water line you really need to check your equipment before you start. It looks like a shit show waiting to happen. That little flame from the grass isnt going to start the structure on fire calm down. Let it burn your getting leaf blower happy.
Fire is 3 conditions. Oxygen, a dry burnable fuel source, and CONCENTRATED heat. The blowers are blowing out the fire and in the process DISSIPATING the CONCENTRATED heat. The same process can also work with low hovering helicopters on some grass and tree fires (IF they're caught in time). Water only puts out the flames, but it doesn't dissipate the concentrated heat or the dry burnable fuel source. The blower dissipates the concentrated heat enough that most fires can't re-start.
This goes against common sense adding air to a fire. I watched a guy cool off a wood kiln with a leaf blower. It isn't like putting out an oil fire with explosives. More like blowing out a match.
You keep putting out the fire they just started damn that's annoying. That little bit of fire isnt going to start that structure on fire calm down. You went leaf blower crazy one tip is to blow it back into the burnt area instead of blowing the embers out into the dry grass.
electric leaf blower would be an advantage. you would know your battery level and it will not stop due to low oxygen levels :) also better for the environment :)
This is Iowa, where 65% of the electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels. Since gasoline is way more energy dense than batteries, it is more "green" to use gas powered tools. Also, the weight/power ratio is better with gasoline.
Been using blowers to fight fires in Australia for years. Some things we have learned if your interested. Wear a full face mask with filter and full ppe. Install a hand shield in front of operating hand. Move discharge tube up and down rather than left to right. Blow into the black. Get a fire fighter follow you and put out hot spots. Blowers are fantastic tools for fire fighting.
Good to know
Thanks. We fight a lot of grass fires here. Good to know.
12/31/2019......................You folks in Australia need to use a number of CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters for a few days. The amount of "rotor downwash" that would be generated from low hovering helicopters would BLOW OUT all of the fires in your country in less than 7 days.
Only when the grass is low.
Very accurate advice.
Best tool you can use for brush fires like these. We had one in Kentucky earlier this year that got out of hand quick due to high force winds in the area. I was off duty from my career department and spotted it right before the local volleys got there. Threw on some gear and helped out as it was the middle of the day and they were short handed. Grabbed the blower and went to work. Even had some enhancement by hitting some puddles in the fields (a lot of the brush that caught fire was sitting on top of natural springs) and splashing water up onto pockets of fire with the blower. They’re phenomenal tools for wildland jobs!
We did a prescribed fire this past spring, and utilized our backpack blowers. They expected that we would help the fire spread, I explained that once it gets going - it will take care of itself. They're great for snuffing it out and clearing a line. But what I think the land owner expected was it would act like a fan. No, no, it will just put it out in tall grass. Worked perfect for securing the line though.
I just finished Co-operative burn week in the Loess Hills last week! It was fantastic experience for new and experienced firefighters alike. If anyone is looking into wildland firefighting and needs experience (and is around Iowa or willing to drive), this is the perfect way to get involved. We had two WFFT2's from Arizona come all the way to Western Iowa to participate!
Solo was the first real u.s. market supplier of backpack blowers. They were loud and heavy. The thing is, they were originally used and marketed as a fogger/mister for orchard use. Hence we would cut off the tank which you would put liquids. Use the blowers to clean up yards. Sure was easier and faster than a broom.
Come to modern backpack blowers, the original solo misters are still around. But who wants to carry 5 gallons of water on top of the weight of the blower? I know what's like to backpack with 60lbs pack, sure is no picnic.
So yes there is a way to use water with a blower, but the weight issue would defeat the ability/mobility of a firefighter doing a controlled burn/line.
Stihl makes an awesome water option leaf blower that I've used for a number of years in solution distribution for mold remediation. That would be the ticket!! Awesome watching you guys work!
1:50 I’m expecting to see the gates of hell at the end of that path.
11:34 with Satan peering down at you lol
You can also use the blower to direct fire. Useful to stall the line progressing if there's still fuel to burn or if you need to speed the line up in a section that lagging.
the ones that have a water mist for spraying crops are great if you have little surfactant in the water
They produce a fine mist of "wet" water that cools the fire too
You should get a blower with a three gallon tank on top. Takes a few days to get use to but I'm pretty sure being able to use water on low/medium to medium/high would help keep the flames out.
This might possibly be the worlds best job. 2 of my favorite things. Fire and leaf blowers.
3:28 ... Beginning of a Flex Tape commercial?
we have been using this method in PA for 20 years, the PA Game Commission regularly use them to manage the wild grass lands
Wow
We use them in GA, a lot faster then rakes an shovels. We use them in pre suppression also to put in line to burn off of which reduces the spotting you have happening. But great video.
Man you know if you added a little water to the leaf blower you may have a great piece of equipment.
joemc111 called a power washer
We did that at a dept I was on several years ago. It did work a little better.
was an option at stihl for a few years to spray poisen on tall plants
R6JF it’s called a pressure washer
And maybe the hulk to carry around the enormous water supply needed then yeah you could be on to something..
I work as a wild land firefighter and it is really fun
But we start the fires with a mini flamethrower
StreetCat 324 how difficult is it to get hired
the Stihl BR450 C-EF is a leafblower with pullstart and electrostart.
The only...and I mean only thing I see bad here is a gas tank being strapped to my back...now if they come out with a diesel blower...I'm all in!
Stay on the unburn side
wow i like this concept wish we had these when i was a firefighter sure would have been easier than dragging hoses in the woods and cutting lines
Great video, best description and training on a leaf blower on the net!!!
Thanks Chris, Check the more complete review here th-cam.com/video/aibdSmhe-5M/w-d-xo.html
the blower is fantastic, we use too in Brazil.
The other guys standing there like why are you putting out the fire o just lit lol
Theres an attachment that'll make that blower into a fogger. That you can shut off/on with a quick click. It holds up to 2 gallons of water.
put a clear shield right in front of your hand on the blower, attached to the blower.
weedwack under the bridge first to reduce flare up.
myphonyaccount thanks mr fireman!! Dumb ass
So I think you guys did amazing controlling that but also I think there was a lot of situations in this video we’re blowing it back into the burnt patches would have caused less spot fires and helped clean up with only the initial burns. Other than that I think the blower is amazing and though so simple it is so effective
Fire men playing with fire
Eso se llama ataque contra fuego
@@spartano7193 cool story 😎
Glad to see videos from my home state. Stay safe, brothers.
Why aren’t more FF using the Macaw by Intelagard for prescribed wildland fires? It can do a 1/2 mile wet line and also get the loose embers. Using it and blowers would give so much more control!
Kinda undid the basics of the fuel triangle in my mind. I guess while you are seemingly throwing oxygen at it you're really taking heat away. Or?? Great tool for sure.
same way you blow out a candle I guess
Both taking away heat, and disrupting the fuel source. Remember, technically it's not the material that "burns", it's the gasses that the material gives off when it's heated. An extreme stream of air can disrupt and disperse those before they can concentrate enough to sustain combustion. At least, that's how I understand what's being seen here.
You are adding too much air and the vapors cannot sustain combustion due to the fuel-air mix being too lean/under the lower flammable limit.
Yes but oxygen and air are different things. You can have air with out oxygen
@@BRWfilms but for all intensive purposes, they are using oxygen here.
How to use the blower in Tennessee and also in Missouri. The only limitation is the operator. The reason why that flare back it's cuz you're blowing it freaking hard as hell and when you pass it again the air gives the Amber enough air to Flame back up.
Also there are a lot of things that we would have done differently.
he was walking the fire path to the world
Years ago I had used a leaf blower to put out a grass fire.I went to my local fire station and talked to the men about using a leaf blower for grass fires and they laughed at me and walked away. Under the right conditions a leaf blower will work wonders. I rigged up a gallon tank of water just to add some moister and waited for the next grass fire which never came. Oh well.
Start a fire and put it out.
Yeah burn their station and put it out
Could you, or is it possible, to use the blower to direct the direction of a burn instead of blowing the burn out? Use a follow up as you mentioned about 15 yards back to kill off flare ups ? Maybe it nay help more?
I learned something new!
Try an atomizer with wather blows air and wather !:) big ones hawe an 20 L reservoir of water!
Think about this. "Blowing fresh air at burning material rather than taking it away." Think of a lawn mower type handle and structure with wheels dragging a fire proof mat on the ground that was around 5' long and 3' wide. It would remove the air from the burning material and keep it away long enough for it to cool and Not reignite. Then a person follows with a water tank and sprays a mist of water on the embers rather than having to use much more water per square foot.
JB91710 A. Cost B. Time it takes to put out fires with only taking away oxygen C. Mist isnt great because very little water actually is able to reach the embers and itll just make it more prone to sparking up again
Fire needs 3 conditions. 1) a dry burnable fuel source..........2) oxygen..........and 3) CONCENTRATED heat. As long as the concentrated heat is not dissipated enough for a long enough period of time it might re-ignite (including re-igniting some materials that look like they're burned out but aren't). Please keep reading below.
Now in CERTAIN places (ESPECIALLY HILLTOPS that fall down in all directions from one highest peak), if there was a low hovering helicopter right along the "forward line", that forward line could NEVER advance because the concentrated heat needed to keep a fire going would be dissipated as far as 200 YARDS away within 5 seconds.
There are leaf blowers with a tank for pesticides maybe filed with plain wather could be handy they are haevy tho
Fantastic tool to use in Pennsylvania. Of course vegetation is different.
So question it looks like there is still fuel under the burn. Like it didn't burn to the ground won't that cuz it start with out water once you left
Now add a garden hose into the air stream of the blower.
The park in Harrison County Iowa is where this burn was taken place.
Oh, I wondered why this looked familiar. I live in Western Iowa and have burned in Harrison County several times. I'm pretty sure that is the outlook at Prepararion Canyon State Park which I helped burn just a month ago. It was pretty sweet!
@@markvos2692 that would be the park!
When a leaf blower is used to fight a fire, what part of the fire triangle is broken?
I've been in the fire service for 24 years on the communications side, and I'm JUST learning something new today. I had no idea a leaf blower could be used this way. VERY interesting. I'm sending a link to this video to our crew supervisor. Is this a new thing or pretty well known in the hand crew world?
They have irrigation sprayer attachments for leafblowers!
@bdelder42 to start your leafblower when you accidentaly kill ittake your right shoulderbelt off and keep your left on, you can turn your blower and reach the starter and pul it without putting it on the ground. it starts easy because the engine is still warm
Oh I get it you guys start the wild fires. It all makes sense
*Controlled fire*
Awesome video
hose breaks...well that sucks
Fires are satisfying.
Been using blowers for years for burning.
I thought firefighters meant to put out the fires NOT start them.....
th-cam.com/video/cNVZEVq3KzY/w-d-xo.html
Fire fighters fight fire, but also start them as to prevent the over pile of fuel. In this case, grass has become too tall and dead. They prefer to create a larger fireline by the road so that any fires that may follow have less chances of starting if there is an ember coming from elsewhere.
A good firefighter always carries a lighter on hand.
Kinda cool but in California we can’t do that. Fires burn different here.
only because of how dry it is. and then you add wind to that and you have a problem.
Which California? We do controlled burns all the time
is it just me or at 0:24 the biggest burnt out spot looked like australia
can also use it to cool the structure
That looks like fun
Ok sorry for being ignorant but I’m confused as to the point of starting the fire as you can see in the beginning of the video? I would understand doing it in a controlled area but this seems fairly open and potentially disastrous again sorry if I’m misunderstanding what’s going on that’s just what it looks like from an outside perspective and I would love to understand the reason they do this.
First name name what they are doing is complexly safe. They are burning it now so it won’t burn later , when there as no fire fighters around.
Why do you guys light it up??
Been there, done that.
That would be so fun
Sure beats brooming and raking...
ik this is odd, but i would love to become apart of a hotshot crew i am in college right now, once i am done that is the next step is there anyway to fast track it
Apply on USAJOBS.gov. Apply for any wildland firefighting position you can get. Work a season. Don't complain, do what your told as long as its safe. Learn to hike. And carry awkward things while your hiking. Did I mention hiking yet? Yeah.....they hike a lot.......and Im not talking about little hills. And if they hike a little hill, you best bet they are walking very fast. Learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Like, being super sweaty and grimy while working for hours, sometimes on super steep hillsides where you can bet you will fall a few times while your carrying a hand tool.......oh and if your not a sawyer on a shot crew you will be a swamper, doing a lot of grabbing very large piles of branches and throwing them where they belong. Get good at grabbing large piles of branches that have leaves and dirt getting all on you and in your shirt while your sweating your butt off. You will be carrying a hand tool in hand plus one on your back for your sawyer because hes gonna be carrying a pounder on his back plus his saw in his hands. Some crews pack around about 50lbs or plus some. Be prepared to do lots of mop up also......working 14 days on straight and getting two days off and then rinse and repeat for 6 months straight. Hopefully your able to work 14 days straight working hard and being uncomfortable, not showering usually. Sometimes wearing the same shirt for 5-14 days straight. Probably a cotton shirt that gets kind of crusty from the salt in your sweat. Bring some baby powder or cream for your balls when you start to chafe from walking/hiking all day long in your logger boots 👢
Hopefully your feet are callused by that time else your gonna have some mean blisters and get some bad pinching that they call white bite on top of your foot. You can get liners to help with preventing blisters to go under your wool socks. Also, if your boots or pants get soaking wet be prepared to wear those as long as you have to. When the boots get wet and start to dry they get awfully stiff and are not that fun to wear so youll have to deal with that for a few days probably. Our Fmo said his toenails started to fall off from hiking so much ande went through 2 pairs of boots in one season. Thats quite a lot considering if you hike hard in a pair of good boots usually they'll last a whole season.
When you start to sweat a lot it attracts lots of bugs so be prepared for fire beetles to bite you and flys bugging you while you are trying to sit and eat for your very short lunch break out of your MRE. Also, you may encounter lots of bees, snakes, scorpions, etc if you are working outside alot.
Just some realistic things to keep in mind. If you cant keep up or hold your own crews do not like that at all. Ive heard of crews doing 14 mile runs just to get someone they didnt want on their crew to quit. Not all crews are like that and theres some good people in fire but you will also encounter a lot of hard headed folks, some just plain heathens🙂
Be prepared before getting into it and you will do just fine. Taking care of your feet is super important. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Someone I know who is a retired pararescue jumper said it was the hardest work hes ever done. Ive a friend who said he knows of guys who were green berets, seals and the like and they get on the crew and couldnt hang. I also know of women who are 5'4 and weigh 130 that were hotshots for multiple years and had a lot of fun. Went on to be a smoke jumper. You will get to see a lot and make good money but you will have to earn EVERY SINGLE PENNY of it.
I think its something to be proud of and a good experience but it can also be very taxing on your body, our D.O has a bad wrist from sawing so much but he also said he doesnt feel like it was too taxing on his body, although hes a hunting outfitter and has been hiking all his life.
Things to think about. Plus it can be very dangerous as well. Just keeping it real. Youll have big live burning trees falling around you, loud snaps from who knows what direction, big logs rolling downhill at you sometimes, people just being reckless swinging sharp tools near you, etc etc
You may have days where you question your decision and you may have days that you have a lot of fun. Youll have a good chunk of money after the fire season but doing it just for the money may not be enough to see you through the miserable moments. Youll get good experience for sure but some people opt on getting their firefighter 1 before going to a shot crew. That could take anywhere from a year to 3 years. Ive known plenty of firefighters who never worked as a hotshot and never wanted to. Personally, I think itd be a good life lesson and experience but thats me.
LAST THING I WILL ADD, I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WORTH LOSING YOUR LIFE OVER. AND MANY HAVE LOST THEIR LIFES FOR NO GOOD REASON BECAUSE OF SIMPLE MISTAKES OR FOOLISH LEADERSHIP.
Now if you were saving a life, a drowning kid, getting someone in a dangerous situation out, that might be worth risking your life for.
Big Country to sum up what he said get strong and embrace the suck
Alot of folks on the line not wearing their fire shelters. Where is the safety officer?
Fire shelters are used if an uncontrollable fire is closing in at a rate which would catch up to the crew. This is a contolled situation and would not require them to hunker down.
Perhaps you mean't their standard fire retardant over alls?
@@niccatipay control burns can and do go awry. Must be more of a difference in agency policy. Stay safe and keep one foot in the black.
I work with the forest service and we required to wear a fire shelter regardless...only time we dont have to wear one is when we working right next to an engine
Swedish farmers does this to..its pretty normal stuff
why doesnt it feed oxygen to the fire like a bellow ?
It will if you are not using it wisely. Look at the other videos. If I blow into standing fuel, it will slow the air down and give the fire more oxygen. The fire will flare up. On stumps, woodies etc, it will force the coals to burn hot and can/will reignite the fire. So as long as you blow into the back, it puts it out. There is a sweet spot where it works. As you move out from that spot, it promotes fire. We see this on high pressure fire hoses where the water pulls air along the outside of the stream. Where the water hits, all goes great, but just outside the stream 1/4" the fire flairs up. So the Blower has a great sweet spot, that is surrounded by a fire promoting ring of air. If you don't move the sweet spot around, you will make the fire much bigger. You can see that too in the other videos.
I think firefighters if using a Husqvarna gas trimmer would be more effective
Ah yes the NCFS special
Walking to the gates of hell 1:50 hahaha
IRPG 10's and 18's ??
Instead of having to use so much water for big fires why not have fire trucks fill with that foam stuff from a fire extinguisher
Certain trucks are only certified for foam carry, you have to have a pump with 2 storage tanks that mixes the mixture, money is the main problem, to have a truck retrofitted with new gear costs fortunes due to certificates and capabilities. The majority of trucks have a 7-10year lifespan in heavy service, most are outdated by 20+years due to funding. So when a department is granted to be retrofitted with new equipment the majority cant afford foam trucks. Another aspect is refueling, foam is 1/10 of the products used and mainly for helicopter and aircraft use only leaving water expenses to the hand crews. 9/10 trucks are water only and refueling water is as simple as finding a water truck to pump from.
Cool
Hole in the water line you really need to check your equipment before you start. It looks like a shit show waiting to happen. That little flame from the grass isnt going to start the structure on fire calm down. Let it burn your getting leaf blower happy.
Why?
Better then water?
Fire is 3 conditions. Oxygen, a dry burnable fuel source, and CONCENTRATED heat. The blowers are blowing out the fire and in the process DISSIPATING the CONCENTRATED heat.
The same process can also work with low hovering helicopters on some grass and tree fires (IF they're caught in time).
Water only puts out the flames, but it doesn't dissipate the concentrated heat or the dry burnable fuel source. The blower dissipates the concentrated heat enough that most fires can't re-start.
Wow
This goes against common sense adding air to a fire. I watched a guy cool off a wood kiln with a leaf blower. It isn't like putting out an oil fire with explosives. More like blowing out a match.
why did you not give a few guys some weed eaters. no danger in that.
You keep putting out the fire they just started damn that's annoying. That little bit of fire isnt going to start that structure on fire calm down. You went leaf blower crazy one tip is to blow it back into the burnt area instead of blowing the embers out into the dry grass.
3:24 that timing
If I were to do that it'd be called arson. This is bs.
If the work is unauthorized and is performed outside your own property or has the ability to damage other peoples property then it is arson.
No that's a fire blower not a leaf blower
Anyone watch Wranglerstar? Good FF vids on that channel occasionally.
Drake Docson he is a twat
I could sort of agree with wranglerstar being a twat. However I belive in his early videos he was less twat-y than now.
Good man! God bless
Ya know that problem with grazing cows, destroying grasslands? Should hire some professional firecows, the bovine unit c:
Go get a RedMax 8500
This is just crazy. Use water instead of blowing the fire, drying up the vegetation even more.
Circa 2001 th-cam.com/video/uFfmVDKaOP8/w-d-xo.html
This is why u mow You Property.
what are you guys doing ?? putting fire in weeds ????
I guess mowing isn't sexy?
Rofl make a leaf blower way heavier by putting an electric start on it... when using it in the wrong situation... what has this world come to..
This shouldn't be allowed dobt the firefighters know that using a leaf blower that is gas powered isn't good to put a fire out ?
Electrically powered*
Ofcourse spot fires happen, you are blowing burning grass and other materials in any directions
Ps I don't get why you are burning everything down its bad for the nature and environment, you know co2 and stuff get in to the air
@@frofer3553 to lessen the fuel load and reduce future uncontrolled fire risk. Think of it as preventative maintanence.
Fran Romero Fernandez it dosent matter if co2 gets into the air lol, we breathe out co2
You don't know very much about fire do you? Lol
Lighting causes fires you know and has done so since the earth existed.
electric leaf blower would be an advantage. you would know your battery level and it will not stop due to low oxygen levels :) also better for the environment :)
This is Iowa, where 65% of the electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels. Since gasoline is way more energy dense than batteries, it is more "green" to use gas powered tools. Also, the weight/power ratio is better with gasoline.
so unsafe very dangerous BEWARE
In a untrained hands it is.
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