Situation Report: Reported Vehicle Fire

On November 25th around 10:30 am, High Rolls Fire responded to a report of a Semi-truck on fire near Bailey Canyon curve on Highway 82. When Units arrived on scene, it was determined to be a blown turbo-charger, and no additional assistance was required.

Training Reminder

We have scheduled training this Saturday the 21st, at the Pineywoods Fire Station at 09:00. The topic will be driving and operating the new pumper, Engine #612. All personnel are encouraged to attend.

Forest Service Burn at Calico Peak

The US Forest Service will be burning off vegetation on Calico Peak on November 17th and 18th. Expect to see large amounts of smoke in, above, and around the High Rolls area.

Training Reminder: Thursday 22nd

We will be conducting training on Thursday at approx 6:30 pm. The topic will be Vehicle Firefighting. Specifically, it will be a classroom session concerning the dangers presented by modern vehicles and how time tested tactics need to be re-visited for our own safety in most cases. Updated basic tactics for combatting vehicles fires will be discussed.

For further info please contact the Fire Chief.

Fire Prevention Week

This week is Fire Prevention Week, an event that is celebrated by all fire departments in the USA. Two very notorious fires near the end of the 19th century led to it's creation, in the hopes that future catastrophes can be prevented. These two fires were the Great Chicago Fire, and the little known Peshtigo fire. These two fires caused tremendous property damage, and in the case of Peshtigo, virtually wiped the town off the face of the Earth with thousands of casualties. They also burned on the same date, at almost exactly the same time. Two simultaneous great fires were too much for the nation to take, and several years later a National Fire Prevention Week was created. It has been celebrated every year since.

Here are highlights from our activities at the High Rolls Elementary marking this occasion. A Fire Safety presentation was conducted and the children were allowed to play a game of "squirt the burning house" utilizing a wooden prop built for the occasion.

Pictured left to right are Firefighters Chris Ryan, Paul McCarty, Krystal Poindexter, and Tommy Hatfield.

New Fire Truck Due to Arrive...

High Rolls Fire is scheduled to take delivery of a new pumper apparatus from Artesia Fire Equipment during the month of October. This new truck will replace an older unit that has reached the end of it's service life. It is a wildland/urban interface type pumper, capable of performing structural fire or wildland fire suppression, and is on a short chassis for our mountainous environment. It will be placed into service in the Pineywoods Station.

Just in from Lincoln National Forest

SALADO PRESCRIBED BURN

Alamogordo, NM (October 8, 2009) - The Lincoln National
 Forest Sacramento Ranger District will conduct the
Salado Prescribed Burn during the week of
October 19, 2009. The burn location is approximately
three miles north of High Rolls, NM. Residents of the
High Rolls, Mountain Park, Fresnal Canyon, and La Luz
Canyon areas may see and smell smoke for the duration
of the burn.  During the implementation of the burn,
 smoke is expected to be highly visible from NM Highway 70,
La Luz and Tularosa. When the burning begins, signs will
be posted along roadways affected by the smoke and
motorists are urged to use caution. Forest personnel
will be posting current information regarding the
progress of the burn for communities and residents
in the area. As always, firefighter and public safety
are a top priority. For more information, please contact
 the Sacramento Ranger District Office at (575) 682-2551,
between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The address is:  Sacramento Ranger District Office,  
4 Lost Lodge Road, Cloudcroft, NM 88310