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Sheep Fire Incident Command Post Visited by RIMOFTHEWORLD.net

Glen Helen Park Hosts the Busy Firefighters

By Peg H
Friday, October 9, 2009

Lytle Creek, CA – RIMOFTHEWORLD.net had the opportunity to assist Firefighters in a unique way this week. Donations for the Sheep Fire personnel of socks, t-shirts, Kleenex, lip-balm, tooth brushes and paste, body lotion and other sundry toiletries were gathered together by mountain community residents, some of those donations from Target, with the intention of making their camp-style existence more comfortable.

Unusual for October, the night temperatures were dropping into below freezing ranges every night and the need for clean, dry clothes for the fire fighters would be a consideration for several good-hearted RIMOFTHEWORLD.net subscribers.

With a least a dozen bags and boxes of goodies loaded into a truck, several people made their way to the Glen Helen Regional Park and the Incident Command Post (ICP).

They met with Matt Corelli, the Public Information Officer (PIO), who got them set up in a location where they would be able to have access to the firefighters who were coming in from the fire fight, as well as those who would be going out for the night.

Supplies set up for Firefighters (Photo by RobH.)

The camp was eerily quiet while the men and women were out on the remaining fire line or sleeping in their tents after a long night of work.

Firefighters are getting much-needed sleep before heading out for night maintenance of the Sheep Fire. (Photo by RobH.)

One team, from Quincy, California, headed for chow after a day of sleep.

Strike Team headed for dinner before heading out to the fire line. (Photo by RobH.)

The drink tent was prepared and ready for the incoming firefighters.

Firefighter waits for his teammates with drinks on hand. (Photo by RobH.)

The ICP Main Street was starting to stir as the sun was starting to set and a slow parade of firefighters began to come in for the night.

Main Street of the Glen Helen ICP for the Sheep Fire. (Photo by RobH.)

This troupe from Plumas National Forest gathered around to pose for the camera before heading off to dinner.

The troup from Plumas National Forest stopped for a photo op before heading out. (Photo by RobH.)

The refueling station was across from the main camp and part of ground support. Ground support also includes truck maintenance and repair.

Sheep Fire Ground Support (Photo by RobH.)

The distribution of the donated supplies was slow and almost disappointing until they found out that the reason it was slow is because many of the firefighters were being sent home. Cal Fire came in and bid farewell to their fellow crews and called it done for the Sheep Fire.

Cal Fire trucks being fueled. (Photo by RobH.)

The other reason was that the day crew hadn't returned from a day of fire fighting yet. As they did, a line of trucks came through and took advantage of the donated gifts supplied by ROTW readers and Target. After filling their arms with supplies, they got back into their respective trucks and headed to the camp in Glen Helen for a night of food and sleep.

Although it is still an active fire, the firefighting personnel has been cut nearly in half. Yesterday, there were 1,890 firefighters on the fire line and the containment was less than 75%.

As of the evening of October 8, 2009, with the fire now 85% contained, there are 882 Firefighters remaining on scene with most of the work involving the very important mop-up procedures. The part of the fire line that is still not contained, according to the PIO, is straight up and down and the terrain is very rocky.

Those remaining firefighters, thanks to some very thoughtful people, RIMOFTHEWORLD.net and Target, have a few extra pairs of socks and a few other things that, hopefully will remind them that they are appreciated for the work that they do.

If you click on this link, you'll find out about how this all came about in my blog.

http://www.rimoftheworld.net/columns/peg/sheep