“On average more than 100,000 wildfires, also called wildland fires or forest fires, clear 4 to 5 million acres of land in the U.S every year”. This fact is according to the National Geographic website. Wildfires are dangerous because of how quickly they can spread and the damage they can make. They can move up to fourteen miles an hour across land destroying everything they come in contact with. We have learned throughout the years how a wildfire originates, the impact that it can cause, and safety
Man and Nature in Norman Maclean's book, Young Men and Fire Norman Maclean's book, Young Men and Fire, recreates the tragedy of the Mann Gulch fire. His ambition to have this lamentable episode of history reach out and touch his readers triumphs in extolling the honor and respect deserved by the thirteen smoke jumpers who died. This book is a splendid tribute to the courageous efforts of such men, as well as a landmark, reminding mankind to heed the unpredictable behavior and raw power of nature
that if the men had arrived earlier “they would have had sufficient time to complete the line job ahead of the 3:30pm gale which caused the blow up”3. He therefore suggested the “Smokejumper Project”3, in which firefighters would parachute to the area of the fire in the hopes that it would cut down reaction time. Smokejumpers are trained wildland firefighters who parachute to the location when the fire is still small and extinguish it before it becomes a threat; they are still used t... ... middle
Young Men and Fire is a profound story following the smokejumpers of the Mann Gulch fire, their tragedy and Norman Maclean’s mission to piece together the historic fire’s details. In 1949, before the breakout of the Mann Gulch fire, smokejumpers were seen as captivating, hearty, and borderline insane. They were the Forest Service’s most efficient and charismatic weapons against fire; ballsy and sure of themselves. This was until they dropped into the Mann Gulch fire, where instead of gaining control
A firestorm is a true force of nature. It is a wildfire that has its own wind system. There can be thunderclouds, rain, lightning, and even fire tornadoes inside the firestorm. In the past seven years, 19 firestorms have been documented. These storms have destroyed 1,388 structures, burned down 3.5 million acres, and killed 24 people. To understand firestorms one needs to understand fire. A fire needs three things to thrive: oxygen, fuel and heat. This is what experts call a fire triangle. Heat
the Forest Service and its research branch. The fire disaster changed the landscape of wildfire firefighting. Due to the tragedy, the Forest Service would establish new training techniques and improved safety measures for its firefighters and smokejumpers along with more emphasis on fire research and the science of fire behavior (Lehman, 2009). With the training and research, better firefighting techniques and equipment evolved (Lehman, 2009). The analysis will evaluate how the firefighters
Norman Maclean’s Young Men and Fire “I now feel brave enough to venture forth and bear earth’s torments and its joys, to grapple with the hurricane.” (Faust, lines 464-66) Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? Or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? . . . Declare if thou knowest it all. (Job 38:17,18) Human beings are prideful creatures, and we have good reason to be. We have subdued a planet, changed the course of rivers
Emergency response seems to be extremely situation specific when in reality emergency response requires very calculated and effective decision making. In order to effectively handle and emergency situation to keep the situation calm and under control, a strong leader must gain of the trust of his or her team and empower them through the process allowing them the ability to make strong decision and think rationally. Prescriptive decision making is a gut reaction in an emergency situation but doesn’t
Forbes (2012) identified the following ten qualities that make a great leader: (1) honesty, (2) delegate, (3) communication, (4) confidence, (5) commitment, (6) positive attitude, (7) creativity, (8) intuition, (9) inspire, (10) approach. Each one of the mentioned qualities above are essential when it comes to being a successful leader in Advance Nursing Practice (APN), though they are not the only once. In this post I will discuss the following topics: (a) risks and rewards related to critical thinking
Firefighting Imagine you are asleep and it is a normal night just like any other, when all of a sudden you smell smoke from your bedroom. Immediately, you open your door and you cannot see anything due to the heavy layer of smoke. Your first reaction is to call the fire department and within minutes, they show up at your house. Some firefighters start battling the flames engulfing your house, while others rush into the flames searching for you and anyone else in your family, including your pets.