Untitled Page

	Florida '98 (Volusia Complex Fires) Lewis -n- Clark Smokechasers (Type I/II Mix) The Lewis -n- Clark Smokechasers shown here are a mix of type I and type II firefighters drawn from five districts of the Lewis -n- Clark National Forest in Montana. Some are new commers and others are higher qualified vetrans of wildland fire. There seasonal duties include initial attack fire suppression via helicopters, fire engines, horseback and on foot. These firefighters typically work three to five months of the year. Some go back to college in the off season, some find other jobs, and some go over seas to teach English to foregion speaking countries. Regardless of their slack time endevors, all wildland firefighters have a passion for the call, a wanting for the hot line and a need to be needed. In June of 1998 these Lewis -n- Clark Smokechasers were called to help out in Florida. Here are a few of the pictures taken and some of the story that was made. No two people love the camera more than Nate Birkland or Bre Finley. That's way they both have won a spot at the top of the page. (most photos can be enlarged or more inclusive by clicking on them)
Links:
Lewis & Clark Nat. Forest	Lewis -n- Clark Smokechasers in Florida with the regions #1 fire bus driver. If you can name all these people please help me remember there names. Click here to send an email to me for this. I won't list any names unless I have them all.				I am missing shots of many of the crew members. If you were a member of this crew and have more pictures from this assignment, please contact me by filling out this form. I would like to include your photos here also.
Alaska Fire Service (BLM)
NIFC









Sam trying to deal with near exhaustion. The humidity in Floriday was quit diferent than it is in Montana. We all had a hard time getting acclimated. After the first day it was all good.		Brian and Sam loving themselves for...being themselves. While Nate assesses the shift plan in the background.		Sometimes it's nice to have a good friend to share snacks with. Brian and Hud share a little snoose among friends.
	Squad 1 of the LC Smokechasers pose at drop point.		The Rocky Mt. Ranger District members of the crew, except Sam. He's takeing the picture.		Get up and look busy! Crew boss is coming. Bre and Brian moving brush in a chared palm tree forest.
After several days of contemplation, Nate desides he needs to fell a palm tree. He reasons that he may never have another chance to drop a palm tree. Besides, it needed to come down as it was a hazard.		Standing at the stump. From left to right; Bre, Brian, Nate and Hud. A dirty shirt doesn't mean you've been working hard.		Brian & Sam demonstrate the right way to wrestle while standing over sharp hand tools stuck in a log.
	The crews were not allowed to spend the nights outside. So, we were bused to local schools were we crash out inside classrooms with air conditioning systems.		We were transported to the fireline drop points by military Hummers. Here we are awaiting instructions from the Division Supervisor.		Crew takes another break. Heat and humidity were tough to deal with. Other hazards included banana spiders, aligaters, hornets and poisonous snakes.

At one point in time during mid day Nate and Hud decide to check out a smoke deep inside the fireline. The smoke was located and worked until it was decided no good was being done. They decided to call in one of the Erickson Air Cranes to dump a load of water on it.

They were so far inside the fire that radio comunication with the crew boss was no good. So, they decided to call the choper in directly for the drop.

The water turned out to be useful for more than just putting the smoke out.

As it turns out, the water drop from the choper was a little overkill for the smoke. They ordered the drop mostly for themselves.

"We would not advise this procedure for anyone. But, under the circumstances, we had no choice. We needed some cooling off ourselves."

	<---Jeannie takes a break during the midday heat. We all worked hard, including Jeannie. We just didn't take many pictures while working. To hazardous I guess.	Hud's squad takes yet another break and fills with water. Notice Nate in the background. Always gotta make a funny face to the camera.--->
Some of the crew play cards in the lunch room at a local middle school. We had 15 crews all sleeping in this one room the night before. All sleeping on green army cotes. At lights out with all the tossing and turning going on the cotes squeeked so badly that it sounded like a ballon factory.			<---Nate kicks his feet up for a break in the lunch room. This was one of the few picture where he doen't make faces at the camera.
	<---Squad getting ready to move out. Brian, Sam and Bre argue about who's been working harder.	Squad boss suprised by picture taker. "You sonzabitches woke me up." --->
Rocky Mountain Ranger District members take a few minutes on Daytona Beach. --->			Hud takes a nap after finding out we finally get to go home.

We made it home safe and sound to Great Falls, MT. Had us a little lunch at Denny's. Then we all went back to our own districts and got ready for our next assignment. Except for Hud. He left the Forest Service and move to Alaska. "Sometimes I wish I could go back and do it forever."		Lewis & Clark Smokechasers 1998