Fifteen members of San Diego’s Regional Incident Management Team are in Washington State to help crews fight the Pacific Northwest fires.
With 30 large fires still uncontained in the state, the federal government is calling for help and for the first time ever, that help is being requested from local regional teams across the country.
“What is unique is that this is the first time that an all Hazards Incident Management team has supported another state,” said Assistant Fire Chief Brian Fennessy of the San Diego Fire Rescue Department.
More than 32,000 firefighters are on the ground fighting the fires, but now there is a shortage of crews to manage and oversee day-to-day efforts. That is what the 15 San Diegans will be doing.
“It’s very unlikely they will be assigned to manage a fire….[they will] use skills and training to manage evacuations, repopulation of communities, immobilization centers, [they are] trained in a variety of assignments,” Fennessy said.
The team is put together from various local agencies in the county, from firefighters to members of the County Health Department. The members are experts in providing management support in times of local emergencies.
“Having served on teams like this before...you aren't taking over, you are assisting and supporting and there are sensitivities to that,” Fennessey said. “It’s an opportunity to build structures.”
Local
The team arrived in Spokane and will be stationed in Washington for the next two weeks.
