Freelancing During A Large Scale Incident

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For those who didn't see it in the Austin-area Massive Wildfire(s) thread, the local media did a story on freelancing, which always becomes an issue in any large incident:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2011/09/08/volunteers_turned_away_from_fi.html

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About the same time as Austin officials on Tuesday requested assistance from off-duty firefighters to help battle two Travis County blazes, a Facebook message called for firefighters to come to Bastrop.

The message quickly went viral.

“I called Bastrop and they said they could use whatever assistance they could get, so I drove up, ” said Perry, a retired firefighter. “I’m still ticked off about the way they handled it.”

Unlike others, Perry said he brought his equipment and is qualified to fight fires like those in Bastrop, from his days as a military firefighter in Arizona.

This wasn't freelancing Seth. These guys responded when legitimate calls for help went out, and were turned away. Freelancers would just go on their own without receiving any "invitation." This was more a FUBAR.

Are the calls going out to help upstate New York, calls for "Freelancers"?

[helicopper 1,050]

This wasn't freelancing Seth. These guys responded when legitimate calls for help went out, and were turned away. Freelancers would just go on their own without receiving any "invitation." This was more a FUBAR.

Are the calls going out to help upstate New York, calls for "Freelancers"?

No, the calls for resources aren't for freelancers but the people who throw stuff in the back of Billy-Bob's pick-up and jump onto Route 17 and "just show up" are definitely freelancers. There have been instances of that at almost every major disaster and it is happening this time too. Just human nature, I guess.

This is the problem with vague requests with inadequate information, especially one social media with limited controls to limit the "spread' of the virus. People showed up intending to do well but instead tax the already overloaded system.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

No, the calls for resources aren't for freelancers but the people who throw stuff in the back of Billy-Bob's pick-up and jump onto Route 17 and "just show up" are definitely freelancers. There have been instances of that at almost every major disaster and it is happening this time too. Just human nature, I guess.

This is the problem with vague requests with inadequate information, especially one social media with limited controls to limit the "spread' of the virus. People showed up intending to do well but instead tax the already overloaded system.

On this we can agree, my favorite "Eye In The Sky". But whatcho got gainst Billy Bob's pick-up lol.

I'm telling you Brother, whoever the person/idiot was who was responsible for that "call for help" (I wouldn't lie when I tell you out of curiosity I called to see what the heck was going on, and a recording said "They had reached adequate staffing"), somebody up there (and for good reason) probably panicked and pushed the wrong Twitter button.

Maybe that's part of the message we need to focus on; be careful with social media when you are possibly overwhelmed as this example illustrates what could happen.

Be safe in the skies, you lucky b@st@rd.....

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This wasn't freelancing Seth. These guys responded when legitimate calls for help went out, and were turned away. Freelancers would just go on their own without receiving any "invitation." This was more a FUBAR.

No legitimate calls for manpower were placed. There were some partial departmental recalls. There was a horse farm in Bastrop that put out an "all call" for firefighters to evacuate horses in danger, and did so by themselves.

Incidents like these are well managed. Accountability is EXTREMLY important. Wildland Firefighting also warrants specialized training, gear, and physical fitness. There is a lot of strategy involved.

Manpower resources are part of Strike Teams or Task Forces. The Incident Commander calls for what he needs, and they respond as a team. They then report to the staging area, where the accountability process begins. The staging area is heavily guarded by the Sheriff's department and a staging area assistant, to make sure it is the proper resource, it was requested, and check people in.

Let's take a house fire. Some guy who's a firefighter driving by has his own gear and decides to help out. He goes into the structure, no one knows he is there, and he gets trapped. He may have training and experience, but no one asked him to come nor did the Safety Officer have accountability of all those on scene. He never comes out. Apply that same situation to thousands of acres and thousands of homes.

It's all about teamwork.

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Oh, and if you really want to fight wildland fires, then become a Wildland Firefigter.

Here's what it is about and what you need to do:

http://tfsweb.tamu.edu/websites/twpp/

I highly doubt mamy freelancers are coming in with that training.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

No legitimate calls for manpower were placed. There were some partial departmental recalls. There was a horse farm in Bastrop that put out an "all call" for firefighters to evacuate horses in danger, and did so by themselves.

Are you saying the phone number posted was a horse farm? And how do you reconcile your statement "no legitimate calls" with the very quotes from the link you put up?

Who loves ya Seth? lol

[x635 4,066]

The phone number was a hoax. Here's some more info:

http://www.sffma.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=574

A large part of spreading the rumor was started by the Texas Nationalist Movement in order to further thier agenda towards FEMA and the US Government. Of course, the media picked it up because it sounded so scandolous.

In fact, volunteers were showing up....the ones that had been requested from the volunteer departments who have wildland gear and training.

Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management

If you are a fire fighter wanting to volunteer you have to be activated by the National Forestry Service first.

Tuesday at 3:44pm

Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management

Any fire mutual aid requests would always come through (and to) Local, State and National fire service and emergency leadership. This message sent as per Texas Fire Chiefs, TIFMAS, IAFC, USFA and FEMA.

Sure, volunteers could have been put to work with non-suppresion duties IF requested. The Federal bureaucracy hinders this. Besides, a good reason-you can't just have random volunteers showing up wanting to be a part of the action.

And structural firefighting is WAY different then wildland firefighting. These fires are fought tactically, and if you're in the wrong area at the wrong time.......

Here's what the OEM Director had to say:

"We may have had some of the world's finest firefighters showing up, but if they weren't properly qualified or trained and had no equipment, we had no choice," said Mike Fisher, Bastrop County's emergency management director.

UPDATED News article: http://www.statesman.com/news/local/volunteer-firefighters-turned-away-in-bastrop-officials-say-1830422.html