PORTAL RESCUE NEWS
January 2012 Portal Rescue, Inc., P.O. Box 16331, Portal, AZ 85632 Tel: (520) 558-2206; Emergency Calls Only: 911 www.Portalrescue.com
President’s Report
Jackie Lewis
March: Susanne Apitz planned and coordinated a successful Community Health Day. The new CPR (Continuous Chest Compressions) was taught as were signs and symptoms for Stroke Awareness. Lunch was prepared by several of our Fire Fighters and EMTs. Around 60 people attended and we hope to see that interest (and more) this year when we host the 2nd Annual Community Health Day on March 24th.
April: The new Board of seven members agreed to meet every other month and to call a special meeting if one was necessary to conduct emergency business. The meetings are open to the public and we encourage you to attend. We accept input into the decisions brought forth at the meeting.
May: We found out that a major fire can in fact burn in the same place two years in a row. Bill Wilbur and Rick Beno initiated phone calls to evacuate community members living on the east slope and then the north slope of the Chiricahua Mountain Range. Various evacuations continued throughout the 8-week burn. Many of the phone calls were neighbor to neighbor as the evacuation teams knocked on doors. Portal Rescue participated from beginning to end. Articles are listed in the table of contents.
June: We finally said goodbye to the fire fighting teams that had become a daily part of our lives. Then the rains came. It was a good year for rain and thankfully we didn’t have the extent of flooding that was expected. We did however have to prepare for the damage the floods might cause. Neighborhood phone trees were established to try to warn of eminent danger. We found out that predicting where water will run off compared to where it falls is a very un-exact science. We’ve been told that we should expect severe flooding for at least 4 more years.
October: nine very determined people took an accelerated EMT course. They all finished with flying colors. Eight plan to become EMTs with Portal Rescue. More about them in the EMS Chief report.
It has been a pleasure serving this year. I am thankful for all
of the support and encouragement received. We have a great
organization in a great community.
______________________________________________________________
EMS Chief Report
Jackie Lewis, EMS Chief
Portal Rescue EMTs have responded to 9 medical calls this year.
We have monthly meetings that include training, vehicle checks and quality assurance reviews. EMTs also attend continuing education classes and when possible the Trauma Conference so they can stay up to date with EMT requirements.
We are happy to announce that the following people passed the EMT Basic Course: Timothy Barrett, Laura Caron, Dinah Davidson, Donna Meenach, Joe Meenach, Jerry Racicot, Stevie Wayman, Chris Wilbur and John Yerger. Linda Jakse signed up to make sure we had the minimum 10 people required for the class and earned her CPR certificate. Congratulations to all of you!!
Thanks to all who have committed their time and energy to serve the Portal/Rodeo communities. Thank you also to the communities for their continued support of Portal Rescue.
EMS Roster
Susanne Apitz Rick Beno ET Collinsworth Lee Dyal
Jackie Lewis – EMS Chief Jeff Gee Ken Joens Pat Owens
Walter Schoepfle
Radio Communications Operators
Dinah Davidson Maya Decker Gerry Hernbrode Doug Julian
JoAnne Julian Don Wadsworth Bill Wilbur
Bob Walton
Thank you all for your support on EMT and fire calls. You have allowed all certified personnel to be on the front line where they are needed the most.
______________________________________________________________
Fire Chief’s Report
David Newton, Fire Chief
The fire side of Portal Rescue was very busy in May and June, with the rest of the year being pretty ordinary. Here is a summary of our activities:
Local training: Progressive hose lay exercise, Nighttime fire operations, Tender 7 operations, Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) training from “Infomation Associates”, Bee suits and bee response, Surround and drown, Flood response in Portal, Video instruction on After Action Reviews, Wildland Refresher, CAFS practice, Review of recent wildland incident reports.
Some of our firefighters completed online training in Swift water rescue awareness and various National Incident Management System (NIMS) topics.
Our fire operations consisted of 40 days on the Horseshoe II fire, one wildfire, 1 structure (shed) fire, and occasional support of our EMS activities. Thanks go out to Rodeo Fire for their assistance on the wildfire and shed fire.
My emphasis as Chief will remain firefighter safety. Our firefighters train together once a month and we don’t expect everyone to do everything. Give me a call if you’d like details about joining us.
I continue to appreciate the support this community has shown to me personally and toward Portal Rescue.
Fire Fighter Roster
Rick Beno David Johnson Shane Burchfield Lee Dyal
Jeff Gee Chris Husband Ken Joens David Newton - Fire Chief
Larry Rivers Walter Schoepfle Lance Shultis Bob Walton
______________________________________________________________
Your 9-1-1 Call for Help
Rick Beno – EMT, Firefighter and RCO
Okay, we all know by now that dialing 911 is the easiest, and probably the best way to contact emergency services when experiencing an emergency. You dial 911, tell the dispatcher some pertinent information, and like magic help arrives. But, here in the Portal/Rodeo area it might be interesting to know what takes place when you push those three simple keys on your phone; and even more so when you make that all important call for help from a cell phone.
From your home phone, calling 911 gets you either the Douglas Police dispatchers from Arizona, or the Hidalgo dispatch office in Lordsburg when calling from New Mexico. From a cell phone you will almost certainly get the New Mexico dispatcher; since that’s where the cell tower that is connecting your call is located. In either case you don’t directly get Portal Rescue. For Portal Rescue to be activated, the dispatcher has to recognize that you are in the Portal Rescue service area. They will then send a telephone page to Portal Rescue’s paging system, which will automatically send a tone over our radio repeater, alerting us to someone’s need for assistance.
You can assist this indirect link to the 911 system by including in your call that you need Portal Rescue. This is especially true for our New Mexico neighbors. Your call to 911 has to first be forwarded from the Lordsburg office to Douglas and then to us. Remember the cell phone that was mentioned earlier? It probably went to the New Mexico dispatcher whether or not you are in Arizona or New Mexico. So in that moment of panic that you may be experiencing, you’ll get our help sooner if you include that you want Portal Rescue paged as part of your call.
So when you dial 9-1-1, tell the dispatcher your name, location, and a call back number, if available, where you can be reached. Also include the nature of your emergency, and that you want Portal Rescue to be dispatched.
Remember, Portal Rescue doesn’t want you to ever have an emergency; but if you do, we are ready, willing and able to help you in your time of need!
Please contact Portal Rescue prior to brush burning – 558-2206
Leave a message stating your name, address (location), date and time you expect to burn. Call 911 if it gets out of hand.
_______________________________________________________________
Treasurer’s Report
Bill Wilbur
Most of you are aware that writing a budget without known income and expenses can be challenging. That knowledge was highlighted, underlined and capitalized this year.
We knew going in to the year that if an EMT class became a reality that the budget would be off by approximately $10,000. EMT students and sponsors were asked to deposit $500 each and Portal Rescue would cover the additional cost of the class (approx. $500 per student). The $3,000 in deposits will be returned the student becomes a member of Portal Rescue in 2012. Thank you to the sponsors who made the deposit a donation to Portal Rescue!!
The Horseshoe II Fire completely blew the budgeted income and expenses out of the water. Fire income totaled $93,325 and rent income for classroom usage during the fire totaled $4,700. A total of $98,025 – nearly twice our budget!
Expenses for the fire accounted for half of the monies paid out during 2011. Fire Pay - $34,578, diesel fuel, approx. $300 additional utilities and then the necessary fire truck repairs brought approx. fire related expenses to $55,000.
We began the year with a balanced budget of $51,500. We ended the year with $144,079 income and $97,569 expenses – a positive flow of $46,510!!
For a full review of the income and expense categories please attend the Annual Meeting on March 24th at 12:30 pm. More information about the meeting is on page 6.
Other Goods and Services Donated in 2011 by:
Rick Beno
Birders B&B
Jean Bohlender
Narca Moore Craig
Carolyn Dearing
Chiricahua Desert Museum
Marge Fagan
George Walker House Cave Creek Ranch Hideout Ranch
High Desert Vet Service
Roger McKasson
Terry Miller
Portal Store & Cafe
Rodeo Grocery & Café
Rodeo Tavern
Bill Reinbold Chris Rogers Umphres Propane
_______________________________________________________________
Horseshoe II Fire
David Newton
The final line of my report on the 2010 Horseshoe fire in last year’s newsletter was “It was all quite fascinating, but really I’d rather not repeat it.” The second time was considerably less fascinating. People lost their homes, hundreds of thousands of acres burnt, and tens of millions of your tax dollars was spent.
Portal Rescue was there from initial attack to full control. At 19 days I informed the incident that we’d be leaving after our 21 day (extended from 14 day) assignment was through. I was tired of it. We were having trouble ferrying replacement crews over to the west side of the Chiricahuas. A day later I got a call from the planning ops chief asking if we’d extend some more. Resources were scarce and he was ordering tenders from Wisconsin. Our firefighters wanted to continue, so I said yes. On we went until 40 days. I am confident no other apparatus worked as long as we did on this fire. A special note of thanks to Rick Beno and Bill Wilbur who coordinated so much that first night and who teamed up to monitor our frequency during the fire to support our tender.
I only worked the fire a couple days so I asked our firefighters to write up descriptions of an experience on the fire. Here are their words:
Bob Walton: It was around noon on Sunday, May 8 when I first noticed the smoke erupting into the sky. Having all my gear on board I drove my pickup to the firehouse to pick up my assignment. Somebody surmised water would be needed at the ranger station helicopter pad so together with David Johnson, I rode Tender 1 up there. Later that afternoon Johnson and I would position Tender 1 south of Sulphur Canyon for engine support. By this time the Forest Service boys were rolling up the canyon nearby so we radioed our position and were told to stay put.
Howard Topoff took over command of the community and sent out an e-mail telling everybody that an evacuation was now required resulting in Debbie Anbinder calling (desperately) her loyal mate to the rescue. I monitored the radio and watched the fire into the darkness until a USFS engine appeared out of the smoke telling me I was too close to the fire and would I please relocate further to the east. I consulted with Johnson on the radio, he, busy saving his world, agreed that I should go to Rivers Willow Pond. By now it was somewhere around midnight and as I negotiated a turnaround at the pond entrance a man emerged from a vehicle to my rear- it was Larry Rivers. We got on the radio to Chief David Newton and after some back and forth it was decided that Rivers was able and should relieve Johnson so that Tender 1 would again have a full crew.
It was while we were stationed by the road, eating the dust of the reckless border patrol units as they roared past to roust everybody out of their homes that, due to the insistence of Larry Rivers, I actually prepared and ate my first MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). Ya gotta be real hungry and I was.
My assignment extended through the night and into
the next day only ending after 22 hours on duty.
There were many long days and nights ahead and I am
proud to say my time on the fire was considerable and,
aside from wear and tear, without accident or injury.
________________________________________________________________
David Johnson: I was enjoying another lazy day at home, when I received a call, in the afternoon, to investigate some smoke in Sulphur Canyon. While driving my old Dodge up the canyon, I met Barney and Walter who were returning from a bug trip. Yes, it seemed there was smoke and flame up canyon, close to where last year's Horseshoe I fire started.
There had already been calls to alert Portal Rescue by others. I went down to Rivers Wildlife pond to start the pump to fill the pond knowing that it would be a resource that would be utilized. Tender 1 was already rolling, with firefighter Bob Walton aboard. Bob met up with me at my home, to fill out the crew.
By nightfall a crew from Douglas Ranger District was stationed at the forest gate, in Sulphur Canyon. There was discussion about taking a crew into the canyon, but it was decided that hiking in was not a safe option. With Tender 1 on the scene, and night approaching, we found a safe place to park and observe the fire. Imagine my surprise when, at about 10 PM, my wife Debbie drove up to the spot where Tender 1 was parked to say that we were being advised to evacuate our home! Since Tender 1 wasn’t actively doing anything, I left Bob with the Tender, and went home to prepare to leave my house and evacuate.
The fire, at this time, was quickly heading northwest out of Sulphur, and on to the bajada of Portal Peak. The USFS requested that Tender 1 move to Willow tank, where it was met by Larry Rivers, who took my place on Tender 1. Bob and Larry spent the night stationed by the pond, ready for whatever job needed to be done.
Debbie and I were able to quickly pack both trucks, as we had the plan written down from the Horseshoe I fire. When everything was packed, but our dogs and cats, we went up on the deck to watch the fire as it traveled across the low hills of Portal Peak. Several hours later the Cochise County Sheriff's dept came to the house to give us an evacuation order. Since I had my fire gear on, they made the order optional. Two hours later, a USFS firefighter from Douglas came to inspect our property for fire preparedness. Our fire wise plan had been achieved and we passed with flying colors. We stayed up for another 18 hours, watching the fire go to the north and away from us. Everyone else, after that, has his or her own story to tell.
_______________________________________________________________
David Newton: The day started out normally, filling pumpkins at the SWRS and refilling Tender 1 at Willow Pond. Toward the end of the day the pace grew quicker. Conditions were right, hand crews and equipment were in place - the burnout south of the SWRS was on. One problem – all the Tender crews had worked a full shift and would be unavailable tomorrow if they worked all night. (mandatory work/rest rules) The Division Supervisor asked if we could have a fresh crew in the morning. I said I’d tell him in 20 minutes. I radioed Portal Rescue Communications who phoned two firefighters and lined them up for 7am. I informed the Div Sup that we could and Walter and I became the only tender on the fire. Back and forth between the big tank at our fire station and the wailing Mark III pumps at the top of Pogo Hill. Walter skillfully driving the whole day and night. Continued until 3am when we finally drafted 1500 gallons from a pumpkin and waited mostly asleep for a call for more water. But the burnout was secure and no more water was needed. Attended a briefing with other zombies – drove down to base camp – handed off the tender – and enjoyed a hard earned breakfast.
Ken Joens: We were in Tender 1, the shift was coming to a close and we were getting our instructions on moving our camp to Willcox when a distress call came over the radio. “FIRE SOUTH OF ANIMAS NEAR CLOVERDALE ON GERONIMO TRAIL” The man in charge led us in his pickup followed by his trainee and we were third in line with two engines from out of state following us. When we neared Animas it was obvious that neither the commander nor his trainee knew where to go from Animas. I broke in on the radio and said that both Cloverdale and Geronimo Trail were south of Animas and were two separate and distinct places. I said that by the time we got 20 miles or so down the road we would come to a turn-off to Geronimo Trail and at that time maybe we would see some smoke and know which fork in the road to take. The commander was in total confusion and ordered the locals (us) to take the lead. When we got to the Geronimo Trail cut-off I saw smoke ahead and to the right and told the commander that we would take the right fork and not go to Cloverdale. The commander took the lead and thanked me. By the way, we lost the commander trainee at Animas. We were first on scene, but air resources had the fire under control. By the time we got back to Willcox we all got an hour of overtime
_______________________________________________________________
Lee Dyal: On towards the end of Horseshoe two we were still working ten to twelve hour shifts. Everyone was in a wait and see mode. The fire was being relit every afternoon in the big push to the fat dotted line. Mornings would find us once again staring at the north side of the Desert Museum, briefing little changed from the day before, grab a lunch and off to the assigned duty stations to ... wait. Hope for a little activity, enough so one of the brush crews might need water and give us something to do. The heat bordered insufferable, almost as bad as the boredom. Get out your book, try to concentrate, wind up swapping old stories with your mate or whoever comes by. Usually best to avoid religion and politics. Man your post. Put on a good face. Try to look official. At best fool yourself. Boredom sinks in, the clock creeps along, "snapping it's fingers at eternity" (Bowman). All for the cause.
David Johnson: I believe I gained a pound a day for the 25 days spent on the fire. If I went into fire camp in the morning, I would have a hearty breakfast, before setting out in Tender1 for a day of relaxation. There was always a veggie sack lunch available to go, while we were serving our chores on Tender1. Now this was the same sack lunch that Smokejumpers, and Hotshot crews ate, about 20000 calories. Well since I wasn’t all that active, you can imagine where all those calories went. And I was required to eat it all especially the good stuff.
After a day in my lawn chair the shift was nearly done, but not before I went to camp for dinner. The chef, not the Chief was my friend at the mess hall. I bestowed accolades on the chef for the many delicious ways he incorporated tofu into our meals. But I will never forget the night Tender1 was stationed in Turkey Creek on the west side. Well there was a table set out with goodies, and guess what, they were all handmade courtesy of the thankful folks of Portal. It really made me proud of the community I live in.
________________________________________________________________
