Bernalillo County Fire Department talks East mountain fire safety
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Updated: 11:55 PM MDT May 16, 2021
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Updated: 11:55 PM MDT May 16, 2021
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YEARS SINCE WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT FIRE IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS. THE LAST ONE, THE DOG HAD FIRE BURNED ALMOST 18,000 ACRES. FIREFIGHTERS HERE AT THE BERNALILLO COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE WARNING THAT ANOTHER FIRE LIKE THAT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME. FIRES IN OUR STATE CAN HAPPEN IN AN INSTANT. >> WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING THAT HUNDRED YEAR FIRE. EVERY FIRE THAT COMES OUT HAS THE POTENTIAL, ESPECIALLY IN THE EASE MOUNTAIN AREA, TO GROW LARGER. >> THE BERNALILLO COUNTY DEPARTMENT PREPARES FOR FIRES ALL YEAR LONG. SOME OF THEIR TRAINING INCLUDES GETTING A HANDLE FOR STRUCTURE FIRES AND WILDLAND FIRES. IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ACCESS TO WATER. >> THE RESULT OF THAT HAS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PREPARED TO BASICALLY SHUTTLE THAT WATER IN. THIS TINDER TRUCK THAT YOU ARE SEEING HOLDS 2000 GALLONS. IT IS GOING TO BE DROPPING WATER INTO WHAT WE CALL A DROP TANK. >> A JOSE SUCKS THE WATER OUT OF THAT DROP TANK. >> IT’S LIKE A VACUUM SUCKING IT INTO THE ENGINE SO WE CAN SPRAY IT OUT ONTO THE FIRE OR THE INCIDENT. >> DROP TANK CAN BE FILLED WITHIN THREE MINUTES. TO FILL IT UP AGAIN, THAT CAN TAKE 15 TO 20 MINUTES IN AN IDEAL SITUATION. >> DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY BECAUSE OF LOCATIONS, TOPOGRAPHY, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROAD CONDITIONS. >> HE SAYS THE BEST THING PEOPLE CAN DO TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS IS BE PREPARED. >> DON’T BE ANOTHER STATISTIC. DON’T BE AN EXAMPLE. WE KNOW ON THE COMMUNITY OR UNITED STATES LOOKING BACK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW MEXICO WHERE PEOPLE WERE NOT PREPARED. THAT’S BE THE COUNTY THAT WAS COMPLETELY PREPARED. >> SOME WAYS TO PREPARE OUR TO CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACES, MAKE A PLAN, PACK GO BACK AND MAKE THE BEST ESCAPE ROUTE. THE CAPTAIN TELLS ME, ALTHOUGH THEY DO GET SOME HELP FROM OTHER FIRE STATIONS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE THE EAST MOUNTAIN AREA IS REMOTE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET HELP RIGHT AWAY. LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE, STEPHANIE. >> VERY GOOD REMINDERS. THANK YOU. BERNALILLO COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT W