Breaking News 2007
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Simulator Training
SEFD personnel participated in two different types of simulator training in the last two weeks.
The first training was AZ POST driver's training. As the AZ POST website states, "Simulation is a procedure, which tries to emulate a complicated event. A simulator is a device used for simulation. The simulator is not meant to be a replacement for the actual driving track. It is a tool that allows trainers and administrators to study a driver’s actions under extreme situations and conditions. With simulation, many types of situations may be created to allow the student to apply his or her knowledge in a very real environment which allows instructors to evaluate a driver’s strengths and weaknesses but not place the individual in any danger..." The simulator is basically the insides of a car with 3 large screen video monitors and sound. A computer simulated such things as pedestrians walking in front of the vehicle, cars pulling out in front of vehicle and tire blow outs. Click on image to left for video.
The other simulator allowed firefighters to simulate fires and rescues. Firefighters wear a hood that superimposes fire, smoke and nozzle spray over the top of the image they would normally be seeing. A monitor in the hose nozzle tracks angle, nozzle pattern, and flow rate. The computer interprets all the data and incorporates it into the scripted scenario. If the firefighter performs correctly the fire goes out, if not flashover happens. Click on image to left for video.
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Two vehicle crash on Highway 83 and Curly Horse
Two vehicles collided Sunday October 14 at the intersection of Highway 83 and Curly Horse. SEFD crews responded to the scene and found five patients making this a Multiple Casualty Incident (number of patients/needs exceeded number of medical technicians.) Patients were therefore triaged. One patient was immediately transported to a Tucson hospital by Tubac Ambulance. Two patients were assessed and stabilized while Whetstone Ambulance was enroute to the scene. They were also transported to local hospitals. The other two individuals refused transport. They were assessed and met Base Hospital criterea for refusal.
8 SEFD personnel responded:
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Rollover on Highway 82
Crews responded early on Friday morning (12 October) to a rollover on Highway 82 about 7 miles east of Highway 83. The truck struck the guardrail and flipped. The guardrail entered the cab of the vehicle (see pictures below.) The driver self-extricated and walked away from the vehicle before crews arrived--thanks to his seatbelt. Support crews slowed and controlled traffic because the vehicle blocked the westbound lane. Medical personnel assessed and cared for the driver and he was then transported to a local hospital by Tubac Ambulance. Fire crews checked the vehicle for fluid leakage, contained spills, cut the vehicle free of the guardrail, and were vigilent for fire as the wrecking crew loaded the vehicle onto the wrecker.
10 SEFD personnel responded:
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Harvest Christian and Elgin School Prevention Days
Crews presented information on fire prevention and safety to Harvest and Elgin school students on 11 and 12 October. Additionally they explained the purpose of Engine 821, Rescue 830 and Engine 826 including engineering and extrication. Scott Hurt demonstrated doning full PPE. Wearing self-contained breathing apparatus he sounded a little like Darth Vadar as he crawled around. The purpose of this was to allow the children to see and hear a firefighter simulating a search so that they might be less afraid in the event of an actual rescue. Sierra Vista Fire Department brought there Education Trailer. The Elgin School student favorite part seemed to be having the firefighters stay and eat lunch with them. Firefighters had a little trouble fitting on the little chairs, but it was worth it! 10 SEFD personnel helped out--thanks!
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Car slides 200 feet into a canyon
Rescue 830 and Engine 821 responded to a call of a car at the bottom of a canyon near milepost 11 on Highway 83. Reportedly, the driver had been sitting for one or two hours, honking his horn and shouting to attempt to gain the attention of passersby. First on scene, Rescue 830 took command and deployed emergency medical personnel down the canyon to medically assess and stabilize the driver and to ensure the vehicle was secure and not leaking fluids. EMTs were happy to find that the driver was wearing his seatbelt. Engine 821 arrived next. Two Engine 821 personnel and went to work slowing and controlling traffic on the narrow, windy road and the other joined the medical team with the patient. Command requested an additional SEFD unit (Brush 823) to assist with moving the driver up the slope. About 45 minutes after Rescue 830 got on scene, a Fry Fire ambulance arrived to transport the patient to a hospital. Using a stokes basket, 8 people carried the driver safely up the steep slope to the ambulance for transport.
10 SEFD personnel responded:
 Engine 821
 Rescue 830
 Brush 823
 Stokes Basket
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Sonoita-Elgin-Canelo accomplishments published in Firehouse Magazine
Our efforts to address wildland/urban interface dangers appear in September's Firehouse Magazine.
Firewise: Helping Firefighters Protect Their Communities
Joseph DeWolf describes how he is working with his department to educate residents - new and old - of the fire dangers that are present in the wildland/urban interface to help them become "Firewise." More...
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Record Call Volume for September
Sonoita-Elgin Fire District crews ran on a record 41 calls in September. This was a increase of 4 from the previous record of 37 calls in September 2006. Overall call volume has increased each year (click chart to left.) Historically, the majority of calls are medical and occur between 7 AM and 7 PM; September was no exception.
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County Fair a success!
 
Twenty Sonoita-Elgin and two Rio Rico personnel stepped up to make the County Fair a fun time for over 250 children. The kid's favorite was using a fire hose to knock rubber ducks into a stock tank. Rio Rico brought a fire and smoke education trailer to teach children how to escape safely from a building when the smoke detector alarms. Fire prevention coloring books and other items were also available for the children. Videos on structural and wildland firefighting, and a media presentation covering SEFD history, training and recruiting played throughout the day. Good time had by all!
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SEESI Life Members vote to transfer assets to the Fire District
 On August 17, 2007, Sonoita-Elgin Emergency Services, Inc. Life Members voted overwhelmingly to transfer all assets to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District. Out of 120 life members, 3 voted against the transfer.
- 35 mail-in proxies - 33 in favor, 2 against
- 21 proxies voted at meeting - 20 in favor 1 against
- 64 proxies voted by the SEESI board - 64 in favor, 0 against
- Totaling 117 in favor, 3 against
The resolution passed by 97.5% in favor. Sonoita-Elgin Emergency Services, Inc. and
the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District would like to thank the community once again for the overwhelming support.
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18 July = Busy!
It started early--really early. At 0007 Engine 826 responded to West Gate area for a medical call. The crew got back at 0200.
At 1443 Engine 821, Engine 826, and Command 820 responded to a report of lightning striking a house in the Sunset Knolls area. Crews checked the house with a thermal imaging camera and found no evidence of heat in walls or ceilings. They then returned to station.
The next call came at 1635. Lightning struck a yucca about 100 feet from a house in Rain Valley. No rain was falling initially, so the Yucca erupted into a "ball of flame," the resident stated. En route to that fire, Engine 826's crew noted a grass fire north of Whetstone Ranch road and asked the second responding vehicle, Brush 823, to respond to that fire. Both fires were put out quickly. A resident reported a third grass fire south of Whetstone Ranch Road. Brush 823 diverted to there. Shortly after that, a fourth fire was reported by Border Patrol at mile post 35 on Highway 83. Brush 825 responded to that. Engine 826 diverted to the Highway 83 fire, but returned to station when that fire was reported contained.
The four fires were reported in a 30 minute time frame. Each was less that a quarter acre. The first three were within 100 feet of homes.
The Rain Valley resident's Firewise practices were good--grass cut low--so the fire did not spread into tall grass.
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5 Calls on Wednesday Night (June 27, 2007)
Call 1: At 1806, we were paged out for smoke seen near Parker Canyon Lake. Engine 826 responded with a crew of 3. At Forest Service's request, the Engine staged near Canelo and Hwy 83 and awaited further instructions.
Call 2: At 1903, we were paged out for a report of lightning near Terry Lane in the Papago Springs area. Reportedly there was visible fire about a mile off the road. Brush 823 and Chase 820 responded with crews of 3 and 1 respectively. Forest Service asked for them to standby near Forest Service Road 6404.
Call 3: At 1946, we were again paged out for a lightning strike off of Curly Horse Road, about 3 miles north of the intersection of highway 82 and 83. The crew leaders asked to be released from standby on Call 1 and 2 to respond to Curly Horse. Crews responded to Curly Horse and found heavy fire. The fire threatened in excess of fifty homes, barns and other structures that were within a quarter to one-half mile. More on this call below.
Call 4: While en route from Canelo, Engine 826's crew responded to a motor vehicle crash--car versus deer.
Call 5: At 1956 a 5th page out went out for lightning with fire in the Rain Valley area. Rescue 830 was dispatched to relieve Engine 826 on Call 4 so that Engine 826 could respond to Rain Valley--Call 5. Upon arrival, Engine 826 found that the residents in the area had extinguished the fire. Also, rain had extinguished fire from several other strikes. Once Engine 826 ensured that the Rain Valley scene was secure they cleared the scene bound for Curly Horse.
More on Curly Horse:
Incident Commander: SEFD's Chief Joseph De Wolf unified with Huachuca City's Rick Evans
A Division Leader: SEFD's Capt Kevin Venos
B Division Leader: Coronado Forest Service's Pete Gordon
Units:
Sonoita-Elgin: Chase 820, Brush 823, Brush 825, Engine 826 and Tender 828
Carson: Hot Shots
Huachuca City: Engine 28, Command 29, Tender 26
Patagonia: Brush 1 and Tender 2
Coronado Forest Service: Units 31 and 36
Corona de Tucson: Tender
Fry Fire: Brush 2
BLM: Engine 437
State: Unit 28
Total personnel: 53
Total acres: 268 acres with the fire starting in Santa Cruz County and crossing over into Pima County (calculated with GPS). The majority of the fire occurred on BLM land.
Units cleared the scene at about 2 AM. One unit stayed to monitor the fire scene all night with Chase 820 and Chief De Wolf. Sonoita Brush 825 with a crew of 2 deployed the next morning to mend fences and extinguish restarts and smokers. BLM Engine 437 arrived later with a hand crew and finished up.
SEFD and Sheriff Office dispatchers were inundated with other reports and calls from concerned homeowners during the period of the five calls.
Our thanks to all that helped!
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Rollover MCI
  Rescue 830 and Engine 821 responded to a motor vehicle accident on highway 82 on Friday, June 1, 2007. Emergency medical technicians triaged 10 patients while the incident commander arranged for ambulances. Triage was complicated by the fact that 7 of the patients were mentally disabled. Three staff members were on board and were very helpful in calming the other patients and in assisting with triage. Tubac Medic 738 along with ambulances from Whetstone Fire, Fry Fire, and Arizona Ambulance responded to transport patients. One patient was transported by helicopter Airevac 20.
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