~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Steve----we need you to go to Yosemite to manage helicopters right away" Ummm 'K. Does Chief Donnelly know I'm going? "He knows. He said to wait for the order from SouthOps but we name-requested you so get ready". My guess is I'll finish out my shift then go, probably for 14 days. I like going. I like staying. I just don't like being in a holding pattern not knowing.
The good----it's camping, with a purpose, on the clock from the time I get the call until after I'm home again. Also, you get to know the air ops folks from around the state.
The bad----Massive monstrous fires eating up timber faster than you can run. Now THAT's a carbon footprint. Very expensive operation, too... Order up another type I copter at $13,200/hour if needed, and no one bats an eye
The ugly----Rare showers. Box lunches. Left over box lunches for dinner. No coffee unless you drive to the firecamp. Can't even feel sorry for myself because there will be HUNDREDS of seasonal firefighters cutting fireline all day, day after day, just to sleep in a spike camp out on the fireline, eating nothing but MRE's. Those are the REAL firefighters.
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