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CALIFORNIA HOTSHOTS CREW

California Hotshots crew firefighters group photo pictures the Sycuan Golden Eagles Hotshots at Lost Trail Summit in 2006.

SYCUAN FIRE DEPT 2007 Pow-wow Information

The Sycuan Fire Department was established on October 11, 1974 to provide the Reservation Residents a much-needed service that was not provided by the non-reservation emergency service providers.  The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, by agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, only provided wildfire suppression for six months during the fire season, but no support towards structure fires only those with threats to the wildland.  Indian Reservations were left at great risk without any type of fire or medical service for the winter months.

A newly formed agency, The San Diego Office of Fire Service was forming Volunteer Departments within the County to provide Structural/EMS services to the back county residents who were in the same situation as the 18 Indian Reservations In the Country.  The Fire Service Office provided the equipment, training, and dispatch service with the local community providing the personnel.

Sycuan entered into an agreement with a local Federal Manpower Training Program to pay for firefighters.  The Alpine Fire Protection District located eight miles to the east of the Reservation agreed to train six firefighters over a one-year period in structural fire suppression and first aid.  The California Department of Forestry provided a 40-hour wildland academy and in 1978, Sycuan sent 14 personnel to a 360-hour fire academy at the Heartland Fire Training Center in El Cajon utilizing the Bureau of Indian Affairs Education Scholarship for the tuition.  All graduated as Fire Fighters 1 and EMT.  These personnel returned to the Sycuan, Rincon and Viejas Reservations to staff their fire engines.  In 1989, Sycuan Implemented an EMT Ambulance service (BLS) to the reservation and as well as to adjacent non-Indian neighbors.  In 1999, Sycuan Fire Department of the Kumeyaay Nation was the very first Fire Department in the East County of San Diego to provide Advance Life Support (ALS) assessment engine to the community and its neighbors.

Today Sycuan has a fleet of one (1) 75' Quint Medic Truck, one (1) Type-I Engine, two (2) Type III Engines, one (1) Type I Water Tender (Tengine), one (1) Type II Water Tender (Tengine), one (1) Superintendent truck, one (1) Support truck, one (1) Yamaha Grizzly ATV, two (2) Hotshots Crew Carriers, one (1) Support truck, one (1) Flycrew Crew Carrier, one (1) Flycrew van, five (5) Command Vehicles, one (1) Support Vehicle, one (1) Utility, one (1) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulance, and one (1) reserve Advance Life Support (ALS) Ambulance providing services to both reservation residents and the surrounding communities of Dehesa Valley, and Harbison Canyon. On June 25th the department took delivery of a Type I 2006 Pierce Water tender; this tender was awarded to the Sycuan Fire Department from a FEMA grant that was written by one of the Department Battalion Chief with assistance and Input from the Department Apparatus Committee. In April 3, 2006 the Apparatus Committee started looking for a new Type I Apparatus to replace the 1991 E-One on a International Cab, the apparatus needed to be a state of the art Type I Apparatus. During this search and proposal to our current vender Pierce the committee found a used low miles 2004 Pierce Enforcer equipped with all the state of the art equipment that the committee was looking for at Fire Truck Plus, a used re-condition dealer out of Cucamonga, Ca. After specking and testing this apparatus the committee decided that with a few modifications this apparatus would meet the standards of the apparatus committee. A proposal was submitted to Chief Murphy in regards to the recommendation of moving forward on the purchase of this apparatus, not only would it save the Tribal Government money but it would also provide a state of the art apparatus for the Sycuan Fire Department. On August 14, 2006 the Sycuan Fire Department took delivery of this Type 1 Pierce Pumper. In the works at this time the Sycuan Fire Department is awaiting the delivery of a brand new custom Type III wildland Pumper; the apparatus is presently at South Coast Fire Apparatus in Ontario where is going through some Safety Inspections. The Sycuan Fire Department is planning on having this new Type III Fire Apparatus in service by the end of June.

On October 11th 2004, The Sycuan Fire Department of the Kumeyaay Nation celebrated thirty (30) years of service to the community of Sycuan and surrounding neighbors.  Chief Henry “Hank” Murphy founded the Sycuan Fire Department on October 11th, 1974 and the department continues to Strive for Excellence under his guidance and leadership. The Sycuan Fire Department has automatic and mutual aid with all of the neighboring departments.

The Department has a total of 27 sworn full time paid personnel that work a schedule of two (2) days on and four (4) days off, and consist of three (3) fire platoons.  These three (3) platoons are responsible for 24 hour a day 7 days a week emergency response for the Reservation and its surrounding communities.  In addition to emergency responses, each platoon has been designated an additional administrative role where “A” platoon Is In charge of Fire Communications, “B” platoon Safety Equipment and Fire Prevention/Inspection, and “C” platoon In Training Coordination and Development.  The Department also keeps a pool of 57 seasonal employees during the summer months that are responsible for the staffing of one (1) Type III Wildland apparatus, one (1) Type II Water Tender (Tengine) a twenty (22) person Inter-Agency-Hotshot Crew (IHC) that is available for local and National dispatch. The Department also has a twenty (26) person Flycrew that's assigned to the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department Air Operations Division that's station at Montgomery Field in San Diego. This year the Flycrew will be assisting other Reservations and BIA Agencies throughout the United States with two squads of qualified helicopter crewmembers. These squads will be assisting with the staffing other BIA helicopters within the National System. On June 8, 2007 the first squad will be reporting to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Ute Mountain Ute Agency in Towaoc, Colorado for their first 30 days assignment, the second squad will be leaving on June 22, 2007 to Fort Washake, Washington for their 30 days assignment.  These squad will be on a rotation with the rest of the Flycrew assigned to Montgomery Field, participating throughout the fire season, this is a great opportunity for the Sycuan Golden Eagles Flycrew to receive more training within the National system, as well as helping other BIOA / Tribal Helicopter programs.

The Sycuan Fire Department of the Kumeyaay Nation through a cooperative partnership with the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is currently staffing one medium size Type II helicopter with sixteen (16) Golden Eagles Flycrew members.  City Copter 1 Is a Bell 212 HP stationed at Montgomery Field.  City Copter 1 is equipped with self-filling 350-gallon fixed tanks, external rescue hoist, Night Sun searchlight systems, Forward Looking Infer-red (FLIR) camera system, USFS / OAS approved rappel brackets, etc.  All program participants fully meet the NIIMS PMS 310-1 requirements.  The Flycrew Is an ICS Type 1 crew and conducts all helicopter operations In accordance with the policies of the CDF 8300 Manual and the Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide (IHOG).

The Sycuan Fire Department Safety / Training Division in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and South Western College also conduct Wildland Fire Academies on a yearly basis. This year the academy was extended from two (2) weeks to three (3) weeks. The Sycuan Fire Department conducts these academies in an effort to provide Native Americans and Non Natives Americans an opportunity to seek a career in Wildland Firefighting, therefore keeping all youths away from drugs, gangs and alcohol and providing guidance, leadership, responsibilities and integrity to the future leaders of tomorrow, for more Information please go to www.gehotshots.org and click on Wildland Academy Training.

In 2004 the Nations of Sycuan, Viejas and Barona donated over 4.1 million dollars to various Life Safety programs In the County of San Diego.  This funding was used for purchasing Fire Apparatus, Safety Equipment, Type II Medium size Helicopter for the San Diego County Sheriff, the continued support of the San Diego County Regional Helicopter Program and the Golden Eagles Flycrew from Sycuan. 

The Sycuan Fire Department is involved in all aspects of fire fighting throughout the Western United States.  Last year the Department was Involved In assisting the Pima BIA Agency of the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona by providing the Agency with two teams of firefighters from both the schedule "A" side and schedule "B" consisting of two (2) IQCS Certify Engine Boss, two (2) Squad Boss and two (2) Firefighter Type I these personnel were use to staff two (2) Type VI fire apparatus In Pima, their responsibilities consisted of prevention and fire suppression in the Gila River Reservation. The Sycuan Fire Department is ready to assist other Nations Fire Programs with a pool of IQCS qualified personnel with Aviation and Engines Programs. This assistance to our fellow brothers and sisters in Indian Country will benefit all parties involved. Last fire season the department also participated In one strike team assignment with both one strike team leader and one Type III fire apparatus from Sycuan Fire Department to the Sawtooth Complex In Yucca Valley, Ca. The Golden Eagles Hotshots were also involved in the Horse Fire in the Cleveland National Forest and the Millard Complex In Cabason, Ca. Morongo Indian Reservation where they were involved in the firefighting for eight (8) days. Last year the Golden Eagles Hotshots were committed to incidents throughout the State of California for a total of 72 days with the biggest Incident been the Day Fire in the Los Padres National Forest. In 2003, all of Sycuan resources, Including Chief officers, participated on the Cedar, Paradise, and Pine fire Incidents. For more Information on the Sycuan Fire Department, Wildland Academy, Golden Eagles Hotshots/Flycrew or any other fire related Information please log on to www.sycuanfire.org or www.gehotshots.org