Fire Awareness Reporting

[mindyblock]

Hi, My name is Mindy Block, Quality Parks President. We are writing a story for young adults about fire prevention safety and forestry conservation. It's called Sunrise Fire, due out Spring 2008.

A Fire Awareness Report is a key concept in the fictional story, Sunrise Fire. It is used to organize all kinds of information about a brush fire so as to help firefighters and naturalists better protect life, property and the environment. It allows feedback for improved fire danger prediction between everyone who is interested.

In real life, there is no organized way to report brush fires, their location, fire weather conditions, predictions, fire behavior, and rehab (environmental salvage) needs. This posting is the best I've seen so far! Just needs a little more data. I can help too, but have gotten in trouble and have even been accused of freelancing and far worse.

Here's my question: I became a firefighter in both NWCG and in the Port Jeff FD to better understand emergency response. How do you guys get to the brush fire, report the story, and take pictures w/o getting in trouble! Should I get a press card? Would this help?

- Mindy

[bloomtruck42]

stay out of the way and only take pictures from where an ordinary civilian could/should be standing. I could only imagine what people would think if they were extinguishing a brush fire and there was somebody running around the woods snapping pictures (which is what i assume happened when you say you've been accused of far worse, such as arson)

[GoHardOrGoHome]

You joined the Fire Department for the wrong reason. You are going to be either getting in the way, or grabbing the seat from someone that can actually make a contribution. There is no time to be taking pictures when you're fighting any kind of fire.

[BEDROCKCHIEF]

The posts above are right to say you joined for the wrong reasons and you would just get in the way. You are already a member of a FD as you stated so why don't you talk to your Chief about your orginazition and what you are trying to do. Most Fire dept. would welcome a photo unit and you could do double duty. This is one way to get your story and have the training to not get "in the way". Good luck.