Two More Chains

"Student of Fire.” What does this term really mean? Travis Dotson explores what Paul Gleason might have intended when Gleason coined this term. In doing so, Travis challenges us to reflect and improve in all of our endeavors and provides us tips on how to best contribute to an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Bre Orcasitas continues the conversation in this issue’s One of Our Own section. And we also provide the latest lessons on the hazards of fuel geysers, including direct access to the new “Fuel Geyser Reporting Form” on our Shop Talk page.

In this issue we explore the intent of—and response to—Mark Smith’s essay “The Big Lie.” Smith shares why he wrote this provocative piece and what he believes our next steps should be. Veteran wildland firefighter and current AFMO Dave Williams continues “The Big Lie” discussion in the “One of Our Own” feature. Likewise, former McCall Smokejumper Matt Carroll continues the discussion from our last Two More Chains in his “In Defense of Bias” article. And Travis Dotson responds to a reader who found great fault in his “Ground Truths” column in our Summer Issue.

In this issue, we provide an opportunity for two firefighters to share their experiences with things we don’t talk much about: gender and leadership as well as bias and diversity. In the cover story, Rachel Reimer, an Initial Attack Crew Leader in British Columbia, Canada, ties together gender, leadership and vulnerability.

Sara Brown draws upon her diverse fire experience as a hotshot, helitack crewmember, smokejumper and fire ecologist to discuss diversity, bias and gender in our “One of Our Own” feature.

Ready to tip some sacred cows? This issue’s cover story examines and explores the “Illusion of Control” concept—how the assumption that complete control of our safety in the wildland fire environment is possible might be a significant misconception. In our “One of Our Own” feature, we introduce you to Jeremy Bailey and his quest to promote and build a prescribed fire workforce. We also introduce you to the four individuals who recently received the 2015 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award.

The theme of our special 20th Anniversary Issue focuses on how we need to widen the definition of “survivor” of traumatic fire line accidents. We share the stories, insights, and lessons of four survivors of a line of duty wildland firefighter death. In doing so, we explore the concept of the “Bull’s Eye” and how the farther you get from the Bull’s Eye, the less personal the event is, the less real it is. While this issue is dedicated to acknowledging the voice and vital perspectives of all survivors, its overall intent is to underscore the simple truth that this could all happen to you.

This issue spotlights the key question: Do More Incident Reports Mean More Learning? The issue’s underlying theme: How do we advance from a “Reporting Culture” to a “Learning Culture”? McCall Smokejumper Ramona Beyuka provides her insights on what learning looks like.

This issue explores the US and THEM mindset. It reminds us that bad things happen to good people all the time. It explains how and why we should do away with “Us” and “Them” and use “We”. In our One of Our Own feature, Bryan Scholz continues this theme by explaining his “Human Topography” insights—how the nature of our work is being thrown into high-risk situations with strangers.

Our cover story “Risk, Gain, and Loss: What are We Willing to Accept?” explores several key questions, including: “Do we have acceptable losses in wildfire?” In our One of Our Own feature, hotshot captain Alanna English answers the question: “Have you ever had a ‘dumb’ fire assignment?”

Our cover story “Same as It Ever Was” explores how our traditional solution of ordering “more stuff” doesn't really work. A new approach—that confronts the hard question “Is ‘safe’ even possible?”—is proposed. Dave Calkin, a research economist, give's us his "view from outside the zoo" as One of Our Own.

Is the Wildland Fire Service learning? In this issue, we tackle the hard question: Does any of this stuff work—are lessons actually learned? What do you think?