10.30.03

Cantwell Pushes Firefighter Safety Training

Cantwell’s plan for Wildland Firefighter Safety Moves Through Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – While some of the most horrific fires in recent memory are being fought on the West Coast, the Senate approved an amendment authored by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) that will assure firefighter safety training for contract firefighters and increase congressional oversight of firefighter safety. An estimated 95 percent of all contract firefighters are based out of the Northwest.

"These steps send a message to heroes around the country, and specifically those now putting their lives on the line in California, that we will not forget about their safety," said Cantwell.

Cantwell’s amendment requires private contract crews to follow the same safety training requirements as federal firefighters. This addresses the concerns exposed during an investigation by the Seattle Times, which found rogue private contractors breaking safety rules and falsifying credentials.

Private contractor Scott Coleman and Vice President of the National Wildfire Association was supportive of Cantwell’s efforts, stating, "We’re the first cousins in fire fighting. We’re supposed to do everything federal firefighters do but you don’t always see that happening. Not enough resources go into monitoring compliance of safety standards and training. This will help with that."

Cantwell stated, "With the severity of fire seasons throughout the country over the past two years, the number of private contract crews hired by the agencies to help with fire suppression has tripled since 1998. Officials at the Oregon Department of Forestry estimates the number of contract crews at work has grown from about 80 in 1998 to 300 this year – with 95 percent based in the Pacific Northwest."

The amendment also mandates that relevant agencies report to Congress how much they spend on firefighter safety and training. This will help Congress ensure these funds are spent on safety, rather than in other ways. The amendment also mandates the agencies to report to Congress on their progress developing and implementing effective wildland firefighter training programs.

Cantwell’s efforts are, in part, a response to the tragedy in July of 2001 near Thirtymile Campground in Okanogan National Forest. Four firefighters were killed after their crew was trapped in a canyon. Cantwell, a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has raised safety during public hearings. Last year Cantwell passed legislation to ensure independent investigations of firefighter fatalities.

Ken Weaver, father of Devin Weaver, a 21-year-old firefighter who was killed in the Thirtymile fire, felt Cantwell’s amendment addressed some critical issues.

Weaver explained, "We ask these kids to come out each fire season and do one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. They are proud hard working kids that give their all to save our forests. They are told that their safety is the top priority, however we have seen time and again that safety is sometimes not even considered. Because these kids are temporary help and typically very young they have had no voice, no advocate to guarantee that their safety is always the top priority.

"Senator Maria Cantwell is doing everything she can to change that. Senator Cantwell's amendment will be the most positive step taken to date to insure the safety of our wildland firefighters. Senator Cantwell has become the voice of the wildland firefighters, the advocate they so desperately need to guarantee their right to a safe work place, a right the rest of us take for granted. Her amendment would help require the forest service be accountable not only for the money they spend but also for the efficacy for their training. It's high time for level of accountability."

Cantwell added, "Since 1910, more than 900 wildland firefighters have lost their lives in the line of duty. The men and women who fight fires on our public lands serve our nation bravely."

Cantwell’s amendment #2040 was included in H.R. 1904 Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, which the Senate passed tonight.

Specifically, the Cantwell amendment would:

Require the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to track funds expended for firefighter safety and training. Today, these funds are included in annual budget requests as part of the agencies’ "wildfire preparedness" account. Further, the Forest Service has said it does not track these expenditures. Especially given the trend in which agencies borrow from many different accounts to pay for emergency fire suppression, it is important that Congress have access to this information—to track the agencies’ financial commitment to safety and training.

Require the Secretaries to submit an annual report to Congress on the implementation and efficacy of firefighter safety and training programs. An annual report card on safety will help ensure that—as with the Storm King fire—the sometimes-tragic lessons learned on the fire line are not forgotten.

Stipulate that federal contracts with private firefighting crews require training that is sufficient and compatible with federal firefighter training. This is crucial in ensuring both the safety of the private crews and that of federal firefighters, all of whom serve shoulder to shoulder on the fire line. The Cantwell amendment will provide Congress the tools it needs to hold agencies accountable and enhance firefighter safety.