Yarnell Hill Fire Essay Example

Yarnell Hill Fire is the name given to the infamous fire that took place near Yarnell, Arizona, on June 28, 2013 (Dickman, Damron, & Books on Tape, Inc, 2015). A lightning strike sparked the fire that went on for the next 12 days, killing 19 people and injuring more 23 in its wake. All the firefighters but one succumbed to the effects of the raging fire. It also destroyed 129 buildings located within the 8,400 acres that it spread (Dickman, Damron, & Books on Tape, Inc, 2015). The wind exacerbated the problem further, enabling it to sweep across the entire affected area. The total estimated cost of the fire concerning the total losses it incurred was $664 million, considering the exchange rates at the time (Arizona, 2013). To date, it remains the worst fire disaster to have hit Arizona. The high number of firefighters present exceeded 400, but their combined effort was insufficient to put the fire under control during the first few days. However, their continued determination eventually paid off, when they managed to control it fully after close to twelve days of trying. The crew in charge of regulating the spread of the fire committed many gross errors that would perhaps have prevented the extent to which the fire spread. This paper analyzes the span of control these people had in place and a few recommendations on what should have been done differently to alleviate the negative consequences.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a tool that offers best practices to use in both emergency and nonemergency situations of any nature and magnitude. It guides the manner in which government bodies and any other involved party should handle such incidents. The scope of the ICS spans from planned events to natural disasters and acts of terrorism. The system's structure targets five main functional areas of controlling such catastrophes. These include command, planning, operations, finance and administration, and logistics (National Incident Management System Consortium, Fire Protection Publications, & Oklahoma State University, 2007). While the ICS outlines a rather specific process that they should all follow, this did not happen, leading to the loss of lives. It is worth noting that even the last surviving firefighter, Brendan McDonough, had been walking on foot when the fire had subsided, and Brian Frisby located him (Dickman, Damron, & Books on Tape, Inc, 2015). Ideally, there should have been constant communication between various bodies and people involved in the rescue operation. Miscommunication was rampant, leading to the loss of a high number of people that should otherwise not have happened. For instance, all those who offered information for the final report on the incident admitted to having been unaware of the location of the Granite Mountain crew members. At the time, some thought they were safe until they learned about their actual placement later.

The Command and Control process demands that the first, and perhaps most important aspect of it is that there should be a smooth transfer of command from one body or team to the next (National Incident Management System Consortium, Fire Protection Publications, & Oklahoma State University, 2007). Part of the transfer process is a briefing to the incoming group about the progress of the operations thus far. The second part of the process is the chain of command and a collaborative working environment. A fixed chain of command reduces conflict and confusion. The third aspect of the command and control process is a unified command. While people are ultimately accountable for their actions, all bodies, organizations, and groups, irrespective of the geographical distances between them, and legal and functional differences should work together (National Incident Management System Consortium, Fire Protection Publications, & Oklahoma State University, 2007). Span of Control refers to the totality of the people, areas, and functions for which an organization or group of people is responsible. In the fire, Span of Control involved the power of supervisors to control all the people under them, as well as to manage their resources adequately.

A vital task of the management and supervisorial staff of the firefighting unit in the Yarnell Hill Fire was ensuring constant communication between the relevant people and organizations involved. Case in point, the Incident Commander, Roy Hall, made a mistake in regards to the ICS system, especially in the command function (Arizona, 2013). For instance, the ICS demands that one command structure should first observe an emergency situation for at least 12 hours before they take over the command of the process. However, the team led by Hall did not wait that long. Instead, a few hours after they checked in, the radio commander announced the radio that Hall's team would take over command. They broadcasted at 10:22 a.m., with little regard for the ICS protocol (Arizona, 2013). It took only six hours after this communication that the 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots died.

A few recommendations that would have sufficed to prevent the fire from intensifying. Further, it is possible to avoid a repeat of such a case. For instance, the some of the most affected people in the process were homeowners, some of whom lacked fire-prevention equipment. One way to ensure they do is by promoting the Ready, Set, Go! Program to encourage them to install such equipment. The program increases people's preparedness for fire incidences by teaching them to be ready for such, have situational awareness, and leave at the earliest opportunity (International Association of Fire Chiefs, 1999). The Incident Commander should ensure that they adhere to the Command and Control process strictly. If they had done so in good time, they would have understood how rapidly the fire was spreading at the time, possibly preventing the deaths. Worth noting here is that the fire was a Type 4 and quickly changed to Type 1 in less than 24 hours. Only McDonough was on the lookout, but he did not do enough to provide the rest of the team with the much-needed situational awareness that would have helped them make better decisions.

References

Arizona. (2013). Yarnell Hill Fire, June 30, 2013: Serious accident investigation report. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona State Forestry Division.

Dickman, K., Damron, W., & Books on Tape, Inc. (2015). On the burning edge: A fateful fire and the men who fought it. New York, NY: Books on Tape.

International Association of Fire Chiefs. (1999). Ready, set, go! Fairfax, VA: The Association.

National Incident Management System Consortium, Fire Protection Publications, & Oklahoma State University. (2007). Incident command system (ICS): Model procedures guide for incidents involving structural fire fighting, high-rise, multi-casualty, highway, and managing large-scale incidents using NIMS-ICS. Stillwater, OK: Fire Protection Publications, Oklahoma State University.