JACKSON AND ROSS COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS
RECEIVE WILDLAND FIRE TRAINING
COALTON, OH-Firefighters from four local fire departments attended wildland fire suppression training, provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry, on February 25, 2006 at the James A. Rhodes Community Center, Coalton. Sixteen volunteer firefighters from Coalton, Bloomfield, and Liberty Township in Jackson County, and Harrison Township in Ross County participated.
“Each year an average of 800 wildfires burn 4,500 acres of forest and grassland within Ohio’s forest fire protection district,” said John Dorka, chief of the Division of Forestry. “These wildfires are attributed primarily to the careless burning of debris, and place people and their homes at significant risk.”
The six-hour class included wildland fire behavior, fuels, weather, sizing up, suppression methods, incident command, and safety.
The Division of Forestry currently has cooperative wildfire suppression agreements with 325 fire departments located within the division’s fire protection area, including eastern and southeastern Ohio, and the Maumee State Forest area of northwestern Ohio. Cooperating fire departments are the front line in community wildfire awareness, prevention, and suppression.
Wildfire prevention and education efforts are supported by sales of Smokey Bear license plates which can be purchased through local deputy registrar offices, on the Internet at OPLATES.COM, or by calling toll free 1-888-plates3 (752-8373).