California Professional Firefighters

Last Resort Survival

 

LOOK AT YOUR OPTIONS AND IMMEDIATELY ACT ON THE BEST ONE!


UTILIZE ALL P.P.E.!


PROTECT YOUR AIRWAY!



Escape if you can:
  • Drop any gear not needed for fire shelter deployment (keep your fire shelter, handtool, quart of water, and radio).
  • You may be able to use the fire shelter for a heat shield as you move.
  • In LIGHT FUELS, you may be able to move back through the flames into the black.
  • If you are on the flank of the fire, try to get below the fire.
  • Consider vehicles or helicopters for escape.
Find a survivable area:
  • Stay out of hazardous terrain features.
  • Use bodies of water that are more than 2 feet deep.
  • In LIGHT FUELS, you may be able to light an escape fire.
  • In other fuels, you may be able to light a backfire.
  • Call for helicopter or retardant drops.
  • Cut and scatter fuels if there is time.
  • Use any available heat barriers (structures, large rocks, dozer berms).
  • Consider vehicle traffic hazards on roads.
Pick a fire shelter deployment site:
  • Find the lowest point available.
  • Maximize distance from nearest aerial fuels or heavy fuels.
  • Pick a surface that allows the fire shelter to seal and remove ground fuels.
  • Get into the fire shelter before the flame front hits.
  • Position your feet toward the fire and hold down the fire shelter.
  • Keep your face pressed to the ground.
  • Deploy next to each other and keep talking.
Expect:
  • Extremely heavy ember showers.
  • Superheated air blast to hit before the flame front hits.
  • Noise and turbulent powerful winds hitting the fire shelter.
  • Pin holes in the fire shelter that allow fire glow inside.
  • Heat inside the shelter = Extreme heat outside.
  • Deployments have lasted up to 90 minutes.
  • When in doubt wait it out.