USFS Fire and Aviation Banner; Smokejumper monitoring prescribed fire; Grangeville Smokejumper crew photo; Smokejumper on final approach (photo courtesy spotfireimages.com)

 

Grangeville Air Center, home of the Grangeville Smokejumpers

 

Grangeville Smokejumper Capabilities

 

 

Rapidly deliverable personnel:   

The Grangeville Smokejumpers provide the fire management community with a wide range of personnel and equipment.  Best known for the rapid delivery of  initial attack firefighters, Grangeville jumpers can also support extended attack, fire-use, and prescribed-fire efforts with overhead and crewmembers.  The Grangeville Smokejumper program includes qualified individuals in all of the indicated ICS positions (with requested personnel deliverable either aerially or through conventional mobilization procedures):

  • Training Foreman Brett Rogers assists with a prescribed fire operation on the Nez Perce National ForestType 3 and 4 Incident Commander
  • Division Supervisor
  • Strike-Team and/or Task-Force Leader
  • Field Observer 
  • Fire Effects Monitor
  • Type 2 Burn Boss               
  • Single-Resource Boss (Crew, Engine, Dozer, etc.)
  • Firefighter Type 1
  • Single-Resource Faller         

     

    • Aircraft and paracargo capabilities:

    GAC's De Havilland Twin Otter allows the Nez Perce Smokejumper program to support fire management operations across the Clearwater/Nez Perce fire management zone and throughout adjacent administrative units. With a range of 375 nautical miles, a 3,000 lbs. payload, and the ability to utilize small backcountry airstrips, the GAC Otter can deliver and retrieve large loads personnel and/or equipment quickly.  Paracargo ground procedures are explained in the Incident Response Pocket Guide, and incident commanders can route paracargo requests through local dispatchers.  The following items are pre-positioned at GAC and configured for rapid response to any incident:

  • GAC Otter drops cargo to firefighters (photo courtesy Mike McMillan, spotfireimages.com)Cabin protection kits
  • Mark III pump kits
  • Hoses and fittings
  • Food and water 
  • Sleeping bags
  • Gas (mixed or unmixed)
  • Powersaws and/or cross-cut saws 

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    Diverse resource-management skills:

    The technical nature and geographical range of the Smokejumper mission allow GAC personnel to develop specialized skills pertinent to a wide range of resource-management operations.  GAC can provide individuals possessing operational expertise and/or instructional experience in each of the following areas:

  • GAC Smokejumper climbs a Ponderosa pineTree climbing (gaff and arborist techniques)
  • Cross cut saw operation and maintenance  
  • GPS and/or compass use
  • ATV use
  • Timber marking
  • Trail construction and maintenance
  • Search and rescue
  • Resource-management planning and writing
  • NWCG course topics

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