Silver City Engine Crews are Recruiting for Firefighter Positions!

 Silver City, NM; December 10, 2013–The Silver City Engine Crews from the Gila National Forest will soon be advertising multiple fire engine crewmember jobs. We are looking for highly motivated individuals with a strong work ethic and ability to work outdoors!

Interested individuals must be able to perform hard physical labor in remote areas of the nation’s forests and grasslands for long extended periods of time in primitive living conditions, while engaged in high stress and high risk wildland and urban interface fire environments, as well as all “All Risk” incidents (disaster relief).

Where to Apply: www.usajobs.gov

For further information, contact Jesse Searles, 575.388.8412 or Billy Trujillo, 575.388.8384.

The following story was posted here: https://www.wildfirex.com/2013/12/05/arizona-forestry-faulted-in-granite-mountain-crew-deaths/.  Thanks to the Neighborhood Alliance for emailing this link.

“In a report issued on December 4, the Arizona Industrial Commission unanimously approved the finding of three major workplace violations against the Arizona State Forestry Division.

The report blames the Forestry Division for keeping the hotshot crew in place fighting the Yarnell Hill wildfire on June 30, even when it knew it could no longer control its growth or speed, and for lack of proper communication, command and control, and for a lack of maps that could have better guided the hotshot crew that day.

The commission ruled that the Forestry Division’s actions also at great risk for “smoke inhalation, burns and death” 31 other firefighters who were fighting the fire at a nearby ranch that day.

The report describes a chaotic scene as the fire grew out of control, during which oversight of the wildfire was being transferred to a larger team, but that those team leaders failed to conduct basic incident accident analysis and form strategies for attacking the blaze. Key safety and planning positions on the team were not assigned, and some officers did not arrive for crucial planning discussions, which increased the danger to the Granite Mountain Hotshots and others fighting the fire.

Because of the lack of order and cohesion, the report says, maps were not available to firefighters and others when they arrived on the scene, and a safety officer was also not available, one who “would have viewed the fire and fire line assignments from a safety viewpoint”.

The investigators recommended that the forestry division pay a penalty of $70,000, and $25,000 per firefighter who died, to be paid directly to their families or estates, a total of $545,000. Penalties of $14,000 were recommended for other safety infractions.”

Please visit https://www.wildfirex.com/2013/12/05/arizona-forestry-faulted-in-granite-mountain-crew-deaths/ to view the article in its entirety.

The following is a release from the office of Senator Udall:

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 3, U.S. Senator Tom Udall will tour the Roadrunner Food Bank’s Southern Branch in Las Cruces, and discuss his fight in Congress to defend against hunger. Roadrunner Food Bank’s Southern Branch celebrated their ribbon cutting this past September, and distributes food to partner agencies and programs in Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna counties.

During the visit, Udall will listen to a briefing by Roadrunner Food Bank staff and board members on hunger and the impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding cuts on families in Southern New Mexico. Following the briefing, Udall will tour the food bank’s warehouse, visiting the sorting area, freezer storage area, and the main storage room. After the tour, Udall will speak with volunteers, and discuss his efforts in the Senate to support full funding for programs like SNAP and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Media are welcome to join the tour and ask questions afterward.

While New Mexico is slowly climbing out of the deepest recession in decades, hunger remains an issue. New Mexico has the second highest rate of hunger in the nation, with the highest rate of hunger among children. One in every three children in New Mexico does not have enough to eat. Roadrunner Food Bank supports hunger relief efforts in 16 counties across the state.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

WHAT: Udall Tours Roadrunner Food Bank’s Southern Branch and Discusses the Fight Against Hunger

TIME: 9:45 a.m.

WHERE: 2001 Copper Loop

Las Cruces, NM

The following is a press release from the Gila National Forest Office:

Wilderness Ranger District to Conduct Pile Burning

The Wilderness Ranger District, Gila National Forest, is planning on burning slash piles after Thanksgiving and before Christmas, as weather and fire conditions permit. Piles are located throughout the district.  Objective is to remove piles created by fuels reduction projects in the Wildland Urban Interface, wildfire suppression activities, and flood clean up.

Project locations include:

• Adjacent to Powderhorn Road (Forest Service Road 151)

• Adjacent to McKnight Road (Forest Service Road 152)

• Wilderness Ranger District office  off N.M. State Highway 35

• Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument administrative site

• Near the  Cooney Subdivision, along the Mimbres River, near Forest Service Roads 150A (Cooney Road) and 4080T & U.

Smoke may be visible in the areas where the burns are being conducted, and may linger at night and early morning but normally decreases significantly as daytime temperatures increase.

For additional information, contact the Wilderness Ranger District at 575-536-2250.

The following is a press release from the Gila National Forest Service Office:

The Supervisor’s Office in Silver City including the six Ranger District offices will have an upgraded phone system installed starting Tuesday, December 3, 2013, and lasting through about December 18. This 2-week period is an estimate, and may change depending on circumstances affecting the installation. During the upgrade, the phone systems and network availability will be out-of-service for periods of time.

“The installation of the upgraded system will occur as late in the day as possible to minimize phone disruptions. If offices need to be contacted during this time period, please call as early in the morning as possible,” says Forest Supervisor Kelly Russell.

Cash purchases for Christmas tree, firewood, rock, and other permits plus maps will still be available at the Supervisor’s Office’s and the Reserve Ranger District office during the week of December 3. However, due to the disruption in phone line/network accessibility, credit card purchases may not be available. On the following week starting December 9, credit card purchases should be able to be processed for permits and maps.

The Black Range, Glenwood, Quemado, and Wilderness Ranger Districts will be able to process credit card purchases as usual during the phone upgrade.

Normal business at all Gila National Forest offices will continue as usual during the temporary disruption of phone/network service. Office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday; the Black Range Ranger District in Tor C closes at 4:00 pm.

For emergency situations, please call 911, or contact local Law Enforcement agencies e.g. Police Departments, Sheriff’s Department, NM State Police, etc.

Visit the forest web site for information: http://fs.usda.gov/gila

The District One office for the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and local law enforcement offices are out monitoring roadways as weather conditions are expected to change with high winds, rain and snow fall accumulations throughout New Mexico. High winds have already started along I-10 within the Lordsburg area, and motorists are being advised to reduce their speed, and to proceed with extreme caution.

Traffic updates will be posted on the NMDOT traffic advisory web-site at www.nmroads.com  as they are reported, and can be retrieved through our automated system at 511 in state, or 1-800-432-4269.

Winter weather driving tips:

• REDUCE YOUR SPEED
  • The best accident prevention on snow and ice is to SLOW DOWN and leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you for emergencies.
• PRACTICE GOOD WINTER DRIVING TECHNIQUES
  • Keep your gas tank full, turn on your head lights, keep your windshield washer fluid full with antifreeze, keep winter driving chains in your vehicle, have a winter survival kit which includes – flashlight, hand warmer packets, first aid supplies, high energy snacks, bottled water and read your owner’s manual for special instructions on driving 4-wheel drive vehicles and vehicles with ABS on snow and ice.
• AVOID DRIVING INTO A SNOW CLOUD
  • Large vehicles, such as semi-trailer trucks and snow plows, may produce dense clouds of blowing snow that make it difficult for drivers to see.  When drivers encounter snow clouds, they should stay back to avoid the cloud.
• PLAN AHEAD AND BE PATIENT
  • Delays are common during bad weather.  Leave a little early and be patient with delays.
• CHECK BEFORE YOU PASS
  • Know where a snow plow and blade are before trying to pass. On multi-lane highways, the plow can be in your blind spot.  Before attempting to pass make sure it is safe.
• PAY ATTENTION TO WEATHER FORCASTS – TRUST THEM
  • Winter storms in New Mexico can become severe very quickly, so stay tuned to weather forecasts when planning your trip.
• DON’T USE CRUISE CONTROL
  • Never use cruise control when the roads are in slippery conditions.  Using your cruise control can reduce your control of the vehicle if your tires begin to skid or slip.
• KNOW YOUR CURRENT ROAD CONDITIONS
  • Visit the NMDOT website for current road advisory information at www.nmroads.com, or dial 511.
• WEAR YOUR SEATBELT
  • Wear your seatbelt and make sure all passengers also “buckle up.”

For the third consecutive year, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and all 50 State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) will join forces with other local, state, and national rural healthcare providers and stakeholders to celebrate National Rural Health Day. This year’s celebration will take place on Thursday, November 21.

 NOSORH launched National Rural Health Day in 2011 to increase awareness of the unique healthcare issues facing rural Americans and highlight the efforts of SORHs and others in addressing those issues.  “National Rural Health Day gives us at great opportunity to ‘Celebrate the Power of Rural’ and tout the good work being performed by, and on behalf of, America’s 59.5 million rural citizens,” notes NOSORH Executive Director Teryl Eisinger.

 The nation’s top leaders, including Dr. Mary Wakefield, Administrator for the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration; Under Secretary of Agriculture Doug O’Brien; and, representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs will speak at the event.

In recognition, Hidalgo Medical Services would like to thank all HMS employees and partners for their dedicated efforts in advancing rural health.

 NOSORH will also host a series of webinars on important rural health topics throughout the day on November 21; for more information on topics and speakers, and National Rural Health Day please visit: http://celebratepowerofrural.org/?page_id=1031