For Immediate Release, January 17, 2008
For More Information Contact: Mel Lloyd at (970) 244-3097

Energy industry collaborating with West Slope firefighters

RIFLE, Colo. — Energy industry safety officials met last month in Rifle with firefighters from Garfield County Fire Protection Districts, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office,  as well as Federal firefighters to discuss safety issues related to wildfires in the oil and gas fields of western Colorado.  Local fires from the 2007 fire season were reviewed in an effort to look at how suppression operations could be improved in oil and gas fields while providing for the safety of the public, energy workers and firefighters.  The energy industry is working closely with firefighters to improve operations. 

 “We have had several fires that have occurred in and around gas field operations,” Doug Paul of the Upper Colorado River (UCR) Interagency Fire Management Unit said.  “With the energy activity, homes and other structures we have involved, these fires have been very complex for firefighters to manage.” 

This was the third such meeting, and regular meetings are planned into the future with a training session scheduled for mid-March.  The energy industry and firefighting organizations are developing training programs to be used for the 2008 fire season.  Firefighters will get an orientation to gas field operations and safety procedures to follow when fighting fires in or near oil and gas fields.  Likewise, oil and gas workers will receive a safety orientation on wildfires. 

“The purpose of this exercise is not to train these folks to be firefighters,” Paul said.  “We want to give them the tools to properly report a fire, secure their facilities, evacuate safely and communicate with firefighters.”

“The oil and gas industry has tremendous resources to offer firefighters, but they do not have the personnel with the training, equipment and experience to fight fires directly,” Mike Morgan with the Rifle Fire Protection District said. “The last thing we want is injuries or loss of life in trying to put out a fire.  Industry workers can provide a critical support function for fire suppression.”

“We are tying our safety network to the firefighting Incident Command System to ensure that we can protect the public, our employees, as well as firefighters,” John  Flahie with Encana said. 

For more information about the Interagency Fire Program, go to www.nifc.gov.  Contact Doug Paul at (970) 244-3106 if you are interested in upcoming meetings, or if you would like more information on the training program.

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