From the Front Line to the Fireline
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Balstrop, TX—The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in partnership with the Department of Interior (DOI) and Team Rubicon, is conducting a wildland firefighter training session March 17-20 in Balstrop, Texas for military veterans. The training, one of several sessions taking place throughout the country, will educate Team Rubicon members in wildland fire suppression tactics, including communication techniques, fireline construction, equipment operation, and other critical wildland firefighting skills. Other sessions will take place in California, Florida, Colorado, Washington, Idaho and Washington D.C.
In April 2015, DOI and BLM formed a partnership with Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response nonprofit, because many of the skills veterans learned in the military translate to wildland firefighting, such as teamwork; decisive leadership; risk mitigation and management; logistics and emergency medicine. In 2015, Team Rubicon members trained as wildland firefighters responded to wildfires in Alaska, Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington during one of the most severe fire seasons in recorded history.
“It just makes sense to match our veterans’ skills with wildland firefighting. They already understand critical aspects of the wildland fire program, such as our Incident Command System, and they have the work ethic we need in wildland fire. Plus, some of the Team Rubicon members that take this training may decide to pursue wildland fire careers, which further enhances our firefighting workforce with talented employees,” says Ron Dunton, Director of BLM Fire and Aviation.
By engaging veterans in disaster response, Team Rubicon seeks to provide them with a sense of purpose, community and identity often missing following their military service. Since two Marines founded Team Rubicon in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the organization has responded to floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and other severe weather damage, helping disaster survivors all over the globe.
The training will be held at Camp Swift Training Center, 1705 Highway 95 N, #B, Bastrop, Texas, from March 17-20. Interested media are invited to contact Sherman Hogue, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, who will be at the training location from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 19.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.