More than 230 fire departments battled a series of destructive wildfires in Texas last year that burned nearly 4 million acres and more than 2,800 homes.
But fire departments in Fort Worth and Arlington, two of the state's largest cities, stayed home even as wildfires ravaged the nearby Possum Kingdom Lake area and destroyed 39 homes.Concerns about proper training, reimbursement and liability coverage for employees, and adequate fire coverage for their drought-stricken cities kept Fort Worth and Arlington from officially helping the state during the record 2011 wildfire season.Now, thanks to months of training, assurances of faster reimbursement and an agreement to share resources, officials in the two cities say their firefighters are ready to respond to wildland wildfires or other emergencies in far-flung communities if the state asks."We're an urban Fire Department. We fight house fires. We fight Dumpster fires," Arlington Battalion Chief Brian Cudaback said during a recent wildland firefighting training session. "It's a totally different thing to fight fires and Mother Nature."A new 48-member Arlington-Fort Worth response team recently joined more than 2,000 volunteer and paid firefighters from across the state who participate in the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System.The Legislature authorized the system, overseen by the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas Forest Service, in 2007 to make it easier for cities to cross jurisdictional boundaries and help during hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters.Before, cities could not go to other communities in need unless they already had an agreement. Under the new system, the state reimburses cities for use of their resources and employees' time and covers liability and workers' compensation issues."Wildfires don't know boundaries. If there is an emergency and we need each other's assistance, we should be able to go," said Bobby Tatum, a Fort Worth fire division chief. "It broke down the barriers."First big testThe new system was activated for the first time in 2008 after Hurricane Ike landed in Southeast Texas, causing significant flooding and damage.But last year's record wildfire season was the system's first major test, with the state calling on nearly 1,300 firefighters for 13 wildland fires, said Steve Pollock, a Texas Forest Service assistant chief. Texas reimbursed agencies about $9 million for 2011, he said.This year, the state hasn't had to call on cities for a major fire, but there have been some close calls, Pollock said."Wildfire is big on our mind," he said. "We're still in a drought. We've had some big fires. Rural areas, they are easily overwhelmed. This is the answer for them."The program is part of a nationwide effort to create a network of trained and equipped first responders who can go quickly to various emergencies, even in other states, Pollock said.Texas aims to have at least 2,500 firefighters in the system so 800 can respond at any time, Pollock said. The state can now call on about 2,000 firefighters, about half of whom are certified to fight wildland fires, he said.Arlington and Fort Worth are the two largest cities to join the system most recently. Austin, San Antonio and Dallas participate; Houston does not. Cities do not have to participate to receive state help, Pollock said.The promise of faster reimbursement is expected to encourage more participation.Pollock said the state now reimburses cities 50 percent of their request within 60 days with the goal of full reimbursement for eligible expenses within 90 days. Requests go through at least two reviews, he said.The state also distributes about $1 million in grants annually to help cities pay for training and equipment. Texas has bought 21 engines for participating agencies, Pollock said.Testing skillsLast month, Arlington firefighters tested their wildland skills by setting 6 acres at the Fort Worth Nature Center afire and putting the flames out with less than 3 gallons of water.Crews used tools such as shovels and rakes and set small fires to remove nearby fuel sources, such as tall grass, and help prevent the main fire from spreading."We learned how to fight fire with fire and we learned to fight fire by removing the fuel," Arlington fire Lt. Chris Balough said.Tatum said wildland skills have become more crucial as people build more homes in isolated wooded areas. The Forest Service says that 85 percent of wildfires in Texas occur within two miles of a community."As communities are expanding, they are expanding into the wildland areas. People want to move to these secluded areas," Tatum said. "They don't take into consideration the impact to the fire service and limited water supply."Crews are also being trained to stay safe in rugged terrain while battling huge fires that can quickly change direction with the wind. One crucial piece of equipment includes a portable shelter, heat-resistant to 500 degrees, that firefighters can pull over themselves if a wildfire overtakes them."When you deploy a shelter, you are about to burn to death. This is your last resort to keep you safe," said Cudaback, of the Arlington department.Other Tarrant teamsBesides the new Arlington-Fort Worth team, Tarrant County has three response teams available as resources for the state, Tarrant County Fire Marshal Randy Renoir said.They are the Northwest Emergency Response Organization, which includes Azle, River Oaks and Haslet; the Southern Emergency Response and Preparedness Association, which includes Pantego, Mansfield and Burleson; and the Northeast Fire Department Association, which includes Hurst, Euless, Bedford and Grapevine.Last year, those teams responded to eight wildfire calls from the state, including the Possum Kingdom, Bastrop and the Cass County fires, Renoir said.The teams' training and equipment, much of which is grant-funded, also benefits communities in the county, Renoir said."Our county is an urban county but it has a lot of rural left in it," Renoir said. "With the exception of one or two cities, anybody will respond if all hell breaks loose."Susan Schrock, 817-709-7578Twitter: @susanschrockHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
