Forestry Chief Suggests Caltrans Aid Fire Crews

California Forestry Director Jerry Partain suggested Monday that state highway maintenance workers be trained to fight wildfires in emergencies. But Transportation Director Leo Trombatore said that he does not expect his employees to be used for such tasks.

Noting that thousands of acres throughout California have been destroyed by fire during the past two weeks, Partain offered at a press conference what he called a preliminary proposal to recruit and train highway workers to augment regular firefighting crews.

He said that during the recent rash of major fires, his firefighting resources were stretched to the limit and that proposals are being looked at to provide help.

Partain said it is hoped that one day there will be a pool of about 2,000 state employees trained as emergency firefighters. Eventually, he said, consideration would be given to putting employees of such agencies as the National Guard and the California Conservation Corps through a basic two-week firefighting course. Spokespersons for both the National Guard and the CCC reacted favorably to the idea.

But Partain said the initial emphasis would be on Caltrans, because it is an agency with a large number of employees and heavy equipment that could be used for firefighting.

Partain said that as many as 900 highway workers could undergo the basic training within two weeks.

Partain offered the suggestion when reporters asked if the Department of Forestry planned to improve emergency firefighting capabilities during the remainder of the summer fire season. He said that several steps were under way to plan for the training of state employees in basic firefighting skills so that “in the future, we can call them in as trained fire crews.”

But Caltrans Director Trombatore appeared surprised at Partain’s suggestion, noting in a statement that his department had “preliminary conversations with other organizations” that deal with emergencies such as wildfires.

“While we do not expect our employees to be used for hand work on fires, we could offer support in several areas, including loans of equipment and equipment operators, equipment mechanics, water trucks and hauling fire equipment,” he said.

A Caltrans spokesman said the preliminary discussions involved the state Office of Emergency Services and were confined to using highway personnel to operate heavy equipment. He said that there was no discussion of highway workers being trained as pick-and-shovel firemen.

Meantime, Leo E. Mayer, president of the California State Employees Assn., which represents 5,000 Caltrans workers, said that he was offended that Partain offered the proposal without first advising the association.

Mayer said his union will support the basic concept if:

- Participation is voluntary.

- The two-week training course is evaluated by the employee and the firefighters unions to assure its adequacy.

- The state delays highway maintenance when Caltrans workers are on fire duty.