State to close intake centers for firefighting volunteers after thousands respond
OLYMPIA -- Citing an incredible outpouring of support and volunteers offering to fight the Washington wildfires, the state said it has met its goals and will close its volunteer-intake centers in central Washington on Thursday.
“The outpouring of support has been incredibly heartwarming and humbling,” said Mary Verner, deputy for DNR’s statewide wildfire program.
She said "thousands of people" responded to the call for volunteers via email, phone, web surveys and visits to the temporary centers.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources said its coordinators have placed trained volunteers and equipment operators on rosters, directed other volunteers to community service opportunities and deployed some volunteers on wildfires.
The DNR said among those with current firefighting certifications is Jordan Reynolds, an emergency medical technician from Quincy. He is scheduled to head out soon to the Okanogan Complex as a fire-line medic, the agency said.
Three Adams County firefighters, who reported to the Omak intake center last Friday, helped respond to emails and walk-in applicants until they were dispatched to the Okanogan Complex Saturday.
"Those who came to the centers without the expertise needed for possible front-line deployment were connected to local efforts working to support the people in these communities that have been affected by wildfires," the DNR said.
The agency added that some volunteers have aided the effort behind the scenes, such as Angela Davis, a member of the Okanogan band of the Colville Tribes, whose mother’s house was threatened by fire. She working in the finance office to make sure proper payment is made to the firefighters.
Caleb Arnett, an Omak carpenter and window cleaner, came into the DNR intake center looking for a fire-line assignment. When the Okanogan Complex incident command asked for someone with computer skills, Caleb jumped at the opportunity, it said.
DNR was able to provide basic safety certification to 315 equipment operators from its coordination centers and identified more than 100 pieces of previously unregistered equipment that could be called upon if needed, the DNR said.
Fully-trained and qualified firefighters, equipment operators and other resources who came to the intake centers are being entered into dispatch rosters for possible deployment to fight fire. DNR dispatchers are verifying the credentials of hundreds more who identified themselves as having current wildland firefighting certifications
More than 1,000 people with skills but lacking current certifications or the required safety equipment also contacted the agency, the DNR said. Those volunteers are being encouraged to contact local fire districts and enroll in next season’s training sessions.