Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew
Station 38
The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center tells WTAJ NEWS the firefighters were responding to a brush fire in Hooversville. The truck rolled over on Falling Timber Road at 3:30p.m. Thursday.
Two firefighters were transported to Conemaugh Medical Center.
Crews are still on scene. Other units were sent to take care of the brush fire.
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State police statement 
ALEXANDRIA - The first person to find Donavan Miller after an overnight search described the toddler as a little dirty and cold to the touch but otherwise in good health.
Donavan was found conscious and alert in a cornfield about 40 feet from Route 453 about 2 p.m. Monday.
The 20-month-old boy had been missing since 5:30 p.m. Sunday when he disappeared from his foster home located a mile away on Bears Lane.
Officials who were helping direct traffic at the intersection of Route 453 and Hungry Hollow Road heard a child crying and asked a search team to investigate.
John Smith, a field team member of the Central Region Emergency Strike Team, soon found Miller, still fully clothed, standing behind a few rows of tall corn stalks.
"He looked like he wanted to say 'Just take me home,'" Smith said. ''He was just very happy to see us and very happy to go home.''
Smith, a junior at Philipsburg-Osceola Senior High School, picked Donavan up and signaled to other searchers, who wrapped the boy in a coat and ran him to a nearby medic.
He was transported to Tyrone Hospital for observation.
''I just thought, 'Thank God, thank the Lord,''' Smith said. ''It was total euphoria. It could be any of our family members missing out there, and we would want the same outcome.''
Cheers and applause erupted at a makeshift command center on Hungry Hollow Road when searchers heard the news. Some hugged and cried tears of joy.
''This is a parent's worst fear, and I've seen fortunate outcomes and unfortunate outcomes,'' Huntingdon County Emergency Management Director Adam Miller said. ''This was one with a happy ending.''
About 400 volunteers from local and state agencies, including trained bloodhound teams, assisted in the 23-hour search effort that stretched over two miles of rugged terrain.
Two state police helicopters took turns flying over the area throughout the night. Both used an infrared device that senses heat on the ground.
Officials believed Donavan had a good chance of surviving the cold weather because he was dressed in warm clothing.
Adam Miller, who has no relation to Donavan, said there is a chance the toddler found shelter during the night.
"What surprised me was that he managed to evade us for so long," Miller said. "We searched that area so thoroughly again and again. We don't leave a margin of error."
Donavan and his 3-year-old brother, Devon, have been living with foster parents Luke and Naomi Martin for the past seven months.
Police said Donavan was playing outside about 5:30 p.m. Sunday when he disappeared. The Martins searched a nearby cornfield but could not locate him.
"We're pretty sure he followed our cat because he's continually trying to catch her,'' Naomi Martin said.
Both Miller boys have been relocated to a new foster home, Martin said. Administrators at Blair County Children & Youth Services did not return phone calls Monday.
''We're exhausted, but we're glad for his parents' sake and our sake that he was found well,'' Martin said. ''We're so grateful for everyone who looked for him and we can never repay their kindness.''
Donavan's biological parents, Virginia and Jonathan Miller of Altoona, were informed of their son's disappearance about 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
The couple, who lost custody of their children last spring, were scheduled to visit with them Monday.
Virginia Miller, 23, described her youngest son as very active and outgoing.
''He loves to play with my husband and loves to be thrown in the air and play catch with a ball,'' she said.
Miller added that her boys have recently formed a close bond and worried how their overnight separation affected them.
''Devon has grown very big-brotherly toward Donavan and he likes to make sure he doesn't get hurt,'' she said.
Virginia Miller also expressed thanks to the many volunteers who helped in the search.
''They have shown the world that there are people out there who do care,'' she said.
Missing Child Oct. 20th 2008
Northern Blair Fire is called in by Huntingdon Co. EMA to join in on the search.
10 - Members of the Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew assembled at the Blazing Arrow Hook & Ladder Co. in Tyrone, PA. With crew members comming from Roaring Spring, Altoona, Hollidaysburg, and Tyrone. With a crew of 10 assembled NBCFFC notified Blair 911 Center of being en-route to the ICP. Upon arriving to the ICP the crews assignment was to be placed into the Staging Area. The Staging Officer pulled crew members from NBCFFC to aid search teams made up of local volunteers.
Search And Rescue Crews
Find Missing Toddler
Tyrone Farm City Days 10/04/08
Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew
Crew Members of Sation 38 put on a display at Tyrone's Farm City Days
Area firefighters help in Calif.
Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew makes annual trek to stateBy Kristy MacKaben, For the Mirror
The days are long. The heat is unbearable. And the dangers are real.
Fighting wildfires in the western part of the country is a tough job, but firefighters with the Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew cannot wait to return every year.
Six members of the crew are helping the federal government contain massive wildfires in the Big Sur area of California - the biggest in the state this year.
''The fire season started a little early. It's usually not for another two months. California is having a really bad fire season right now," said David Lynch, crew chief.
The group left July 10 and is expected to return July 27.
Until then, they will work with other fire crews across the country on two-week rotations to combat the 40,000-acre wildfire, which was sparked by lightning in June and has destroyed dozens of homes and thousands of acres of vegetation.
Fire crews from Pennsylvania are deployed every year to battle fires out west.
Mike Beckwith of Tyrone has been fighting fires there for 19 years. He took two weeks off from his job as a delivery driver for Lee Food Service Inc. to go this year.
Others on his crew include Mike Angus of Duncansville, John Otto of Allegheny Township, Phillip Glunt of Kittanning Trail, William Sprow of Hollidaysburg and Kermit Alwine of Greenwood.
Although it is a tiresome job, Beckwith said he relishes the experience.
''I like the chance to travel to different states. I like being outside. It can be very trying at times, though," Beckwith said. ''Right now, we're working 16-hour days."
A typical day begins at 4:30 a.m. with a breakfast of eggs, sausage, fruit and bacon in the mess tent, where firefighters are briefed about the duties of the day.
Beckwith and Lynch said firefighters then dress in fire-resistant Nomex pants, long-sleeved shirts, hard hats and work boots.
Once they are ready, the firefighters hike about three miles into the mountains to begin fire containment.
On their backs, they carry 30-pound line gear packs filled with water, bag lunches, personal items and fire shelters to be used in emergencies.
Normally, fire crews are pulled out before the fire becomes out of control or too close to containment lines, Lynch said.
''They'll pull crews out and let the fire burn and do its thing. There's nothing you can do at that point," he said. ''But it's a dangerous job."
Fire entrapment is not the only danger. Firefighters have been killed by trees falling, mudslides and motor vehicle accidents as a result of working on rough terrain.
''There are a variety of different hazards that go along with this," Lynch said.
The crew from Northern Blair is working a few miles from the main fire, so the hazards are diminished slightly.
This week, the crew has prepped bulldozer lines for controlled burns, which will destroy vegetation, thus preventing the spread of the wildfire.
''We're cutting down trees or brush close to the fire," Beckwith said. ''The best way to protect it is to burn it out."
During afternoon breaks, they are permitted to eat bag lunches of sandwiches, cookies and chips. After 14 to 16 hours on the lines, crews head back to camp for a hearty dinner of steak, chicken or burgers. Firefighters sleep in sleeping bags and tents brought from home.
Fighting wildfires is a physically intense experience, but local firefighters say they will not hesitate to return.
''It's been tiring days, but it's been fun," 18-year-old Sprow said.
This is his first trip out west to fight wildfires, but he said it will not be his last.
''You meet a lot of people. I just like to do it. I'll be doing this for a while," he said.
Fighting wildfires is a rewarding experience, but it is not for everyone.
Special training is required for those wishing to fight fires outside of Pennsylvania. Every year, they must pass a physical fitness test of walking three miles in 45 minutes carrying a 45-pound backpack. This test is in addition to special courses and programs required of firefighters, depending on their expected duties.
''It's a good experience. It's something the guys live for. It's an exciting thing to do. The experience the guys get out west helps in Pennsylvania, too," Lynch said. ''We had a 4,000-acre fire in Williamsport. We sent out a 14-man crew. Half the crew had experience out west.''
In addition to the Northern Blair crew, there is a five-man crew from Juniata Wildland Firefighters and Nittany Wildland Firefighters.
With wildfires burning in California, Pennsylvania has answered the call for help. The Pennsylvania Department of Forestry has sent four crews west in the last two weeks. Locally, members of the Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew have sent a Squad of members assigned to crew # PA4. The members are Michael Angus Squad Boss, John Otto, Kermitt Alwine,William Sprow, and Phillp Glunt. The crew will be on a two week firefighting tour. Along with those crew members Asst. Forest Fire Warden Michael Beckwith has been assigned as Crew Boss for the crew # PA5. Both crews are at the East Basin Complex in Califoria.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildland Fire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | Saturday June 21st, 2008 aprox 12:56 PM |
| Location | 5 miles south of Big Sur |
| Incident Commander | Dietrich / Mcgowan / Hutc |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 2,301 |
|---|---|
| Size | 119,728 acres |
| Percent Contained | 61% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Wednesday July 30th, 2008 aprox 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved |
4 Chaparral (6 Feet) Timber and slash in higher areas. Heavy dead loading from sudden oak death in the Tan Oak. |
| Fire Behavior |
West Zone: Fire behavior was moderate with low rates of spread, some group tree torching, short range spotting as a result of increased humidity below 3,500 feet. Fire is smoldering within the community of Big Sur. East Zone: Areas of increased fire activity were observed in Calaboose Creek , Miller Canyon and Piney Creek areas. Fire continues to actively back into the Calaboose Creek drainage with some short isolated runs. |
| Significant Events |
West Zone:Reopening of Highway 1 with speed restrictions. A reduced speed zone has been established from the intersection of Highway 1 and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park south to Square Black Rock. East Zone: Crews made good progress with direct line construction and mop up in Division TT/UU (south). The area of Lower Cachagua remains under a Mandatory Evacuation. The Upper Cachagua and Carmel Valley Road areas have moved from an Advisory Evacuation to a Voluntary Evacuation. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions |
West Zone: Continue firing on the north containment line from Big Pines and moving east as conditions permit. Continue mop-up. East Zone: Continue to improve and hold current lines and prepare for firing. Provide structure protection as needed. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential |
High |
| Terrain Difficulty |
High |
| Remarks |
The Basin Complex is in unified command with USFS Incident Commander Dietrich (west side of fire),USFS Incident Commander McGowan (east side of fire)and CAL FIRE Incident Commander R.Hutchinson. East Zone: Monterey County Sheriff's Department Commander Oakley has been added as a Unified Commander. Tentative transition to USFS Type-3 Command Team Commander Boone, is scheduled to occur on 7/14 at 0600. |
Weather
| Current Wind Conditions | 24 (gusts) mph E |
|---|---|
| Current Temperature | 85 degrees |
| Current Humidity | 33 % |
Forest spires
By Mark Leberfinger, mleberfinger@altoonamirror.comArticle Photos
Fact Box
FIRE FACTS
-- There were 1,923 forest fires from 2004-06 in Pennsylvania, consuming 14,966.9 acres.
-- The major cause of forest fires in Pennsylvania is debris burning.
-- Ninety-eight percent of all Pennsylvania wildfires are caused by people.
Source: Bureau of Forestry, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
PENFIELD - Wayne Wynick pulls out his decidedly nonhigh-tech equipment - a piece of string and a topographical map - to mark out a compass reading.
Wynick, assistant district forester, stretches the string from one point, then several others.
He demonstrates how coordinates reported from the four fire towers in his district are checked to pinpoint the spot where a wildfire may be burning in the Moshannon State Forest.
The towers stretch high above the forest, simplistic yet unusually important in an era of 911, cell phones, satellites, improved highways and increased civilization. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are the only mid-Atlantic states to use lookout towers as part of their fire watch programs.
''If you look closely at the map, what you see is a big block of state forest or game lands,'' Wynick said. ''People don't live there. We're not getting that early detection [of fires from onlookers]. With a cell phone, I can report that I see a brush fire - but here, it's a great black hole for cell phones.
''Our best early warning system in these big blocks of public land is the towers. These towers are critical for us.''
One observer sits in each tower for an eight-hour shift during wildfire seasons but may go longer if necessary. Pennsylvania observers help guard 2.1 million acres of state forest land.
Wildfire seasons are March through May and October and November, when a lot of leaves are on the ground - in spring, as the prior fall's leaves are dried out and crunchy underfoot, and in fall, as the forest floor is blanketed with leaves dropping from thousands of oaks, maples and walnuts, among other species.
Up to half of the wildfires in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are reported from fire towers, said Wynick and Assistant State Fire Warden Steve Murer of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
An observer spotting activity when it begins helps keep the fire from getting a head start, Murer said.
The tools of an observer also are low-tech - binoculars, a fire finder, a map, a radio, a telephone and a scanner.
Once the observer spots smoke, he or she will wait - it could be a farmer spreading lime on a field, Wynick said.
If it appears the smoke is growing in size, the observer will call or radio the report to the command post at the Moshannon forest office, where the state's fire response is coordinated.
State crews will be dispatched to put out the fire, along with local fire departments. Air tankers also may be used to dump water on the fire.
Pennsylvania has a long history of lookout towers, dating to 1884, when the first one - a building - was erected in Luzerne County.
As many as 444 known fire lookouts were in the state, some of them being in trees that, at times, were staffed by two people, but usually by a lone observer.
''They [fire watchers] would nail boards to a tree, climb up, hang on for dear life and watch for smoke. If they saw smoke, they would call down to the person below, who then would go and make the report,'' Wynick said.
Today's towers are metal with a small building on top.
The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources operates 46 towers in 26 counties, with the U.S. Forest Service operating one in Warren County.
When fire watchers are in the off-season, most have other duties within their respective state agencies. A New Jersey state government hiring freeze is causing some adjustments with that state's program.
''We have 15 fire observers and six vacancies. At times, we have to shift existing personnel,'' Murer said.
At least one tower in each of New Jersey's forest fire divisions is operated during wildfire seasons and other times when the woods are dry enough to burn, Murer said.
''When there are times of greater fire danger, we try to recruit part time, by-the-day help. It's just a stopgap for us,'' he said.
The Moshannon forest has 27 full-time employees. The number climbs to about 50 when seasonal workers are included, Wynick said.
Any DCNR employee can be used for wildfire duties - it's part of their job descriptions.
About 10 minutes from Wynick's office is the 90-foot-tall Rockton tower, built in 1927. It is one of the four Moshannon towers that cover Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties.
''We can see from airplanes and satellites, but the towers still end up our preferred choice,'' Wynick said.
On a clear day, a watcher can scan 30 to 35 miles with binoculars. It couldn't be seen two weeks ago, but on an exceptionally clear day, the reflection from a metal barn roof can be spotted near Carrolltown, Cambria County, from the Rockton tower, Wynick said.
Melvin McLaughlin of Penfield is a veteran smoke watcher. The 83-year-old has been up and down the metal Rockton tower for the last 15 years.
''I'm an old country boy. I've lived in Clearfield County all my life. I know every creek, stream and hill. I can sit up there and tell you where the fire is,'' McLaughlin said.
During the slow times in the tower, he said he gets out an old block of wood and starts whittling.
Some of the bigger fires he's spotted were in the Sandy Ridge and Curwensville Dam areas.
''You wait. It may be someone burning brush. Watch and see if it's spreading,'' McLaughlin said, noting how he approaches the first signs of smoke. ''You can tell a forest fire - the smoke will be a little bubble out of the top [of the forest]. If it starts spreading, you know it's not supposed to be there.''
Smoke-watching grows on a person, he said.
''I don't mind volunteering. It helps the community and helps the taxpayers,'' he said.
McLaughlin says he plans to volunteer for the 2009 season, if he is able.
Mirror Staff Writer Mark Leberfinger is at 946-7462.
Bull Run Fire
Fire Prevention
On Staurday, April 12, 2008 SmokeyBear and members from the crew were on hand at this years
WEBKINZ-VENTION & Kid's fair held at the Casino, Lakemont Park.
The crew put together a fun and educational display geared towards fire prevention. Some of the things given out were: coloring books, pencils, rulers, & informational booklets. Kids eyes really opened up when the crews special guest and friend Smokey came by to check up on everyone.
We would like to congratulate the following crew members for receiving 2007 Whip (Wardens Helping In Prevention) Awards: 
Kermit N. Alwine - 32 Programs
David Lynch - 29 Programs
Mike Beckwith - 28 Programs
Kermit J. Alwine - 20 Programs
John Otto - 10 Programs
Rick Meintel - 8 Programs
Keith Pote - 8 Programs
Michael Glunt - 8 Programs
Charles Wolf - 7 Programs
Kirk Pote - 6 Programs
Thank you for your time and effort helping Smokey keep our forests safe.
Gallitzin Forest District 6 / From the District Forester
The Bureau of Forestry and the Gallitzin State Forest have experienced some personnel changes in the past year. Dan Devlin is our new State Forester. The Bureau is in the process of filling Dan's old position. The Districts' changes Include: Terry Stemmler, District Forester replacing retired District Forester Robert Schweitzer; Michael Nelson replacing retired Service Forester Garry Leach; and Tim Yeager, Semi Skilled Laborer transferring to full time position with the Department of Corrections.
There has been some changes with job duties within the district. Chris Jones is the Service Forester for Blair County and Northern Cambria County (Route 22 is the dividing line in Cambria Co. for the Service Foresters). Michael Nelsonis the Service Forester for Indiana County and southern Cambria County. Michael will report to work at the district office; Management Forester for the district.
The following is a background history of my work experience before arriving on the Gallitzin State Forest. I am a 1973 graduate of Greater Latrobe Senior High School; and a 1977 graduate of Penn State University with a B.S. Degree in forest Science. One of my college summers was spent working for the Bureau of Forestry in Ligonier. After college Graduation, I worked seasonally for the U.S. Forest Service in New York, Arkansas and Montana; and for Internation Paper company in Maine. I was hired by the Bureau of Forestry as a YACC (Young Adult Conservation Corp Foreman at Camp Quehanna (Kartaus). This was a great program, but unfortunately the federal dollars ran out and the camp had to close. After working for DEP for a year; I transfered to the Pennsylvania Game Commission and worked as a field forester in the Southwest Regional Office (Ligonier). After 4 1/2 years with the PGC I had an opportunity to transfer back to the Bureau of Forestry. My next stop was the Elk State Forest in Emporium. On the Elk State Forest I was a timber management forester and service forester for 15 years. My most recent position was Assistant District Forester on the Tioga State Forest in Wellsboro. I spent the last 5 years working there prior to coming to th Gallitzin State Forest.
We have a great staff in the district and we look foward to working with everyone to carry out the Bureau's Mission Statement.
The mission of the Bureau of Forestry is to ensure the long term health, viability and productivity of the Commonwealth's forest and to conserve native wild plants.
