AmeriCorps Cape Cod Learns Basic Wildland Firefighting and Prescribed Burn Tactics
AmeriCorps Cape Cod Completed 2-day Blended Red Card Training Hosted by Cape Cod National Seashore
Hosted by the Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) Fire Management Office on May 12 and May 13, AmeriCorps Cape Cod took part in Basic Wildland Fire Training (S130/190). The training followed an online training module the members completed over the last month. The two-day field training involved fire shelter training using practice fire shelters, fuse flare training, wildland fire tool training, crew cohesion, communication and transport training (lots of hiking in gear, in line), and was capped off by a prescribed burn in a 2-acre plot of the Marconi Area.
The purpose of training was two-fold: firstly, to train the current AmeriCorps members in basic wildland firefighting and prescribed burn tactics, providing them with a new tool for Natural Resource Management and allowing them to be a resource for local, state, and federal wildland fire resources on Cape Cod. The Seashore also had their Seasonal rangers attend so they could be available to respond within the park if needed during the season. Secondly, to deploy and utilize the new Barnstable County wildland fire mitigation trailer- the entire training field day prescribed burn was executed using primarily Barnstable County resources (hose, pumps, tools, fire shelters, etc.) from that trailer, supplemented by the National Seashore fire crew.
Thank you to the Cape Cod National Seashore and Fire Management Officer, David Crary, for continuously partnering with ACC to provide hands-on learning opportunities for the Corps.