Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: What's going on?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back.
Today's episode is gonna be brought to you by Mystery Ranch built for the mission.
And if you haven't been rocking a Mystery ranch backpack for your fire
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Thank Point Podcast is also brought to you by our homies over at Hotshot Brewery.
It's Kick Ass Coffee for a Kick Ass Cause where a portion of the
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The Anchor Point Podcast is also gonna be brought to you by my homie
Booze over at the Ass Movement.
And if you don't know what the ass movement stands for, well that is
gonna be the anti surface shitting movement and it is a hilarious cause.
It's kind of like a, I don't know, uh, happy Music Over Sad News.
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Booze, you are my homie.
And yeah, you definitely carried, uh, the balance of the load there, uh, during
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meeting for the beer of land management.
So just wanna say thanks homie.
And last but not least, the Anchor Point podcast is, well, they're not
sponsored by, they're not brought to you by, but it is one of those close
relationships I have with Bethany over there at the American Wildfire experience.
And uh, yeah, I just want to show her some love for as long as I possibly
can because I believe in her cause and I believe in her mission and
she's got some rad stuff going on.
And if you don't know what the American wildfire experience is, well
they house the smokey generation.
And I know for a fact a lot of people out there have seen that rolling around.
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There's.
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and the story of wildland fire.
And some of these stories even date back to the 1940s.
It's pretty freaking bitching.
So if you want a little history lesson, or if you wanna sign up for
the Smokey Generation grant program, if you got a compelling story and
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There was this one dude out there who made, uh, we move mountains with
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Yeah, sky's limit.
Tell the story.
It's freaking awesome.
Anyways, if you wanna find out more, go over to you www.wildfireexperience.org
and you can check it all out.
Once again, www.wildfireexperience.org.
Bethany, you have a kick ass organization over there.
Keep it up.
The views and opinions of this podcast do not reflect the views and opinions
of the United States government, the Department of the Interior, the
Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, the United States
Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, national Park Service, the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, or any private municipal county or state firefighting
organization, any law enforcement agency, any medical provider, or any
contractor employed by any federal agency.
What's going on?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of
the Anchor Point Podcast.
So today we are going to be continuing our little series.
Uh, there's gonna be about four more of these, uh, from the Bureau
of Land Management State, uh, meeting, the preseason meeting.
And uh, yeah, uh, I'm gonna be the first to admit it, but I don't think I give
enough, uh, love to the engine programs that are out there in the, uh, fire world.
So we're gonna have them on the show today.
We're actually gonna be talking to a bunch of captains and a, uh, fire
Operations Tech, and I believe is the new title for it, the Fire Operations Tech.
It's kinda like a mini foz or foz.
Anyways, long, long story short, we got a bunch of folks that are gonna be talking
all about the engine program unique to the state of Nevada, including some of
those heli operations that you don't really see too much of in other places.
So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce four of my good friends and
their names are going to be Austin Lee.
Truett Anderson, Elliot k Cria, and Chris Weaver.
They're scattered all around the, uh, bureau of Land Management
stations across the, uh, state.
But they are here to inform you about the engine program.
And I am a little bit biased when I say this, but it is pretty badass.
I will say that.
So ladies and gentlemen, buckle up.
Welcome to another episode of The Anchor Point.
Great.
Here we go.
And it's too early in the morning for this crap.
So anyways, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode
of the Anchor Point Podcast.
How's everybody doing this?
Fine morning.
Doing well.
Yeah.
Doing great.
Nice, nice getting hydrated.
Yeah, we, uh, had a very extreme bowling tournament last night and
that went off without a hitch.
Truett Anderson: Yeah, it, uh, probably was one of the best bowling
turnouts we've had in the last.
It was good.
Yeah.
Since 2017, we've been doing it every year.
Oh really?
Every, yeah.
Every two years.
Biannual, whatever that word is.
And then, uh, yeah, last night I was actually shocked that that
many people showed up to bowl and hang out, have some drinks.
Nice man.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah, it was a good turnout.
A lot of good, like, I like the way that everybody just came together.
They're just like hanging out and ping around.
It's cool.
It's cool to see that stuff outside of like a work context, you know?
Oh,
Truett Anderson: yeah.
And I think the big thing like that, I was telling people it's like, man, covid,
like we've had the, all these meetings, like technically all these meetings can be
done, you know, through the new Zoom way.
Yeah.
But you finally got to go back and like, oh, hey, let's have a drink.
Let's bullshit.
Let's have a good time.
And then, oh, I haven't seen this guy.
You moved up like, oh, who are you?
And so, yeah, it's definitely changing.
Like I think everybody needed this, especially after Covid, you know, we
see each other on fires or something.
But like,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: was that like the extent of it though?
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: And, and coming in here you're like, cool.
Like we're hanging out now, like we're family again.
Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: No, it's a good thing, man.
It's uh, yeah, like on the line.
I mean, it's kinda like a work thing, but when he get to actually like mesh
and connect, I think it's really good.
It's good for like cohesion, you know, good for camaraderie,
good for all that stuff.
Just being the human, you know?
Yeah.
It's good shit.
But anyways, we'll go around the table here.
Let's introduce ourselves as the BLM engine, I guess committee, like you guys
are, been hand chosen by, uh, the state pretty much to be on the show today.
Talk all about the Nevada engine program.
So Austin started off man.
Yeah.
Austin Lee: Uh, Austin Lee out of Winnemucca District b l m.
Um, gonna be 10th fire season coming up in fifth year, running
a truck as an engine captain.
So, Happy to be here and yeah, I'm looking forward to chatting with you guys.
Truett Anderson: My turn, so my name's TruD Anderson.
Um, I'm the fire operations tech for Southern Nevada.
This will be my 15th season in Nevada.
Um, but yeah, I ran trucks for a very long time.
We've even worked on, um, Elliot's truck once, got yelled at afterwards.
But yeah, I am super excited to be here.
Make sure that my friend Elliot has a good time.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Elliot Krinka: Um, my name's Elliot Cria.
I am the fire operations Tech for Elco Station.
Yeah, the old guy here.
I guess I am on
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: 18 years.
Elliot Krinka: 18 years.
18 fire seasons.
Yeah.
Nice.
Yeah.
Um, It's new to me, so this, this part.
So it's gonna be exciting, I
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: guess.
A little different.
Yeah.
Nice man.
And you?
Chris Weaver: Yeah.
I'm Chris Weaver, uh, Carson City District outta Cold Spring
Station, uh, engine captain there.
And yeah, going into my 16th season and I think I might be the only one that's
worked for BBL m outside of Nevada.
Is that true?
Yeah.
Nice.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah, so nice.
How's the running competition with Biddle?
His knee's
Chris Weaver: Bittle bummed up, so
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: I haven't really ran with him.
That guy has a machine man.
He's running machine.
So you're saying you're, you're
Chris Weaver: winning.
I mean, I
Austin Lee: guess, you know, but I'm not,
Truett Anderson: you gotta take that win now.
That meme might get
Chris Weaver: better.
Yeah, that's true.
Yeah.
I'm, I don't consider myself much of a runner to begin with, so.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Well, you got the upper hand right now.
I mean, you just go like, was that professional like, uh, skater back
in the Olympics, like took out the other Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Forget her name.
But
Austin Lee: anyways,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: so let's talk all about engines, man.
So I was an engine guy for a while here.
I started off my career, uh, here in Carson City as well.
Um, traveled to Stead.
I was instead I was in Carson City, I was in Doyle, California.
Went and did my apprenticeship thing, did some hotshot time,
did some hell attack time.
Came full circle back to Elie where I met you.
Yeah, we worked with you.
And then, uh, I'd fill in on the engines.
I was on the hell attack crew out there, but I ended my career
back here in Doyle, California.
And, uh, Bronson was my captain.
He's, uh, in HR now.
That, that fool hot man.
That crazy circle.
Yeah, it's weird, man.
Truett Anderson: It, it blows me away when I see somebody get out of fire.
I'm like, you do that, it's possible.
Wait, you can do this.
Where's this secret?
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: But it's weird, man.
It's cuz I've had the most like, like, I guess the best times in
my career, probably in Nevada.
I mean, I went to, I got the opportunity when I was in EEA to go
over and teach at the academy and that was one of the times in my life.
So luckily I was afforded that.
But the engines here in Nevada, I, I think that they're, they're like one
of those resources that kind of win the day, especially on initial attack.
Cause we have a lot of capabilities out there, mobile attack, and
it's the perfect fuel type, oftentimes the perfect typography.
You know, you get out to the flats, you're chasing fire for a hell of a long time.
And then if you run into the hill, you just start plumbing
hose up the, up the hill.
Or you can crew up and make a crew out of like these engines that
are all dispatched to this fire.
Right.
So let's talk about like the capabilities and what you guys do, how you guys see
it and what you guys see in the future for the engine program here in Nevada.
That's deep.
Truett Anderson: It's super
Austin Lee: new.
Yeah.
Um, I can go first, I'll take it a little bit, but, uh, Elliot, similar
district runs those super heavies, those 6 68 s you know, so that flat rolling
fires along the, you know, grass and sage, you know, it's, it's direct with
those super heavies, um, where it's gonna go in the future with those.
I, I honestly am not sure they're up for a contractor right, right now.
So we'll see what the equipment shop comes up with next for that
specialized next piece of equipment.
Um, did some time on a heavy when I first started and been on a super heavy ever
since those, uh, 6 68 s so, Yeah, there's six wheel drive and cruising, you know,
either in front of the dozer or behind it.
Um, getting in the, you're into stuff.
Yeah.
So it's fun.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: So 6 68 likes the super heavy,
like, kinda explain what that is.
Like that package, that engine package.
Cuz not a lot of people are gonna know the, like, the numbers of
the bottles and stuff like that.
So a lot of listeners aren't going to be listening to that.
They're not gonna understand that.
So let's talk about like, the capabilities of it.
Yeah, for sure.
Austin Lee: So some of the capabilities, you got a six wheel drive, um, two models
in Attc Tatra or a Firehawk ex on a ocos chassis similar to what the military
uses for like the fuel hauling and Yeah.
Fuel haul is right.
Yeah.
Yep.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Or they're crash rescue trucks for the military.
But uh, what that looks like is 2060 gallons of water, 50 gallons of foam, um,
single cab, three seats across the front.
Air rise.
It's a little comfy real quick.
Real comfy.
Yep.
People say asses and elbows and it's true.
Um, and you know, it.
You got a wa a water monitor.
Some people like to call it a turt.
I like to call it a water monitor.
Um, or just a monitor.
But yeah, you fight for the fire from inside the cab, um,
you know, type three engine.
So pumping capabilities there.
Um, with that 2000 gallons of water, it's, it's, uh, it's more of experience
and strategy when it comes to how long you can go to, to fight that fire.
But, uh, they have their pros and they have their cons just
like everything else in life.
So, um, yeah, no, they do, uh, they do the good workout in Winnemucca
and, and, and Elco as well, you know, been, uh, been able to have the
opportunity to fight fire in Elco and, uh, Winnemucca with being on the 6 68.
So they do pretty good work.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Not only that, but they're pretty
damn cool looking too, I gotta say.
Those things are pretty beefy and they, they just get some, they can haul
ass across the desert and just pick pretty much anything you throw at 'em.
So, yeah, they do
Austin Lee: good work.
Um, but yeah, I, I'm excited to see what the feature holds for those, for sure.
Uh, especially cuz they're gonna be up for rewrite soon and.
Yeah, just see where it goes.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: So I couldn't imagine what
one of those tires cost, um,
Austin Lee: from Les Schwab.
You're roughly, did we say the quiet part
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: out loud here?
It's four grand.
Yeah, it's four grand.
Oh, shit.
Austin Lee: That's it.
Yeah.
Luckily we have the connection through d o d.
Yeah.
So we're able to get those for, uh, for a better price almost, you
know, two for the price of one.
So yeah, luckily we were able to circumnavigate a little bit of, you know,
getting those, those tires taken care of through the Department of Defense.
So
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: is it like surplus stuff that you're
trying to get through, like, I don't know, an Army Depot, like Herlong or something
Austin Lee: like that?
Yeah, I think it's essentially similar to that.
Um, I don't, our fire property and fleet manager usually handles all that ordering.
Um, but based off our, you know, annual tire inspections that we do every year,
those findings, we just place a bulk order through the D o D and, uh, we're able to
get 'em at, at pretty much their cost.
Um, and those tires, I believe are.
Uh, we're under an exemption where they're gonna still continue to
make them for fire and d o d.
Mm-hmm.
So we're pretty fortunate to at least be under that exemption and
still keep those trucks running.
So
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: speaking of exemptions with those
super heavies man, um, how does it work with like the road worthiness thing?
Like, that's gotta be kind of a challenge, a unique challenge for
like the Department of Transportation.
Like you don't see these things traveling down the road too often.
Usually when you see 'em in a military context, they're on a
load boy, like going somewhere.
They're Notre like cruising along the road, so, right.
Yeah, I
Austin Lee: mean, uh, it's uh, it's a long drive when you're
in one for sure can imagine.
It's very
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: quick.
Yeah.
I've never operated one,
Austin Lee: so yeah, it's one of those things, everybody passes you
on the road, but once you get off the road, you pass everybody else.
So it's, it's kind of one of those things, you know, they, they
off they off-road so much better than, than driving on the road.
But, uh, you know, you get there when you get there.
Um, the primary goal is getting there safe.
You can't fight the fire till you're there.
So biggest thing is, you know, we're gonna take as long
time, as much time as we need.
To get on scene safely and, and get after it.
So, oh yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Speaking of, uh, handling off-road
capabilities, I, I've heard like rumors about these things like being able to just
haul ass through brush, through washes, through rocks, through gnarly stuff.
It's like practically a, I don't know, a semi version of a trophy truck.
Like what's the speed capabilities of these things in like,
the desert crush and brush?
Yeah.
I
Austin Lee: mean, uh, if you're on the tatra with the air ride suspension
versus that, uh, that coil suspension, the tatra, you, it just floats.
Feels like you're on a boat, on, on glass water.
It floats really well.
Um, especially if you've got the air ride seat.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, you could probably go 40, 45, 50, um, off road, you know, if, especially
if you're on like a designated two track, um, you know, you're cutting
through vegetation or whatnot, you know, you, you go a little slower just
cuz you're not trying to break it.
Yeah.
But, uh, they, they do good work.
Uh, drainages, all that fun stuff, it's, it's one of those things you don't
get, toss the keys and say go drive it.
Um, it's definitely one of those things that you learn the
capabilities as you drive it.
Um, but yeah, they, they, it does awesome work once you really get
comfortable with operating one.
So
Truett Anderson: it, it's pretty cool.
Like I wrote an attachment with Elliot, uh, which that was pretty wild.
But like when you're in there, you're like, okay, like we're cruising.
This is all right.
But when you're not inside that thing, you're watching 'em mop through.
You're like, what are they do?
Because that thing is just rolling.
But when you're in there actually squirting water, you're like, okay,
like this is actually pretty good.
Like I don't feel all these bumps, but I know that what it
looks like on the outside, like I don't wanna get back in there.
Yeah, you gotta be careful
Elliot Krinka: cuz you can take those things where you don't want to go.
Yeah.
You
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: can probably get yourself
into a corner real quick.
For sure.
There's a reason rest meeting, like the capabilities maybe.
Yeah.
There's a reason there's
Elliot Krinka: a separate class just for that truck mm-hmm.
That you have to take.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: It's not like your
standard engine academy.
No.
Yeah.
Elliot Krinka: There's an extra 6 68 class that you have to take to drive that.
Okay.
So that's the reason, cuz you can definitely get yourself into some
trouble if you don't know what you're
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: doing with those trucks.
Yeah, I couldn't imagine that.
It's very maneuverable in tight spaces.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
They're a,
Elliot Krinka: they're a straight up, straight down kind of truck.
Um, it's real top heavy, so you just gotta be, be careful where you're
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: taking those things.
Gotcha.
So side hill's out the question.
It's not like a unimog, it's not out of the question, but you just gotta
be, you know, it's just gonna be aware
Elliot Krinka: of what you're doing.
Gotcha.
For
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: sure.
Yeah.
Thanks man.
So what about some other machines that we have out there?
I know we rely heavily on type threes and four s.
We got the special, uh, Tatras and six 60 eights you said?
Yeah, the, the
Austin Lee: Oshkosh is the kind of the term that we run by, so.
Okay.
And that's
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: where
Elliot Krinka: everything's going to is the Oshkosh Tatras out of there.
Mm-hmm.
And everything's going to the Kosh shop
Truett Anderson: Oshkosh.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: So is it just because of
operational expense for the Tatras?
I mean, I could imagine those things are cheap to run, but neither is an Oshkosh.
Yeah.
So we're
Austin Lee: still running.
Um, Tatra, it's, we still got one, but, uh, it was used in the chuckles
of Akia military as a missile carrier.
So, yeah.
Wait, what?
Yeah, so they were, they used them as a, a missile carrier mm-hmm.
In the truck, uh, Republic, but they, uh, they getting parts for
that truck is very difficult.
Yeah.
Um, there's one specialist out in, uh, Idaho where we can take it
and he's, he's awesome with him.
But, uh, you know, we, we had a biggest thing is like, don't break a windshield.
Whoa.
Following, you know, a dozer transport down the road doing what
we do, you know, cruising down a, a dirt road at fairly good speeds.
One of the duals kicked up a rock, broke the windshield.
Darn.
So I think the, uh, we ended up ordering two windshields, you know,
cuz you break one, you try to get two just in case it never happens again.
Especially with that truck.
And I think it took eight months to get the windshield.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Oh wow.
Did it put your engine down for like d
o
Austin Lee: t stuff or?
We were able to have a local windshield company at least just kind of put
a patch on it so we could keep running and doing the good work.
But uh, yeah, the parts are very slim pickings when it comes to that
specialized equipment and luckily the Oshkosh is a little easier getting parts.
Mm-hmm.
Um, but yeah, it's, it's, that's kind of I think why they, the big
push was to phase those out and come up with the next best thing.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Nice.
Yeah.
So what about the type three program?
Let's just work our way down to by type.
So type threes, that's what I got the most experience on.
Type threes.
And four is type threes the most experience on, I was wondering an
interface package with, uh, what was that?
Like a, I wanna say it was a BME interface engine 500 gallons, you know, tons of
gallonage, but you gotta have a hyd drink cuz you don't have shift of water.
Truett Anderson: Yeah, no water.
I, man, like, I, I hate type threes so much.
Like, yeah, the pump is better, but like you got less.
Now, I mean, I can't remember.
I haven't really paid attention, but like, we're still carrying a
lot of water, but we live in Nevada.
There's no water here except for the hyd.
Newsflash
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: it didn't say desert.
Truett Anderson: And so that's why I, I'm, I think it's great, especially we go other
places when we help out, but man in the state, like just gimme a four or type six.
Like I'm really against the threes.
But they're great.
I think now it's getting better cuz we're, we've fought for so many years in that
in the programs that like those trucks were single cabs to extended cabs and
now it's like, hey, like a four door, they're four door, they're a little
ugly, but there's more room for the guys.
And like people are starting to realize like, we needed that.
Like give us some
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: space.
They do look a little bit like a garbage truck now, I'm not gonna
lie, but they serve as purpose.
Like you can almost, my short ass could stand up in the
back of one of these two one.
Oh yeah, yeah.
But uh, the type threes man, I mean, yeah.
Out in like a majority of Nevada except for around like, Exclusively
Washoe County pretty much.
And maybe some of the outlying areas like maybe Elko.
You have some interface out there, of course around your towns.
That's where like the type threes really shine.
That's what they're built for interface.
Right.
While the intermittent interface, great.
I was here, so yeah.
Made the most sense to have a type three out here.
I mean, yeah, we do get, you know, out into the weeds.
Yeah.
They
Truett Anderson: have the purpose.
Like here, they work great.
I mean, other places like, yeah, yeah.
You can't go off road very well.
They don't turn as good as like a type six would.
But like yeah.
I mean I just don't like the type threes like, but I also, I
have always had the older ones.
Yeah.
So like I'm just there to retire the trucks.
All right.
See you later bud.
And then go order and wait about three years to get a new one there.
It is insane.
Elliot Krinka: Well, the nice thing is now that you know our we're, when we
are able to replace these type four s.
These older models, we can put that type three pump in there.
Yeah.
And still have the 7 50, 800 gallons of water you just swap out engine.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: So
Elliot Krinka: it's basically they're type threes, but you know,
we're calling 'em type fours.
So we have the pump capabilities of type three.
And I mean, we could call 'em type threes because, because of that pump.
Yeah.
But, but yeah, we're leaving the labels where they are with the type
four s, but the capabilities there.
Yeah.
So that's nice that we are able to do that.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Should we just start calling 'em the three
and a halfs type three and a half engines?
Yeah.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
Chris Weaver: So I was gonna say like all of the new ones we're getting
are the exact same and we're just labeling 'em as type threes, you
know, you're switching the labels.
No, I mean, you guys like the, you know, the ones you guys got elk over the last
couple of years are the same ones Yeah.
That they got over
Elliot Krinka: Carson.
They're not six 60 fives, right?
No,
Chris Weaver: just silver.
Yeah.
Um, and they're just, yeah.
I mean, it, it, and unless I'm missing something.
Yeah, they're the same capabilities and gallonage and everything, but.
Yeah, I mean, I actually run the truck that you were on two fourth outed.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Took care of my baby man.
Don't break her.
She's been down for nine months.
What did you do to my girl?
Chris Weaver: Man, you left.
You knew, huh?
Dude, I don't know what happened, man.
We drove back from Colorado Check engine light came on in Utah in June,
and uh, then the, the engine blue on July 4th, sat side of the, uh, side of
the shop for nine months got it back and the auxiliary power panel went out.
So it's just been one thing after another on that truck.
But we
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: will say with that old engine, uh,
the things that I noticed was it's got like electrical ghosts, I swear to God.
It's like you're chasing fucking wiring harnesses all they've manifested
Chris Weaver: into everything.
Cause it's not just electrical anymore, that thing's Yeah, yeah.
Thoses
Truett Anderson: are mean, man.
They just take away those trucks.
Well,
Chris Weaver: and it sat for two years without, you know, consistent, uh, use.
So I think they had time to just fuck around.
So, You know, get everything all messed up but
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: got really get in there.
Yeah.
So pack rats got into there and started chewing
Chris Weaver: up stuff.
But I mean, it's interesting cuz like from the interface, like that was
my first time on a truck like that.
Mm-hmm.
You know, I've ran, um, you know, kind of the traditional Nevada type threes
and fours, um, otherwise, and so, um, my assistant and I, like, we tore
everything outta that truck that was interface and made it a desert truck.
Yeah.
Because I'm like, I fight fire in Nevada, you know, I don't
need to carry a snap tank.
I don't need to carry three miles a hose.
Yeah.
Like I got hose packs, like, you know, I'm gonna respect the terrain that
we're in and the way that they fight fire in Carson versus maybe Elco.
But you know, like I wanna be prepared to fight fire in Nevada not to, you
know, um, Have all this stuff cuz you know, I'm trying to fit what
the, the mold of the truck was.
So, yeah.
Um, so hopefully once it's back up and running, we'll actually
get to try that out and see, see
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: if it, you know, works, works.
So, yeah, so there was a lot of outside pressure when I outfitted that thing
and uh, Bronz and I were in charge of that, that engine we outfitted it to
where we could easily go to California.
Cause we often, like previously, I don't know if it's changed a
lot, but we'd be finding ourselves in California all the time.
So whether that's either, you know, herlong or something close with where
we're at in Doyle or going over here.
So we had to have like the way I was kind of looking at outfitting, that
thing was a little bit of versatility to be able to go to California, set up
a tank, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
But there was, I will say some, some bullshit on that, that I had to put on
there and I just kept, it's like, I don't know where I'm gonna store this, so I
might as well just keep it on there.
And there were some also outside pressures about outfitting that thing.
Did it need three miles of hose?
No, like the amount of hose that was on there, probably when you
took over it was a lot, right?
Yeah.
But I mean like 16 hose packs on there or some crazy shit and we still have
Chris Weaver: all the hose packs and everything.
Yeah.
I mean we just, yeah, we, we tried to just make it where, you know, it's not
just inter interface truck, like we can interface, but then like, I don't
know, I, and last year was crazy slow on the Carson City district, you know,
so like I They're slow statewide.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
It was like
Chris Weaver: nationwide really.
I mean we burned 83 acres on district.
That's it last year.
Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Eight three, not 830.
Nope.
Truett Anderson: Eight three.
Yeah.
Vegas had more acres burned than like would've winnemucca
two years ago and then you guys
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: last year.
So yeah.
I find that really, really hard to believe cuz Vegas hardly ever burns.
Truett Anderson: Yeah, I know.
Yeah, it was, it's crazy how slow it was up here.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Talk about going stir crazy, man.
Yeah.
But yeah man.
So outfitting these engines.
Let's talk, let's skip back to the other type.
Let's, uh, let's talk about the type six s.
You don't see too many of those in Nevada, but they do serve a good
utility, especially with getting into like back in some steep shitty canyon.
You can get close and then start hiking, right?
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: And so, like I know the most, I probably hear
about type six s cuz you guys have all been on the I 80 mafia area.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: I 80 hot laps all summer probably.
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: But, uh, so like those type six s like eley
district, they have a bunch.
Mm-hmm.
And then Southern Nevada, we've got two right now.
And those things are amazing.
They're quick.
You can get, it's driving a, your truck off road isn't an F what, five 50?
Yeah, it's an F five 50.
You got 300 gallons of water, it's like 2 75 or something like that.
But you don't have enough water to do anything.
But if you actually know how to use that equipment, like you can hang and
go with those heavies for a while.
Oh yeah.
And like that's the one cool thing, like you can do really good hot, hot, you know.
Here we go.
Let's go have some fun, but then hey, get back.
But we're faster.
Like we can go get a water source way quicker.
Oh yeah.
And so that's the coolest thing that I love about these Type
six is like they're quick.
Personally, I think we should just get a word of everything above the type sixes.
We just, we'll pump
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: the brakes, man.
Every condition.
My
Truett Anderson: 2 22 or two four rather.
Elliot just heard this as well.
Um, there's been, you know, like trying to get the CDLs and all that, like there's
a new change for that in the state.
So like, okay, let's just get rid of, hes altogether.
Just give everyone type six s and we don't gotta worry about the
CDL requirements and all that.
Like it'll, it'll cure, you know, it won't help us.
Then you're gonna have to order
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: 2020 water tenders.
Yeah.
This is blasting me.
Get out.
Austin Lee: I'll let you take that up with my bosses.
About, just go and take
Chris Weaver: six, seven.
Didn't realize this was such a passion to yours.
I didn't know
Truett Anderson: Deep secrets.
Yeah, I, I mean I like all the trucks.
I don't mind, but I think the type six s are great.
I think they're.
They can be used really well, especially in this date.
Like oh yeah, we we're a lot faster on those types sixes.
So
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: yeah, I love 'em.
They definitely have their purpose.
I, I mean up in the Pacific Northwest of type six is like where it's at, right?
Yeah.
That's like how you get to places cuz you're not putting ship piles
of hose unless it's got campo campaign fire or something like that.
Yeah.
You need the water, right?
Yeah.
There's big timber and all that stuff, but chances are you're going in
there cutting line and you don't have enough water in the world to put out
some of these duff layers, you know?
It's, you're just pissing in the wind at that point.
Yeah.
So you wrap it up, you fall all your hazards, you clean it up the best you can,
you just dry mop it and then let all the other shit burn down in Pacific Northwest.
But type six rules the day up there as well and definitely has a utility.
So when you're outfitting all of these things, like a lot of people don't
know what goes into that, all these engines, all this equipment, right?
So let's bring up the equipment shop and how that whole thing goes down.
Like how they set the standards, what is, how they like, Assign compliments
of like, gear, all that stuff.
Truett Anderson: I really would like to know how they come up with,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: you know, did you guys know anything?
I mean, I, it's not like Jade's here.
Is he still in the equipment shop?
Yeah.
Yeah, he's there.
Yeah.
Shout out to Jade man.
Yeah, absolutely,
Truett Anderson: man.
Austin Lee: I know there's a certain dollar amount you're
given from the equipment shop to outfit it to your district needs.
Yeah, from my understanding.
Yeah.
You know, I, I just, we're just actually our type six is driving
back right now from Texas.
We just got a brand new one.
Nice.
Um, I put it together kind of a wishlist, you know, of what we think would suit the
needs of our district and our operations.
Um, you know, within Winnemucca, um, you know, you just kind of run with
that and, you know, get the blessing from everybody else, making sure
everybody else is on the same page and, you know, oh, did you think of this?
No, but I'll add it, you know, and you just kind of work
together and, and figure that out.
Um, and the aspects of like, You know, when, what the equipment shop
decided, I couldn't really tell you.
You know, based off, you know, I mean a normal unit stock of surplus items, I,
I really couldn't tell you what their, how their deciding factor goes into that.
Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Well, it seems like there's like a
national standard for what they're requiring for like engine typing.
Right.
As far as like the, the nuts and bolts, the pump package, the lights, all that
shit that goes on the vehicle, but, and they also set the standard for the n u s.
Right.
Normal unit stocking, of course.
Yeah.
That's like a baseline minimum.
Elliot Krinka: Yeah.
And it, it is definitely a
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: minimum.
Yeah.
Always bare bones, man.
Yeah.
If
Elliot Krinka: you've ever tooken your truck down to the bare bones,
what n u s minimum is, it feels like you don't have anything
Truett Anderson: on that truck.
It's, it's really nice.
Like, look at all this room, like, oh, I can put a bag here
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: and then, you know, the
coffee kit actually fits here.
Austin Lee: You're in a super heavy and you gotta make weight, won't,
let's go down to bare minimum.
And us then, you know, let's, instead of having 10 foresters, let's just go down to
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: the three.
That's all you need, really.
I hate Forester nozzles, but, uh, they definitely score their
purpose on a type six for sure.
Yep.
Yes, yes.
Truett Anderson: Running and gunning for miles, but I, I'm putting hella fire, bro.
It's funny, is like, I like to go look at what people put on their trucks.
Yeah.
Like, there's some good ideas that people have always, like, I'm
like, Ooh, I, I can steal that.
But the biggest thing is I go in and I hate when there's like, there's
three miles of hose on a truck.
Mm-hmm.
I don't have enough water to push that and I really don't like, what are you doing?
Like order more?
Yeah.
Like dig, like we, I mean, yeah, we drive equipment there, but like the philosophy
for me, I, it's skipped me from A to B and then back to a and in between.
Like we're gonna have fun, I gotta get out and use my Lambert feed like I'm gonna do.
Yeah.
Like I don't constantly need that.
The hose or like, I hate hose packed man.
Like, I think every year, like it's that time of year for us, you would
get ready for fire season and you gotta go out and you gotta do, oh,
let's go do the hose lay drills.
And like we're trying to come up with ways to make it funner for the dudes.
Like get engaged,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: not doing the same shit over and
Truett Anderson: over and over again.
Yeah.
But dude, you still gotta throw the hose layout and it sucks.
You're like, it's awkward.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: You got your pack on.
Yeah.
It's miserable.
And you got muscle hamster over there carrying like three hose packs and it's
packing a fucking saw for some reason.
It's like, what is
Austin Lee: going on here?
I mean, all that's just like learning points too, really.
You know?
Like, let's get outta the truck, let's stretch the legs and
let's, let's, let's learn, let's teach teaching moment, you know?
Oh, yeah.
So I mean, that's my perspective is I might have a monitor on my truck,
but do I need to use it every time?
No.
You know, really, I don't, you know, depending on fuel type and, and how green
or you know, how vetted my seasonals are, and then let's get on the floor and show
some stuff about mobile attack, you know, true, true tactics of the old school way.
Like, let's get to work that way.
So yeah,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Right?
Yeah.
Some of these tactics have been developed back in the day and they still were today.
Will they work for a fucking reason, right?
Yeah.
Oh, absolutely.
Yeah.
I mean, the monitor thing, I mean, we had, I 24 has a monitor too, and it's,
I've maybe used it like operationally twice, and it's just to get like some
rat nest up in a tree that happens to be on fire, just like, all right, later.
Cool.
Yeah,
Chris Weaver: I've never had a monitor until now and I don't really
know how I feel about it, just cuz.
I mean, yeah, maybe it said old school, just like feet on the ground, like, you
know, and, and so just that the idea of like the job of fighting fire from the
cab truck, just, you know, I don't know.
It's weird to me.
Oh yeah,
Austin Lee: I
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: know.
Yeah.
That's where the engine slug terminology comes in, in my opinion.
Austin Lee: Totally.
Yeah.
No, it,
Chris Weaver: yeah.
I mean, if I need to, yeah, if I need to, like, you know, if I'm coming up and
it's not the, the heel and I need to set up a spot to get the truck in and hammer
down some water, but like, I want to get, you know, get folks out and pushing
hose as fast as I can, rather than just roll slow roll and be like, ah, you
know, might hold, we're just gonna put as much water out and wasted as we can.
Yeah.
Because that's a big point of pride for me as a captains, like watching
trucks peel off to go fill up, and we're just like, let's just keep going.
Just like, you know, good water and like, you know, being able to, yeah.
Put in all that line.
When you're go on mobile.
So,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: and that's side, I probably wanna, I wanna
say that mobile attack is probably some of the funnest shit you can ever do, man.
Oh, alright.
There's like nothing like a good
Truett Anderson: mobile.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And people don't understand like how like, good, like there's, alright,
we're doing mobile, it's not great, but like, when you're especially on this
sage and it's just rip and you're like, oh man, like I gotta start running.
Like, it's so much fun.
And at the end of the day, like, yeah, you just got your ass kicked, but
then you're like, dude, look at that.
Look how many miles we've gone.
And you're like, yeah, miles.
It's not that far.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: And that's not an understatement.
Miles, literal miles, miles of fire out.
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: And you're like, it's, it's just so much fun.
Like, especially
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: when you get a good rocking, like
very well coordinated tandem.
Like say you have three or four engines going and then you know your lead's
putting out fire, you others' are following, maybe cleaning up the, you
know, the line, securing the line.
And then number one's out they peel off.
Next one just plugs right in.
Mm-hmm.
To keep on going.
Dude, it's, it's, it's some pretty cool shit to see a well
coordinated mobile attack.
It's like magic almost.
Oh yeah.
Truett Anderson: What it's crazy too, is like how well, like,
you know, like everyone else can jump in and do it with them.
Mm-hmm.
Especially in our state, like, oh yeah.
It's like a family.
It don't matter where you're at.
Like, it could be the Vegas truck that comes up with the muck boys and Carson
boys and like, okay, who's taking lead?
All right.
And then you're just sitting in the back like, I hope they run outta water.
Where's my turn?
I wanna get something like, don't catch this, don't catch this.
Like, we're not gonna hit the corner yet, boys just, we're almost there.
Oh
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: yeah.
Well, it's cool though because like everybody on the, uh, in Nevada, at least
on the engines and well just everybody in general, it's pretty well coordinated
and they just know exactly what to do.
Like the, I wanna say that the training in the state of Nevada's pretty good.
One thing that kind of like threw me for a loop though, is working in, under
other states and you bring, you bring up the topic of mobile attack, it's like
pump creeks and roll pump and roll it.
Not even that, it's like they don't do it.
Right, right, right.
And there's apl, there's plenty of places out there that would benefit
from like a solid mobile attack.
Yet, they don't really do it.
I, I haven't seen it very much outside of the state, except for like certain areas.
Maybe like eastern Oregon.
I've seen it a handful of times.
That's Idaho.
Idaho, Idaho too.
Yeah.
Especially like, yeah.
South of Boise.
Yeah.
At all.
Bruno area.
That's that kind of area.
They do it.
Yeah.
Cause it's kind of like an extent that to me, that's an extension of Elco.
Yes.
There's a state line, land
Austin Lee: type seemed like, uh, you know, like a little bit of, not
river bottom fires, but you know, like Arizona might perform a little bit.
Uh, Las Cruces, they did a little bit when I was down there.
A little mobile attack.
But Was it common
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: though?
Like it's common as it is here and southern Idaho, I
Austin Lee: guess it's all dependent.
We didn't get too many fires, but the one we did, you know, we just
mobile attacked right off the road because the other side was the river.
So, I mean, we just box it in exactly like used the roads and.
Yep.
Put it out.
So, I mean, I
Chris Weaver: started in Wyoming with the BLM and yeah, we mobiled you guys Mobiled.
Oh yeah.
I
Austin Lee: mean, I've
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: never fought fire in Wyoming,
so I guess I can't, you know, it's all frame of reference,
Chris Weaver: mostly type six engines.
Mm-hmm.
But yeah, I mean, it was, it was a mobile country and just
get out and roll it, you know.
Mm-hmm.
Um, but I mean, and I, I came to Nevada, you know, for my first
two seasons were 17, 18, which were obviously pretty exceptional.
And so, like the extent to which we mobilized here was, was impressive.
Yeah.
You know, like it was, you know, maybe a couple fires a summer
when I was in, uh, Wyoming.
But yeah, coming out here and it was like every fire for hours and like, yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: So, oh yeah, let's just go
and show you like the amount of versatility and engines.
Like, I hate that.
Like, yeah, there's engine slugs out there.
Like everybody hates that term.
Right?
But they're, that's that name that, that derogatory term I guess exists
for a reason because there are those people that fight fire from the cab.
But that's not something you can do here.
You don't even have a fucking opportunity to your As is getting outta that cab and
Truett Anderson: you're getting to work.
Yeah.
It and I think it doesn't matter what part of the state, like you're getting out
that cabret eventually that you gotta go.
Oh yeah.
Chris Weaver: I feel like a monitor in Vegas would be nice about mid-July.
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: Just to spread the air man, like an elephant out there
like, alright guys, go get under it.
Let's go.
But yeah, like it's, you just, I don't know, depending on which side of the
state, but man, I love dude, but I, I think it took me, I don't, I don't
think I actually got to do mobile until like, My fourth or fifth season hit.
Really?
Yeah.
I mean, on the Eley district you don't do mobile.
Yes.
You, it's super
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: mountainous over there.
It's, it's, yeah.
And you just
Truett Anderson: drive up and then you get out and you hike up, put
it out and then like the, you know, like those early years I was on hell
attack and a few other things, so.
Mm-hmm.
Which brings back the engines, like how much we are getting
better at working with the others.
So like with heli attack, like in Nevada, we get to go out and like do
the trainings so that we can hover fill.
That's the cool shit right there.
And it's like that right there, like cool.
We, we found a way to help out like, so the helicopter,
cuz there's no water, so Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
There's not
Chris Weaver: very many water sources.
That's something unique.
Yeah.
Like the hum field.
Yeah.
I mean outside of Elie District, I don't think
Truett Anderson: so.
I did it in Elk Gro seen once.
Okay.
And it was a few times.
Yeah.
It was awesome to watch everyone around me like, what are you doing?
I'm like, just, we got this in set up and just started.
Yeah.
We ne
Elliot Krinka: we never did it when you were there.
Uhuh in
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Noga.
Mm-hmm.
Chris Weaver: Hmm.
I may have heard of it like being done, but Yeah.
The only time I've ever done it was an
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Elie.
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
That's a thing.
That's, that's another thing.
So hover fills, let's, let's go into that just for the people that are trying
to understand what a hover fill is, because it's not, that is not common.
Yeah.
And yeah.
Don't talk about shit that's not really done outside of the state.
Yeah.
So I think
Truett Anderson: Nevada, I think we might be one of the only
states that's able to do that.
Um, so yeah, the helicopter comes in, you get your engine set up
with run out a hundred foot hose, crate that thing up, like make sure
that your pump is that full max.
So you gotta have two people leave
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: the foam off.
Yeah.
Yes.
Leave the foam off.
I've seen that happen.
But, uh, but then they put the recirc open and the foam's like
constantly flowing at 1%, dude.
Oh.
But
Truett Anderson: uh, and yeah.
And then you go out and that helicopter, you go stand under it and
it's hovering above you and two of you're trying to hold a bucket up.
Yep.
Well, somebody's trying to spray the water in there.
You're, you're gonna leave what?
Oh yeah, you will.
Like, there's no way, especially if you got a newer person that's
never like, understood it and they like, and all that, where they just
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: slam the boar open on the gate
or the gate open and you're like,
Truett Anderson: oh my goodness.
Like, and you're holding them there and they're freaking out.
Cuz
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: it's a lot of force coming out of these,
this like an inch and a half hose.
If you're feeling a bucket with an inch or an inch and a half hose, there's a lot of
force coming out of that, that full Yeah.
Performance.
But you also have helicopter
Elliot Krinka: overhead, then you
Truett Anderson: got the skids of the helicopter, right?
Yeah.
You got the
Elliot Krinka: duck, literally.
Truett Anderson: Right.
Well, and then what, like, you know, if it's windy, he's lifting
and so you're lifting a little bit, it feels like, oh yeah.
But you're just like, all right.
And then trying to get out of there, like, I mean, it's, it's a good time.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: It's pretty wild, man.
Like people are probably gonna be listening to this
portion and like, hover fills.
Are you guys high?
Like, what the fuck are you guys thinking?
Right?
Like,
Austin Lee: we signed off on this.
Yeah.
Who signed
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: off on this?
It's like, they're probably thinking the safety card every time, but yeah, it's.
It's, it's, it's a lot safer than you think it is.
Obviously there's always gonna be an inherent risk with firefighting.
It's a dangerous job.
Oh yeah.
News flash.
Cool.
We don't have the ability to go just dip out of Uncle Joe's pond
because, you know, it's his, his stock pond or something like that.
So we gotta do it with what we've got.
And that is one of those resources out there that we, it's really effective.
Yeah.
It'll
Truett Anderson: speed the process up.
Like it'll, it gets the guys on the ground and engaged a lot faster I think.
Like Oh yeah.
Especially in spots like where the trucks are still trying to get in there.
You got an extra truck around like, Hey, we're gonna do a couple
hover fills so that we can boom and start anchoring this in.
Cuz usually yeah, the engines get there, they can take this side, but that
one's running up the hill like Yeah.
You
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: know, you can knock some steam
out of it in the meantime.
Yeah,
Truett Anderson: yeah.
It won't run as fast if you can get some guys going up different
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: flas, so support 'em with,
uh, helicopter operations.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
That's a cool thing about, uh, engines I think.
I think that's underutilized.
Everybody wants to be, Everybody wants the glory of, oh, I'm a
hotshot, lifetime hotshot hand crew.
You know?
And it's, it's more than that.
I mean, engines are a great place, especially with the training and
development side of things, right?
There's a lot of versatility in engines.
You can crew up, you can get off district, you can go see some other
country, you can go see different fuel types, all that stuff.
And then, uh, yeah, like things like that are random, like the hover fill.
There's a lot of versatility built in these platforms, and
I think it's oftentimes under underrated and overlooked.
Mm-hmm.
How in which direction you can go with your career just by
starting, even out on mention.
So, none
Truett Anderson: the,
Elliot Krinka: sorry, the possibility is moving up
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: in your career.
Yeah.
And you're not stifled, you know,
Elliot Krinka: engines probably the, the easiest way to move up in your career.
Hot shots.
Everybody, like you said, everybody wants to do it.
Everybody wants to be one.
Yeah.
But that's
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: body's not going so
Elliot Krinka: hard, man.
Yeah.
Correct.
They're staying there.
Yeah.
Engines is, you know, you get your firefighter one, move up, get your eop.
They're, and right now we have so many openings throughout the state.
It's ridiculous.
It's sad.
We have so many openings.
Yeah.
So many possibilities move up in the engine
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: program.
There's a lot of, uh, that's a, that's a very complex topic there, I wanna
say, just because of like the paid classification issues, you know,
and then Nevada's a expensive state.
It doesn't matter if you're an e e, Elco, Reno, God damn, it's expensive here.
I mean, it's an expensive state.
The cost of living here is astronomical.
Truett Anderson: And, and people don't realize that.
Like, no, I, you know, like I've been in Vegas for a long time, but it was just
as expensive to live in Elko or Eley.
And it's like, dude.
Yeah.
And people are like, oh, it's just a small little town.
Uh, yeah, that small.
Yeah.
So it costs more to get stuff there.
And then the mining.
Like, mm-hmm.
It's
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: money.
Yeah.
It's, there's so much mining and, and like one of the overlooked things too
is like the agriculture community here.
Like, you go down to Austin, there's like some seriously
fuck you rich people out there.
Yeah.
And it's all like generational wealth from like ag either
ranching or, um, alfalfa farming.
I mean, it's expensive.
Yeah.
Doesn't matter if you're in Austins, Nevada, dude.
It's like, it's expensive.
A shack in the ghetto with maybe a garage or a one car garage that was
built in the 1940s is still gonna be 300
Truett Anderson: grand.
Yeah.
Which it shouldn't be.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Welcome to the club, man.
It's, this is Nevada.
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
And I mean, you go other places, like, you know, especially
now it's the hiring thing.
People are jail bouncing, and it's like, yeah, all right.
Like, cool, they're gonna offer you this little bit now, but why, why leave?
Just stay.
Stick it out.
And that's the, it's the hard part.
It's hard to find the right words to keep.
Your dudes still wanna work for you.
Mm-hmm.
But,
Austin Lee: Working with Weaver a lot this winter on the recruitment side
of things, you know, I, I visited the high school a lot, just trying
to get those 18 year old kids trying to recruit, you know, and yeah.
A lot of their parents are in that mining industry, you know,
and they make good money and it looks really appealing growing up.
And, you know, dad or mom working for the mine is, you know, you
know, supporting you and, you know, buying the things you want as a kid.
And I think that's great.
Bitching house.
Yeah.
No, you know, hats off to the mining eating ramen every night e Exactly.
You know, but, uh, you know, I, I just tell 'em, you know, like, come try
it and let the job speak for itself.
Yeah.
You know, cuz like, that's gonna tell you whether you love
it or, or leave it, you know.
And originally I wanted to do structure fire and everybody's like, go get
your foot in the door in Wildland.
And my first season I was like, I'm not leaving.
I love it.
You know?
Yeah.
And so, you know, we get to travel, we get to do all that fun stuff, you know,
and, and you get to see the country essentially, you know, putting fire
out, standing where no man stood before.
It's just, it's just, it hits deep sometimes, you know?
And so, That was like my biggest selling point.
So for any of you listeners, you know, just give it a, give it a shot.
Yeah.
Let the job speak for
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: itself.
Keep your toe in the deep end there.
But also, hey, side note, you guys get to, uh, well, working in Nevada on any
platform, whether it's held at cruise or engines, you definitely get a good,
uh, pin on some of your hunt zones.
You could use little pre scouting, so Oh yeah, yeah, that's, yeah, that's
another got that going for you as well.
But yeah, I mean it's, it's hard though.
It's uh, I mean the pay parity thing, it's, it's hard, especially in this state.
And California's even worse.
I mean the cost of living here is like, we're bitching about that, but
California, oh fuck man, it's like bad.
But that's the thing though, it's like you have so much opportunity to move up.
You could be a GS fantastic.
I mean we have plenty of them in this room, in this
building for this whole week.
Right.
And uh, they all started somewhere and that's the thing is it's getting your
foot in the door starting somewhere.
Cause there's a lot of opportunity in fire.
I mean, you don't even have to stay in fire.
You can go be an ologist or whatever is so, It's a lot, lot of places to go.
And
Truett Anderson: that's one of those big selling points like that, you
know, cause I do able to help out with a lot of the recruiting down south.
Like I, I love to go to the schools and, and try to get kids engaged.
Mm-hmm.
But that is one of the biggest selling points is like, hey man, you might not
like fire, but like you got a retirement.
Oh yeah.
Real quick.
Like, and some of the schools like you go to, and depending which
school it is, like yeah, they've got rich parents, like they don't care.
But you go to the, one of the trade schools, you go to these lower
income style schools, especially in Vegas, we got like 28 high
schools to try to visit all year.
And like you go to one of those schools where those kids are like,
wait, I can get a job and do what?
Yeah, I can get a retirement, I can do this.
Like, yeah man.
And the hardest part though is the application process.
That's, oh man, that's the
Chris Weaver: killer.
Yeah, for sure.
Like, so Yeah.
Um, at the state level last winter we started a recruitment retention
program and uh, yeah, Austin was our rep for Winnemucca and we had.
District reps, um, throughout the state that were working on recruitment for,
you know, their needs on the district.
And yeah, going through that application process and like, what we found was
the, the districts that were able to sit down with interested applicants
and essentially walk them through the entire process unique where we saw the
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: most success.
Yeah.
Like I had no fucking clue what I was doing when I first applied to USA Jobs,
and that was shit almost 15 years ago.
Right.
Yeah.
Like how do you explain that to somebody over like the phone,
Chris Weaver: you need to do this.
Like, and we're still getting, I mean even, you know, applying for that,
not even that first job, but that first career seasonal or whatever,
like people are still getting hung up and getting, you know, kicked back.
Cause Well, they forget
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: to put their 40 hours of work week.
Yeah, totally.
Chris Weaver: Exactly.
Yeah.
Or driver's license or whatever, you know, and yeah, you get hung up and then
just the way the system works, like, all right, well now you gotta wait until this
time next year, and then you're trying to convince 'em that it's still a good.
A good choice to be here and, and, you know, put in that time and, and energy
and wait that extra year for that career seasonal position or whatever.
So that's where the challenge is.
Just like, we're so rigid in some of the stuff that the way the system's
set up, you know, like, whereas like yeah, in the private sector, it's like
a lot more flexible it seems like.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Gimme your one page or two page resume depending on if you're like mid-career
entry level or professional, you know?
Yeah.
And it's just like, here you go.
Truett Anderson: Well, it's funny too, is how every organization
does something different.
Yeah.
And this year was the first time I ever seen the hiring.
Like, they would go to Redding and all that and he would just
go up, have you had a resume?
And they're like, cool.
Hi, wait.
Whoa, whoa.
Why are you, hold on, hold on.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Like, I wish it was that
Truett Anderson: easy for me.
And it's, it's crazy how that works.
But man, like the other biggest issue is these kids like the, oh, this is too hard.
Which is cool, like, all right, we weeded you out, but man, like
there's some, you're, you're wishing that they would've applied.
Like, so in Vegas, the one year I went to the school three
different times, same school.
First time there was like a hundred kids in the room and talked with.
Cool.
Next time there's like 30 kids.
Then I went back, there's 20 kids after school and they all brought their laptops
and I had 'em all open 'em up going to USA Jobs and we sat there for two and a
half hours and we applied like no shit.
Yeah.
And you know, I don't know if any of 'em took a job, they didn't come
to Vegas, but you know what, like I got toyed more kids to go in there.
It's the start, right?
But yeah, but show in the process and and watching how it
dwindled down, like exposure, we
Austin Lee: Yeah.
Yeah.
It's the exposure right there.
So
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: it's,
Truett Anderson: yeah, it's not the greatest way to go recruit it.
Like it's time consuming, that's for sure.
Super time consuming.
But I mean, at the end of the day, like it helps.
But I kids would rather go be an ad anymore than
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: that's how I started out, man.
I mean, it's a great program for, especially for like a farm week.
And I wouldn't have had, you know, worked into a permanent full-time position
unless I started in the ad program.
Right.
That was my foot in the door.
And it's, I think it's a great program.
It serves its purpose, but if you want to like actually make a
career out of this, like, you gotta apply, you gotta start somewhere.
You gotta get in.
Austin Lee: So, yeah, and I think the ad's are great.
I mean, um, you know, we have e n a and w n a and like worked with them a lot.
Those, those programs, you know, provide, I think also like a catchall
where, you know, at at least two or three guys this year where, um, you
know, there were, there were engines that were interested with them, then
they messed up their application.
But it's like, all right, we'll get this ad application
in, you know, and then mm-hmm.
Um, at the very least, like we can capture some of that population that's still
interested, but, but may have been missed.
So, you know, I think the biggest part of it is just that tracking though
is like, You know, going to the high schools or whatever, but then like that
follow up and just keeping up with 'em.
And, and that's where the districts did really well this winter with just
like, um, you know, creating like events where, you know, like you guys had
folks come down to the station, right?
Yep.
And, and then like, Elco rented out a, um, lap or a, um, it's like a computer lab.
Computer lab, yeah.
Yeah.
Kinda like a community college there.
Yeah.
Okay.
And just like what, three or four sessions throughout December where they were open
and people could come in and, and apply.
So
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: see that's the way to do it, man.
If we want numbers, I mean, it's, it's FaceTime really.
At the end of the day, it's exposure because I mean, we, everybody in this
room has probably experienced it.
Nobody knows what a wildland firefighter is, right?
Right.
You go in the grocery store, you're, you know, getting your
lunch for the day or whatever.
You get your green pants on your boots and your crew shirt.
Cool.
Someone asks you, oh, what do you do?
And you say, I'm a wildland firefighter.
What do they typically say?
Thank you.
Truett Anderson: Well, smaller, well smaller towns, it's gonna
be a little bit town smalls.
Thank you.
Uh, like so in Vegas, people don't understand like, yeah.
People look at me funny, like, cuz they're like, you have a beard.
Yeah.
You're a firefighter.
Yeah.
Like I, I'm a cool firefighter.
I, I go do things.
I'm a real boy.
Yeah.
And, uh, and it's, that's where, I mean, really, I'm just a supervisor
now, but I mean, back in the day, like being on the trucks and that,
like, yeah, you do what Right.
Then it's a long process, like trying to explain it, right?
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Do you automatically assume that you're either, hey, a Cal
fire or b a smoke jumper, right?
Yeah, because that's like the glory, that's everybody.
Everybody knows them,
Truett Anderson: that you jump outta a helicopter.
So it's like, yeah, like Howe Long, I got two saws, like, we're going
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: recycle all that stuff in one hand.
There's some homework assignments for the listeners there.
Truett Anderson: I've, I've learned that a couple times the last few days.
Like I say like these shows or movies and everyone around me like, what?
And I'm like, Go watch that now.
Yeah.
Like, you need to go watch that.
And now I'm turning into one of the older guys in the room.
I'm like, Ugh.
What do you mean you
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: haven't seen Videocracy?
That's the best documentary ever.
Mm-hmm.
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
It's blowing me away.
It's, it's, it's uh, kind of a shock these days.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Well I think it's like, uh, the PR problem that we kind of have, it's like we don't
do a good job of telling our story.
So, I mean, a lot of people just don't know what the federal side
of wildland firefighting is.
They see smoke in the air somewhere off in the hills that they probably
may or may not have visited or hiked through or whatever.
And then green, yellow buggies, they show up.
Then depending on the severity of the fire, how long it goes for, they take off.
It's like they show up in the dead at night and they
just leave and smoke's gone.
Oh, thank you.
You cal fires over there doing like structure protection.
Yeah.
And they're very, very visible.
I mean, in that, in the retardant planes, I mean, you can't miss that so
Truett Anderson: Well, and it's, I think we're getting better
at trying to tell our story.
I just don't think we.
I mean, I, I'll be honest, I hate when the camera comes out, like, yeah.
Whenever they're like on the fire line because somebody is sitting
over there watching like, oh, you don't have your gloves on?
Like, yeah, I don't have my gloves on 'em on the radio.
The Blue Falcon shit.
Yeah.
And it's like, stop that.
Like stop, like, you know, we look at these pictures, but if it's a good shot,
like, okay, like I'm glad you caught that.
Don't come hammering down on me.
Yeah.
That way I'll go, okay.
Yeah.
I'll remind them next time like, Hey, we gotta do this.
Like, put your damn glove on when you know, we sweat through our hands.
So you wear your gloves all day, you're gonna go tee you really fast because Yeah,
you're gonna have holes in your hands.
Yeah.
Like you've gotta take your gloves off.
Like eventually you do if you, we tell it and preach it, but
like, go mess with the pump.
Those gloves are not on for very long.
No.
I think we're getting better at telling our story.
The social media pages, like letting people sit there and make their, put their
little pictures of what they've done.
They're all dirty.
Like the younger kids love doing that.
Like it's great.
I think it's starting to, but you know, everyone, there's a ton place.
Yeah.
And then everyone just always thinks, oh, do you go to California?
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: If I hear, if I had a nickel
for every time I heard that, I'd be a very, very rich man.
Oh yeah, Jesus man, do I?
But it's getting better.
I mean like the whole social media thing, like doing it for the
Gram, like don't do stupid shit.
But it's also, at the same time, it's important to share that story
with your friends, your family.
Sometimes some of that content goes viral and people learn man, and
like, yeah, if you don't have your clothes on in a photo, Chances are
you didn't need your gloves on, man.
Yeah.
It's, it's, we make these, these decisions about safety
and P P E and stuff like that.
Right.
If you're well removed from the fire and you don't need gloves,
then you don't fucking need gloves.
The FMO shouldn't be busting your balls about that.
Yeah.
Because everybody out there knows when the appropriate, well, for the
most part, not everybody, but for the most part, you know, if the, if your
leadership is taking their gloves off, the chances are you can afford
to take your goddamn gloves off, man.
Yeah.
So stop harping on people and just like spread the positivity, tell the story.
It's important because we do have a PR problem.
Austin Lee: That's, yeah.
I mean, when I was talking with the kids, you know, one of the questions that
comes up is, sounds scary or is it scary?
It can be.
Well it, it can be at times.
Absolutely.
But you know, we give you the training and everything you need to do it safely
and that's when you just trust in that leadership, you know, above you.
Um, you know, all of us in this room has probably seen a lot of stuff.
Mm-hmm.
You know, and, and we build that mental slide of we saw it, we, we sifted out
what we liked, what we didn't, and we stored in our long term memory.
So if we were ever faced with that challenge again, we, we
know what to do at that point.
Yeah.
You building those slides, right?
Yeah, exactly.
It was mental slideshow, you know,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: so, yeah.
But there is something kind of attractive about, like, one, the Dirtbag lifestyle
and it's kind of been like a recurring theme with all these conversations
I've been having with folks this week.
And, uh, it's, it's enchanting man, but it is very much a young
man and young woman's sport.
I mean, when you start getting into like, the level of your careers, right.
It, it's got us different challenges, man.
I mean, you guys have, uh, guided your careers to, you know, be
successful, especially with dealing with like the issues that.
Everybody fucking is eating the same turd sandwich when comes to PE classification.
But there is a lot of things on the horizon to make that better.
And I wanna say, to shout out to Nevada that they're being pretty progressive.
I fucking hate using that word, because depending on what flavor of politics, you,
you belong to that word, progressive can have some serious negative connotation.
Right.
But I think that, uh, for the definition itself, I think that Nevada's pretty
good at taking their, taking care of their people, getting 'em trained
up, getting 'em paid, getting 'em the right grade for like engine captains.
I mean, what they're eights now.
Yep.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
And that was what, that's recent.
That was what, four or five years ago?
Oh, right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And just pushing the boundaries, man, and getting people like the
stuff that they need to do their job successfully and also live like
Austin Lee: Well, and that's where that retention part comes in.
I mean, like, I think BLM Nevada's done a really good job in terms of like,
uh, They have started like this health and wellness, um, like week long, uh,
class that they did one in Vegas and they did one in Reno and like mm-hmm.
That was great.
I attended the one in Reno and, you know, I mean, it was an opportunity to
learn, um, you know, like in a, a longer period of time, like both like, you know,
from a mental and physical nutritional wellness, you know, standpoint.
Yeah.
Whole body, right.
Holistic top down and, you know, that's stuff then that we're able
to take back to the districts and then, um, you know, hopefully
disseminate and, uh, and continue.
But like, even, you know, this like bringing everybody together in the
spring, like that goes a long way throughout the whole season because,
you know, like when you run into somebody inevitably in Winnemucca,
like you've, you've at least met 'em.
Mm-hmm.
Or recognized 'em like, oh yeah, I saw you at, you know, the spring
meetings and like, so, um, like you're getting at it before, like just.
You know, having those opportunities to interact pre-season, like
that's super unique to Nevada at a statewide level, which is
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: cool.
Yeah, I've only experienced that kind of, uh, pre-season meeting, so like
where it's kind of similar to this and the Road group resist you so up in
region six, but that's the only other place that I've ever seen it done.
And they'd bring outside, you know, consultants and I guess
the academy as well when I was going through the Jack Academy.
But, uh, yeah, I think the Nevada's good cuz they're, they're not afraid of begging
for forgiveness as Brock would say.
It's, yeah.
They just do shit and it's, it's, it's obviously working.
It's productive, right?
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
They've been, I mean, I've been coming to this meeting for a very long time.
Yeah.
Um, and it's gotten way better.
We're bringing in people, but now they're actually asking what we want.
And so now it's like, all right, finally like, I want to see this, this, and this
at the meetings and, and like the mental health has always been the biggest push.
Yeah.
And then like, okay, like getting the minor red book,
we're forgetting some things.
So bring someone in, you don't breathe through your nose.
Like, like it's awesome that we're doing that.
Finally bringing in people that are actually what we're asking for.
Yeah.
Like, and when Brock has done a great job at and Pauling on them, like,
it's cool that we're finally, it's a little bit, you know, like they're
not giving us everything we've always asked for, but yeah, to give that
little bit, I mean, that's a reason to come back to work every day.
Like get a little bit of appreciation, so mm-hmm.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
Yeah.
And feel like somebody's listening.
Yeah.
You know, because in the government it can very easily just, you know,
especially five, 10 years in, you're just like, you don't feel like
anything you say goes anywhere.
So.
Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
We get those people that are like the traditional high level government
employee where they're fucking retired in place and they don't
do shit because they don't care.
They're two ways, two years away from retirement.
Right.
It's not like that here.
No, no.
Truett Anderson: No, not anymore.
I mean, but year five as a firefighter, that's about when you realize, you're
like, like, okay, I'm, I'm, you're, it's like the honeymoon, like you're
just coming out of the honeymoon stage.
No, shit's getting real.
Yeah, shit's getting real.
I gotta, I got a really good qual, you know, like, we're gonna do
something and then next thing you're like, fuck man, what am I doing?
And then you're sitting there bitching like, why am I still doing this job?
The sport
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: bitching phase.
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
Yeah.
And then next thing you know, you're like, oh shit.
Like I've got like eight or nine years till my 20 and I can retire.
Like, fuck.
Like I guess I'm stuck, man.
I'm over the hill.
Like, I actually better start changing some shit.
But like, that's the, that's where I'm at right now.
I'm on the downside of, you know, get, get through a few more practices
and, and we'll see what happens.
Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: That's another thing too, man.
It's like this does have a, a, a good feel to it.
And uh, and I know it sounds like I'm riding for the brand for Nevada b l blm.
Right.
But that's like, Pretty much a majority of my career, it is the majority
of my career, uh, exclusively, not exclusively, but primarily in Nevada.
Right.
And I've seen the things that, uh, the state has done with all of their programs.
Right.
Fire wide.
And it's great, man.
I keep coming back for a reason.
I mean, I went to region six, fucked off at the academy.
Yeah, dude.
It's, it's, I keep coming back for a reason.
So.
Truett Anderson: Well, and I think it's funny too, is like in Nevada, like we
go somewhere, we all, you know, going back east or, or up north, like you,
everyone asks like, where you from?
Like, oh, I'm from Nevada.
And they're like, oh, do you not Vegas.
Yes.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
I say, Vegas is nine fucking hours away from Reno.
Okay.
Truett Anderson: Oh yeah, yeah.
That's always, oh, you live in Las Vegas?
I'm like, yeah, but I really like, I grew up in Rio Nevada.
Yeah.
Oh, Reno.
No
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: you don't.
Speaking of tying in on that point, do you talk to people in, they're from Nevada.
It's like, oh yeah, I drove through Nevada.
It's least, fuck.
I'm like, Get off the beaten path, man.
There's some beautiful country like Wheeler Peak out there, man.
Yeah.
It's, it's gorgeous out there, but it's all off the beaten path.
Truett Anderson: All of it.
Yeah.
You gotta stop being Lincoln.
That's
Elliot Krinka: not necessarily a bad thing that people drive
down I 80 and don't stop.
Yeah.
They don't
Truett Anderson: wanna move in.
This is true.
Right.
They just keep going right there.
They can go to Idaho, they go to Utah.
Like, yeah.
Keep getting, don't come into our state.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: You outta Sandy, Utah.
Not to see Sandy.
Utah is a beautiful place.
You should definitely move there.
Nevada's ugly.
It sucks.
It's ugly.
We've got
Truett Anderson: aliens like we got nuclear waste.
Yeah.
Don't, don't, don't come down here.
But it, it is true though, like, man, there is some cool shit in our state.
There is, man.
And people don't, people don't need to know about it.
Yeah.
I'm not gonna,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: I'm not gonna stay on I 80.
Yeah.
Stay on 80.
I mean, I kinda give away, uh, the wheeler peak thing.
What is that?
This is tallest, uh, peak in Nevada, right?
Yeah.
And, uh, everybody knows about that though.
And you can
Truett Anderson: look it up.
Yeah, it's, it's a national park.
Like yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: I'm not gonna drop any of my like, hunting
spots or anything like that, but No, but like, stay the hell outta my rivers.
You're overfishing 'em.
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
I still haven't seen a river in Nevada.
We have no water.
We've got no
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: water.
There's
Elliot Krinka: no water here.
Yeah.
That home
Truett Anderson: fits to sun 'em again.
Let's just keep it
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: short.
Classified shorter.
Class Five rabbits in the humbolt.
So let's talk about training, man.
Um, the training programs, I think with the Nevada, with all the Nevada b LM
is pretty good, but engines I think kind of stands out and shines as well.
I mean, you got the EOP Academy and that's some pretty cool shit.
I mean, what is it now?
Because when I went through it, it was about a week.
Yes.
It still a week.
Still a week.
Okay.
I didn't know if it changed or anything like that, but is there six days?
Austin Lee: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Classroom time, field portion, driving trucks, doing cone courses,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: and then it's a crash course in like
Austin Lee: evoc.
Man, it's cool.
Yeah.
It hats off to those guys, you know, that, that coordinated it.
Like Braun.
I know he, I know he took the chair from be.
Mm-hmm.
And you know, he's coordinating that I think right as it ends.
Wait, Jeremiah?
Yeah.
Jeremiah Aron.
Oh, hell yeah.
How's that dude doing?
He's doing good, man.
Right?
Done.
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: Um, it's just sad.
We have a dozer guy this year that's gonna be doing it.
Yeah.
He's our new job, so.
Yeah.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
But, uh, I think the coordination for that starts right after it ends, really.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, there's a lot of plan and planning going into it, and who wants to help teach
what, and, you know, how many members are we gonna be expecting next year and
logistics and, and all that fun stuff.
So, I mean, hat's off to him for taking on that and, you know,
and bile for, for running it.
The, yeah.
Like the decade he did it seems like, you know, I mean, he taught my class
back in, uh, 15, 16, somewhere in there.
So, I mean, yeah.
Hat's
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: off to bile too.
I'm trying to remember when I went to EOP.
I think it was the year before Biddle, I was under C Mask, so Chris Mason.
Oh, nice.
Yeah.
So I wanna say it was like, shit 20 13, 14, I don't know.
I blacked out.
Yeah, but it's cool man.
Cuz it's like a, it's like a crash course in everything.
Engine operations, right?
I mean, do I like doing uh, volume calcs and all that stuff, like
flow charts and all that shit?
No, I don't think anybody likes that stuff.
And I, I, I, if someone busted out a slide rule on a fire, I'd probably
punch him in the fucking face.
But it's good.
It's useful maths in some context, right?
There's some things you can pick up, some things you can remember.
Um, is it practical to, you know, bust out a slide rule on a fire?
No, it's not.
But it might serve its purpose for going somewhere else, right?
Maybe you end up at the equipment shop and you have to do something, right.
Do some calculations.
I don't know.
I don't know where that serves purpose enough about that shit.
But there's other things that are of value in the EOP program.
Um, Man, just like day-to-day operations and maneuvering, like
evasive maneuvers, stuff like that.
Backing and familiarizing yourself with your vehicle.
Yeah, that's
Truett Anderson: the huge one.
Like, so I think these guys, like, we bring in everyone from around the
state that's got a whole little niche to how they're helping at that academy.
Mm-hmm.
And, uh, long one of the guys in Vegas, man, this dude couldn't
find anything wrong with the truck.
Like, he was always walking around and he's like, Hey, this is broken.
And it's like, alright, fix it.
Like, fuck.
But like, he's telling the kids like, to like really get engaged
and look at things and, and that's what you need, man, like Yeah.
The attention to detail.
Yeah.
And when it take, they take an extra five minutes to do a, the daily check.
Like, okay, but did you find something wrong?
Like, no, I just, I was really worried.
I don't care.
Like if you were worried Yeah.
You were looking,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: you're accounting for safety, right?
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
And that's, I think the coolest part is like, these kids are getting, you
know, a little secret from everybody.
Like, Hey, always check this.
Always look at this.
And so it helps out.
Yeah.
Elliot Krinka: Then you know the thought of bringing everybody's engine with them
from throughout the state, you get look at what's going on throughout the state.
Mm-hmm.
Not just looking at your own engine all week.
You're looking at elites type six.
You swap as big too.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Mm-hmm.
Yep.
You're jumping on and operating other vehicles too.
Type threes, type
Elliot Krinka: four s sixes, you get a get the whole batch.
So it's a one of the top things I think about that.
EOP Academy.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: One thing I think that's cool about the,
uh, standardization fee, like across the entire state, especially with any
ground vehicle, crew, vehicle or engine.
Right.
Any apparatus that we have out there is the, uh, standardization
of medical equipment.
Oh yeah.
That is fucking cool, man.
That in the expanded it's scope of practice that we have for our
medical direction, but that was something that was pretty cool too.
But everybody knows where it's at.
Yeah.
Everybody.
Truett Anderson: Yeah, look for the sticker.
It's right there.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah, it's right there.
You know what's gonna be in there too?
Truett Anderson: So yeah, every bag's the same, like, all right, cool.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah, if there's an I w I though
that's, that's time saving.
That's potentially lifesaving.
Yeah.
Just having like that knowledge that everything's standardized.
So, but yeah, man.
Uh, I don't know about you guys, but I used to drive like an as still
kind of do, but I have kids now, so I don't drive like an ass anymore.
They're usually in the backseat.
But I will say that the EOP Academy translated into like, just everyday stuff.
Like it's probably made me a better driver overall and I think I wanna just
like attribute that to the EOP program.
What about you guys?
Truett Anderson: I'm a shitty driver.
I drive fast.
Uh, I don't drive fast in my truck cuz it, it won't go, it's an old truck,
but, uh, I drive like an asshole.
But I mean, it does, it does help you out.
Especially the situational awareness part.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Like, you know, like I don't hit as many tree branches anymore,
but that was trial and error.
Like some
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: things will
Truett Anderson: learned the hard way.
Yeah.
But that, I mean, That place has really taught you, like,
I think it's gotten better.
I've, I haven't gone back since I went to eop.
I haven't gone back and helped.
I just wasn't like, yeah.
I just wasn't into it.
But everyone else, like, they keep telling me new things that happen every year.
I'm like, all right, this is cool.
Like, you guys are getting a lot
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: better.
Yeah.
So do the, uh, cadre of eop, do they still fuck with the students when they
go out on their field days, their op day?
Austin Lee: I, I wanna say they do.
They go out and, you know, they'll crack open a
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: valve or something like that.
Yeah.
Or
Austin Lee: do that, or, you know, un unlatch a battery box strap or something.
Something just
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: fucking rock inside the
Austin Lee: throttle of your pump.
Yeah.
Just to see if they find it, you know what I mean?
And it's great, you know, practice like it's live, you know, and, you know,
for taking away, you know, in the life perspective, I think anything eop, any
trainings we do it, it's, you could take something from it and, and make it part
of your life, you know, and how you, how you take it, you know, and incorporate it
in your own life, personal life, whatever.
Yeah.
There's always key takeaways.
Like our leadership classes, I think they're great, you know,
all that fun stuff, but, Yeah.
I think, uh, for takeaways is every class we offer really is
is one of those courses where you could take something and implement
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: it.
Oh yeah.
That it implements itself.
Like you can take a crew boss class and still get something for your engines.
Right.
You can take a, a hecken class and obviously we talked about the hover field.
That's, that's a huge benefit, right?
Knowing you get some familiarity with ships.
Uh, side note on the, uh, EOP Academy, shameless admission of guilt here.
When we went to do our field op day, well, it was either CMAs or
Scojo or one of the guys over there, they decided to crack open the, uh,
like full board, not even crack it.
They just fucking opened up my protection line and it had those bins.
Oh.
I had a P T O pump.
So me explosion being eager to get after it and go after the
fire, the, the flagging fire.
Right.
Uh, fired up the pt o pumping booms.
This is fucking, just goes popping out of the box, dude.
I, that's was a lesson learned though.
It was, it is.
Yeah.
So
Truett Anderson: I, I buddy do that to all my like people.
I'll be like, Hey, let's go down to the gas station.
We're gonna go get a drink.
So the kids are excited, they're in jumping in the truck.
And then I look over at whoever my operator was.
I'm like, Hey man.
And they'll boom and they're turning the pump on and then everyone jumps
out and I'm yelling like, it's the panic mode, like, we gotta
get, we're gonna gotta flank this.
Like the kids are freaking out trying to grab hoses, protect you,
just throw 'em right into the shit.
Yeah.
And then training.
Crank the, crank the pump up.
And then as soon as they grab, I'm like, we got protection, we gotta burn.
Like I'll hit that thing and just watch people just launch.
And I'm like, man, I'm, it's be like, it sucks.
Like, but it's good training because you never know when it's gonna happen.
Like true.
I just make it more lifelike because I don't yell at the dudes that often.
Like, don't you speak with a purpose thing?
Right.
Yeah.
But like those guys when I'm like, where the fuck up?
Like, we gotta move.
Like we're getting the fires coming and.
Really just trying to sell, like they know nothing's going on, but like, well
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: it's the intensity, right?
Yeah.
You're trying to mimic that and there's no replication for some a
situation that you would be in, right?
Like there's no replicate for that except for when you're in it, right?
Yeah.
But if you can just turn up the stress, turn up the, the volume, turn up all the,
I guess the heat of the moment, right?
Mm-hmm.
You get a lot of out
Truett Anderson: of it.
Yeah.
Because now like those man those kids, they figured out
like, you gotta open that box.
You can't just turn the, can't go up there and go like that.
Cause they go boom, never.
And then never You're getting that fucker
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: out.
Yeah.
Or it's gonna blow out the side of it.
Like I, yeah.
Yeah.
Truett Anderson: Oops.
Yeah.
Which is awesome to see.
But yeah, like you have to train those cuz you never know, you're not
always gonna be with them either.
No.
That's like, you can be walking away from the truck and be out like scouting
shit and next thing you know, like they're having a moment down there
like shit, hitting the fan and, and you know, luckily in this day, like
we've trained our dudes well enough that hopefully we've trained 'em well
enough, you know, that they're gonna be able to jump out and do their thing.
That's the one nice thing with eop, like you guys go over it like crazy,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: so.
Mm-hmm.
Well, that's another thing too about uh, eop I think people see
that qual on people's red cards and they kind of overlook it.
Especially like the forest
Truett Anderson: service, right?
Oh yeah.
Cause they don't have it.
They don't have it, right?
Yeah, yeah.
It's not a thing with
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: them.
The expectation though, I think there's a lot of value for the bureau land
management, the EOP program, because if you look at that qual and then your
captain and your F M O and everybody around you, the expectation of having
that qual and being the EOP is that you are effectively the assistant.
I mean, you are responsible and you're, say you had to go tie in
with division or go like scout or whatever, the captain, right?
You were very much in charge of whoever else is on the, on the, on the truck.
Right.
That's your sa their safety is in your hands and your own, so it's
Austin Lee: overlooked.
A competent, e competent EOP should be able to manage the truck, right?
Yep.
The way I run my truck is my.
You know, assistant engine captain or EOP is like, that's his truck.
Like, if he needs me for something, I'm there.
But like, I want complete ownership of that equipment for him.
That's
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: how uh, Bronson ran it too.
Yeah.
And it was my baby.
Yeah.
It's, yeah.
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
That's, that's how I did it.
Like, I would be like, Hey man, here you go.
Uh, and you asked this, get your boys do your thing.
I'll go start the paperwork.
Yeah.
And then, then like, I expect them to, to show me where everything's at.
Cause I know they moved it.
Yeah.
Like, where's my coffee?
You know, quit moving my shit.
Like, where's my granola bars?
But you know, like it's, it's funny is like I make the dudes
go and then they have to have the seasonals sit there and show me where
everything is and know the n U us.
Like where is everything on this truck?
Mm-hmm.
It's engrave.
But yeah.
Man, I think we're just a guy on the truck.
Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Well it's funny how you like move up in your career and like the less
firefighting you actually do, it's like the more you move up, the less ops you do.
You're just like basically a paper bitch after a while.
So
Austin Lee: yeah, it sucks, but it's truth.
I got, I got lucky, I got a class a driver on my truck this year.
I've been driving and acting as Captain Neop or whatever for the
last like two or three years.
Mm-hmm.
So I finally got a, a decent, you know, EOP trainee, he's got a class A cdl.
Perfect.
I get to be on the ground with my dude and go on mobile attack, you know, like I
get to you get to do the fine shit again.
Get to do the fun stuff again.
Yeah, exactly.
You know, so looking forward to it for sure.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Oh yeah.
But yeah man, the engine program is, it's pretty bitching for Nevada.
I've had great experiences the entire time I've been, you know, with Nevada, I mean
just in general, like it doesn't matter if it's hell attack or detailing with a crew
or on engines or detailing with W n A.
It's fun man.
And I think there's a lot of opportunity on the engines to.
Explore different paths too, because sometimes you'll have a slow season,
so maybe your second year or maybe shit, maybe even your first year.
Sometimes you get to go detail with like a hali tech crew or go plug
in with w n a and just like crew up and or do a task force role.
Mm-hmm.
Truett Anderson: That shit's fun, man.
It's gotten a lot better too.
Like, so like, yeah, those younger kids and building
these crews, like the ad crews.
Mm-hmm.
You know, in Vegas we have s and d and then Reno, it's cr regulars
and now like to get more exposure, like we go either or like mm-hmm.
Which is awesome, you know, and e n a, like they need help.
We send guys up.
Like it's, it's getting dudes out and it's like, my biggest thing is like, okay, I, I
want you to be a good dude on the engine.
I don't want you to leave my program, but I want you to go fight fire
and actually learn like, yeah, you can't just stay on this one thing.
Like you need those exposure.
You need to go work over here, you need to like do that.
But I don't want you to leave, but I'm gonna just, Detail you out.
Like, yeah, if the person falls in love and wants to leave, like, cool.
Like Yeah.
If you love it, respect.
Let him go, man.
Yeah.
You let him go.
And I mean, that's, and Elco is
Elliot Krinka: the place to be.
Yeah.
For that.
You know, we got the dozers, we got the hand crew, we got the helicopters.
We
Truett Anderson: got the engines.
Yeah, you got it all.
Tell me another district that has that.
Yep.
I can't You've got it all.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Come Doka.
All right.
Were we doing a competition here?
It's like, who's got the best district?
Well, no.
So it's funny,
Truett Anderson: uh, I think, I think, you know, like we've said earlier,
like we're hurting for people, man.
Like it sucked, but, uh, I am not hurting.
Uh, yeah, I see.
I have every captain spot.
Phil, I have backup.
Um, stop.
But at the beginning of the year, this is painful for you, isn't it?
Yeah.
Well, last night he was trying to, he was talking to somebody like, Hey, come up.
He's trying to poach your people.
No, no, it wasn't my people, but I mean, I mean, if they wanted to
go, I was like, yeah, go for it.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
But I mean that's, that's the great thing about Nevada.
Like I came off of a, a hand crew, uh, after the season in 16 and I got hired as
a crew seasonal in Elco as an operator.
I had my yop already.
But, um, you know, fortunately we had a, a good season in 17, but you know,
like then a captain opened up in 18.
So I went from a GS five seasonal in 2016 to a engine captain,
you know, in two seasons.
Yeah, that's pretty good.
I mean, right place, right time, you know, and um, but I mean, you know, like
there's few other places especially.
At that point, like I feel like I would've been able to make that big of
a leap and, and, you know, feel like, all right, I made the right decision.
I'm, I'm making moves forward.
So Yeah.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Yeah.
Made the right decision to come to oco.
Yeah.
Well there's nothing truth behind that though.
It's like people don't wanna admit the fact that, that they
have to move around to move up.
Right.
You have to, and that's one thing that's good about the engines.
It gives you a, a, a, a good baseline of diversity and experience cuz
you get to go do these things.
You get to go ic, single trees, you get a, probably a good chance to punch off
your IC five pretty quickly, you know, just because the lightning storms and
stuff that comes through here and get a lot of single trees and you're hiking
into that thing and you're putting out, calling it in, getting those reps in.
You have a lot of potential to get the experience on engines,
but at the end of the day, you still need to move around to move
Truett Anderson: up in a way you do.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Austin Lee: Um, yeah,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: it depends on how patient
you're, I guess a bigger picture.
Yeah.
Not just necessarily Nevada.
Yeah.
I mean,
Austin Lee: it could have been a motto of, you know, the, the 15, 16, 17,
even 18, um, you know, with, with the, the hurting of people now, you know?
I mean, there's doors opening probably at every district for anybody really.
Mm-hmm.
Um, you know, so I, I mean, still float around by home means, you know, network,
get to know everybody, um, but, you know, find home, you know, and, and see what
the opportunities look like and if they're not there, you know, there's always Elco,
there's always Carson, there's always Vegas, there's always Eli, you know, I
mean, we work great, I think as a state in whole, you know, just trying to work
on this recruitment, retention and all that fun stuff that we did all winter.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
It was, it was an awesome, awesome to be a part of that.
So, and I think, you know, again, like things like this are so valuable because,
you know, like I'm talking with, um, you know, guys from Ruby Mountain Hot
Shots yesterday and like, you know, about what they need and how we might
be able to help and, you know, like, You know, just making those opportunities
and creating those relationships.
Like, because like ultimately, you know, it, it is all Nevada BLM folks
here, but you know, regardless of it was for service and BLM or whatever,
like, we're all trying to do the same thing at the end of the day and we're
all trying to progress forward and, and, you know, look out for our people and
get 'em the best opportunities we can.
So, you know, like if, if I can kick somebody, you know, four hours
away to Elko for, you know, two or three weeks to get that opportunity,
then as long as I can make it work on my end, I'm gonna do it.
It's, I'm gonna be a question.
So, you know, but knowing that they need that is half the battle
and, and you know, being able to communicate across the state is huge.
Oh
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: yeah.
I think another thing that's, uh, beneficial about the engine programs
too is like the flexibility.
Like you guys, even you said it right?
You have the ability to like grab somebody for two weeks.
So if someone has a wedding to go to, Or if someone has like a birthday
for their kid or like, I don't know, family reunion, whatever event.
Right.
You, you have a lot of flexibility built into that to where you can be like, Hey
Drew, I gotta go for this, this wedding.
Do you mind if I do this right?
Truett Anderson: Yeah.
Get back to work or to have a baby shut up and Duke.
Yeah.
Or have a baby.
Elliot Krinka: Have
Austin Lee: a baby.
He does that Good timing.
Yeah.
Elliot Krinka: Yeah.
Which is, which I thought
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: everybody planned.
Like, you know, do you want that baby either delivered
in the fall or the spring?
You know?
Austin Lee: Not if you want a summer
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: off, you know,
Elliot Krinka: you try to plan then it just doesn't work that way.
That way.
No.
Ain't
Truett Anderson: that the truth?
I, I have summer babies too.
Don't worry.
Yeah.
I, I miss a lot
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: of birthdays.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
But that is one thing that's getting better though, is like
that, that work life balance.
And like when I first started out in 2009, the expectation was, I mean,
this is not very long ago, right?
Yeah.
I only have 11 seasons in under my belt and I don't even fight fire anymore.
I'm not even in the game.
But it seems like overall that there's a lot more respect for, uh, like,
Personal stuff going on, there's a lot more leeway to go to those birthdays,
those weddings, those blah blah, blah.
Go see your son or daughter be born.
Right.
And I think that's a major change that's happened over the
last maybe six, seven years.
Yeah.
It's like that acceptance, you know,
Austin Lee: I mean, paid 12 weeks off now for, you know, baby, for having a child.
Oh shit.
Yeah.
I had, I had, uh, well, I guess I didn't have him, my wife had our son.
You still got paternity leave?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I got, uh, I had our, we had our son in July, uh, 2021.
I took six weeks off, came back in August, jumped on a fire assignment,
came back, and then still had the six weeks to burn during the winter.
Mm-hmm.
You know, and so really thankful for that.
You know, big part of his life is, you know, he's born, it's game changing.
It's, it's, oh yeah.
It's, you know, it, it was awesome to be able to be a part of that,
you know, and, and know that.
My engine back home is being covered and you know, I can forget
about work for the six weeks.
And that's a big thing.
You don't have to drag it home.
Exactly.
So big changes for sure though.
Truett Anderson: Oh yeah.
Like when I had my kids years ago, like I didn't, we didn't have that.
I, I went and then week later I was back at work.
Like, I thought I was gone way too long.
Like I missed 40 hours of work, I gotta get back here.
Oh sure.
Yeah.
You know, and like, that was just the mindset back then.
Like in the early, like my early career, like, you gotta get here.
This is the only way you're gonna make money.
You gotta be here.
And now I see these dudes, I get really jealous of like,
you got how many days off?
Like 12 weeks?
Like what the, you know, like Yeah.
I try not to talk about it too much.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Well, guess what?
A couple thousand people are listening, so buckle up.
But,
Truett Anderson: but it is good though that they're thinking of that and
like, and being more acceptable to like, you know, I'm the worst about it.
I'm like, dude, you want.
You want how many days off?
Like, no, dude, you get back to work, you take your two, let's go.
But I'm getting more better.
Like, more better.
That's more better earth.
Yeah.
Um, but I'm getting better about it just because that's, it's
bringing the dudes back to work.
Yeah.
Like going, keeping a happy team, man.
And it's, you know, it's, it's a happy life if, if you're,
you know, the happy wife, happy life, but how those guys need it.
Yeah.
You know, we have a, we have a very high divorce rate in the, in the fire service.
Like, people struggle in and it's, and if you don't know how to, like,
can't have those battles, like Yeah.
I mean, they're gonna lose the dude because, you know,
he's like, I gotta quit.
Like, fuck this out.
Yeah.
Or.
I'm gonna lose it.
He, because he's doesn't know how to handle that stress,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: you know, and like, or doesn't
have the resources Yeah.
That he knows about to get the help that he needs.
Yeah.
Or they need, and so
Truett Anderson: now we're, that's the best thing is we're transitioning
and all that, and adapting
Austin Lee: to the culture and the changes, you know?
Yeah.
And, you know, there are resources now, you know mm-hmm.
Through Vind, fire info.
I mean, there's, there's counseling, there's, there's all those resources out
there now that are, you know, they're on a plate, you just gotta pick it up.
Yeah.
You know, and it's, it's kind of nice to see that the Nevada b LM
is really making that push to, you know, take care of our own.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Mm-hmm.
So, well that's another thing too, like you guys all have mentioned
that is changed over time.
Like that whole work life balance thing, the whole like taking
care of our own, I mean, yeah.
Everybody's got their different, like expectations of their
employees and we all do, man.
I'm expecting them to show up and work just as hard and just as
long and be there and be present and all that stuff like that.
But then again, if I were to do it all over again, I would try and have, I would,
I'd rather have what we have now that, that expectation of you being able to
take that time off, be with your family.
But I was thinking about this last night during the bowling thing and having some
conversations with everybody and it's, it's because of the people in this room.
It's like, you, you, you, you, everybody in that room, we set the pace for the
new generation firefighters, right?
Yeah.
It's, it's thanks to folks like us, not me.
Obviously I'm a, just a dickhead with a microphone and a camera, but
it's folks like us that have set the pace and made the new standard.
So we say this new generation of firefighting and this new
paradigm shift, but really was it us that implemented that?
Because I think it's our generations.
I mean, we're all about the same age.
What, mid thirties, low forties.
I think it's us that we kind of set that pace cuz we were vocal about it.
We talked to leadership.
We directed and steered that.
I don't know.
It's, it's what it seems like
Austin Lee: to me.
Well, and we saw, I mean, at least from my experience, like how many people
left because those things weren't there.
Like, it was a consequence of like, you know, this attrition that we're
dealing with now is like, oh shit, we need to give people more time off.
Like, we need to, you know, understand like how taxing this is
mentally, emotionally, you know, on families, on, on significant others.
And like, you know, I'd like to think, yeah, we were ahead of the curve, but I
don't think we were, I think, you know, in the last four years of been catch
up of like, yeah, oh shit, we kind of fucked things up for, you know, what
the shit that we brought up though.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And, and you know, but hopefully, yeah, like we can smooth
things out going forward.
And like, I know for me, like a rule that I have with my wife is
like, we try and take one trip a summer, in the middle of the summer
to try and actually have a summer.
And we've been doing that for a while and it's still uncomfortable
every year when I have to go and ask for a week off in July, you know?
And like, yeah.
And that, that's just like a personal thing.
But if, if my guys ask for a week off, I'm be like, yeah, do it.
Go for it.
Yeah.
And, and no question that's, yeah, it's not even an issue, but you know,
like, just cause of the way, like, you know, the, the culture was, it's like
my boss doesn't really care, you know, we'll figure it out, but like, cuz
they, they ma they care about that too.
But yeah, just the idea of having to do it, it's swallowing my own ego and pride.
Elliot Krinka: And then as a supervisor, when, you know, I was running
engines, I didn't like to take off time because if I took off, then my
crew members didn't get the money.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And that was my
Austin Lee: biggest issue.
You have an obligation to them, almost like a contract, like
you're here for the six months.
You know, you, you know, you tell me what you wanna see, and
I do my best to make that happen.
Yeah.
And it's still wild
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: though.
I
Elliot Krinka: didn't, I didn't mind if they took off, but I had a problem with
myself taking time off just for them.
Yeah,
Austin Lee: yeah.
Yeah.
And that's a good point.
It is a struggle.
Like, you know, even, yeah, like, man, I'd really like to
have that one extra day off.
You know, like if we're working six and one and they, they want us to
pick it up, but like, knowing that those folks, you know, only have a six
month max to, to make their money and, and everything, like that's, yeah.
And that's the hardest part about moving up.
Like at least I, I, maybe it is better as a BC but you know,
as an engine captain it sucks.
Like, you know, like having to, uh, you know, decide between like your
work life balance and putting your folks, you know, best interest ahead.
So, yeah,
Truett Anderson: I think it's, no matter what, it's always a struggle.
Like I'm one of those bcs, uh, Oh, the guy need to leave.
Like, okay, I'm gonna run your truck today.
Yeah.
You ain't gonna like what I do to it, but I'm gonna run the truck.
I
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: may break that shit, but Yeah.
Truett Anderson: Like, if the dudes need, need to take a day, but man, for years,
like I don't have time to take off.
Like, no, we gotta plan.
Like, like I think that's awesome that you take a week off every year.
Like, I should try that, but I'm pretty sure like, I, like won't,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: you're too much of a busy body.
You're gonna get stir crazy.
Yeah.
Well it's,
Truett Anderson: it's just, it's been engraved in my head for
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: so many years and that's what
the culture has like drilled into
Truett Anderson: you, right?
Yeah.
I gotta make money between this month mm-hmm.
And this month.
And that gets you through, like, I've worked year round since I
started, but boom, those are the days that you gotta go make money.
Yeah.
And so it's, it's hard to break that after.
So many seasons, like Yeah, for sure.
But I'm really good at saying, yeah, you wanna take a day off
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: or Yeah.
Do it.
Yeah.
But you're done taking care of yourself in the long run.
Well, you're taking care of yourself, but maybe not during the summer.
Right?
Yeah.
Like taking those opportunities, like, but
Truett Anderson: telling the boys, like when I just got a Texas warning from one
of the guys, like, Hey, after our week in 4 0 1, can I take a couple days off?
Yeah.
I don't care, dude.
Fuck.
You know, go for it.
Yeah.
Like, why are you asking?
Like, you know my answer?
Like, yeah,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: we'll figure it out.
Yeah.
In the back end for
Truett Anderson: staffing.
Yeah.
Like, oh, well you're gonna miss a couple days.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Like, there's ain't shit going on, man.
It's, it's,
Truett Anderson: yeah.
And it's early.
Everyone's getting geared up ready for the seasonals come on.
But like he's going through the 4 0 1 program, which is
all the college crap with me.
So like, I get it, man.
Like you want to take before the season starts to take and just reset,
like Yeah, take a breather, man.
Yeah.
Like there's nothing against doing that.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
And I think that's the good direction we're going is that workforce
transformation, you know, with the fire and the fuels program is.
You know, my truck sits three if I'm down a guy, truck's down.
Yeah.
Well, I can grab somebody from Fuels and say, Hey, are you available
to staff for these five days?
I got somebody that's gonna take a vacation, you know?
And they're like, oh yeah, yeah, sure should.
Yeah, I'd love to jump on an engine and do some mobile attack, you know, like, yeah.
Oh,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: sweet cover.
I'll put out a single tree on the top of wherever it's Oh, yeah.
Austin Lee: It's fun shit.
Oh yeah, exactly.
You know?
So I think that's where that push is.
We're, you know, like, like we were saying is, we were, might
have been behind the curb a little bit, but we're getting caught up.
Yeah.
So, so last year, I, I took my week off with my wife.
We went to Denver for like six days.
And, uh, there was a guy from the state office that was covering for
me and, uh, you know, it was supposed to be at five days and then he ended
up in Elco on severity for two weeks.
Whoops.
So, but he was stoked and, you know, the, the engine got out.
So it was awesome.
But yeah, it was just kind of funny, like, you know, it can be.
Hey, come over for five days.
Like, oh, actually we're going here, so hopefully you're good for 14.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: I'm glad you brought up that point
though, cuz I think a lot of people don't talk about that, especially like
from a leadership perspective, is that sacrifice you have to make because you
do have to, it's, it's like the untalked about things like when you become a
supervisor of some sort, any sort, right?
You do have to keep your, your crew's best interests in mind and that requires
a sacrifice from the captains man.
I mean, you have to fill in those gaps and yeah, you gotta make their money.
Especially the seasonals man.
Yeah.
I'm glad you brought that up cuz I, yeah.
That, that never comes up in a talk like conversation, really.
Yeah.
Austin Lee: I mean, shout out to my wife for, you know, putting up with your shit.
Putting up with my shit and putting sometimes like, you know,
guilty put work first, you know?
Um, we all do.
We're all guilty.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: It's part of the culture, man.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
And I, you know, I feel like, you know, that's just me doing my job
and serving my guys a purpose for why they're there and why I'm there too.
So,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: yeah.
That's awesome man.
But, uh, I know you guys gotta get outta here pretty soon, so I'm gonna
wrap this thing up, but, uh, just wanna say thank you guys for coming
in and showing the, uh, the ropes for the, uh, B L M Nevada Engine Program
and, uh, if you guys had any, like, tips on hiring or anything like that.
I know you guys mentioned that a couple times about hiring, so if
you guys got any tips or tricks for like a last, last little
Austin Lee: note there.
Yeah.
Yeah, so I mean, what I would, you know, plug for all of Na Nevada would
be, um, in vfi info uh, dot org.
Um, so that's, you know, what we're trying to use as kind of our one-stop
shop for, uh, you know, everything, fire information, um, you know,
career information, uh, you know, any kind of resume application guidance.
And, uh, you can go on there.
You know, if, if you are interested in fighting fire in Nevada, it's you've
never fought fire or you know, you're in another state and you just want
to kind of get an idea of what BLM Nevada's about, you can go on there.
Click contact a recruiter, um, and schedule a time.
And, you know, more than likely it'll be me, uh, Chris Weaver calling you and just
having a conversation and seeing, you know, what's gonna be the best fit for you
within the state or within our programs.
And, um, trying to help set you up for success.
Um, you know, put you in touch with one of the districts if that's gonna be the best
or if it's one of the crews or whatever.
And, and just really, um, you know, help move the program forward
from a statewide perspective.
So,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: oh yeah.
Anybody else got anything to
Austin Lee: add?
My one thing you know is don't be afraid to show your face.
You know, those district office doors are open Monday, the old school approach.
FaceTime.
Yeah.
Monday through Friday.
Go to that front desk and say, Hey, I want to fight fire.
They call one of us up there and we'll have that conversation with you.
Well, if
Truett Anderson: you're in Vegas, don't go to the.
Don't go to the district office, just drive out to Red Rock
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: because I'm not.
It's a cool station out there, dude.
Yeah.
That's a cool station.
Truett Anderson: It is.
I I just won't drive to the district office.
It's too far too much traffic.
I can find that
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: you come to the station.
The old topic of how ops people avoid the state office, like
a plague district office,
Truett Anderson: so Oh yeah.
I hate going there.
Yeah.
I just
Elliot Krinka: wanna put out there, you know, now is not, or now is no better
time to get into fire with our career GS four s I know these 18, 19, 20 year
olds aren't thinking about retirement.
You need to be, but fire retirement is one of the best out there.
And if you get in, get your foot in the door, get that career.
18, 19, 20, you're retiring at 45.
Truett Anderson: Yep.
And a lot
Elliot Krinka: of people don't think about
Austin Lee: that.
Yep.
I'll be out at 45 young enough to start a whole nother career.
Yeah.
Like that.
You could
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: double dip.
Yeah.
Double Parkinson of a bitch.
I have to wait.
I have to wait till 49,
Austin Lee: but yeah.
50 though.
And I'm out.
Yeah.
Elliot Krinka: So I'm just cool.
Just definitely think about that.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: That's not a lot of time, man.
Like from when I started fire, I mean, I'm almost 40 years old now.
I mean, I, I, I practic practically blacked out.
That's like a blink of the eye.
If I could retire at 40, dude, that'd be awesome.
Or 45 even that's not very far away.
I'd still be fine fit for duty.
I can go work somewhere else if I wanted to.
Mm-hmm.
Yep.
Yeah.
You're not like washed up and broke, like busted or
Austin Lee: anything like that.
One of the other things we're working on, I know NEV or Las Vegas has
it, and then Reno's starting to, uh, implement it at one of the high
schools here is a fire science program.
Yep.
Uh, combination of structure and wildland and then that's pretty bitching.
Yeah.
Um, you know, the hope would be, you know, at least, uh, for the program here
in Reno, like we can set them up so that if they want a career seasonal job, like
basically outta high school, you know, we've put them on that path and then.
Yeah.
I mean, retire at 43.
Like yeah, that's crazy.
You know, like, and these kids
Truett Anderson: are, these kids are buying into it, you know, like, yeah.
When we go in to help teach those classes, those, you know, the
teacher doesn't really get it.
Like he's ha been exposed maybe.
Or like more in the structure societies is, but yeah, they're used to Big red.
Yeah.
And then we come in and they're like, what are, what are you kids?
You have a beer?
You have a beer, and the kids buy into it.
Man, why do you smell?
Yes.
They can't grow facial hair yet, but they're like, I want that.
I'm like, okay, well come do my job.
Well think about the like
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: life benefits, not everybody.
Right?
Think about the, like the development benefits of fire though you like rapidly
accelerate in maturity in some regard.
I mean, you do kind of make fart and dick jokes in the woods with like 20 of
your best friends at the end of the day.
But I mean, as far as like maturity, as far as like figuring shit out, being
self-sufficient, I mean it's, fire's made me who I am today and I'll take
some of the lessons I've learned in fire for the rest of my life and I'll
use them, apply 'em somewhere, right?
It's made me who I am today.
And I think that's something that's a good selling point to these young folks
that are trying to get into fire is that it's going to make you more mature,
it's going to make you responsible.
It's going to like push you towards a direction that's gonna
be very beneficial to your life.
Maybe I'm biased cuz I had firsthand experience and that's what my belief is.
But I don't know, what are you guys thoughts on that?
I
Austin Lee: think it hit the nail on the head, man.
I mean, at first when you start, it might feel like you're
drinking through a fire hydrant.
Yeah.
You know, getting all this stuff thrown at you.
That's like the metaphor we like to use when we bring on our seasonals.
But you know, it's, it's all about being in the moment, retaining what you can and,
and asking questions and doing cool shit.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Nobody in the office or nobody in this job will have any problem
with answering a question.
Mm-hmm.
Like literally no such thing as a stupid question.
Unless it's something that I already just told you.
Yeah.
Three seconds ago.
Yeah, exactly.
But you know what I mean.
But I think nobody in this room, nobody in the state would, you know,
you could, everybody's approachable.
Yeah.
So that's what I just respect the most about Nevada bm.
Hell
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: yeah.
Well guys, we're rolling to the end of the show.
Definitely wanna say thank you once again.
Appreciate all you guys being out here and telling, uh, the world
about the Nevada engine programs and yeah, it's definitely changed me.
It's definitely been a fun time working with a lot of you guys, so
it's been fun, but at the end of the show, always give the opportunity for
shoutouts to homies, heroes, mentors.
Started off, man.
Austin Lee: You know, I just, everybody that's still doing the job,
everybody in this room, you know, including you for doing your time.
Um, you know, everybody that's still grinding, grinding through asses
and elbows all the way through, man.
Mm-hmm.
Um, rocky times, but, you know, we're getting through it.
There's light at the end of the tunnel.
I'm super optimistic.
Yeah, absolutely.
And, uh, you know, hang in there and keep doing the good, good work
and keep fighting the good fight.
Oh, yeah,
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: yeah.
I
Truett Anderson: wanna say thanks, man.
Like I'm, I think it's cool you got us in here.
But you're like talking about fire and you're trying to get
more people to understand it.
I think that's great.
Hi mom.
Um, um, gotta throw that one in for the homies.
Right.
But uh, yeah, you know, like for being in Nevada my whole career, like I
wouldn't want to call anywhere else home.
Like yeah, this is home.
Uh, made some good friends along the way and yeah, man, like I thought it
was a good, it's been a good week.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
Tough losing to fuels people.
Yeah.
Boom.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Come on Labunski, you're over the line.
I know, man.
Donny, Lisa, Lisa, Sarah from
Elliot Krinka: Elco.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Well you guys got nothing else to
do out there, so it's no surprise.
I'm just kidding.
Um, yeah, thanks
Elliot Krinka: for bringing us on.
Uh, I think this fire program's headed in the right direction from the top down.
Um, yeah, there's a reason I've been in the state and.
For 18, 18 summers.
It's not just because I grew up in
Austin Lee: Elco, because you can't find the way outta the confine.
Can't.
Yeah.
Elliot Krinka: Nobody's told me how to quit yet.
Truett Anderson: No man.
Too deep committed.
You're committed.
Austin Lee: Yeah.
No, um, I think the biggest thing, you know, I just wanna pass on,
you know, for anybody listening is like, make sure that, uh, if you're
interested, get in contact with folks.
But if you're in the job and just know that there's always folks there to talk
to, whether it's, you know, personal, you know, professional, whatever it
might be, just make sure you know how to reach out and uh, and talk to those.
And if you haven't talked to your friends in a while, your homies just,
yeah, give 'em a shout and check in.
Cuz man, that's, uh, something I've learned over the last couple years
is really important, both for myself and others, but, uh, Yeah, and just
plug it again if, if you're interested in, uh, talking with anybody about
BM Nevada, Nevada fire info.org, and we'll, uh, be happy to chat with you.
So thanks.
Anchor Point Podcast Host, Brandon Dunham: Oh, yeah.
Well, thanks guys.
Appreciate it.
Let's move on to the next one.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Yep.
Thanks later guys.
And boom, there we go.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Another episode of the Anchor Point podcast is in the books with my good
friends, Austin Lee, out of Winnemucca Truet Anderson, out of Elie, Ellie
Cria, out of Elco, and Chris Weaver out of the Carson City District,
BLM in the state of Nevada here.
Guys, thank you so much for being on the show and sharing your insight.
And, uh, guess, uh, shedding a light onto some of the little things that
the, uh, beer of line management does here in Nevada with the engine program.
One of those things that are pretty damn unique is that hover
fill operation that's, uh, Yeah, yeah, I've done it a ton of times.
It's really effective.
Yeah, it's super cool.
But if you, uh, have some, uh, info that you want to be answered while you can
reach out to those folks, I'll, uh, drop some information in the, uh, show notes
and like, uh, I believe that was, uh, cria saying that, but if you wanna find
out more, go to Nevada fire info.org and you can get a wrap on everything.
BLM fire.
It's pretty awesome.
So hope everybody's doing well.
Hope everybody's geared up and ready to get some for the, uh, 2023 season.
It looks like it's, uh, off to a mediocre start, but we'll
see what the, uh, future holds.
I know we don't have a, uh, crystal ball, but I wish we did,
but then it wouldn't be fun.
Anyways, special shout out to our sponsors.
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Y'all know the drill.
Stay safe, stay savage.
Peace.