Incident Name: Hill Fire, began in Ventura County and expanded to the Los Padres National Forest
Date: 7/2/2012
Personnel: Christopher Paul Carroll
Age: 29
Agency/Organization: US Forest Service, Mt Pinos Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest
Position: wildland firefighter
Summary: Firefighter Chris Carroll was Assistant Fire Engine Operator of Engine 74 stationed at Los Alamos Station on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District located at Interstate 5 and Smokey Bear Road. This Angeles National Forest Fire Station houses both ANF Engine 336 and LPF Engine 74.
Los Padres National Forest Engine 74 was assigned to the Hill Fire, which was in mop-up and moniter stage. The Type 2 Team, and many resources were demobing. The ICP and Fire Camp had closed (when). The fire was being turned back over to the Los Padres National Forest fire organization (when), although resources like E-74 were still assigned to it. Chris had not been demobed but was off-shift for the night to meet the 2:1 work-rest guidelines. He and others were due to return to their mop-up or patrol and moniter duties in the morning for one more shift on 7/3 before the fire was “put to bed”.
There was no designated sleeping place for firefighters on site and no food service since fire camp closed. There were no barracks at the station, so firefighters had to arrange their own lodging which for some included going home for the night, before returning in the morning for the final shift…
Photo Credits: from Chris’ Memorial Page
Maps
SR-138 (Avenue D) x 110th W
{mosmap lat=’34.776154’|lon=’-118.325429’|marker=’0’|text=’Accident Location’}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- Inciweb screen capture. Hill Fire, started on VNC – Ventura County Direct Fire Protection Area and expanded to LPF: (Archived site) Live Inciweb website for the Hill Fire, 6/23/2012-7/3/2012.
- Time sheet has Chris Carroll assigned to the Hill Fire
- Resource order has Engine 74 assigned to the Hill Fire
- Location Map
- Timeline
- Slideshow regarding the effects of lack of sleep
- California Highway Patrol Accident Report
Wildlandfire.com Links:
- Theysaid: July 7, 2012 and scroll forward
- Theysaid: January 1, 2013
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- Obituary:Chris dedicated his life to emergency services for 15 years starting as an LA County Explorer at the age of 14. He was an ANF explorer at post 99, and then worked for AMR Ambulance before starting his career with the Forest Service. With the Forest Service, Chris worked on Sequoia Engine 45 in Havilah, on the Breckenridge Hotshots, on Kernville Helitack and responded to his final call to the Hill Fire with Los Padres Fire Engine 74.
Chris is survived by his wife, Courtney, his mom Kathy and dad Danny — long-time WFF participant supporters — by his brother Chad, and grandmother, Katherine.
- Services:The family welcomes all wishing to attend services which will be held
1000 hrs on Thursday July 12, 2012 at:
Palmdale Stake Center
2120 East Avenue R
Palmdale CA 93351
Uniformed FS personnel should wear long sleeve dress uniforms with a solid tie and dark green pants (nomex okay).
- Chris Carroll Memorial Website
Contributors to this article: Many Forest Service firefighters, Mellie
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