CR’s January 24, 2025 Times Standard Article: Firefighter Training

Jan 21 2025

It has been several days since the Santa Ana winds stirred up historic wildfires in Los Angeles. They’ve also given rise to smaller fires in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties. The devastation these wildfires have caused is substantial. So far about 41,000 acres have burned, 12,401 structures have been damaged or destroyed, twenty-four lives have been lost, and at least 180,000 people have evacuated their homes. It is estimated that the total damage of the wildfires will cost between $52 billion and $57 billion according to an AccuWeather estimate. Of that, 85% are losses expected from homeowners, 13.5% commercial property, and 1.5% personal auto losses.

To put this in perspective, the 2018 Camp Fire that decimated the town of Paradise was previously the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history – causing an estimated $16.5 billion in damages. Additionally, the 2020 wildfires – which caused chaos and destruction across California, Oregon, Colorado, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming – cost between $130 billion and $150 billion in damages. The cost to California in those fires was $19 billion. These staggering figures highlight the immense economic burden of wildfires, but the toll goes far beyond numbers.

The human cost, including the loss of cultural and historical legacies, is equally devastating. For example, as described in The Washington Post article titled “A storied Black community fears wildfires will claim its history” (January 16, 2025), in Altadena, Black families who had lived in their homes for generations, after being displaced by Jim Crow-era redlining and urban renewal projects in nearby Pasadena, saw their properties reduced to ash, threatening a legacy built over decades. This story illustrates just one of the countless ways wildfires irreparably alter lives and communities.

As we are assailed with stories and images of the devastation caused by the fires in southern California - the pictures and videos of the fire burning homes and businesses are truly heart-rending – the appropriate human response is empathy. Yet, perhaps unsurprisingly, politicians and pundits have seized upon these catastrophic fires to advance their own agendas. This blatant opportunism, even as fire fighters and first responders are risking their lives to save others and protect property, is, to say the least, disappointing. 

However, wildfires are apolitical. They destroy homes and property without regard to political affiliation, displacing both Republicans and Democrats alike. In moments like these, rather than pointing fingers, we should be coming together to face challenges and support one another. What these fires highlight is the urgent call to invest in and increase the number of well-trained firefighters. 

College of the Redwoods is answering that call. Since 2019, we have trained 181 firefighters. To further expand student opportunities, we hired Assistant Professor Sean Robertson last fall as a full-time faculty member in our Fire Technology Program. This spring, with Professor Robertson’s help, we anticipate earning the State Fire Training Accredited Locale Academy (SFTALA) accreditation. When we receive accreditation, our fire academy will serve as a testing site for certification examinations for available levels including Fire Fighter 1 and Fire Fighter 2 modules. Both training modules will focus on academic training related to structural fires, handling hazardous materials/WMD, and wildland fire. 

Another innovative partnership that will enhance our offerings and position CR as a central hub for fire service education is our collaboration with the Humboldt County Fire Instructors Association (HCFIA) and the CAL FIRE Humboldt Del Norte Unit. Once the fire technology curriculum is developed, shared, and implemented, CR will serve as the primary educational center for firefighters across the region. We hope that this partnership will foster collaboration among local fire agencies, ensuring consistent, high-quality training. Additionally, public agency employees now can earn college credit for completing mandated annual training, further emphasizing the value of professional development in the fire service. By integrating HCFIA students and faculty into CR’s program, we can expand our cohorts, graduate more firefighters, and meet the growing needs of the region and beyond.

As Sean Wilson, Battalion Chief, CAL FIRE Humboldt-Del Norte Unit said recently, “This collaboration will not only enhance the skills of our firefighters but also ensure that we are preparing the next generation of fire service professionals. Together, we are investing in the safety and preparedness of our community, and we are excited to see how this partnership will continue to grow.” 

As we move forward together, it important to keep in mind the quote from Fred Rogers, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' "College of the Redwoods is helping!