Here in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho, we have both unique and common extrication challenges. Some of these involve available volunteer staffing, lack of timely mutual aid, poor radio and satellite communications because of terrain, vehicles into the river, and a number of other factors that go with the business of firefighting and technical rescue in this beautiful part of the country.

Probably the single biggest challenge that we face regarding these obstacles is performing extrication operations in what we know as harsh winter weather environments. As it is with many other northern areas, this struggle is very real. Returning from a few weeks of working with departments all over the great state of Alaska put our winter struggle here in “the lower 48” into perspective.

We are “used to” daily winter temperatures in the single digits and below zero. We expect to see a decent amount of snow and ice on our highways. “Really cold” to us means 20 below zero for a few days at a time. My fire district is 2,400 square miles, and it can easily take well over an hour and a half to drive from one end of the district to the other, depending on weather. After spending time with many firefighters from all over Alaska and seeing their winter vehicle rescue and personnel survival challenges, our struggles pale in comparison. I share this information with you because I hope there is some takeaway for you and your department (as there was for me) to help enhance the safety and effectiveness of your winter operations, wherever you may serve.

CHAINING YOUR SHOES

One of my first winter assignments in the Last Frontier was with some great firefighters from the Anchorage (AK) Fire Department. Driving from my hotel to the training site, I was blown away at the amount of ice on all the roadways after a relatively minor weather system. The highway was literally littered with vehicles that had slid off of the roadway, rolled-over vehicles, and vehicles that had collided with each other. None of the occupants of these wrecks seemed to have any kind of footing, regardless of their choice of footwear. What didn