Cantwell Reintroduces Legislation to Ensure Better Safety, Training for Wildland Firefighters
Legislation follows Thirtymile Fire deaths and report showing that many contract firefighters have inadequate safety training
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has reintroduced her legislation to improve accountability in wildland firefighter safety training programs and require a review of firefighter training.
"Stronger safeguards and more effective training will save lives," said Cantwell, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "Right now, too many firefighters are without comprehensive training, and incomplete Forest Service records keep us from seeing who's been trained and who hasn't. Even one more death is unacceptable, and we have a responsibility to make these commonsense changes and make sure all wildland firefighters get the training they need."
A 2006 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General found that the Forest Service did not have a procedure to verify the qualifications of many contract firefighters. The report found that roughly one in three firefighters sampled either did not meet national qualifications or that training records were inadequate. Cantwell's legislation would help correct these shortcomings.
To improve the accountability of the federal agencies that administer safety and training programs, Cantwell's legislation would require the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to jointly submit a report on the implementation and efficacy of these programs. The report must describe steps federal firefighting agencies are taking to make sure contract firefighters receive the same training as federal firefighters. The legislation would also require a system to track the money spent on wildland firefighter safety and training.
Cantwell's bill is similar to legislation she introduced in 2004 during the 108th Congress and again in 2005 during the 109th Congress. Last May, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the measure. At the hearing, Cantwell questioned federal firefighting officials on her legislation and on wildland firefighter safety. The most recent version of the legislation would apply to wildfire suppression and prescribed burning as well as more traditional firefighting activities.
In 2001, four forest firefighters lost their lives fighting the Thirtymile Fire north of Winthrop. An investigation revealed that Forest Service safety rules were violated and the deaths could have been prevented. In a number of Senate hearings, Cantwell focused on what went wrong, and has worked to help create a cultural shift within the Forest Service to increase accountability and improve training. Cantwell also worked with Representative Doc Hastings (R-WA) to pass legislation injecting independence into investigations of future wildland firefighter fatalities. The law, signed in July 2002, requires the USDA Inspector General, not just the Forest Service, to investigate any deaths.
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