Silver Fire 2009

On September 19, 2009, an Incident Command Post was established at the Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy, CA, in response to the Silver Fire in the Plumas National Forest. The next day, a 1990 International model 8100 gray water truck driven by a licensed operator employed by a Forest Service contractor was assigned to the Silver Fire. Its function was to remove gray water from the shower units located in the center of the lawn area at the ICP inside the Plumas County Fairgrounds racetrack.

On September 21, 2009, at approximately 2130 hours, the gray water truck driver (TD) drove into the center of the racetrack from the west end of the track. After pumping the gray water from the shower holding bladder(s) into the truck, he proceeded to turn the truck around to position it to exit the area at the NE side of the track. The gray water truck struck the FF with its right front tire while moving forward and again when in reverse. TD exited the truck twice, in response to hearing unusual noises but did not see the FF’s sleeping bag until the second time he looked, after backing up. Once the TD saw that the FF was injured, he ran to get medical aid from the ICP medical unit. The FF was initially unconscious, but regained consciousness soon after while receiving preliminary medical aid from BLM and ICP EMTs. At 2237 hours, a BLM crewmember called 911. The FF was driven by ambulance to the Plumas District Hospital in Quincy, CA, and subsequently medevaced to the Enloe Medical Center in Chico, CA, where she was hospitalized and treated for injuries to her chest, lungs and arm.

Helicopter Incident or Accident