The Bryan Fire Department and the Texas A&M Forest Service have unveiled a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).
This follows Bryan firefighters responding to almost 100 wildfires during the record-breaking 2011 fire season.
This includes a free smartphone app. For those with an iPhone, go to the App Store and in the search bar, type “Bryan Pre-Attack Plan”.
Officials of both agencies are scheduled to make a joint presentation during the next Bryan City Council workshop, Tuesday afternoon at 3:30.
William Bouse visits with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
Additional information is courtesy of the Bryan Fire Department and the A&M Forest Service:
The Bryan Fire Department joined forces with Texas A&M Forest Service in late 2012 and spent months identifying wildfire risks and strategies to reduce those risks. The resulting product is the department’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), a national model for hazard mitigation.
But Bryan Fire Chief Randy McGregor said it was important for his department to expand on the typical CWPP template. The chief felt compelled, he said, to make sure his firefighters were equipped for tactical wildfire response. BFD firefighters typically respond to a high volume of medical calls and single-structure fires, which require different response tactics than a wildfire that can burn hundreds of acres and multiple buildings in a single day.
To address those needs, McGregor put his firefighters through a wildland training course and, with Texas A&M Forest Service, began crafting the first collaborative “Wildfire Pre-Attack Plan” in Texas. The pocket guide delves into specific tactics, outlining water sources, home construction materials and vegetation types for individual Bryan neighborhoods, particularly those that present high risks.
“We owe it to our residents to ensure that we have the tools we need to protect them and their homes when the next wildfire ignites,” McGregor said. “This process has provided us an excellent resource for our responders as well as mutual aid firefighters who may not be familiar with Bryan.”