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FIREFIGHTING BOOT CAMP PICTURES 2008Please see 2007 PHOTOS — MOVIES — INFORMATION
The remaining 24 students pictured marching at 0900 hrs on Day 19, the last day for training — graduation ceremony is tomorrow at Sycuan Resort (all 24 students were graduated). DAY NINETEEN (Graduation April 26):
Sycuan fire academy #11 — aka Two-Bit Thrashers — is pictured above just minutes after they were graduated at the Sycuan Resort.
Deputy Chief Jacqueline Hawley, Bureau of Indian Affairs fire national office, NIFC National Interangency Fire Center, addresses the recruits and their families and friends during the Sycuan event.
Sycuan Fire Department Division Chief Ray Ruiz, a 35-year veteran of the California fire service, addressed the crowd and made several key points about firefighting careers, safety, training and family life in the fire service.
The recruits split into two sides (right side pictured)
Deputy Chief Brian Fennessy, special operations of San Diego City Fire and Rescue fire department, addressed the recruits and the importance of family support.
Left side pictured.
Each of the 24 successful recruits were graduated and received a stack of fire-fighting certificates and awards.
Proud drill instructors and supporting Sycuan fire staff members watched the graduation.
Chief Ruiz gives duty assignments to the firemen. All 24 graduates were hired on by the Sycuan Fire Department in various positions as professional California firefighters.
This is a different view of the firefighters receiving their job assignments with the crowd in the background observing.
This is a picture of the crowd taking snapshots family pictures of the main academy class picture posed by the webmaster.
This 19-year-old fireman was the youngest recruit and is picture here posing for a photo with his family and supporters.
Firefighter Donato poses for a picture with three pretty young women, his numerous academy certificates and his Most Motivated Recruit award.
Sycuan catering served up Mexican style buffet.
The large Sycuan Resort conference room was filled to capacity.
Successful recruits — firefighters — presented Division Chief Ruiz with an award. The webmaster then projected a rough edit of the academy video movie documentary for the large crowd. WEBMASTER BLOG NOTE: Below are some of the pictures I took today, April 6, 2008, to let you know what's going on and the progress the fire recruits are making. Day one starts tomorrow (April 7th). I will update this for you throughout the academy as time permits...REFRESH your browser for latest fire academy pictures. Academy Head Staff (in good hands):
EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS OF FIRE EXPERIENCE -- Lead academy training and safety officers Division Chief Ray Ruiz Sr. (35 years in the fire service), and Division Chief Bill Clayton (50 years in the fire service) have over 85 years of combined professional firefighting experience in the California fire service. (Photo taken on day three.)
Sycuan academy drill instructors — aka the "Pit Bulls" — posed for a picture on day four. DI Jorge Solis, DI Terry Bowen, DI Issac Williams, and DI Reynaldo Castro are the four professional academy drill instructors. The three former Marines and Army soldier provide a realistic military-style boot-camp fire academy structure to build teamwork and instill discipline in the recruits.
Pictured above on day one, just after an intense two-hour workout with the recruits that started at 0415 hrs, five Sycuan hotshots posed for a scrapbook picture at Base Camp ADMIN. Sycuan-BIA Golden Eagles Hotshots perform much of the physical Sycuan fire lifestyle training and support during the academy, including the extended morning PT sessions and various hands-on training classes in the field throughout the tough, three-week fire academy. As the "special forces" of the national fire-fighting community, federal Bureau of Indian Affairs BIA wildland inter-agency hotshot crews IHC represent some of the strongest and most highly-trained firefighters anywhere in the world. CHECK IN DAY (April 6):
A firefighter recruit arrives at the Golden Eagles BASE CAMP — the successful applicants came together and formed the 11th Sycuan wildland academy.
Firefighter recruits arrive at the Golden Eagles BASE CAMP and stand by during the fire academy check in.
Fire academy recruits received information from a Golden Eagles Hotshots firefighter during academy check in.
Recruits sign various forms during the check-in process.
BARRACKS: Recruits stow their gear in assigned berthing areas as they enter boot-camp life at Sycuan.
Recruits give each other haircuts — the shaved skin-head hair cuts are voluntary at the fire school, but all the recruits got these buzz hair cuts.
CHECK IN: A recruit arrived near the registration deadline — he already had a haircut, water and broken-in wildland boots.
The recruits were put right to work cleaning up the Sycuan fire obstacle course as they gathered together in a group.
DI Jorge Solis, a professional Sycuan firefighter, welcomes the 36 enrolled recruits to the Sycuan Training Center's wildland academy.
Drill instructor Terry Bowen gives special attention to one of the new academy recruits.
The four Sycuan drill instructors keep a watchful eye on recruits as they perform pushups. Mount "MF" is pictured in the background.
Sycuan-BIA class #11 stand in formation during check in
Running in place is also very common physical training for the recruits.
Pushups instill upper-body strength in the fire academy recruits.
This was the last photo I took of the recruits as they marched off to the Sycuan Casino for their first official chow in boot camp. DAY ONE (April 7):
The recruits' first day of training began at 0415 hrs with drill instructors entering the barracks and introducing the fire recruits to the Sycuan Fire Department lifestyle. This photo was taken at 0645 hrs, after the recruits have already completed two hours of hard-core, fire-fighting physical training.
DI Solis marches the recruits off to the Sycuan Casino to have breakfast.
The recruits march past the Wildland ADMIN office on way to breakfast.
A Sycuan academy fire recruit stands at "attention" in military formation.
Division Chief Ray Ruiz Sr. talks to a recruit about close shaving during a morning inspection.
Recruits fall out of formation and into the Sycuan Fire Department Training Center Tactical Room at the Kumeyaay Community College for morning classes.
Division Chief Ray Ruiz Sr. tell fire recruits how to "take the weather" using a belt weather kit.
Chief Bill Clayton goes over fire, weather and forecast during the Sycuan-BIA Wildland Fire Academy at the Sycuan Training Center, Sycuan Indian Reservation.
A fire academy recruit was ordered down on the hot grinder to ponder his falling asleep during class.
The recruits (in yellow) left their company flag unattended and it was captured by Golden Eagles Hotshots staff (in blue) — the recruits paid a very dear price on The Playground to get their flag back....
Sycuan academy drill instructors are pictured relaxing while keeping watchful eyes on the recruits as they were eating lunch in the below picture.
The recruits eat lunch as a unit on the Sycuan Indian Reservation. The academy teaches recruits to become members of team and family. DAY TWO (April 8):
Tool wheel consisting of rhinos, McClouds, ostriches, Bosleys, Pulaskis, super Pulaskis, combis, rakes, modified combis.
The recruits broke into three groups during field lectures.
A recruits stand in formation during morning inspection.
Squad Boss Goodwin, a Golden Eagles Hotshots firefighter, gives a field lecture on using firing equipment, including drip torches and fusees while Squad Boss Jose Deza, Golden Eagles Flycrew, is pictured observing on the right in blue pants. DAY 3 (April 9):
Professional drill instructor Jorge Solis keeps hard eyes on the recruits during training. DI Solis is a staff firefighter with the Sycuan Fire Dept. Firefighter Solis is a former U.S. Marine.
Professional drill instructor Reynaldo Castro provides military-style leadership during the academy. DI Castro is also staff Sycuan firefighter and former Marine.
Recruits enjoy a short break from the Day 3 classroom activities and used the time to study.
Wildland firefighting academy students double-time it back into the classroom.
Firefighter Rzepko, a young volunteer female firefighter with the local Campo Fire and Rescue department, poses for a snapshot with three Sycuan drill instructors. The young woman was invited to attend some of the academy classes as part of continuing education courses at the Sycuan Training Center. DAY 4 (April 10):
Recruits got some play time in on The Playground sand at 0800 hrs before beginning classes and after their regular morning PT and breakfast routine.
DI Solis reasons with the recruits on The Playground after thrashing them, and then sends them double-time up to the classroom. The group is down to 26 recruits.
Recruit Matranga shows a face of focused determination after a grueling workout on The Playground. The young recruit is the oldest of four brothers.
Division Chief Clayton, a 50-year veteran of the California fire service, is pictured teaching a class on maps, compass and GPS on day four.
Division Chief Ray Ruiz helps academy firefighting students with reading a compass in the field.
Students practice reading a compass.
Hank Wayne, the Sycuan Fire Department radio communications technician, gives a classroom presentation about how radio communications are set up and work in the fire service and at Sycuan. DAY 5 (April 11):
Chief Ruiz explains the Sycuan Fire Department's approach to mobile attack operations and procedures.
A wildland fire recruit hand signals the water tender driver during mobile attack drills on the Sycuan Fire Department Training Center/Heli-Base. Today was the first really hot day of the academy with an afternoon peak temperature of 87 degrees — the water spray was welcome relief from the San Diego mountain desert heat.
Sycuan Driver Operator Menchaca, a Sycuan fireman, explains how a folda-tank is setup and used during mobile attack field training and water application academy class. DAY 6 (April 12):
Drill Instructor Terry Bowen keeps a close eye on recruits.
Teaching students proper military protocol is a top priority with drill instructors throughout the academy.
Division Chief Bill Clayton gives fire-fighting students some instruction during training.
Today was another really hot day with an afternoon peak temperature of 92 degrees. Strong Santa Ana winds also tested the recruits' physical and mental stamina during training.
This poisonous northern Pacific rattlesnake sneaked up on the recruits and was less than a foot away from a recruit's boot when Sycuan firefighter Jak spotted it and warned the recruits to stand still while he captured it. He released the snake in some nearby brush. Firefighter Jak is the department's unofficial zoologist, and he is an experienced snake handler.
Firefighter Jak assisted during training. DAY EIGHT (April 14): WEBMASTER NOTE: I missed yesterday (Day 7) because of another photography job, but the fire students had a blast laying hose 600 feet up MF Mountain in some 99-degree record heat...
DAY EIGHT: Recruits took a hike 800 feet up and back down MF Mountain after their morning PT session and breakfast.
Recruits watered up and marched in formation to morning classes.
Recruit faces pictured standing in morning formation.
Recruits pictured standing in morning formation prior to entering class.
Students take an exam after entering the classroom.
Sycuan Golden Eagles painted the recruits' tools a pretty pick color....
COYOTE TACTICS: Recruits prep their fire gear at sunset for night operations (Coyote Tactics).
After 12 hours of intense physical workouts, studying and little to no sleep, students pose for a group photo with MF Mountain in the background just prior to heading up on the mountain for night operations. DAY NINE (April 15):
This is where I found the recruits being schooled in a circle formation by Golden Eagles Hotshots at 0345 hrs (after I got a couple hours sleep).
The still camera wasn't usable until first light appeared. The recruits cut line all night on the mountain up until first light when they got a few minutes sleep and chow.
The stress and hard work throughout the past two days show in the young recruits' faces.
The BIA-Sycuan academy program is designed to test young men and women and graduate those who prove themselves capable and can demonstrate the will and determination to become elite Sycuan fire fighters with a can-do, gung-ho attitude.
Boot Camp recruits form a circle on the ground to help keep each other warm on the chilly mountain top. As pictured, the recruits finally got to sleep here for about 30 minutes before the hotshots served up chow (MRE). The camera exposures made these early-morning scenes appear lighter than they were — the lighting was darker than recorded.
Experienced Golden Eagles Hotshots keep watch over the sleeping recruits.
The fire-fighting recruits ate military-style MRE at about 0600 hours.
This is where I left the the recruits Tuesday morning.... DAY TEN (April 16):
The academy fire recruits pay attention to Superintendent Juan Mendez during a pep talk.
Crew Superintendent Juan Mendez, speaks about his decade of service with the Sycuan Hotshots and encourages them to stick with the program and learn from their academy experiences.
The two consecutive days and near sleepless nights of Coyote Tactics show in the recruits' faces as they listen up to Firefighter Mendez's factual insight into their frame of minds. After another frigid night of training up on the Sycuan mountain — the recruits marched into Base Camp at 0515 hours — changed into their PT uniforms with sneakers — then hiked back up mount MF about 30 minutes later for another physical training session on the mountain top. This period in the BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs academy program is the ultimate physical test for the men to give them a real taste of wildland fire fighting. Two recruits dropped out during this period of night operations. I only shot video of the hike because it was in such low light and the challenge of trying to shoot both still and motion picture cameras with sound. After the recruits hiked back down MF to Base Camp (Golden Eagles Hotshots headquarters), the recruits were allotted three hours of uninterrupted sleep time before they went back into the classroom.
(L-r) Professional Sycuan firefighters Mendez, Solis, Ruiz posed for a scrapbook picture. Mendez is the superintendent of the Golden Eagles Hotshots 63a, and a Native American firefighter from Zapoteca Indian Nation, Oaxaca, Mexico. Solis is one of the academy drill instructors and a former United States Marine. Ruiz the division chief of the Sycuan Golden Eagles, and the Safety-Training Division of the Sycuan Fire Dept.
Sycuan Golden Eagles Firefighter Ridley was the Sycuan fireman who hiked with the recruits to MF Mountain top this morning and lead the PT up there. Ridley is a Native American Paiute-Shoshone Indian wildland fireman from Fallon Indian Reservation, Nevada, and a 2006 graduate of the Sycuan academy.
VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO JUAN MENDEZ for driving me and my cameras up the Sycuan switchback in his personal 2003 Toyota 4x4 to do the video — as seen in this picture the road was very bad and very dangerous — especially at 3:30 am when he drove me up to the mountain top to film night operations. Those tire tracks are Juan's previous tracks, I didn't see any evidence that anyone else was driving up there because the road is in such poor condition. DAY TWELVE (April 18):
VIP VISIT: Shirley Murphy, Lakota, introduces the president of the Oglala Lakota Indian Nation, Cecelia Fire Thunder, to the recruits to make a presentation to the Sycuan Fire Dept. Sycuan Golden Eagles Hotshots Leland Red Eagle is President Fire Thunder's nephew.
Madam President Fire Thunder presents a Lakota Indian blanket to Sycuan Chief Hank Murphy. The Indian star blankets to their right and left were presented to Deputy Chief Mitch Villalpando and Chief Robert Nelson (neither were present for the presentations). The tribal presentations to the three Sycuan chiefs were for grateful appreciation for their recent visit to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, to help the Lakota Indian Nation start a tribal fire department on the reservation.
Chief Murphy and his wife, Shirley, and her sister, Cecelia, take a photograph with the drill instructors.
Fire academy students take the weather. DAY THIRTEEN (April 19):
Firefighter Goodwin (on log) instructs fire academy students in the field during Chainsaw Task and Technique class.
Lead Squad Boss Firefighter Robert Goodwin.
Lead Sawyer Firefighter Robert "Junior" Villegas.
Academy students disassemble a chainsaw and replace its chain. DAY FOURTEEN (April 20):
Female instructor teaches academy students CPR.
Sycuan fire academy recruits get hands-on CPR training. DAY SIXTEEN (April 22):
This is where I found the recruits at 0515 hours this morning: Flipping tires up and down the roadway and sprinting fire hoses up and down hillsides.
LOG PT: In grueling team workouts, the fire students learn to pull together and work as a team. A key goal of the fire academy is to get the recruits working together as a team and these are a very effective exercises because they cannot be performed otherwise.
Even the strongest students feel the pain and burn on the chin-up bars during the hotshots' grueling and repetitive wildland training sessions.
Monkey bars also build upper-body strength in the fire recruits — wildland firefighters need strong upper-body strength and stamina.
These three Golden Eagles Hotshots ran today's early-morning PT session (need IDs)... DAY SEVENTEEN (April 23):
Recruits participated in a late afternoon company inspection.
Chief Ruiz makes a note of an exemplary academy student during inspection.
DI Solis checks student fire gear. +++++++ WEBMASTER NOTE: I am cooling off this blog to devote my attention to the movie DVD so I have something to show at graduation. Thanks for looking.... +++++++ Wildland pictures and writing by GARY G. BALLARD photojournalist. CONTACT WEBMASTER ACADEMY MULTIMEDIA
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