Assistant Fire Chief Jerrirt Pedersen and Colton Fire Fighter Gerrit Pedersen met the Colton, Oregon Fire Department while being deployed to the Echo Mountain Complex Fire in Oregon. They are scheduled to head home Friday, September 25. (Photo/Submitted)

Sara Stadem | Editor

Echo Mountain Complex Fire in Oregon needed additional help so when the Colton Fire and Rescue received the request to assist, they didn’t hesitate.
Assistant Fire Chief Jerrit Pedersen, Colton Fire Fighter Gerrit Pedersen and Highmore Firefighter Prentice Bast are currently dispatched to Oregon. They are part of a Strike team of engines which consists of the Colton Fire and Rescue truck from South Dakota, five engines from Wyoming, and one from Kansas, along with a Strike team leader from the Wyoming Forest Service. The crew left on September 11.
Fire Chief of Colton Fire and REscue, Jon Randby, explained there are two ways to get deployed. Engines can list to dispatch in South Dakota and remain more regional, or they can list on a National level.If listed on a National level, an engine can be asked to go anywhere in the U.S. “When we decide to list out our truck national, we have to have a crew of three to be ready to leave during that time. We could get a call at any time,” stated Fire Chief Randby.
When a dispatch is received, it’s on a volunteer basis. Chief Randby said they check to see who might be able to go during certain weeks and if they do not have the personnel, they take the truck off the list.
A typical deployment is a two-week commitment. However, a crew could extend past that after the required two days off. Chief Randby finds that typically his guys are able to get away for the initial two weeks. Depending on the fire, weather and other factors, a deployment could be shorter.
Colton Fire and Rescue has been able to remain in contact with Engine 6-1 while they have been in Oregon. The engine boss, who is in charge of the trucks, will send a text to the group with updates as to how things are going when whenever possible. “In today’s age, it’s a lot simpler to hear back from them even if it’s just a text,” said Chief Randby.
This type of deployment is not new to the Colton Fire and Rescue. In the last two years, they have deployed their truck four times including this one. In addition to this deployment, which is the farthest their truck has gone, they have been to Colorado three times. The fire they are on right now is right up against the ocean. Prior deployments, closer to home, have consisted of the Black Hills and North Dakota for wildlife assignments.
“A cool part about this deployment is the guys got to go to Colton, Oregon. They got to meet them and on our Facebook page we have had several people from the area follow us but also to comment thanking us for being there.”
The crew is scheduled to be sent home Friday, September 25, and will take about two days to get back.