Cal Fire Firefighters Go Through Grueling Training in South Bay Heat
SAN JOSE (KPIX) -- Cal Fire's Santa Clara Unit will likely head into this fire season with something its never had before: dedicated hand crews.
The additional help comes in the wake of the devastating wildfire season of 2020, after Governor Newsom allocated millions of dollars in funding to ramp up hand crews across the state.
Starting Wednesday and into Thursday, the agency's South Bay sector will conduct its annual readiness exercise and final testing for hand crews in training. Passage of the test would upgrade roughly 50 firefighters to "Type 1" status, which would grant them full wildland firefighting capabilities.
On Wednesday, Cal Fire evaluated three teams from the Pacheco station, the California Conservation Corps and the California Department of Corrections. On Thursday, members of the California National Guard will take the test.
The first portion of the test involved a four-mile hike, with 1,000 foot elevation gain, which must be finished within 70 minutes while carrying 50-60 pounds of gear in midday heat of around 90 degrees.
"The hike was grueling at times, but you gotta move. You definitely gotta put a foot in your rear and pick it up," said Noah Bistrin, a new Cal Fire recruit.
The next portion required each 16-member team of trainees to dig a containment line by hand that measured four feet wide by 300 feet long, up a steep hillside within an hour.
"Hand crews go where dozers can't, so these guys are gonna probably be some of the hardest working people on the incident," said Cal Fire Capt. Carlos Alcantar. "So when you see a hand crew, you know that they've been training, and you know they're just used to work, work, work."
If they pass, Wednesday's 50 firefighters would be the first ever hand crews dedicated to the SCU.
"After this test, hopefully everybody passes, then the real work starts. Because now they start going to fires," said Alcantar. "When you have hand crews, it's like a godsend when you're at a fire."
Bistrin, who was previously an EMT, joined Cal Fire after witnessing last year's destructive fire season, and downplayed the label of 'hero."
"Hero is a little bit above our pay grade. We just get out there and do our job," said Bistrin. "I've always wanted to be a firefighter. I want to help, and protect the lovely state we live in, and make it better."
