What other wildland firefighting resources are being utilized?
Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) – RAWS units collect, store and forward six critical weather elements hourly, via a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 22,300 miles above the equator, to a computer system located at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. There are approximately 1,150 RAWS strategically positioned throughout the United States. The types of weather information involved include wind speed and direction, wind gusts, precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity and fuel moisture. Resource managers also use RAWS to monitor environmental conditions and air quality. Some RAWS units are used as early-alert warning systems for things such as floods, mud slides or hazardous material levels. Incident Management Teams – This is a team of highly trained, experienced individuals who are organized to manage large and/or complex incidents. Firefighter Handtools – Most of the handtools used by firefighters are combination tools. Througho
