per piece manning n.— «In fire safety circles, “per piece manning” is the term for the approach that the union and mayor have endorsed in negotiations to settle a contract that expired last July. McKay explained how “per...
Beddian year n.— «Shearer chatted with another firefighter, Bobby Beddia. Shearer said recently, “He mentioned that he was very lucky, because he was fifty-three, so this year he got to experience living in his ’birth year...
spotter n.— «Cal Fire blamed the delay on a shortage of military helicopter managers, better known as spotters—trained wild-land firefighters who help military pilots position water drops and communicate with firefighters in the air and...
jackpot n.—Gloss: in firefighting slang, a flammable place. «The fire kept trying to creep past them. A few sparks jumped into a nest of wood chips in an old log—”a jackpot,” firefighter lingo for a flammable spot.» —“Few...
coyote camp n.—Gloss: an improvised place near the site of a forest fire where firefighters have chosen to sleep. «If travel time to the side (or flank) of the fire where firefighters are assigned, they could be asked to “spike...
spike out v. phr.— «If travel time to the side (or flank) of the fire where firefighters are assigned, they could be asked to “spike out” which means sleep in place rather than in the camp.» —“Release No. 0303.07: The...