CT Firefighters Return Home After Battling California Wildfires

CONNECTICUT — A 10-person group of trained wildland firefighters returned to Connecticut Friday after spending the last few weeks in the Modoc National Forest area in northeastern California.

Modoc was the site of a number of often large and unpredictable fires since July, according to the Klamath Falls News. The local firefighters left Connecticut on July 24.

The group included two members of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protections: Western Connecticut Fire Control Officer Amy Burgess, and Justin Wiggins, an Environmental Analyst with DEEP's Fisheries Division. Other crew members include one State of Rhode Island forestry employee.

The rest are private sector firefighters:

• Ben Arnold, Pomfret Center, CT
• Amy Burgess South Meriden CT
• Anthony Flamio Farmington CT
• Farrah Hussey Mansfield CT
• Michael Kronick Stratford CT
• John Moffat Guilford CT
• Jed Morrisey Higganum CT
• Brian Rossiter Groton MA
• Emily Shafer Madison CT
• Justin Wiggins Newington CT

DEEP maintains a roster of agency staff members and personnel who have been certified to fight forest or wildfires. Crew members must complete a rigorous training program and participate in an annual physical work capacity test and refresher training.

Connecticut maintains this firefighting capability to participate in a reciprocal aid program operated by the U.S. Forest Service. Under this program, trained personnel from other parts of the nation are available to assist Connecticut in the event of a fire emergency or other natural disaster in return for the support of Connecticut personnel when needed. All state agency expenses directly associated with these deployments are reimbursed to the state by the U.S. Forest Service.

The firefighters were expected to return to the DEEP's Eastern District Headquarters in Marlborough midday Friday. The crew will follow post-deployment demobilization procedures and safety protocols upon return.