| Every year around the end of July a local group of fireman come together and head out west as part of a wildland firefighting team. This team assists local firefighters and groups from all over the country as they deal with devestating wildland fires from California up through the Pacific Northwest. This years team includes an officer from the AVFD, Assistant Chief John Casey. Casey completed the required training and certification around the end of May and has been waiting for the opportunity to assist. The team, led by Division of Forestry Officer Chris White, will join several other teams for the trip and then break off into various ares to assist local crews already on the ground. Each deployment typically lasts about two weeks with the potential for a three-week stay. |