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USFC2006-3121-03
{A1 E52FC1
{70879}
- 38B4-4BF2-976D-95BAAE4B2224}
{32-060606:133021
} {052506}
JOINT
APPENDIX
06-3121
niteb
@tares
_or
( ourt
(_l_e _¢i_eral
THOR
of
Appeal
t_ir_uit
WEATHERBY,
III,
Petitioner,
Vt
DEPARTMENT
OF THE
INTERIOR,
Respondent.
PETITION
MERIT
FOR
SYSTEMS
REVIEW
OF
THE
PROTECTION
BOARD
IN SF0842050195-I-2.
_:BP-ED
JOINT
U.S.COURTOF_PPE_LSFOR
THEF_DPRAL
CIRCUIT
APPENDIX
MAY 2 6 ZOO6
l_ HORBA_Y
W. Craig James
MAUK & BURGOYNE
Roger
David
515 South
Deborah
A. Bynum
DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE
6th Street
Post Office
Box 1743
Boise,
Idaho
83701-1743
(208)
345-2654
1100 L Street,
Washington,
(202)
Counsel
for Petitioner
THE
LEX
Hipp
M. Cohen
GROUP
N.W.,
DC
Room
20530
305-0277
Counsel
for
Dc • 1750 K Street, N.W. • Suite 475 • Washington,
Respondent
D.C. 20006
(202) 955-0001 ¢ (800) 815-3791 • Fax: (202) 955-0022 • www.thelexgroupdc.com
12072
INDEX
TO APPENDIX
PAGE
Final Order
of the Merit Systems
Initial Decision
Certified
Protection
of the Merit Systems
Board
Protection
1
Board
4
Index
19
Statement
of Bey Fronterhouse
24
Statement
of Greg Ely
26
Statement
of Donald
27
Interagency
L. Stickler
Firefighter
Qualification
Records
Position Description
GS-0391-11
for Telecommunications
Petitioner's
for FERS
Request
Position Description
WG-5604-11
Abstract
Special
29
Specialist,
Retirement,
dated
39
12/29/95
48
for Electronics
Mechanic,
Standard
171
57
Of Petitioner's
Form
52
Position Description
WG-2604-10
for Electronics
Mechanic,
59
Position Description
WG-2604-11
•
for Electronics
Mechanic,
64
Position Description
WG-2604-05
for Electronics
Mechanic
Notifications
of Personnel
Action
Helper,
68
70
Hearing Exhibit A, description of Petitioner's Career Positions
75
Hearing Exhibit B, Incident Qualification and
Certification System Records
76
Hearing Exhibit D, Vacancy Announcement for Electronic
Mechanic, WG-2604-10/11
78
Abstract of Hearing Transcript
84
Final Agency Decision, dated 11/18/04
114
UNITED
STATES
OF AMERICA
MERIT
SYSTEMS
PROTECTION
BOARD
THOR
WEATHERBY,
DOCKET
NUMBER
SF-0842-05-0195-I-2
III,
Appellant,
V.
DEPARTMENT
OF THE
INTERIOR,
DATE:
8go
_ 0
°'c-_q_a
Agency.
W. Craig
James,
Chandra
Esquire,
R. Postma,
Boise,
Esquire,
Idaho,
for the appellant.
Anchorage,
Ataska,
for the agency.
BEFORE
Neil
A. O. McPhie,
Barbara
J. Sapin,
FINAL
The
appellant
reconsider
the
petitions
such
that
not
was
made
this
initial
of review
fully
no new,
previously
no
in law
error
Therefore,
we
ORDER
a petition
issued
only
when
Member
for
by
review
the
a law
significant
new
C.F.R.
unavailable,
DENY
the
case
judge.
evidence
The
regulation
Code
us
We
administrative
that
of Federal
to
grant
is presented
the
5 of the
asking
to us
judge
establishes
Regulations,
§ 1201.115).
considering
or regulation
in Title
this
or when
or regulation.
is found
in
administrative
for considerationearlier
interpreting
1201._.15.(5
After
one
available
standard
filed
decision
as this
an error
section
has
Chairman
the
filings
in this
evidence
and
that
the
outcome.
that
petition
affects
for
appeal,
review.
O01
the
we
conclude
The
administrative
5 C.F.R.
initial
that
judge
there
is
made
§ 1201.115(d).
decision
of
the
administrative
5 C.F.R.
judge
is final.
This
is the
Board's
final
in this
matter.
§ 1201.113.
NOTICE
TO THE APPELLANT
YOUR
FURTHER
REVIEW
You
Federal
have
the
Circuit
court
decision
right
to request
to review
at the following
this
the
final
REGARDING
RIGHTS
United
decision.
States
Court
of Appeals
for the
You must
submit
your
request
to the
60
calendar
days
address:
United
States Court of Appeals
for the Federal
Circuit
717
Madison
Place,
Washington,
The
court
must
after
your
receipt
representative
no later
not
comply
the
court,
931
Title
you
as well
our
website,
website,
1544
further
receipt
The
be
dismissed.
Cir.
States
as review
Code,
the
http://www.mspb.gov.
about
federal
than
court
in this
you
must
case,
and your
file with
the court
representative.
has
held
deadline
and
See
Pinat
If you
that
that
v.
normally
filings
it does
that
Office
choose
do not
of Personnel
1991).
information
to the
later
do, then
by your
statutory
(Fed.
no
a representative
this
must
20439
review
you
on time.
to waive
refer
before
after
to file
F.2d
5 of the United
law,
court's
need
should
this
days
careful
for
If you have
order
the deadline
Management,
If you
this
authority
with
request
of this order.
60 calendar
be very
have
your
receives
than
to file,
receive
DC
N.W.
law
section
Board's
your
that
7703
gives
http://fedcir._ov/contents.html.
you
and
this
this
right.
§ 7703).
other
information
Of
0O2
to appeal
(5 U.S.C.
regulations
Additional
right
particular
decision
It is found
You
related
to
in
may read
material,
at
is available
at the
relevance
is the
court's
the
FOR
"Guide
court's
THE
for
Rules
Pro
Se Petitioners
of Practice,
and
and Forms
which
is contained
5, 6__,and lI.
BOARD
Beniley
M. Roberts,
Clerk of the Board
oWashington,
Appellants,"
D.C.
003
. '_-_''
within
UNITED
STATES
OF AMERICA
MERIT
SYSTEMS
PROTECTION
BOARD
WESTERN
REGIONAL
OFFICE
THOR
WEATHERB
DOCKET
Y, III,
NUMBER
SF-0842-05-0195-I-2
Appellant,
V.
DEPARTMENT
OF THE
INTERIOR,
DATE:
July
29, 2005
Agency.
W. Craig
James,
Esquire,
Chandra
R. Postma,
Boise,
Esquire,
Idaho,
for the appellant.
Anchorage,
Alaska,
for
the agency.
appealed
the final
BEFORE
Gerard
C. Dasey
Administrative
Judge
INITIAL
DECISION
INTRODUCTION
On December
the
agency,
benefits
signed
his
831.110
(for
Employees'
appeal
(for
FERS
under
denying
his
the
Service
Retirement
5 U.S.C.
service);
timely
18, 2004,
Civil
Retirement
under
CSRS
System
(FERS).
§ 7701(a);
and
5 U.S.C.
claim
The
for
enhanced
System
Board
5 U.S.C.
§ 8347(d)
§ 8461(e)(1)
and
decision
of
annuity
(CSRS)
and
has jurisdiction
and
5 C.F.R.
5 C.F.R.
§
§ 841.308
service).
A hearing
reasons
the appellant
November
as a firefighter
the Federal
over
13, 2004,
set forth
was
below,
held
on
April
the agency's
20,
2005,
decision
004
in Anchorage,
is AFFIRMED.
Alaska.
For
the
2
FINDINGS
AND
ANALYSIS
Background
The
Land
appellant
Management
Fairbanks,
with
works
(BLM),
Alaska.
the AFS
for
the Department
in its Alaska
He sought
State
an enhanced
in the following
of the Interior
Office,
annuity
Alaska
(DOI),
Fire
Bureau
Service
as a firefighter
of
(AFS),
for his service
positions:
Electronic
Mechanic
from July 26,
Electronic
Mechanic,
Helper,
WG-2604-5,
1984, to July 20, 1985;
WG-2604-11,
from July 21,
Electr.onic
Mechanic,
1985, to December
WG-2604-11,
31, 1986;
from January
1, 1987, to November
19, 1988;
Electronic
Mechanic,
WG-2604-10,
from November
20, 1988, to October
5, 1991;
Electronic
Mechanic,
WG-2604-11,
from October
6, 1991, to July 20, 1997;
Telecom.mueications
Specialist,
GS-0391-11,
from July 21, 1997, to September
7, 2002;
Information
Technology
Specialist,
GS-2210-11,
from
Information
from
September
8, 2002, to June 28, 2003;
Technology
Specialist
(System
Administrator),
June 29, 2003, to November
1, 2003;
Information
from
Technology
Specialist
(System
November
2, 2003 to the present.
Initial
Appeal
File
In his letter
that
he sought
July
1984
positions.
all
t This
appeal
coverage
November
IAF1,
held
was
tab 4, section
to the agency
primary
to
positions
1 (IAF1)
1988,
tab 4, section
by
dated
secondary
4, subtab
the appellant
originally
service
and
captioned
Administrator),
GS-2210-12,
3. t
December
for his
GS-2210-11,
through
19, 2003,
in the two
coverage
7, p. TW000014.
July
1997
for
as SF-0842-05-0195-I-1.
the appellant
positions
for
The
primary
specified
he held
all
agency
subsequent
assessed
coverage,
After
from
and
a dismissal
without prejudice,
the appeal was refiied and captioned
SP-0842-05-0195-I-2.
Citations
to the file for the first appeal will be designated
as [AF1; citations
to the second as
[AF2.
0O5
denied
his
equipment
request
finding
maintenance
establish
that
All positions
IAF1,
after
tab
and
the basic
held
4,
repair,
reason
after
July
section
that
3.
not
for
1997
The
the
primary
purpose
firefighting,
and
the existence
were
that
not eligible
appealed
positions
the evidence
of his positions
found
appellant
of his
was
did
agency's
not
firefighting.
for secondary
the
was
coverage.
decision
to
the
Board.
Applicable
law
Under
of service
the
they
service.
majority
reach
See
Veterans
and
55
5 U.S.C.
94
174,
is
employment
and
mandatory
and 8425.
perform
particularly
maintenance
of
throughout
the
Management,
2d
Sess.
2944);
Dodd,
strictly
construed,
traditional
at a time
94
to
upon
civil
service
30
Federal
195
younger
(2003);
salary
this
and
reprinted
(Fed.
in
M.S.P.R.
at
because
the
1972
179.
Cir.
U.S.Code
Eligibility
program
is "more
retirement
plans
and
when
would
otherwise
they
1991)
often
results
have
OO6
Cong.
for
of
H.R.Rep.
&
Admin.
to the
8335,
who
Personnel
No.
840,
News
government
to work
the
forces
service
in the retirement
continued
her
to "facilitate
Office
firefighter
costly
or
firefighting
v.
(quoting
his
employees
and
the
service
8334(c),
to reward
Felzien
of
of
civil
§§
vigorous
of
qualifying
during
interest,
more
years
v. Department
ordinary
5 U.S.C.
age,
to retire
20
an employee
preference
of
Department
deductions
in the public
years
with
Scott
v.
20 years
eligible
60
than
See
50
not
age
Dodd
annuity
establishment."
898,901
or
8412(a)-(d);
retirement.
duties
are
Furthermore,
larger
established
relatively
(c)(1),
completes
attaining
of service
a larger
early
who
employees
(2003).
to
hazardous
2,
(b),
178-79
Congress
retire
years
191,
subject
930 F.2d
Cong.,
eligible
receives
but
people
with
retirement
8422(a)
employee
M.S.P.R.
employees,
more
is
a federal
§§ 8336(a),
94 M.S.P.R.
firefighter
FERS,
of other
age
Affairs,
Interior,
for
CSRS
as a firefighter
whereas,
until
both
92 "d
2941,
credit
is
than
of important
for a number
of years."
Watson
v. Department
2001),
denied,
534
U.S.
can
qualify
cert.
An employee
position
that
has been
for firefighter
for
such
positions
have
not
been
entitlement
C.F.R.
credit
See
for which
as
Dodd,
his service
by CSRS.
that
such.
The
Thus,
credit
July
1292,
credit
his
to his
position
bears
statutory
Cir.
by serving
in a
employing
agency
and
qualify
duties
It is undisputed
credit
the
by a preponderance
26,
(Fed.
at 179.
either
to service
he
1298
94 M.S.P.R.
842.803-804.
entitlement
94 M.S.P.R.
from
Dodd,
or by applying
establishing
claims
F.3d
service
§§ 831.903-906,
service
§ 1201.56(a)(2);
was covered
and
262
7, 2002);
as such,
appellant
approved
(Jan.
Navy,
for firefighter
5 C.F.R.
to firefighter
During
1083
approved
service
credit.
of the
the
as a firefighter
burden
of
proving
of the evidence.
See
5
at 179.
1984,
to December
definition
31,
1986,
of "firefighter"
the appellant
under
CSRS
is:
An employee,
the duties
of whose
position
are primarily
to perform
work directly
connected
with the control
and extinguishment
of fires
or the maintenance
and use of firefightin_
apparatus
and equipment,
including
an employee
engaged
in this activity
who is transferred
to
a supervisory
or administrative
position.
(emphasis
added)
5 U.S.C.
§ 8331(21).
See
also
Since
January
l,
The
statutory
definition
FERS.
A.
1987,
An employee,
5 C.F.R.
the
appellant
the duties
of whose
are primarily
to perform
control
and extinguishment
(ii)
are_ sufficiently
be
has
of "firefighter"
(i)
should
§ 831.902.
to
under
that
and
an employee
who
is transferred
directly
administrative
position
after
performing
subparagraph
(A) for at least 3 years.
See
also
5 C.F.R.
is:
employment
young
g.
§ 8401(14).
FERS
§ 842.802.
007
covered
position-
individuals,
as determined
by the
recgmmendations
of the employing
5 U.S.C.
in positions
work directly
connected
of fires; and
rigorous
limited
served
to a
duties
the
opportunities
physically
Director
agency;
with
vigorous
considering
and
the
supervisory
described
or
in
by
5
The
difference
emphasized
between
language
definition,
occupy
using
firefighting
that
apparatus
and
but not the FERS
By regulation,
OPM
was
the added
"young
Thus,
is important
definition
has
only
the positions.
of firefighter
definitions
CSRS
definition
rigorous"
should
and
he meets
has defined
"primary
duties"
iii.
Are
emergency,
they
a substantial
work cycle;
meet
employee
or group
the
they
is not
position
duties,
Dodd,
nature
portion
of
of at least
are his
entitled
the position
be
individuals"
is maintaining
and
literal
CSRS
definition
as those
duties
that:
primary
to firefighter
he performed
is constitute
of the individual's
and recurring
See
or temporary
an average
of duties,
An employee
on a regular
substantial
spends
portion
and
842.802.
incidental,
FERS
definition.
Occupy
typical
831.902,
that
The
the
vigorous
the
ii.
§§
appeal.
from
an individual
Are paramount
in influence
or weight,
that
reasons
for the existence
of the position;
assigned
dropped
physically
to the extent
equipment,
to this
requirement
i.
5 C.F.R.
other
the
and the FERS
"sufficiently
if
in
these
some
94
working
time
M.S.P.R.
179.
Duties
at
be considered
a
time
In
50 percent
of his
performing
duties.
5 C.F.R.
service
credit
control
time
§§
merely
duties.
of an
"primary,"
criterion.
fire
over
basis.
cannot
the
the basic
even
general,
an
a duty
831.902,
842.802.
because
Dodd,
if
among
his
94 M.S.P.R.
at 179.
The
firefighter
position
this
Board
credit
day duties.
both
adopted
eligibility
in question,
approach,
assessing
has
which
the
reason
the
official
that
a "position-oriented"
focuses
is the first
for
the
position
upon
prong
existence
description
Id.
OO8
approach
the
reason
of OPM's
of
the
(PD)
for
for
the existence
test.
Id.
position
is
and
the
determining
at 180.
of the
Under
determined
employee's
by
day
to
The
appellant's
FERS
the
parties
as
November
to
the
because
from
21,
1985,
that
period
bifurcate
partly
under
support
FERS
of that
95 Fed.Appx.
decision
if it was,
same
because
that
of service
Id. at 992.
of service
On
CSRS
Public
must
in one
noi
99-335,
to
be
evaluated
regulatory
under
provisions
December
period
rules
31,
from
apply
Pre-Hearing
the
to service
apply
1986.
January
1,
from
criteria.
and
IAF2,
tab
is not
address
is subject
The
Tl_ey
1987,
to
November
Canoles
the issue
between
make
between
because
the law
the
any
CSRS
which
was
"no
such
may
criteria
6, side
and
B.
of the
of the Air
In
U.S.
Force,
tab 7.
purposes
of this
under
changed
permits
But
service
CSRS
from
secondary
finding
appeal.
an employee's
precedent
and
position
decision
assessment
CSRS
and
in
FERS
to FERS
the bifurcation
firefighting
service."
regarding
the bifurcation
plan
changed
and FERS.
appellant's
he elected
tape
v. Department
of whether
primary
did not
1987,
that
CSRS
hearing
for
plan
closing
nor the Board
under
IAF2,
his
WG-2604-11
the agency
4-5;
precedent
found
and
an unpublished
to a bifurcated
Court
position
cites
retirement
same
it partly
(Fed.Cir).
a binding
not
neither
4, pp.
Circuit,
WL886971
in the
analyze
the appellant
2004
Submission
remained
19, 1988,
of service,
in one position
January,I,
the
FERS
his
to November
But the Court
to FERS
Law
in
the employee's
service.
and
1984,
for
the appellant
it does
position
26,
that
for the Federal
990,
That
agree
argument,
of Appeals
during
1986,
statutory
July
rules
argued
that
rules
31,
2
appellant
July
from
They
argument
the
the CSRS
applicable
to the present.
The
even
that
service
19, 1988.
1988,
Court
December
agree
appellant's
disagree
20,
after
criteria.
The
to
service
FERS
created
2 Compare
Appellant's
Pre-Hearing
Submission
Heating
Submission
at 6 (IAF2, tab 5).
OO9
retirement
coverage,
FERS
and
at 5 ([AF2,
but
was
rather
mandated
from
by operation
of
its coverage
on
tab 4) and Agency's
Pre-
7
employees
such
TW000323.
as
the
Nevertheless,
provisions
of FERS,
coverage.
The
none,
for
take
effect
appellant.
such
on that
has
that
date,
regulation
that
as Thrift
appellant
the argument
The
on
IAF1,
cited
no
and could
cited
by
formed
before
an
became
became
subject
to Chapter
The appellant
July
Electronic
The
AFS
positions
1984,
BLM
Interior
20,
his
1985,
for
job
the
that
Alaska
includes
to all positions
all
Security
of FERS
his
found
did
under
The
appellant
I find
CSRS
Service
(AFS)
that
fire-suppression
rules.
occupied
Branch
of
the position
Radio
Repair
introductory
appeal,
only
in that
organization
Department
in
million
Kodiak
basis.
acres
Island.
This
interagency
responsibility
plus incidental
suppression
It executes
a cooperative
on the
agreement
AFS
provide
suppression
services
to the mutual
National
AFS
provides
professional
leadership,
guidance,
evaluation
in all aspects
of fire suppression
and
IAF1,
taking
place
State Director,
on these
Alaska.
same
tab 4, subtab
49, p. TW000277.
lands.
It functions
010
involves
North
with
is
192
Slope
and
Canada
to
boundary
area.
assistance,
and
related
services
directly
and
all AFS
of the
Alaska.
of
language
responsible
for
providing
fire
suppression
and
related
support
services
on BLM, FWS, NPS, BIA, and Native
Corporation
lands on
a state
wide basis
in Alaska.
Additionally,
AFS
provides
these
services
to the State of Alaska
and Military
in selected
areas on a
contractual
only
service.
in this
is the
5
"per-
organization:
Fire
not
argument.
to service
1, 1987.
following
at issue
to
I have
84 .... "
the appellant
the
Social
and
applies
Chapter
CSRS
in
and
support
on January
WG-2604-5,
applies
(DO[)
to
p.
left his position.
not
analyzed
during
to July
are in a firefighting
The
subject
50,
subject
provisions
definition
Helper,
PD
which
CSRS
is appropriately
not a firefighter
26,
does
subtab
became
the appellant
84 (of 5 U.SIC.)
date
Mechanic
Installation.
about
that
was
From
employee
the
4,
authority,
retirement
appellant
that
section
participation
persuasive
not until
the
4,
appellant
Plan
the firefighter
§ 842.809(d)(1)says
before
the
Savings
C.F.R.
his service
date
tab
under
the
The
duties
PD
introduction
also
includes
this
general
description
of the
primary
of the position:
The function
Journeyman
of this position
is to help and be trained
by the Electronics
in the Radio
Shop in an on-the-job
training
situation
in the
repair
of eIectronics
Resource
Management.
communications
equipment
used
by
BLM
to
be
Fire
and
trained
in
Id.
The
1.
following
major
Assist
duties
Electronic
are listed
in the PD:
Journeyman
in
installations,
diagnosing
malfunctions,
troubleshoots
to determine
cause.
Prepares
unsatisfactory
equipment
reports
on
items
failing
repeatedly,
specifying
the nature
of the fault and the materials
necessary
for
repairs
required.
.
Replaces
defective
transformers,
switches,
relays,
tubes solid state
circuitry,
choke
coils,
capacitors,
resistors,
canon
plugs,
junction
boxes,
wires, potentiometers,
etc.
Makes
complete
visual
inspection
of all connections
and wiring
and applications
of protective
coating,
decals,
and legibility
of marking.
Makes
final test and adjustments
prior
o
.
to release
Removes,
disassembles,
inspects,
repairs,
adjusts,
overhauls,
modifies,
calibrates,
aligns,
and tunes
electronic
components
and
associated
equipment,
such
as transmitters,
receivers,
and some
simple
test equipment.
Learns
to use all
frequency
meters,
resistance
generators
component,
and shop
trade.
.
,
of equipment.
bridges,
to localize
tive
tube
testers,
transistor
trouble
by component
of shop
correspondence
matters
such as system
test sets,
oscillators,
ohmmeters,
checkers,
and
signal
unit, by circuit
within
a
and by element
of a circuit.
Uses hand
test equipment
common
to the mechanical
Maintains
control
the Fire Cache.
Types
types of test equipment,
standing
wave indicators,
for personnel
inventory
concerning
and
communications
in the Branch
011
records
of Remote
and power
tools
and electrical
of radios
and
Sensing.
stored
administra-
in
Orders
Branch
.
and keeps
of Remote
stock up
Sensing.
on radio
parts
used
in repair
work
in the
Id. at 277-278.
There
existence
is no
of this
language
position
in
the
was
PD
either
the maintenance
and use of firefighting
describes
performed
man.
duties
While
equipment
the listed
used
Forest
fires
exhibit
and
systems
the use
physically
claimed
any
that
basic
the
the CSRS
position
discussed
such
reason
July
for the
Electronic
duties
electronic
1985,
tab 4.
the
and
Rather,
and
documentary
or
the PD
of a journey-
repair
the
the
of fires
guidance
involve
testimony,
In Felzien,
who
of electronic
incumbent's
use
line
of
by the court
he held
existence
Helper
at
Thus
A;
that
a
maintained
F.2d
and
at 903.
in hazardous
appellant
has
he did
satisfied
to
November
are listed
mechanic,
19,
1988,
WG-2604-11,
in the PD for that
installs]
components,
typical
overhauls,
related
the
in
not
not show
either
clause
of
declared
the
appellant
same
occupied
Branch.
the
The
position:
maintains,
devices,
and
and repairs
equipment.
a variety
As
such,
tasks.
inspections,
diagnoses
malfunction,
cause.
Determines
whether
equipment
or
930
The
position
6, side
the "maintenance
of fires,"
899.
he did
found
and
Felzien,
position.
of this
Circuit
met
at "hundreds
Id.
tape
installed,
firefighter.
the
hearing
firefighters
was
evidence,
the Federal
designed,
by front
Mechanic,
the following
Conducts
determine
repaired
equipment.
for
of firefighter.
21,
major
performs
reason
and
do not
Appellant's
circumstances.
use while
As electronic
of
basic
extinguishment
maintenance
they
definition
demanding
of
following
1986.
used
CSRS
definition
From
the
the
and
under
testimony
Technician
of the
However,
Shop
involve
B, at IAF2,
communications
clause
apparatus
firefighters,
until
Electronics
use"
control
Radio
to the appellant's
at any
appellant's
the
that
in the field.
According
work
duties
by agency
of the equipment
not
in the
indicating
unserviceable.
Prepares
012
and
may
troubleshoots
to
be economicaUy
unsatisfactory
equipment
10
reports
on .items
the materials
failing
repeatedly,
specifying
the
nature
of the fault
and
necessary
for repairs
required.
Removes,
disassembles,
inspects,
repairs,
calibrates,
equipment,
recorders,
aligns,
and tunes
electronic
sets, components
and associated
such
as radio
sets,
signal
generators,
audio
osciUators,
microphones,
speakers,
transmitters
and receivers
of limited
functions,
tape
recorders,
audio
similar
components
or equipment.
Replaces
defective
adjusts,
oscillators,
transformers,
switches,
overhauls,
modifies,
synchronizers,
relays,
and
tubes,
circuits,
other
choke
coils,
capacitors,
resistors,
cannon
plugs,
junction
blocks,
wires,
potentiometers,
etc.
Makes
complete
visual
inspection
of items
repaired
for appearance,
security
of all connections
and wiring
and application
of
protective
coating,
decals,
and
legibility
of marking.
Makes
final
operational
tests and adjustments
prior to release
of equipment.
Uses all types of test equipment,
such
standing
wave
indicators,
oscillators,
as system
test
ohmmeters,
sets, frequency
meters,
voltmeters,
resistance
bridges,
tube
testers,
and
signal
generators
to
localize
trouble
by
component
unit, by circuit
within
a component,
and by element
of a circuit.
Adjusts
and calibrates
testing
instruments.
Uses hand and power
tools and
shop test equipment
common
to the mechanical
and electrical
trade.
IAF1,
tab 4, subtab
As noted
1986,
above,
is appropriately
firefighter
The
fires..
PD
Although
PD
does
the
describe
weather,"
service
assessed
under
CSRS
rules.
either
clause
of the
CSRS
The
is
appellant
He said
of the job,
but
erecting
specifically
"Physical
work,
no
of a forest
testimony.
and
not
field
there
circumstances
rock
the appellant's
by satisfying
at 902.
the
48, p. TW000273-4.
"on
of
position
Thus,
until
he
December
can
definition.
the use
and
show
and
in
hazardous,
physically
930
a
F.2d
equipment
at
sections
of
Conditions"
mountaintops,"
31,
he was
Felzien,
of electronic
"Working
the
"cold,
windy
demanding
Id. at 274-5.
the "Physical
the PD language
he described
40-foot
Demands"
description
addressed
that
address
including
fire.
in this
additional
towers
Demands"
begins
to describe
demanding
at high
013
portion
elevations,
duties,
and
of this
the physical
such
erecting
PD in his
demands
as chipping
and
into
repairing
.1I
generators
and
and
heavy
were
part
equipment
in Alaska,
in
other
the
known
and
hearing
Although
Fall,
to him
his fire
experience
related
activities
August
entry
tape 5, side
the
to the Boise
he repaired
radios
multiple
used
When
radio
accessible
communications
The
and
side
a power
appellant
a fire,
and
to
was
installations
was
season.
done
Appellant's
four
entries
near
for installing
the
for
fire.
June
he worked
fires.
worked
on
a high
is a picture
and maintaining
Appellant's
fire-
that
the
temporary
assignment,
reflect
he "supported
on electronic
repeaters
point,
a
radio
a large
mast
of a repeater.)
the repeaters
testimony,
and
often
to facilitate
It includes
E-6
of
Id.
with
in order
fire.
five
l, 1986,
where
different
exhibit
his
that
not
listing
testified
During
a fire
the
were
lists
involved
temporarily
fighting
exhibit
system",
usually
installed
(Appellant's
after
radio"
four
which
appellant
Center.
appellant
fires
That
Fire
fighting
people
responsible
them
towers
system
B is an accurate
one assignment,
by helicopter,
the
These
communication
some
The
command
this
the
is a device
source.
removing
The
an "area
to a fire,
among
towers.
fire
Id.
as "BIFC
in Boise.
only
normal
his exhibit
Interagency
employees
mountaintop
antenna
(Idaho)
by agency
A repeater
on these
1986.
exhibit
is, during
kits.
work
he worked
that
for
That
assigned
distance
of his knowledge.
in a shop
incidents."
equipment
he stated
the
assignment
long
after
that
appellant
on
assignment
and
testified
to the best
for
Most
these
A.
by the agency,
described
appellant's
permanent,
before
the appellant
credited
the
of the
on and around
as the "backbone."
Spring
testimony,
equipment
during
hearing
tape
5,
A.
A radio
other
peripherals.
kit
is a set of
The
to firefighting
personnel,
The
usually
among
appellant
several
16 hand
appellant
held
was
responsible
and maintaining
worked
simultaneous
out
fires.
radios,
them
of
with
for
014
was
not
issuing
radios
or replacing
a command
He
antennas,
center
on
the
them
set
fire
batteries,
from
during
and
the kits
the fire.
up
near
a fire,
line,
but
was
or
close
12
enough
to
the
because
fires
The
Federai
was
that
moved
work
in Felzien
the appellant
assigned
the
period,
were
I find
claim
the
is similar
the second
clause
from
on only
that
of the
July
the one
handling
21,
be
moved
duties
during
this
This
of his
definition
1986,
position,
does
of
31,
when
record
apparatus
period
by the
to December
in June,
fires.
found
CSRS
1985,
occasion
four
the primary
service
to
to the work
and use of firefighting
appellant's
had
Id.
at fires
period
center
centers
he
does
not
during
this
and equipment."
not
meet
the
CSRS
of firefighter.
The
19, 1988
was not a firefighter
appellant
testified
remained
those
definition
of firefighter,
Thus,
appellant
the
for
connected
the
duties
appellant's
does
exhibit
clear
from'
not
does
not
of proving
the
the
the
during
this
whether
some
of the
and
which
5 U.S.C.
were
use
clause.
are the basic
directly
§ 8401(14).
of fires.
of almost
events
FERS
work
extinguishment
period
to FERS.
stringent
to perform
of fires."
and
to November
changed
more
duties
"primarily
control
was
a maintenance
that
are
l, 1987,
plan
to
include
16 events
the exhibit
January
compared
extinguishment
address
B lists
from
service.
his retirement
of the position
and
his FERS
duties
be
the burden
existence
PD
now
which
to the control
The
his
as before
must
has
during
that
the same
However,
not
work
the "maintenance
The appellant
reason
the
a command
appellant's
that
definition
during
command
direction.
to satisfy
did this
to
the
by the appellant
However,
support
occasionally
in unexpected
done
Circuit
firefighter.
1986,
fire
The
23 months.
It is
simultaneous
fires
I
worked
by the appellant
this
in his
the
setting
testimony.
up
maintenance
connected
The
this
on single
In any
and
to the control
appellant's
event,
maintenance
of radios.
Felzien
deployments,
court
satisfied
The
and
the
the appellant's
of
repeaters,
question
that
at fires
well
as
such
did not
involved
the
address
mainly
issuance
work
and
is "directly
of fires."
and
015
work
whether
an employee
maintenance
the 'appellant
as
becomes
extinguishment
found
and
with
use
clause
fire
site
duties
of the CSRS
similar
definition.
to
13
The
court
did
not
definition
("directly
apparently
because
controlled
and
discussing
the
and
find
the
connected
did
extinguished
first
and
duties
with
"Felzien
the
not
in the
are the
physically
the
control
and
to
that
F.2d
the-CSRS
of fires"),
court
supply
and
at 902.
firefighting
they
of
personally
the
of front-line
clause
extinguishment
930
definition,
demanding
first
have
Felzien,
CSRS
"type
satisfied
claim
fires .... "
clause
extinguishment"
hazardous
that
the
directly
However,
in
noted
that
duties
so obviously
ordinary
"control
meaning
of
' f ire fighting.'"
The
meaning
court
of the word
fires."
The
definition
Ct.CI.
statute
a Court
of Claims
firefighter
as used
at issue
of firefighter.
65
fires
cited
(1979).
because
climbing
he
The
had
ladders,
in the
case
citing
Ellis
Ellis
court
found
risked
personal
and
entering
PD
for
over
statute
was
5 U.S.C.
v. United
that
danger
300
held
in this
case
Id.,
which
that
the
"the
ordinary
who
combats
is a person
§ 8331(21),
States,
610
F.2d
the
760,
the
plaintiff
had
by
entering
smoke-filled
burning
buildings.
been
Ellis,
CSRS
764;
222
combating
houses,
610
F.2d
at
764.
work
directly
that
Neither
the
at fires
during
connected
he was
From
position
The
of Electronic
Supervises
installation
nor
his
testimony
a finding
that
his
primary
extinguishment
of fires.
the FERS
definition.
1988,
to October
5, 1991,
20,
lists
and
position,
within
Mechanic,
PD for that job
supports
control
not a firefighter
November
appellant's
period
to the
Supervisory
,t
this
the
WG-2604-10,
the foltowing
the
duties
Therefore,
appellant
in the Branch
about
Non
3 Automatic
the
Sensing.
duties:
Duties
one Electronics
He}3per who
of ALDS and RAWS
systems.
assists
in
the
maintenance
.I
4
were
I find
occupied
of Remote
his
Supervisory
Lightning
Duties
Detection
System
and Remote
016
Automatic
Weather
Stations.
and
14
Installs,
calibrates,
and
maintains
ALDS,.
RAWS,
and
other
special
electronic
systems.
Reads and writes computer
programs
Calibrates
electronic
equipment.
Reads and interprets
schematic
diagrams
Disassembles,
inspects,
and repairs
electronic
Keeps
IAF1,
proper
tab 4, subtab
The
34
records
The
Exxon
Valdez
hearing
tape
On
described
of all work.
43, p. TW000226.
appellant's
months.
exhibit
appellant
oil spill
B shows
testified
and
a
Standard
Form
171
his
duties
this
job
two
six possible
leaves
in
that
events
eruption
That
in this
eight
a volcano
6, side B.
responsibility
was
fires
on
in some
"maintaining
other
all.
tab 4, section
5, tab 38, p. TW000182.
appellant
not
The
directly
not
connected
a firefighter,
From
position
Systems.
responsibilities
has
within
6,
1991,
that
to
lists
July
event
upgrading"
WG-2604-11,
the following
not
duties
stated
serving
the
in
"major"
the
fixes:
the
of appellant,
the
that
mention
appellant
his
the
primary
ALDS.
He
firefighting
of this
of fires.
1997,
not
1991,
and
the primary
20,
29,
He
while
were
than
by the appellant.
detail.
did
of more
Testimony
July
but
definition,
Mechanic,
PD for that job
projects
period
worked
and extinguishment
the FERS
Electronic
The
shown
to the control
October
of
and
this
in Alaska.
completed
position
for
of those
described
IAF1,
hardware
position
I find
that
at
were
he was
in this position.
appellant
Branch
occupied
of
the
Technical
duties:
Instal!s,
calibrates,
and maintains
components
of ALDS,
IAMS, 4 RAWS,
and other systems
(e.g. direction
finders,
automated
weather
station
sensors
and controllers,
computers,
terminals,
etc.
Instalis
and maintains
various
networking
equipment
(e.g.
ethern'et
adaptors,
etc.)
4 Initial
Attack.
Management
data
modems,
communications
multiplexors,
System
017
and computer
X.25
packet
switches,
15
Installs,
IBM-PC
maintains,
equivalents,
Disassembles,
standard
shop
and assists users with
Macs, Data General
proper
Maintains
and dates
IAF1,
eight
appellant
support
positions
for
show
that
performing
8401(14);
his
that
the
usual
appellant
fire
for
duties
site
was
is
between
he transferred
5 C.F.R.
nine
not
July
any
directly
of a primary
FOR
THE
agency's
duties,
of operation,
this
entitled
26,
and
failure
while
July
coverage
is AFFIRMED.
BOARD:
018
of over
fires
this
rates,
1997,
for
for
occupied.
three
years
which
the
the
PD
position.
any
of the
he is not eligible
or administrative
position
five
nor
in this
coverage
20,
at
history
serving
he subsequently
to a supervisory
all
neither
to primary
1984,
positions
period
were
a firefighter
§ 842.802.
action
for
these
DECISION
The
length
events
arguendo,
the appellant
coverage
the
B shows
Assuming,
he occupied
secondary
and
of all work.
exhibit
performed
Because
using
43, p. TW000226.
months.
a claim
(e.g.
diagrams
in order to maintain,
repair,
in a timely
and efficient
manner.
logs on hardware
to determine
problems
were corrected.
Appellant's
and
schematic
components
records
tab 4, subtab
systems
inspects,
and repairs
electronic
system
components
test equipment
with little or no supervision.
Reads and interprets
calibrate
electronic
Keeps
various
computer
MV series,
etc.)
He cannot
position
years.
after
5 U.S.C.
§
Office
of the Clerk
PROTECTION
U.S. MERIT SYSTEMS
of the Board
Washington,
Phone:
202-653-7200;
Fax:
202-653-7130;
BOARD
1615 M Street,
E-Mail:
D.C.
mspb@mspb.gov
06-3121
ATTESTATION
I HEREBY
ATTEST
that the attached
documents
comprising
the administrative
Board in the appeal of Thor Weatherby,
Docket
official
index
represents
a list of the
record of the Merit Systems Protection
If[ v. Department
of the Interior,
MSPB
No. SF-0842-05-0195-I-2,
and that the administrative
custody and control on this date
record
is under
my
on file m this Board
January 20, 2006
_
Date
{J.)_
/
]3entley
-/_
019
M. Roberts, Jr.
Clerk of the Board
N.W.
20419-0002
INDEX
THOR
Page
WEATI-IERB
1 of
Y
V.
DEPARTMENT
MSPB
OF TI-KE INTERIOR
Docket
No. SF-0842-05-0195-I-I
IA-REFORM
ACT
MERIT
DATE
TAB
DESCRIPTION
AppeUant
MSPB
OF DOCUMENT
- Initial
Agency
- Response
MSPB
14, 2004
Order
December
15, 2004
of Representative
December
28, 2004
- Acknowledgment
- Designation
Appellant
December
Appeal
Agency
- Letter
- Initial
File (See Volume
Re Hearing
Decision
2)
Scheduling
Dismissing
Appeal
VOLUME
Agency
- Response
OF RECEIPT
OR ISSUANCE
Without
Prejuduce
January
06, 2005
February
17, 2005
February
18, 2005
2
File
January06,2005
020
1
©
©
DJ'DEX
THOR
WEATHERBY
V.
DEPARTMY_aNT
MSPB
Docket
OF THE
INTERIOR
No. SF-0842-05-0195-I-2
LA-REFORM
ACT
MERIT
DATE
TAB
DESCRIPTION
OF DOCUMENT
1
MSPB
- Automatic
2
MSPB
- Hearing
3
Agency
- Notice
4
AppeLlant
5
MSPB
6
Agency
7
Appellant
- Exhibit
8
Appellant
- Post Heating
9
MSPB
Order
- Preheating
- Summary
Location
Submission
Of Telephonic
- Preheating
- bdtial
OR ISSUANCE
Refile
of Hearing
Preheating
Tapes
Conference
Submission
F
Submission
Decision
VOLUM:E
• Hearing
OF RECEIPT
(6)
April
01, 2005
April
01, 2005
April
11, 2005
April
11, 2005
April
13, 2005
April
14, 2005
April
20, 2005
April
22, 2005
Iuly
29, 2005
2
April
021
20, 2005
INDEX
THOR
Page
I o_
WEATI-IERBY
V.
DEPA_RTMENT
MSPB
t_A-REFORM
TAB
1
DESCRIPTION
Appellant
2
MSPB
3
Appellant
4
MSPB
5
Appellant
6
Agency
7
MSPB
Docket
ACT
No.
MERIT
rNTEP, LOR
SF-0842-05-0195-I-2
- PETITION
FOR REVIEW
DATE OF RECEIPT
OR ISSUANCE
OF DOCUMENT
- Petition
a supplement
OF _
for Review
in support
- Extension
Of Time
- Supplemental
- Extension
- Response
for an EOT
to file
Order
Motion
Of Time
- Memorandum
and Request
August
29, 2005
August
31, 2005
of the PFR
for EOT
Order
in Support
to Appellant's
of Petition
PFR
- Final Order
022
For Review
September
19, 2005
September
20, 2005
November
01, 2005
November
28, 2005
December
29, 2005
Page
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that the attached
this day to each of the foiiowing:
Counsel
U.S.
Mail
For
2
OF SERVICE
Document(s)
was (were)
sent as indicated
Petitioner
W. Craig James,
Esq.
Mauk & Burgoyne
5t5 South 6th Street
P.O. Box 1743
Boise,
ID 83701
Respondent
U.S Mail
David
Cohen,
Director
Commercial
Litigation
Branch
Civil Division
Classification
Unit
U.S. Department
of Justice
I100 L Street,
N.W., Room
Washington,
DC 20530
12124
f
January
20,
(Date)
2006
Bentley
M. Roberts,
Clerk of the Board
023
Jr.
United
States
Department
of the
Interior
,_
BUREAU OF I.AND MANAGEMENT
:\I_ASKA FIRE SERVICE
i'.O. BOX 35005
F'T.
December
Re:
;VAINWRIGHT.
AI.ASKA
•
_m
mm
g9703-0005
II,2003
_"
|
•
.
z.lrefig_lter
Retirement/or:
Thor Weatherby
PO Box 58209
Fairbanks, AK 99711
To Whom
It May Concern:
The BLlvl 'Alaska Fke Service (AFS) provides fire suppression
and related support
services, storewide in Alaska on BLIVl, FWS, NPS, BIA, and Native Corporation lands.
Additionally,
AFS provides fl_cse services to the State of Alaska and Milit,'u-y in selected
areas on a contractual basis. This interagency responsibiSty
invoIves t92 _rdtlio= acres
plus incidental
suppre.s.vion on tl_e North Slope and Kodiak Island.
In support of this mission the Division of l._nformation Systems, Branch of Tecl_nical
Systems provides IT and GIS equipment and support for; the Alaska Fire Service staffer
Ft. Wainwright, AlaskE one permanent remote office (South Zone in Anchorage), one
seasonal field station (Galena) and two lure key field stations (Ft. Yukon and Tartans),
well as support for the Alaska Type I Incident Command System (ICS) Team during
wildland fire suppression.
The Division
of Information
Systems,
Branch
of Communications
repairs,
maintains
and
programs over 40 different models ofb_e
station, handheid and radio consoles, a variety
of remote atttomated weather stations (RA.WS), and lightning detection sensors included
in the AFS infr_tnmture.
In addition A.FS deploys Comm Techs to emergency incidents
that are required to setup, maintain,
suppression
_ctivities.
repair and program
radio equipment
Thor Weatherby started his career with AFS in 1984 as an Electronics
WG2604-5, in the Branch of Communications
and ultimately attained
in support
of
Mechanic Helper,
the position of a
journeyman
level Electronics Mechanic WG2604-11,
before his transition _o the Branch
of Technical Systems in 1988. His tr,'msition resulted from the evolution of technology
TW0000i5
024
and. an organizational
decision to separately manage voice communications
and other
technical systems, i.e, _ightning dete_lior_, remote weather stations, computer and data
cortmmnication
equipment,
tn 1997 Thor's position was reclassified as a
Tel_ommunications
Specialist
GS0391-I 1, and ertce agahn rcc}assified in 2003, to
reflect his current responsibilities
of an rr Specialist, System Administrator,
GS2210-12.
Thor's career growth from 1984 to the present resulted from ,',-ssigned and assumed
responsibilities
for system support, design and management.
He currently retains design
and management responsibility
for systems _d technologies
that he installed, repaired
and maintained as an Electronics Mechanic, WG2604.
The k_no_vledge skill and abilities
he gained, while an employee in the Br,'mch of Communications,
are considered
prerequisite _d mandatory reqtdrements,
of an IT Specialist, System Administrator,
GS2210, in the Branch of Technical Systems. This teetmical expertise is utilized doily irt
Iris current position•
In addition, all ernployees in the Branch of Technical Systems arc requir_-xt to maintain
c_arrency ,-'rodbe deployed to emergency incidents including wildland rite suppression in
all areas of their expertise.
Thor currently retains a Red Card in the following di._ciplines:
Carom Tech and IT Specialist.
Working in both capacities, Thor utilizes knowledge _d
skills developed during his tenure in the Bra.nch of Communications
from !.984 through
1988.
I beg'an my career with AFS in t 990, as ,-mIT Specialist
in the Branch
of Teclmical
Systems. I was a co-worker of Thor's until my promotion to Chief, Branch of Teclmical
Systems in 1997. Since that lime I have been Thor's supervisor and have full
responsibility for directing and evaluating his work.
If you have further questions,
Bey t_terhouse
C hie f_k-o
""h
f--Td_rdcal
please do not hesitate
to contact
me at (907) 356-5591.
/
Systems
_00004
025
6
ATTACHMENT
Name:
Address:
Thor Weatherby
PC Box 58209
A
Socia! Security Number
•" • .
Fairbanks, AX 997 t 1
Period of Employment:
7/26/84 - Present
Po_dtion Numbers: 04226A,
Organization assigned to: DOI BLM Alaska Fire Set'vice.
. .
Duty Station: Alaska Fire Service (A.K33 l.nnd A.K332) .
Position: CONFf (Communications Techhician, on Fire Assigrtments)
To
whom
it may
03972, 04193, A.3581, A4265
"•
concern:
t, Grog Ely, have warked with Thor Weatherby on Fire and Emergen_ Incidents while we worked at Alaska Fire
Service. From June 1986 through June 1996 1 direcfly'.supervlsed Thor as a Communications Unit Leader while he
was a COMT using and maint,a_ning commtmicatiohs
systems in the Incident Command System on emergency
incidents. From Jane 1994 to present I woE<ed as a Communications.Coordinatoi"
org4_nizing the communications
resources for multiple fires in areas where Thor h,_ worked as a COMT.
Thor has Worked on incidents which require hhrt to spend" as much "as 50,_
"az of his time in hazardous duty status,
Some of the hazardous situations included: flying in helicopters oyer_,
and landing on mountains and ridge tops
within firelines; driving, hiking and using ATVs inside the firel{ne' to set up communications.systems.
Many of the fires Thor has worked on were large and Lhre:aieaingto nearby communities or rcsoumes, so large scale
air operations were set up involving many aircraft.."["Re ai_"opemtio_ included: Large Chinook type army
helicopters and civilian light, medium and heavy lift helJcoptei's doing pdmpfinel transports a_d water bucket work;
l_ge ,and small fixed wing aircraft including air attack supervisors, retardant and lead ptanes all coordinated to u_
the same small, smo[-c filled air space. Most repeater installation Nps required a helicopter flight dealing with
other aircraft, smoke and dies to land at an unimproved landing sites on mountain tops and ridges.
The hazards of the job have required he carry: a polas.ki,'shovel, and fir_ shelters; wear Nomex clothing, hard hat,
leather boots and glo-_,es. Repeaters on large fires are usuatly set up inside the fireline, and located in the center of
thefire to pmvids the best coverage to all locations on _ ftm_ Because these locations provide the best radio
coverage, it is common practice to: cle_ a f'treline arodnd a repeater site, C.over the repeater equipment with a fire
sheker and locate the repeater in the black (an area that has'already been burned).
: '
While not actively' working oft fire, Thor maintained .a physical fiines z program !:o better handle tb.e arduous nature
of the job. As a CO_vf'l", Thor was required to carry md!o kits weigh_g from fifty to one hundred pounds up
mountains, along ridges and over terrain of targe boulders to inst_ll the repeaters in the optimum toeatlons. The job
also required batteries to be changed qr charged on a regular basis requ.iri_g frequent return trips to the repeater
sites. All this had to be accomplished whi.te w.orklng fo'udcen to sixteen hour days for up to twenty-one days
without a day off.
Thor's e×tensive experience and enthusiastic
n.tiimde sz a COIVFf has helped the communications
systems at many
incidents runsmoothly.
First Level Supervisor
Sup"_ '
I
4
"
(while on Fire Asslgumdnts).
re
-
" "
Date
Communications Unit Leader/Communications
Coord'mator
Title at time ser,'ice was performed.
1
TWO00036
026
ATTACHMENT
A
CLA.5\,i FOR DOr SERVICE
Name:
Address:
"rtmr Weath_by
PO Box 58209
Fairbanks,
Period
Social
Number:
AK 99711
of Emplo).rnent:
7/21/85
- 11119188
Organization
Duty Station:
assigned to: DO[ BLM Alaska
Alaska Fire Service AK.331
Title,
and Grade:
Series,
Security
COVERAGE
Electronic
Position
Number:
03972
Fire Service
Mechanic..
WG-2604-I
1
Description
of Duties On this section describe yotLr prinmry duties and percentage
The following
infommtion
supplements
the attached position description.
90%
of the time in this position
electronic
s_tcrm
was spent
installing,
used for fire suppres:fion
aud pro suppressinn
funds.
90%
repairing,
activities.
of the equipment
positio_,
required
fire incidents
establishing
for command,
I worked
and maintaining
tacdcal
and logistic
essential
part of this job while: setting
;vorking
in the communications
on ',,,-aspurchased
emergency
This position
between
and other
was from fire suppression
of BL.M Resource
s3,-,lerm
systems
fires and dispatch
maintaining
for fire
Management
or
links to, in and around
the communication
sites,
ann required
duty.):
v,'ith fire fimdkng exch_ive!y
fire corraramications
on the fire. Using
traveling
radio equipment
for this position
was _tsed in s'trpporI
functlom
up the systems;
unit on fires.
and using
90% of the funding
suppre_ion.
No more than 10% of the time in this position
other non fire equipment.
This
maintaining
of lime for each major
was an
offices;
and
and upgrading
comrnurdcations
_'stems on mountain
tops anti fire dispatch o_ces
used far initial attack
following
in direct sup'port nf fire suppression.
When my work wasn't directly supporting
and aircraft flight
fire operations
it was;
cleaning
communications
up and repairing
for fire support,
system._
or getting
was done,
Computer
systen_
offices I worked
terminal,
printer
equipment
I _,'_ put into
started
that had returned
from a fire, i_talling
ready for the next fire season,
leave without
appearing
pay status
in the fall when
percent
of the hazardoas
packet
radio systems
included:
flying
over fire (witbS.n firelines),
landing sites inside and around Ihe fireline;
driving and hiking inside
mountain tops and ridges where some of rise worst crees of entrapment
of the time on a fire assignrnent
on fires required
terrain
situatiou._
carrying
of la_'g6 boulders
was spent
radio kits weighing
to imtall
in hazardous
duty status
from fifty to one hundred
the repeaters
for fire in the _pring.
Mille I was in this position.
This po_itio:n required W'ork on fire incidents
in' hazardous
and arduous conditions.
1986 to August
1998 1 seas assigned to twenty two fire incidents with a total ofover
unimproved
areas atoug
While in the field
ha the optimum
tocmiorn.
Tke
pounds
to move data files containing
Wldlc in thisposition from June
four thousand three hundred
and landing
zrduo_
at
part of this position
up mountaim,
The job
in helicopters
the fireline often above burning
occur.
At times more than fifty
also required
to the repe.'qcr sites carrying new or recharged
batterie,_.
All this had to be accomplished
sixteen hours per day for up to twenty-one
days ',:4thout a day off.
The performance
review v,'ritten for me in 1996
described
th'e position, had critical performance
systems
fire commun/c_tions
to troubleshoot:
tAMS (Initial Attack Management Systems)
problezr_ and; llghtnia,g detection
system data communications
problems;.
As a COMT in this position 1 set up and maintained
resource
orders from fires to the dispatch
offices.
hours_ Some
supporting
untfl it was time to prepare
on fires and in field offices
with computer support personnel
and modem/data
communications
Or upgrading
the work
along ridges
frequent
while working
wkilc
and over
return
trips
fourteen
to
while I was Icrnporarily
detailed into this same fob, which better
elements that required I be on call as a conununications
technician
TWO00038
027
for fire activity. A job announcement for the position I was detailed into stated "this is an arduous/haznzdou_
pea-ilion which (r-quk_ th_ the p_rson tentatively selected pa.ss
a physicat exam.inatinn before _ppoi,_tment. An
offer of emptoymant will be whhdrawn i['the person tentativdy selected cannot paa.s the physical examination."
The job announcement also went on to say "Travel in Government aircraft may be required as a part uf the duties of
this p_sitlon. If you have a private life insurance policy, travel ina Government aircraft may affect the benefits
payable in t,he event of an accident."
Wtmn not working in direct support era fire incident this posit_on required construction of permanent repeater
site.._, used for inRial attack and aircra.R flight followi.ng,
sites in Alaska. Fin.ding new tocatio_ t'ar tfi_e repeater sites required I [and in,a helicopter a_ unimpro',,"ed sites to
determine radio llnk connectivity and repeater coverage. Marginal weather conditions also contr_uu:d to the
hazards of finding repeater sites in nigged mountains or returning to selected sites for installation or maintenance.
The3e sites could be over n'¢o hundred and fifty mile from any connected road syslem and oRen more than 100
rrdles from the neural hospkal by helicopter. Repeater site i_rallations
involved moving
. , digging into
rod._ mountain tops, mixing concrete
by hand for foundatinns, erecting lowcm and installing nntena_
on
sometime narrow _dgns or mount,.qin tops at high.elevations.
This work; heavy labor, helicopter transport and
remote locations added significantly to the h_nrdoua and arduous nature of this position.
The tower work required installing and workLng on towers up to forty feet tail at dispatd_ offices and remote sites, l
installed and moved large antenna systems on the towers including high gaLa antennas up to twenty feet long and
microwave antenna dishes four feet in diameter. One site required maintaining a two thousand watt wind generator,
weighing four htmdred pounds on top era forty, foot tower. Removal and installation of the gancmtor involved
worldng at the top. of the tower to disconnect the generator while a helicopter was used to lilt the generator off the
tower,
While in this. position I w_ required to take a physical fitness test each year, carry a redcard with my Cue
qunlJ.fications and be On call for fire assignments. I was allowed one hail'hour of duty time per day to maintain die
physical fitness required for this position. Supporting Fire and Emergency Incidents was a required and m'itical
element of this position, even though there was no specific mention of it in the Position Description or Evaluations.
Employee
Certification:
To the brat of my knowledge,
Employee
I certify" that this information
Signature
is correct and reflects 'die duties of the position at that
Date
First Level Supervisor:
I have r_viewed the above statements
and agee
with the position information.
In addition, I would like to provide
the following infon'nation:
Supervisor
Signature
Date
Chief, Branch of Radio RepaL, and Installation
Title at time service was performed.
TWOOOO3g
028
P,_GE: 1
29-0cr.19gg 11:55
Departmentof Interlor
Bureau of L_nd _anag_'nenC
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TWO00075
029
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_-332-13-C8-006
(CS/WAE)
Branch of Technical Systems
Division of Information
Systems
Maska Fire Service
(Revised
I.
12Nov96)
INTRODUCTION
The BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) is
suppre.ssion organization
in Alaska. AFS
rented support services on BLM, FWS,
statewide
basis in Alaska.
Additio_lly,
Alaska and Mi.litary in sel.ected _cas on a
the only Department
of the Interior (13Ot) fire
is respom_le
for pmvidL'_g fire suppression and
N'PS, BIA, arid Native Corporation
la_ds on a
AFS provides
these services to the State of
contractual basis.
_
interagency responsibil-
ity involves 192 million acres plus incidental suppression
on the North Slope ,and Kodiak
Island. It executes a cooperative
agreement with Canada to provide suppression services
to the mutual National boundary ,area. AFS provides professional
leadership,
guidance,
assistance and evaluation in all aspects of fire suppression
a_d related services tak_g place
on these same lands. _kFS also provides SUl_port functions to the Northern Districts, which
meet the BLM mission responsibilities
in long-range muItipte use _source
raa.aagement,
planning, enviro_ental
assess-merit, and other activities dealing wi_ the _gena,',at
of
Fublic lands and resources
in the northern half of Alaska.
AFS functions directly under
the State Director,
AIask.a.
This position is located in the Division of I_formationSystems,
Systems, which is responsib!e
for computer and data communications
the Northern
Dis_cts.
Systems support includes: Initial Attack
Branch of Technical
.suppozt to A.FS and
Management
System
(IAMS); Automated Lighming Detection System (AI..DS); a_ AViiON system supporting
Warehouse, EFF Payroll & OAS data tracking; multiple Novell administrative
servers and
cetwor_
of PC & Mac clients; multiple AIX servers and networks of AIX work stations;
computer
Netnvorks
applications
and maintenance;
telecommunications,
including
(LANs)
and Wide Axea Networks
_VANs);
,_md technical
Local Area
procuremeot
assisuaace.
This posifi6n provides
and data communication
network management
systems.
and systems
support
for alI.AFS
computer
-1-
TW000107
040
I!. _
(Approximate percentage)
All the major systems,
WANs.
Novell,
for which duties are listed,
IA3vI& AVIION
are interlinked
and Modernization
via Ethernet
LA.Ns and
run on the same LAN (often on sam.c
PCA): .'D_e Codex X.25 WAN czn'Ties IAaMS, ALDS, TTY and AVtION Systems cizcuits.
PAWS and ALDS connect with IAMS. The internal wiring plant carries c_rcuiu fQr all
networks
isolation,
NetWork
plus the telephone
system.
Very few of the elements
because of the complexity
and interrelationships
among
management
can be dealt
the systems.
with in
(60%)
Primary
responsibility
for operation of the ALDS system, including:
configuring
and
setting up Advanced Position Analyzer (APA); changing communications
configurations;
operational monitoring
and validity checks; remote testing and rec_nfigttr_tion
of Direction
Finders CDF); advising technicians
working on AFS DFs; interfacing'with
the manufacturer (LLP) for operational
problem resolution; design and development
of modificatiom
•to meet AFS needs; providing technical guidance to the IAMS development
programmers;
coordinating/provlding
other ,agencies' access to data stream.
-]
f
/
Primary responsibility
for opemtign and maintenance
of the WAN equipment (e.g. Cisco
Routers) and links (e.g. TSUs) comaecting AFS to NDO and ASO, including: confi_mwing
and operating
the routers;
coordinating
with other WAN administrators
in BLM/AK;
planning for furore expansions
and intercomaects.
/
Primary responstb{lity
for operatioa of the Codex X.25 Packet Switch WAN equipment
and links connecting AFS to field stations, Campbell Tract and ALDS DP sites, including:
configuring
overall he,york;
configuring ports; establishing
v:a-tual circuits; necessary
addressing;
coordinating
addresses
with external network
Iinks (X.25 "cloud" of the
FTS2000
data system);
coordinating
individual
cizcuit links to other agencies
and
Iocations; design and development
of modifications
to meet AFS needs; plantRng for _ture
interconnects
and replacements.
\\
Operate and n_,,intam d_e LAN equipmertt (e.g.. Hubs), including:
installing, c_nt'igurfng
and operating _,a.r-ious hubs; planning and installing UTP wiring syst,'ms and patch panels;
planning forfuture ex-pansions and interconnects.
Monitor
and test network.s using such tools as protocol
azalyzers,
"sniffers",
NetVtew
and
Cisco Works.
Assist with planning
and implementation
of the Modernization
AIX systems.
-2-
TVV000108
041
Telecommunications
Sup.por_
(15%)
Operate and maintain data communications
communication
systems (e.g. Cisco Routers,
AppleTalk
LAN, telephone).
infrastructure,
Codex X.25
including:
building wiring;
Packet WAN, E_hern, et LAN,
Install and set up various data communicaions
and computer networking
equipment (e.g.
touters, bridges, terminal servers, X.25 packet switches, modems, multiplexors,
Etheraet
adapters).
Design
modifications
where
necessary
to meet
AFS needs.
Operate
Lhe TTY System, including: installing; user training;
coordinationand problem solving with other user agencies.
operatiormI
monitoring;
Test new techNques ,and eq_dpment, including: surveying
and investigating new products;
designing and implementing
mcdificatiom
to commercial
hardware
and software to meet
AFS needs; working with manufacturer's
tectmJcal staff to exchange ideas for modifications; designing new solutions to spectat needs or problems.
Provide
access support
for AFS users of BI_aMadministrative
systems
outside
may involve modificatio_.s to termie.al emulator software and configuratiorts
interface equipment,
as wet1 _ physical network connections.
Assist
with the planning
Com.#uter
Support
and implementation
AFS.
This
of terminal
of links to ARTNetfDOh-Net.
(10%)
Advise and support AFS Administrative
network access, interfacing
peripherals
users in the operation
of available software,
to computers,
and troubleshooting
operational
problems.
Requires maintaining
currency in the major application
operating-systems
and network operating systems in use.
programs,
computer
Receive, log and track user support i-equests and trouble calls.
in consultation
with other user support providers.
Accept
Advise
data, and troubleshooting
IAMS users
operational
problems.
in operating
Requkes
Advise users on hardware
available
software,
maintaining
and software
accessing
operational
currency
and process
tasks,
in IA.MS.
needs and procurement.
-3-
"13N000109
042
Miscellaneous
Planning:
Dude_
(10%)
Assist in preparing
and other organization
required
planning
Procurement:
Evaluate
and services;
develop
Multi-Year
as requi_ed.
need for computer
specifications
Plans,
Preliminary
Annu,.fl Work ?Iam,
-
and data communications
for acquisition;
work
equipment,
with Burea,_
software
personnel
and
company representatives
to identify equipment mainmnance
needs; cocrdinam the ordering
and ir_mlling of equipment,
sof_'_e
_d se_ices
with procurement
personnel
and
commercial
vendors.
Training:
computers
Orient,
train and assist AFS personnel
and data communication
systemz (hardware
in the use of network,
and software).
de_ktop
Administrative
Overhead:
Respond to local, state and national administrative
ments, such as: record-keeping,
information
respor_._es, annual inventory,
meetings, eommittee
assignments.
requiretraining,
Other duties as assigned.
Ele&ronie
Technie._!
Strpn_rt
work
(.5%)
stations,
termLuals and priuters.
Evaluate maintenance
problems
for assJgmment to local or contract personnel.
Perfoma
routine maintenance
on a v_riety of data communications
equipment,
mic'rocomputers
(IBM-PC clones, Mac.s) at_i a_soeiated peript_erals.
Perform
acceptance
testing
for
newly
acquired
computer
and
telecommunications
equipment.
M.aintain logs on hardware:
__dar_efi[ting_l
e._.a_s-xto"_-by
r
length of operation,
failure
rates,
dates of problems,
'
_
etc.
_at--P_bEye
vendor.
TWO00110
043
I. Knowledge
Required
Knowledge
I ,
by the Position
of dam communications
(e.g.
modems,
multSplezers,
wiring
plants,
leased Lines, touters, hubs) is required, to comqomare mad maintain the existing
communications
systems, and to specify solutions for new requirements.
Knowledge
of basic
telephone instruments
telephone practices
and lines.
is required
, to install
dam
and troubleshoot
IGaowledge of functional
interreLatioushi_
of networks,
systems, subsystems and
components
of data communication
and LAN/WAN
systems is required, in order
to plan and impI_ment solu.tions to ,users data cormamnJcation
needs.
Knowledge of mini- and microcomputer,
and network operating systems (e.g. MSDOS, Windows,
MAC OS, AIX, NetWare) and system utilities is required,
to
perform the network management
and user support functions
of this position.
Knowledge of modern Local Area Network_ (LAN)
,and ma_rmge the networks in use at AIrS Iocations.
is required,
sufficient
Kno'_vledge of modern Wide Area Ne_vorks (WAN) is required,
install and manage the various storewide LAN intercom'mctions.
Knowledge of computer networ1<s and protocols (e.g. Novell,
X,25, TCP/I:P) is required,
to install, maintain and operate
-Knowledge
of applications
sofavare
(e.g.d.BASE,
nications, IAMS) is required, in order to advise users
,-rod solution to, error conditions.
Knowledge
required,
Knowledge
electronics
of Computer
for installation
hardware
components
and maintenance
sufficient
to
AppleTalk, Et.hernet.,
the A.FS networks.
WordPerfect,
telecommu-
and determine
the cause of,
and troubleshooting
of equipment
teclmiques
is
and peripherals.
of electronics,
instrumentation principles,
microprocessors
and digital
is required, to ,_dequately instalt, troubleshoot
and repair the instrtumen-
ration,, general electronic, computer and data communications
existing designs and to design new solutions.
Knowledge
to instaiI
of BLM's
data communications
policies
equipment,
and procedures
practices in simil,'u: agencies ,and private sector is required,
approaches
in system development
or problem solving.
to modify
,'rod prevailing
to advise on alternative
-5-
TWOOO111
044
Skill in operating
maintain records,
desk-top computers
(PC, MAC, .RISC6000)
is required,
create reporLs, analyze data and assist AFS users.
to
Skill in repairing
and calibrating
electromc equipment
is required,
to adequately
maintain AI;S instrumentation,
communications
and computer
equipment.
S_JI and ability to communicate
compteK tectmical instructions
clearly in both oral
and written forms to nontechnical
users (both users and m,n.nagement), in a manner
which is meaningful
Abi!ity
to interpret
diagrams
Abilky
I
is required
to maintain
technical
manuals
in all aspects
good records
is required.
(both hardw_e
and software)
and schematic
of this job.
of all work is essential.
Ability to produce clear and readable user and system documentation
is required,
to I-acilkate maintenance,
provide direction on operation to users, and coordinate
with other technical
2,
aM easily understood,
Supervisor'.,'
providers
both within,
and external
to, AFS.
Controts
The employee reports to the Chief, Branch of Technical Systems.
That supervisor
defines the employee's
broad area of responsibility
and assigns general priorities.
The employee
independently
identifies,
plans and carries out projects
in the
assigned area, respongs to routine and crisis problem.% and coordinates
work with
others as n.eeessary.
A few completed projects may be reviewed by the supervisor
in terms o f effectiveness
in meeting requirements,
system compatibility
and conformatte to agency standards.
Most work is accepted directly by the requesting user
without supervisor
review.
3.
Guidelines
Ouidelmes
manuals,
include
previously
agency
produced
st,-mdards,
vendor
documentation,
hardware
and software
and established
reference
test practices.
These
guides seldom provide
solutions to specific design or operational
problems.
Precedents can seldom be used without modification,
and solutions are frequently.
constrained
by the need for compatibilib'
with existing networks
and software.
Judgement
is required
to coordinate
the needs and requirements
users, evolving technical developments
and e_sting procedures.
past experience
do not provide
in troubleshooting
solutions.
hardware
and software
problems
of a variety of
Employee uses
when manuals
-6-
TW000112
O45
4.
Complexity
Ne_vork
management
is inherently
complex,
involving
the interplay
of LAN
and
WAN tetecommm-nJcatiom,
protocol is_,____,
_...,,___j,,_,,_u,,
impos_ nem.'ork standards,
network operafir,_ system retirements,
auplicafion
program limitations and user
n_ds.
Providing
interface
responsive
with
disciplines
and
and effective
serve
is a higNy
several
complex
local and remote
data
different
,and encompass
effort
of:rices
characterized
communications
by continuing
that
different
change
in
program direction, technological advances and ccaflicthng requirements.
Emptoy_
must interpret needs of non-technical users, develop and implement solutions,
and
verify with users that those solutions meet the needs.
Coorctlnatioa
with other
technologies
and other organizations
is the role.
Sometirnes.estabIished
suffice, but often even these require adaptation when part of interrelated
methods
solutions.
5. Scope ,and Effect
Networks
and data communications
interface with, and affect, a wide ra.nge of
agency activities and program responsibilities.
Incomplete
ar improper diagnosis,
insmJlafion or plamakng can cause a serious domino effect through several systems
or networks
both uptine ,_nd downline.
The results include high dollar losses,
degraded or non--ex_istent system responsiveness
and potential
safety problems.
Success or failure is not always realized in a short term period, thus extending
the
severity of the effect to a continuing or Long term period.
The ultimate success of
systems is dependent
on the adequacy and coordination
of equilrmentand,
services
that are employed
to support automated
data systems
and communication
requirements
for all programs.
Employee supports:
AFS users spread "among
multiple bui!dings and several remote field sites; other Stateand
Federal agency
users of AFS systems;
LAN ,and WAN links among NDO, AFS, ASO and CTIL
6. Persortal
contacts
Employee
has frequent
non-routine
personal contact with users and computer
personnel in AFS, NDO, ASO and CTF, and occasional contacts with other BLM
offices (e.g. SC, other states) and members of other Federal ,'rod State agencies.
Frequent contactswith manufacturers,
professionals
also occur.
contractors,
consultants,
engineers
and other
-7-
TW000113
046
,
Purpose of Contacts
Contacts
are
procedural
operafio_l
re,ode to share
policy
criteria.
resolve on-going
maintain currency
acquire
detailed
8. Physical
or
information
of a technical
technical
problem
resolution,
These contacts may be necessary
or potential
of technical
operational
issues.
expertise, to review
comments
oa planned
activities,
tecb.mcal 'information
on products
nature
as it relates
to
equipment
design
and
to coordinate
actions or
Contacts are also necessary
new tecb.rmlogical advances,
to establish
priorities
in use or proposed.
and
to
to
to acquire
Demands
The work requires
considerable
walking
to ,and from user locations
for problem
solving. Frequently loads, unloads, and carries objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
Occasionally
helps load, unload, and carry heavy objects weigbi.ug over I00
pounds.
Lifting, pulling,
pushing, reaching,
bending,
kneeling,
standing
and
ciimbing for periods of time are required.
This position is required to take an
annual fitness (Step) test because of the AFS policy that all employees
could be
assigned
,
Working
to a fLre.
Environment
Work is performed
inside, under well lighted and heated conditions for approximately 95 percent of the time,
Majority of work is performed
ia employee's
office, computer
and telecommunicatio_
areas of office buildings and at user
locations
throughout
the buildings.
Field trips to remote field offices will be
required during ftre season.
Outside work is performed under varying conditions.
Traiasportation
to and from work sites is by fixed wing aircraft or motor vebicle.
-8-
TWO001
047
"I
4
&
.v"
.
e es: for
December
29,
r_'rom:
Dear
1995
Marcia
FF/LEO
To:
ecial
e iLreRECEIVED
JAN 2 .ii 1996
L. Scifres
Retirement
Specialist
Tb.or Weatherby
III
_askaFire
Service
Technical] Systems
(AK332)
BLM RETIREMENT
Mailing
Address
PO Box 58209
Fairba_nks, A_K 99711
Marcia,
I would
like to have mv records
reviewed
to see if I qualify
for
Special
Retirement
benefits.
I have worked
for .Alaska F!re
Service
in the Division
of Information
Systems
as an Electronic
Mechanic
(WG-2604)
since July 1984.
I am applying
for Special
Retirement
under FERS rules
from July 1984 to present.
The
position
numbers
in the order
that I held them are ; 04226A,
03972,
04193 and A3581.
Please
see the attached
work history
sun_
for the dates of each position.
in the following
text ! amgokng
to describe
my histom!
of
workin_
with fire (see a_tachment
IQS Fire H/story),
t_en I will
describe
some of the hazardous
and rigorous
duties
of a
Co_nications
Technician
(CI3MT) and why they should
only be done
bY young and physically
vigorous
individuals.
Attachments
of
tlmesheets
(showing hazard
pay), notes taken
at the Fire and
copies
of my evaluations
will also be included.
[Lra_mmam
Ln this section
I am going to describe
how fire
majority
of my work, then I _il! talk about
the
hazardous
elements
of my job in general
terms.
4
!
duties
arduous
are a
and
I have worked with BLM as a permanent
long-term
employee
with the Division
of Information
Systems
at Alaska
Fire
Service
since July 1984.
I have done small projects
in the
Division
of Information
Systems
for non-flre
organizations
(Customs
and BLMResources)
which might
account
for an
average
of 5% of my time at BLM. One or two of my years
at
BI/_may
have had as much as !09 of my time spent on non-fire
related
projects
(Exxon Valdez
Oil Spill and Mr. Redought
Volcano
Eruption)
but the average
over the last ii years
was
closer
to 5%.
These projects
are usually
arranged
to save
money because
I c_n do work for more than one ag_ncywhen
in
remote
locatiom_.
In general
the !ar_e majority
of my work
is preparing
for the fire season,
working
on fire
4
4
4
4
TW000130
O48
C
,f
assignments
or cleaning
up after the fire season
is over.
When the work I am responsible
for is done I get laid off
for the year.
In this situation
I am different
than most
CLiFf on fire because
they normally
work for a forest,
park
or resource
area 75% of the time and then work fire 25% of
t_he their time.
A_S also requires
me to take a step-test
every year.
When I
started
with Fire the minimum
step-test
requirements
for a
COMT to work on a fire was 45 (the arduous
level),
this is
the same score that is required
for all the other
fire
fighters
including
Fire Support
Specialists,
Hot Shots and
SmokeJumpers.
Then in 1994 the step-test
standards
were
chanqed
to 35 for CQMT.
Until
1994 the step-test
level
requ!red
for a CXNVffto work on fire was 45.
Because
of the helicopter
time over the fire, landing
at
unin!_roved
landing
spots and having
to drive
inside
the fire
line to check repeaters
and coverage;
a very large part of
my time is spent'in
hazardous
duty status.
As an example
on
the Corral
Creek Fire 37 days out of 65 days were spent in
hazardous
duty
(see attached
EFF timesheets)
.
Because
AFS is a Fire Organization
I am told to keep a bag packed
and ready
so I can be sent on a fire assignment
at any time.
Just because
the organization
requires
that I take
step-tests
and be ready for a fire assignment
doesn' t mean that Z actually
worked
on flre, but I have.
Ln general,
I don't get assigned
to
small
fires because
the communications
requirements
are not that
_reat.
Most of my assignments
c_re in really big fire years,
ike; Northern
Cmlifornla
in 1987, Idaho during
the Yellowstone
fire or Idaho in 1995.
Since I started
to work at BI_4 I have
been
sent to 29 incidents
by Alaska
Fire Service,
two of which
were not related
to fire (Exxon Valdez
Oil Spill and Mt Redought
volcano
eruption) . An estimate
of the number
of hours
I have
been assigned
to fire is over 4000 hours
(270 shifts
at 15 hours
per slnift, see IQS Fire History).
To describe
the duties
that I have performed
as a COMT would
be
very extensive
so I am going to use my. expe_rience at the Corral
Creek
Fire in 1995 as an Example.
I will first give some of the
general
procedures
a CCMT goes through
on a fire then I will
describe
a couple of hazardous
situations
that I was in on the
Corral
Creek Fire.
When a Fire gets big enough,
a COMT is requested
by the fire
to do the repeater
and remote
radio work.
The Conrn Unit
Leader
(CUL) works wit h the radio operators
end operations
people
to aetermine
what coverage
is needed,
then the CTNV[P
ms the person
who does the map research,
radio coverage
analysis,
installation
and maintenance
of the radio
systems.
TW000131
O49
(
My First chore on a fire is usually
a tram_sition
briefing,
from a class 2 or smalle_r team, on where the system
is and
how it works.
When I brave learned
the system
and insured
it
is wor._4__ngproperly
I will do a large number
of radio checks
from the active
fire area and the most _x_ssibie path of the
fire to determine
how well the system w&ll perform
in the
future
From this I can plan how and where
the radio system
needs
to be expanded
or changed
to meet the needs of Fire
Operations
aund Aviation.
Once the basic radio system
the radio sites to check on
is in, I make
the batteries
regular
and to
visits
to
see if the
radio cove_a_ge needs
to. be expanded.
.This process, of
maintaining
and expanding
goes on unt!l
the flre starts
slow down, then I begin
to remove
the equipment.
Just after
I arrived
the batteries
in the
we went through
the
ed the road and
ed out area our
to
on Corral
Creek Fire I went to change
command
repeater.
Five minutes
after
worst area of burn;
the fire kicked
up,
started
crowning
up the hill next to the
repeater
was located
in,
While we the CDMTs were stuck outside
the fire that night,
the people
in the base camp were trapped
without
_n escape
route because
the fire had closed
the only road out of the
forest,
i was not in the c._mp at that time but I heard a
lot of stories which
lead me to believe
it was a very nerveracking
night.
The fire continued
very hot into the night
splitting
_nto a couple
of fingers
of fire that managed
to
surrotund three sides of the base camp.
At this point
the
base camp. personnel
were awakened
in the middle
of the night
because
the fire was tb_reatening
to burro, over the ca_.
They were then told to stay in the middle
a _rassy
field for
protection
from the fire.
The formal
fire llne was so close
to the base camp that the some of the latrines
for the base
camp where
inside
the fire line. Shortly
after the road was
opened
and the base camp was safely evacuated,
three of the
four EFF radio operator
quit because
they didn't
like the
work.
Testing
radio coverage
often
requires
me to go in areas of
active
fire.
At one point
on the Corral
Fire there was a
five mile section
of road that was completely
closed
during
the hottest
part of the day because
the flames
were so bad.
During
the cooler
times of the day a pilot-car
would lead
small groups
of CRITICAL
vehicles
(absolutely
no fuel
trucks)t_hrough
the Fire.
This was not just a couple
of
trees bumn/m.g on each side of the road, this _Tas every tree
for 3-4 miles actively
burning
with winds blowing
embers
and
flames
across the road to the point that we were going 5 MPH
"I'_000132
05O
at one time_ and could
just make out the image of the car
ahead of us (25' ahead of us) through
the burning
embe_rs
fl&mes.
These
two examples
are not the only times I was
a hazardous
situation
on Fire,
they are only two of the
worst situations
I had on the crrotund at the" Corral
Cre_k
Fire.
Testing
systems
from the
the air;
the Fire
a_d
in
coverage,
installation
and maintenance
of the radio
from the _ound
is relatively
safe c_ared
to doing them
air.
W_ni!e tryLng
to make a radio
s_stem
_rk
well from
weather,
smoke,
other aircraft,
Isunding locations
and
must all be dealt with.
Some of the Rigorous
with why they should
individual.
duties
of a CO,If will be explained
along
be done by a young physical_y
vigorous
Boise provides
radio systems
that are %_ry complete
and
straight
forward
to use, but the radio kits come in boxes
that weigh
over 50 Ibs. and very commonly
weigh up to I00
lbs.
The batteries
used to power
the radios
are either
full
size RV/marine
batteries
or multiple
cases
of dry-cell
batteries.
The best
radio
coverage
comes
from
the
highest
mountains
in
the center
of the Fire or spread
evenly
around
large fire.
The fact that there is very rarely
a helicopter
landing
si_e
at the tops of the best
m_untains
requires
that the person
Lnstalling
the radio system
will be climbing
steep mountains
with I00 ibs radio boxes
and 60 ibs car batter!es.
This is
not just one trip up the mountain,
often
there are multiple
radio systems.
At one mountain
top on Corral
Creek we had 4
radio boxes,
antennas,
antenna
masts
and batteries
at 9000
feet.
The helicopter
could get most of the way to the top
but v;estill
had to climb i0 minutes
from where
the
helicopter
could land to reach the repeaters.
This work is
usually
done during
the early part of the fire or when it is
e_xpamding rapidly
so helicopters
are very limited
and the
radio systems
are needed
NOW!
Of the five main mguntain
tops on the Corral
Creek Fire one could be driven
to
directly,
one could be florin to directly,
two had a ten
minute
hike from the landing
spot and the final one had a 20
minute
hike.
Often I am rec_ired
to use a non-technical
worker
to help me
install
and malntain
the radio systems,
if the workers
I get
are not in extremely
good shape
they end up watching
me
carry the batteries
up the hill while
they are trying
to
catch their breath
in the high altitudes.
TW000133
051
P£)S{TION
OESCRIPtqON
pease
F_eae _st,_ctSo,_s on me eac:_)
Fairbanks,
E,zO/anaUon
(Show
any
pc_ttien_
A-35C1
AK
Fairbanks,
_.,.'_"
fep_ac_a?
{
) r_,,.m,,.,..m
13.C_m_e_
_et
C_c_
REV I EU
s_sm_.)
_
s_.s
(cm.
'
.'....
[-]
s,,-,,.,,,
r
Electronic
Eleccronic
Hechan±c
ttechanic
A_@nc_t. Ot _It_nmel%l
I_ C_arMr_nt,
Depar=men=
of
Bureau
of
Alaska
Sta_e
the
Land
In=erlor
Alaska
Management
Division
r_soor_lbilites
o_ my
i_ is a_; accurate
desc.qptJ'on
°l the maj_
d'..¢esand
.
}
Re_e_
IntttsJ$
Oat_
inllt31_,
(op_onm_
of Em=t_f¢_
_ctms_<:+I)
,
for
EtnC_IOyeel.
]'he
ann
F_+,_r, nn_,P_,+,,,=+
,c.=.
On tDelr
soohcat_On.
_
e'*omD'_on
Irum
Ofll4:R Of Peflonnst
In,tlal_
'Da{O
0aM'
[
1
In,(}s]-_
0ale
[
IP,iUSI_I
0318
]
t
I
Duties
_tO_Wt3.tl_rt
ma)on
ca ¢_a_sdicat,ontlo,b
QtacYng spewers, an_ compl_n_
FLSA.
,s avsll_ble
/rom
I_IB pflt_oT_fle_
_fllc_
Or tM8 U.S.
t'+lanaqemem.
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an°
may De rsv_we_
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staPoa,_s,
ale gv_)lal3se tn tho _r3_c.,lel
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,= ......
TW000166
052
WG-2604-11
(A-3581)
AK-332-13-9711-002
(LT/WAE]
Electronics
Mechanic
Branch of Techrdcal Systems
Division of Information
Systems
Alaska Fire Service
I.
INTRODUCTION
The BLM Alaska
Fire Service
(AFS)
is the only Department
of the Interior
(DOD frre
suppression organization in Alaska
AFS is responsible for providing fi.re suppression and
related support services on BLM, FWS, NPS, BIA, and Native Corporation
lands ou a
storewide basis in Al_ka.
Additionally,
AFS provides these services to the State of
,-Maska and Military in selected
areas on a contractual
basis.
This intm'agency
responsibility
involves t92 million acres plus incidental suppression
on the North Slope
and Kodiak Island.
It executes
a cooperative
agreement
With Canada to provide
suppression
services to the mutual National boundary area. AFS provides prof_iortal
leadership,
guidance, assistance and evaluation
in all aspects of Fire suppression
and
felt, ted services taking place on these same lands_ AFS also provides support functions
to the Northern Districts, which meet the BLM mission respom_ibilities
in long-range
multiple use resource management,
planning,
environmental
assessment,
and other
activities dealing with the management
of public lands and resources in the northern half
of Alaska.
AFS functions di.mctly under the State Director, Alaska.
This position is located in the Division of Information
Systems, Branch of Technical
Systems. wtgch is responsible for computer and dam communications
support to AFS and
the Northern Distrigts. Systems support includes the Initial Attack Management
System
(IAMS), the Automated Lighming Detection System (ALDS), Remote Automated Weather
Stations (RAWS), a Warehouse management system, two Novell administrative
networks,
•computer applications and maintenance,
telecommunications,
and technical procurement
assistance.
This position provides electronic mechanic support for all AFS computer mad
data commuaication
systems.
-1-
TW000167
053
II.
M,_JOR
DUTIES:
--rmstalls, calibrates and ma/nmins
components
of ALDS, IAMS, RAWS and other
systems (e.g. direction
finders,
automated
weather station
sensors and controllers,
ec_mputers, mrminals,
etc.).
--hnstalls and maintains v_'i.ous data communications
(e.g. modems, multiplexors,
X.25 packet switches,
and computer ne_workiag
ethemet adapters, etc.).
--Installs, maintains and assists u_rs with various computer
lents, MACs, Dam General MV series, etc.).
--Disassembles,
test equipment
inspects and repairs electronic
with Iittle or no supe_'ision.
-Reads
and interprets
eleou'-onic components
--Keeps
proper
SKILLS
AND
(e.g. _M-PC
components
equiva-
using standard
schematic
diagrams in order to maintain,
in a timely and efficient manner.
repair,
shop
and calibrate
mcorck_ of ,all work.
--Maintains
logs on hardware
problcms were corrected.
ITI.
system
systems
equipme_
to demrmine
length
of operation,
failure
rates, and dates
KNOWLEDGE:
--Knowledge
u-oubteshoot
of elec_onics
and instrumentation
principles
is required,
to adequately
and repair the insuumenmdon
and general electronic equipment.
--Knowledge
troubleshoot
of microprocessors
and digital electronics
is required,
m adequately
and repair the computer and data communications
equ£pmene
--.Knowledge
computer
of computer
system
design
is required,
to properly
interface
equipment
In
systems.
--Knowledge
and maia_n
of dam communications
(modems, leased lines, etc.) is required,
the data communications
systems.
-Knowledge
of computer networks (NovelL Appletalk,
install, mairttain and operam the AIrS networks.
--Knowledge of etectmmagnetic
to install and maintain ALDS
[ighming
equipment.
detection
Ethemet,
and triangutadon
X.25)
to configure
is required,
systems
to
is desirable,
-2-
TW000168
O54
--K.nowledg¢
of remote dam acquisition
systemsisdesired,
to install
and main ,thin
[<AWS
equipment.
--Skill in operating
report,
deslao{? compumrs
(PC, MAC) is desirable,
to maiden
--Stdll to communicate
mangement, assist u_rs
to adequately
maintain
orally and in writing is required,
to provide
information
and communicate
with technical staff outside AFS.
-Ability
to fnterpret
technical
--Ability
to maintain
good records
manuals
and schematic
diagrams
to
is required.
of all work is essential.
RESPONSIBILITIES;
--Instal[
and maintain
ALDS
and P,.AWS equipment.
--Lnsu_l and maintain
cnmponents
--Install
and maiat._
dam communications
-tnstall
and m_intain
PC _d
--Install
and maintmn
Network
--t.nstall and maintain
--Keep
proper records
of the DMMS and W,'u-ehouse
computer
systems.
systems.
Macintosh
computers
--Assist in the maintenance
V°
create
analyT_ data and assist AFS users.
--Skill to repair and caldbram e!ecrronie equipment is required,
AFS instrumentation,
communications
and computer equipment.
rV,
records,
computers,
Management
terminals,
Systems
and associated
for data networks.
etc. for Bureau
of hand held infrared
networks.
systems
outside
AFS.
equipment.
of all work.
PHYSICAL
DEMANDS:
--Frequehtly
loads, unloads,
and carries
objects
weighing
up Io 40 pounds.
Occasionally
Mlps load. unload, aad carry heavy objects weighing over _.00pounds. Some tending and
unloading is from helicopters, often on small spaces on mountaintops
without the benefit
of guard'rails.
Lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching, bending, kneeling, and climbing for
periods of thne are required.
-3-
TW000169
055
VI.
WORKING
EN-VI_ONME
N-T:
--Work is peKormed inside, under well lighted and heamd conditions for approximamty
70 percent of the lime. Outside work is performed under conditions varying from mild,
pI[:as_t weaLhcr on stabtc _n
[o extremely cold, windy WeaLber on mountaintops over
5,000 feel Transportation
or motor ','chicle.
to and from work sites is by fixed wing aircra't,
heli'cop_r.
-4-
TWO00170
056
o.
•5t ,ridard'Form
1 72.
Read
• You may use _is
|he
following
tmend,,,,ent
Application
In:.ruct|ons
before
you
to
:'
for Federal Empl ymeJltcompl(rte
this" etppllcatlon.
_pQ
SF 171
oP prfnt
cleaJ'fy in dark Ink.
form tou'pdat_ your AppJica_.on far Fads r'al E.mptm/me nt (SF 17t) If l/no have had 2 or |o',k,or new _bs
• You must submit
• Federal agent!us
.
ts sffached.
[] To,.,_:te
my_ IzI_r_9,.i.6_IL__._¢_c.r..r.r,._ic_tech..-•
2
To u_a'_e S; 171 In my 0ff_bl
[]
To o0d=te _lta,r_
SF 171,
. -
personrm Fcld'_r.
[]
5 ?,_t
_
,
ts me lowed gay or _rzde you _1 ar._ort
As t_e_;ed.
N,'Ime(L._,t.
Finer.
A_._d;o)
6 Name an SF 171 heinOatne:ndod,
ileider
0n[fromZ
Thor
S_ot _d_e_ =t _{] nun¢_
P.O.
Box
81935
Weatherby
!II
('xnc_eap.vrmect
_umC._r,
ila_)
7 L4_ywe _ yourp_nt emoloyer_out your_,no_:e_,
._flca¢lons_ndworkrecord?A"NO"_InelaHoctour
SP=r_
CI_
F airhanks
......
,
B
:,
s_nce y4_ c..omp|uted your ]a..,"tSF 171.
s new SF 171 U "teu have pr_iausly
upda_'d your epp_=atlon'or
have three or mote new Jobs.
must accept ;/our previously ¢ompletod SF 17_ as cu.,'tent when this term or a signed photocopy
[]
I
r,
7JF CcOe
__
_____U,.L.--
C
AK
-;!:_
_
*
I_
of your _aiL'P.Jti_ns. ;t you _'wer
",',[0'" ._d we
You
_ _._. _ _;I omtact you first .................
n___:o_t_ct_ur_re._nt_'4_e,,,tore_'e_n,ffer
_99708
=
]
I
.........
,j,
,',
._
]
,
" Oo_nbo your current or rno_t reo_nt job ot volunl{_r experience In Block/% _1 work bac.k'Xc_s,des_T0{ngup Io 2 p_:tods of oxpedence not on your $F t71.
- II _
were an_mpl_yed _,r longer _an 3 _r_on(ht,[lit _e dote_ ;rod_ur _dre_s(os} _| _1 l_e In 10.
BLM
Box
Alaska
35005
Fire
F_..
Wainwright,
Service
AK
99703
Exact bite st ymsr lob
/S_._ _r _r_s
i$_r_n; _ WC
10
_
step
4
P_ce ol omoto_n_
Ci,_ Ft.
Wainwright
IEn_
i0
_er step
5
Stow AK
s WG
Name of mm_d a _ supernsor
Electronic
Mechanic
Ken
KokJer
I 907
Repair
WG
i0
Humber_nd till,._;_1employe-.syou soge_,is,¢4
I 356-5622
0
I( Fed_r'_empfo,£rnen([ci-¢_i_t_of mlhl_p/).
_i.=E
,_¢.% _,'3d_ or r_.
a¢coun,'_?_'.
_e do¢_ olyour las[ g_'orm_flon
_d o!se.,"/ice,etc.}
_cJai
_.us.me,.s.s
or ouT_',_._don
(n_nut_c,",_,
Electronic
Ar_3 Cod_ ! _ept_ne. Num_.r
_._tJ
Your R_Gn lot w_l_,_] tO L-aV_
11-19-88
I
don't-
want:
to
leave]
Oet,=n_Uon
ofwork:'O_:sc.rP'.e
you:._pe=_..c
_u_es.res,_on'_]{_s
_ accom_,F_-_.P_rnonLs
_n!NOlob.ff_'eu
de_._J_e
m_._t_n one type.
oi_,ork
(fo[e.xa,'_e,
_r-,.entr/
_ paintin
9 or_.,,'srm_cl
a.'_ Ou_¢tt). _te the op_ro_km_e percent3_ of ti_e you s_ent doing e,_c_.
Hy
primary
responsibility
"' Fire-"Service
and
•Specialized
I
have
for
is
must
be
Somputer
also
been
initial
main=a±ned
attack
im_ol_ed
....
_e_dor.
....
THE
.imiza
Iam
also
_rlth
upgrading
_e--h'-igh-_
the
Automated
pSss_e--l-_
Lightening
_o
r0-1nimize
down
.....
for
cleaning,
_-}-6_ai-E-67"a-El-_
computer
checkout,
-t-e-r_n-{h-aIs
informaclon.
we
have
been
all
9bases
included:
instaila_ion
qpt
F_O£RAL
that
vlth
This
V_end_ooT
" "Area
at
: isyear
.,equipment:
,_
and
systems.
responsible
......
and
maintaining
leasing
:o re6
from
Alasoom
-- S
in
the
past:,
of
the
transit±on
e-xoept
the
f_n-a _I. describing
circuit
requirements,
= re..quirement,
ver_y_little
3.
providing
chan_es),
4.
a
l_-was
intimately
nego5!ations
2. establishing
de'6-al_e_r--_{-n_--£o¢all
installation,
5.
wi_-'_--6h_
.....
t=a_'n-nfng
sites
configuration,
and
in_---_-6g
5.
_ion.
res_ons&ble
Networks,
GOVERtq}3ENT
PP.E",.qC.US E_{TIQN
2.
_3 AM
EOUkL
for
a
Codex
OFPCR
rUNIT'/
installation,
Packet
S%-itch
.maintenace
Network
and
and
repair
_-.
a
o--_:---i.--]_'5"6"caI
Gandai'f
dana
switch'_
£_.tPkOYEFI
USABLE
TW000182
O57
AverSe
Bl_f Alaska
Fire
F_:
Service
7-84
Sm_S
AK
WG
5
pu step
i
O
d your la._ p:umodan
_e _
l
repair
responsible
cora_u_ications
for
3.
moutain
4.
Tadio-
The
other
and
maintained
WG 11
maintaining
systems,
this
I. radio
control
2. microwave
and
tqp__Leater
lar_9_par=
of
alls_gmen_s
systems
enterfaces
my
communications
_ob
of
the
__/._h_v___c_me_d_my__educ_
computer
fle!d
'Alaska
Fire
Service
Backbone
w_s
for
Dispatchers
base
stations
spannin_
(_hon 9
working
fire
camps
up
=o
ia _-_-the-fUn
--J
Ii--s ez_e_
Ls-_a-kin g-me oh-a nd-l_rng
------_empu _ r._;._ le. nc_e,
__
"-3 moutain
tops.
patch).
at
emergency
%_th
as
WmethanumOct_owhlcheach_-_'er_!e_.
IIyauneedmorati_aca. us_s_I.']flmoarthesamesize
OneJc_ ,.t,
ee,
tw_teyourr42:_
_
_&cd,_
$_ur, tt ,_um_e,'.
A_,:,'_ al _cets to Ini_ t_rm.
_.23
in_o
iseluded:
consoles
for Fire
UHF linked
remote
telephone
Get
"7-85
inoiden=s
_any
T.h_is__inoluded 9a_intainlng
radio,
teleohone
and rspea_er
_mj_aDd
and !o_i%ti__9_er___s_nn__$__i% ef__q_e_ times
critical
10
Wainwr:lght
Fe_m _r le_
electronic
was
_W Fg.
Mechanic
scc:al
seN_8,et&)
I
_.ef weak
Pl_:eof employr_t
_a±rmrrlgh_,
Electronic
ol _cu,_
_0
BQx 35005
F=.
nu_cet
T_. 11-88
as
where
oeop!e
systems
for
si_uatio_hs.
I established
in
them.
alrcraf_,
tac_ioala
,,
_is_ge.
tver-si_tv_'_f_Akas
=amlng-nJ-ass
2500
ka._£_L_th_p
ea--tmwar-d-m__e
a s _ _wa.
_=ca..in.-- ....
_l
YOU, MUST SIGN THIS APPLICATION,
Flead the following cerefutty before you sign.
a
A Miss etatementon any pa_telyo_ appllca_k_n
or this_,me_dmont may he groundstarnothiring
you,orforfiling
_'_uafteryou beginwork. AlsO.you
m_y be punished by _ne ot {mp,%-onment (U.S. Code. Title I8. Secdon 1001).
I understand that any infa;mat_n t give may be Inve_tlgated a= altowed by law or Presidenti_'crdar;
4
.!
=
I con_ent to the re/ease at t,'l_o,'_at}on aboU{ ray ab;I}iy _s_d_Ine,s._for Fode_I _mptoymanl by"em_oj..ers, schools, law enlcrceman, agencies and other
individuals and organizations,to Investigators, por_nnei sta_ng specialists, and ofher authorized employees o/_he Federal Gm,'emment.
i certl_
that, to the besl of m'f knowledge and belief, atl s_tamenIs ¢n my SF 171 a:',d SF 172 a<s correct, complete, _na made In good fa}th.
TW000183
O58
1"--'] .,_,.,,_
I--i,_,.J--]o_,,,
1;_,.._
A/';CEOKAGE, AK
I FAIR.BANKS,
rLl _'*_''' _-'
AK
/
iX i _'-'" ....
,_ ''-"","
"_
I
linD"el
_,_,.._ _
E!eccronia
I )
Electronic
Department
}_
I/_-I-,/7
I
Mechanic
Ni,_!
Ii I £mllllQy_!.!
II_ .*(a_.
lll¢_t-_l
Mechanic
of
the
Alaska
Interior
Bureau
of Land Hanagemenc
Alaska
State
Fire
Division
Service
of
Electronic
Systems
'.....
*.........
Office
Branch
of
Technical
Systems
I
I
l
1
I
I
f
I
I
)
I
TW000225
059
Elec_romlcs
Technician
Ei eC.cr onics
Branch
i.
!_DUCTi
The
(DOI)
fire
Alaska
suppression
incidental
Natia_.al
and
on
II.
=e
same
position
A/S
of
lands_
is
It
located
on
Slope
provide
$LM,
the
F_S,
and
Kodiak
directly
Division
BiA,
192
Island.
It
of "Electronic
sores
e.xecu=es
_he
guidance,
rela_ed
the
to
services
State
Native
provides
on a
million
services
under
Interior
providing
and
A_-S
areas
leadership,
and
the
for
N'PS,
involves
suppresslom
suppression
of
responsihle
Additionally,
in selected
professional
fire
Dcparrmen=
is
assis=an
taking
Director,
Systems,
s
mutual
Alash
Branch
of
SenslnB.
DUTIES:
Supervlsarv
Duties
_Supe_--vJ.ses
o_e
and instslia=io=
B°
Non
Supervisory
--Installs,
calibrateS,
e!ec_ronlcs
systems.
--Reads
writes
--Reeds
and
and
--Keeps
SKILLS
AND
--Must
_mve
and
Helper
who assists
RAWS
sys=E_ms.
interprets
in
the
maintenance
records
A-LDS,
_W5
and
other
special
programs.
equipment.
schemanic
inspects
proper
maintains
computer
electronic
--Disassembles,
and
Electro_ins
of A_S
and
Duties
--Calibrates
!!I,
North
to
functions
in
only
AFS
in Alaska.
and Military
prsvides
aspects
=he
responsibility
the
C_nada
is
Alaska.
sa_ices
basis
A.!ask_
on
with
all
in
in_erage'_cy
area.
in
these
Sensin_
(AYS)
support
suppression
bo_mdary
This
Rome
This
agra_ent
_valua=iom
place
related
on a statewlde
the State
of
basis.
cooperstive
Service
organiza_-lon
and
Corporation
lands
these
services
ro
plus
Fire
suppression
contractumi
R_o_e
ON
BLM,
fire
of
W6-26_4-10
Mechanic
and
of
diagrams.
repairs
all
electronic
hardware.
work.
KNOW.E:
a.working
triangulation
kmowledge
systems
of
(Au=olza_Ic
elec_r=_gnetic
Lightning
lightninE
Detection
detection
Sys=e-a,
'AlmS).
TW00022£
060
","
.-
_Mus_
brave
(R_mote
a uor _kin_
Au_omatlc
--Must
have
a
--F.mowledse
--Mus_
have
BASIC
or
kno_'ledBe
Weather
worki=_
of
remo_e
S_-a_iona,
_nswledge
of
e-lectronics
the
hncwled_e
of
snd
co
weather
sensinB
systems
RAWS).
computer
computer
read
syste=
des!_Bn.
principles.
and
u-rlte
computer
programs
in
pASCAL.
--Knowledge
of
--Mus_
Khe
have
data
modems
and
knowledge
to
data
lines.
interpret
flow
charts
and
schem_z_ic
d lag r-_.mm.
IV.
qo
--Knowledge
of
microprocessGrs.
--Knouledse
of
handhold
--Skill
in
operating
--Skill
to
repair
--Skill
_o
operate
--Skill
_o
supervise
--Skill
_o
com_=unloa=e
infrared
desk
and
_op
calibrate
apprentice
--install
and
maintain
special
--Assla=
in
computer
programs.
--Assist
in
the
--Assist
im
_.he maintenance
PHYSICAL
DEF_d_S
reaching,
are
the
_riCing'
and
t_ain_enance
writing.
load,
EAWS
equipment.
electronics
mmin_alning
computer
of
of
Anchorage
of
handhold
unlaad,
helicopters,
benefit
bending,
and
graphic
special
ADp
elec=ronlcs
modems
infrared
system.
and
graphics
terminalg.
equipmen=.
:
helps
from
the
is
personnel.
:
Ai/]S
without
equipment.
and
main=_in
pounds
equipment.
electronics
orally
and
i00
electronic
tes_
--Install
--Frequzn=ly
computers.
electronic
p_ESPONSIBILITIEE
equipment.
of
_uard
kneeling,
and
often
on
rails.
and
carry
heavy
small
spaces
Lifting,
climbin_
for
object=
on
pullins,
sustained
weighinB
over
m=_m=aintops
pushing,
periods
of
time
required.
TW000227
VI.
WORKING
ENVIRONMENT:
--Work
is perfo_--med inside, under well ligh:ed
and heazed comdi_icnm
for
approzim_e_iy
50 pero_t
e£ :he time.
Outside
work
£_ performed
unde:
eondi=£ons
varyizg
from _i!i, pleasant
we.a_her on stable
_erra_n _o
extremely
co!i, wind 7 vaa_har
on moun=ain=ops
over 5,000 feet.
Transpormtlon
vehiale.
to ao.d from
work
sites
is by fixed
win_,
helicopter,
or moEor
TW000228
062
,
,_ :,
o,._? y_
_-----'] Yll
%*.
?,_.s_
[]
L_I
lal;ttl
,. _r,i_l
' "
_,t_.,,*_ o,
, I_¢111_
I_.
_tllil_tllll_i_.14
WG
Mechanic
2604
g,,lll
Ii
Qlltgl
TIIIi
Electronics
-_e
Bu=eau
El._ct:o_Lcs
NO
_1 l_,Jliott
(ll li/flttxt4i
lf_tl
oll_;_'_
Mechanic
_..o_'.ch_ _Zn=_riob
of
Lamd
1 7. N_I
_Jfl_J
_/-/.
ol Empi_,e
h_ ve_.l_{y,
l@_tFI
; LL) G./)
,, .--. , . -....-..' :.+.'
, .Alaska,
Division
Ha:_z_ent
Fi.re.,Sez-vice
of
Elec_ronic
' +
"'
..
,-....-'..'..i-.':
.....
Systems
::+{:
./
\%
.,.:.
,•.:+
•
..
-.
•
1:",,+,
::..<
,..
":27,;.
... :/;
".'c
:
•
._.:;;_+:
• ;;¢_,,
f.,=;
v- • '14t*%_
iltl_ll
OU._I
I mm
I Itl_t.,,-14t/8-171
TW000272
063
-t i°,
Electronic
WG
i.
Mechanic
2604-11
In_rmduction
The
In=crier
sible
BL_], Alaska
(D01)
for
tire
Fire
Service
suppression
providing
fire
(AFS)
suppression
and
and
Native
Corpora=ion
AFS
provides
these
,%laska
in
selected
and
Military
responsibility
suppression
on
ive
agreement
Natio_ml
the
with
boundary
assistance,
and
areas
North
Slop_
Canada
to
area.
and
AFS
all
Aa
repairs
electronic
a variety
men=.
As
such,
mechanic,
of
performs
the
lands,
It
it
executes
a
to
or 4colored
unservicemhle.
on items
failin_
repeatedly,
and
materials
the
necessary
r-Removes,
guidance,
aalibrates,
associated
equipment
other
recorders,
fuactions_
similar
blocks,
or
coils,
appllcatio_
for
of
signal
and troubleshoots
be e_enomi_!ly
sets,
=f
equipment
the f£_It
overhauls,
components,
generators,
_ransmitters
os£i!lators,
transformers,
cspacitors_
etc.
protective
Makes
security
coating_
tests
switches,
resis_ors,
appearance,
operationnl
equip-
audio
and
oscil-
and receivers
synchronizers,
of
and
equipment.
potsnt±onmeters,
repaired
and
and
adjusts,
electronic
sets,
Systems,
Service.
required.
repairs,
tunes
radio
defective
choke
final
as
components
wires_
items
such
and
microphones,
speakers,
tape
recorders,
audio
_Replaces
circLLits,
inspects,
aligns,
under
taskS.
Prepares
unsatisfactory
specifying
the nature
if
related
direet!y
devices,
malfunctions,
equlpmentmay
repairs
disassembles,
modlfles_
lators,
limited
for
mutual
and
maintains,
related
cooperat-
the
suppression
f_nctions
in
This
leadership,
fire
typical
diagnoses
whether
on
basis
of
incidental
services
overhauls,
following
repaired
reports
Hakes
of
plus
the
respon-
services
basis.
acres
professional
aspects
components,
--CQnducts
inspections_
determine
cause.
Determines
and
contractual
Island.
installs,
electron-i=
of
A.rS is
This position
is located
in the Division
of Electronic
of Radio
Repair
and
Ins tallaticns_
in the Alaska
F_rs
Branch
of
a
suppression
same
Department
support
million
Kodiak
provides
in
services
t_k!sg
place
on these
the State
Director,
Alaska.
_o
192
provide
only
in Alaska.
lands
on a storewide
services
to the State
on
involves
evaluation
the
related
BIll, _WS,
NPS, BIA,
Alaska.
Additionally,
interagency
is
organization
and
relays,
tubes,
cannon
plugs,
Junction
complete
visual
inspection
of
all
decals,
adJua_enta
connections
and
prior
legibility
to
and
wiring
of
marking.
release
of
equip-
meat.
--Uses
frequency
all
meters,
types
s_andlng
of
test
equipment,
wave
indlcators,
such
.
.
as
systems
test
sets,
oscillators,
oshmsters,
-:
.....
.-
.
TW000273
064
i
,%.-
voltmeters,
resistance
localize
trotthle
element
of
_kil_
High
h_se
control,
recording
wet
dry
A
and
as
use
are
test
mechanical
systems,
Fre-
control
all
ussociated
of
then6
data
peripheral
systems.
a variety
l_k_,
airborne
controls,
telephone
and
High
Frequency/_mplitude
Advanced
state-of-the-art
systems
and
used
to
of
test
cslihratlon
is
equipment
also
in-
needed.
Test
frequency
counters,
spectrum
answerers
"
trensistbr
ched_ers_
serg_ce
moni_0re_
and
capacitor),
telephone
watt
level
meters,
'
m_icr_wa_e
analyzers,
and
a vsrlety
apparatus.
understands,
.and
on fixed
station
of mlerow_ve,
and
tone
a variety
and
sets,
and
desIKn
drawings,
schematics,
technical
manuals/gulden
and
IV.
the
Facsimile,
with
of
accuracy
(kesistcr
discipline
hy
Uses
units,
hexes
test
carrier
inZegrab_e
thermal,
knowledge
of
High
consoles.
incorporated
mtti=!plex
cals/updates
to
Frequency/Very
Very
systems,
reguJ.ar!y
used
are
motets,
6scil_oscopes,
Uses_
to
and
instruments.
expertise
consisting
mln!-computers,
o_
solar,
comprehensive
specialized
bulletln_
are
interprets
necessary
regularly
mamufacturerfs
engineering
rough
field
specifications,
reference
dutch handbooks,
notes.
Other
technical
to maintain
current
periodi-
knowledge
of
used.
Responsibillties
Work
is performed
under
general
supervision.
in the form of work
orders,
inspection
reports
given
tions.
Plans.work
wise
carries
and
difficult
process
and
tions
and
sequence,
assignments
V,
without
bending,
required.
tools
to
for
standards.
and
Work
is
acceptability
subject
to
check
other-
unusual
in
to instruc-
includes
block
are
instruc-
and
only
adherence
guidance
layouts,
parts,
referring
and
Published
Assignments
or verbal
repair
completion,
supervisor.
m-nuals,
ec.kematic
procedures.
manu-
diagrams,
manuals',
Demands
_requemtly
lO0
to
completion
established
Physical
selects
through
problems
upon
facturers
_ repair
and BI/I operating
over
radio
storage
batteries
analyzers,
generators
component,
cow,non
High
Multiplex
a=d
sources,
such
substitution
the
Ultra
Frequency,
emitting
high.levels
instruments
deviq_iQn
signal
within
testing
technical
systems,
communications/electronic
volvidg
of
eq,ulpment
Division
e_uipment,
and
test
computerized
sources
power
calibrates
Band,
High
stations,
light
processing,
power
Super
Frequency
repeaters,
and
circuit
and
require
ground/air
Side
D_dulation,
Hoduiation,
by
LnowledKes
Frequency/Single
quendy
:_'"["'''";'"
shop
Special
knowledges
field
transportable
and
testers,
unit,
Adjusts
tools
and
trades.
"and
tube
component
a circuit.
hand
and power
and electrical
I!I_
bridges,
5y
pounds
benefit
kmee!ing,
helps
from
of
load,
unload,
hsZicopters,
guard
and
r_ils.
climbing
and
often
Lifting,
for
carry
on
pulling,
sustained
'_-i:......
heavy
mmal_l
obJ.octs
walghJ_n_
_pac_d.o="mountafnto_s
pushifig_
periods
of
reachiag,
time
are
: ._ --
TW000274
065
.
VI.
for
Workln_.
Conditions
Work
performed
is
approximately
50
weather
conditions
for
work
performed
under
on
is
stable
5000
ft.
hel_copter,
terrain
to
Transportation
or
motor
inside
perceu_
approx
in
of
well
the
_imate!y
conditions
ex=reme!y
to and
lighted
time
50
and
from
heated
_nder
percent
vegying
cold,
and
outside
windy
_ork
from
of
mild
weather
sites
the
is
conditions
varying
time.
Outside
pleasant
wee=her
on
mou_ntaln=ops
by
fixed
over
wing,
vehicles.
TW000275
066
m7. Z++.-
ALASKA
STATE
REPAIR
OFFICE
& INSTALLATION
1
•
_+,.,
-
},---l_-
- - - r'c_,- .....
I
,
1
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l+,l_il
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+
.
TW000276
067
Electronics
Worker.
WG-2604-05
I.
INTRODUCTION
The
terior
BLM,
(DOI)
Alasks
fire
Fire
Servlce
suppression
(AFS)
is
organization
the
in
only
Department
Alaska.
AFS
of
is
the
In-
responsible
for providing
fire
suppression
and related
support
services
on BLM.
FWS, NPE,
B!A,, a_
Native
Corporation
lands
on a statawide
basis
in _tlaska,
Additionally,
AFS
provides
selected
areas
volves'192
Kodiak
these
on
million
Island.
suppression
services
to
a contractual
acres
I=
plus
executes
services
to
professional
leadership,
of fire
suppression
end
mutual
of
This
position
is located
in
Radio
Repsir
and Installation,
function
in
of electronics
ment.
II.
DUTIES:
Below
duties
i.
tory
of
equipment
and
in
Replaces
on
wires,
3.
modifies,
defective
and
Removes,
wiring
4.
frequency
Learns
meters,
bridges,
localize
etc,
element
common
5.
aligns,
as
by
component
of a circuit.
to the mechanical
Maintain
Fire
AFS
tunes
unit,
circuit
of. shop
inventory
Technician,
be trained
in diag" Prepares
unsatisfacthe
nature
tubes,
canon
plugs,
visual
inspaatloa
adjusts,
to re-
overhauls,
components
and
and
and. assocl-
simple
signal
tes_
test
sets,
resist-
generators
a
component,
shop
test
records
of
deaals_
prior
some
solid
Junction
coating,
adjustments
within
and
repair
Manage-
equipment,
such
as system
oscillators,
obm_meters_
Uses
hand
and power
tools
and electrical
_rade.
control
the
Resource
a Journeyman
relays,
and
.. •
¢heckers_
by
Electronics
in
required.
repairs,
electronic
receivers,
_ransis_or
and
protective
and
Branch
by the
specifying
complete
of
inspects,
provides
in all aspects
same lands.
situation
of
repairs
test
and
to provide
Systems,
Fire
switches,
Makes
transmitters,
testers,
BLH
resistors,
final
and
by
far
Ln-
Slope
Canada
trained
repeatedly,
application
_akes
be
in installations,
determine
cause.
to use all types
of test
standing
wave
indicators,
tube
trouble
North
area.
training
supervision
capaiitors,
and
end
used
failing
dlsassembles,
such
:he
of Electronic
Service.
hei_
transformers,
coils,
calibrates,
to
in
Alaska.
on-the-Jab
necessary
potentionmeters,
ated
equipment,
equipment.
the
is
under
items
and legibility
of marking.
lease
of equipment.
in
Director,
equipment
ma_eria!s
choke
connections
with
boundary
Military
responsibility
agreement
the Division
Alaska
Fire
an
completed
the
circuitry,
blocks,
ance
State
posi=ion
Shop
reports
fault
2.
all
are
and
on
National
Assist
Electronic
Journeyman
malfunctions,
_roubleshoots
=o
the
state
this
Radio
the
communications
MAJOR
nosing
under
of
the
Alaska
guidance,
assistance,
and evaluation
related
services
taking
place
on these
functions
Journeymen
of
interagenoy
suppression
cooperati-¢6
It
The
directly
State
This
incidental
a
the
the
basis,
of
and
to
by
equipment
radios
s:ored
Cache.
TW000277
068
:
b
2
6.
Types
matters
for
7.
=ha
Orders
Branch
!!i.
of
S}tlLLS
, Have
the
keeps
Branch
stock
up
communications
of
Remote
on
radio
and
administrative
Sensing.
parts
used
in
repair
work
in
Sensing.
skill
and
ability
=o
equipment.
abi!iCy
radio
operate,
Must
to
ba
able
disassemble,
c0mmun±ca_ions
control
end
calibrate
to
and
follow
wiring
simple
circultry,
read
inspect,
eq_ipmen_
under
repair
simple
supervision.
RESPONSIBILITf
The
supervisor
tinuous
she
given
oral
vision
of
_he
Work
lifts,
written
work
moves,
or
carries
WO_/<Z}_G
CONDITIONS
Work
is
performed
and
shop
is
Is
will
fixed
conditions
could
of
from
be
to
provides
work
con-
after
within
the
scope
under
the
super-
work
of
Mechanic.
with
=o
hy
to
outside.
az=und
areas
of
weather
in
weather
travel
some
and
exhaust
falls,
equipment
as
terrain.
away
and
bush
instances,
time
conditions,
and
shook,
such
pounds
performed
!Ighted.
inolu4ing
extreme
to
burns,
and
similar
tools.
helicopter
position
the
Incumbent
mountain
in
in
Out-
and
power
Incumbent's
from
is
and
fumes
airstrips,
hy
and
pounds.
work
heated
vith
Frequent!y
fifty
Inside
inadequately
sawdust,
scooping,
seventy-five
he
electrical
and
or,
20%
kinds
and
peal=ions.
approximately
and
may
grease,
remote
aircraft
up
all
reaching
awkward
approximately
inside
bruises,
working
caused
require
in
cu_s,
_o
which
dirt,
or
weighimg
up
both
to
travelling
_ing
items
areas,
climbing,
cramped,
ueighln&
performed
exposed
posslhili=y
hazards
operating
Elec=ronic
bending,
stretched,
VI.
work
and
completing
required
a Journeyman
standing,
in
i_ms
cold.
while
is
drawings
for
EFFORT
occasio_mlly
s!de
or
or
responsible
Incumbent
supervisor
Involves
buildings
inszructions
is
instructions
knowledge.
PHYSICAL
occasional
detailed
Incumbent
or
inoumban='s
V.
gives
supervision.
heine
i_
concerning
the
KNG_CLEDGES
Have
tune
IV.
and
testing
diagrams.
in
Remote
AND
electronic
and
correspondence
personnel
tops,
hmzardous
would
or
Falrbanks.
TWOOO27B
069
Fe.,-tn 5_-Q
Rav. 7l_1
U.S, Offlc@ _t Po_onn_
M_n_"jemcnt
FPM Supp. 2G@-,33, Subch. 4
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NOTIFICATION
i_i.
OF PERSONNEL
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TO;
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Title
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FArR_A?_XS,
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RETA[NEO
GRAOE
W(LL
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"i'O0!TEEPI[NE
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PAY,
RETZREMEI_JT
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EP'IPLOYE._ IS EI_TITLED
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FOR
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INFORMATION
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+
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for
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TW000295
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end Numr,_t
ELECTRONIC
MECHANIC
AK33213
-04193
]
ELECTRONIC
AK33213
I
Sillily
MECHANIC
-A 3581
I 13. P=y Ba_s
I
@23.69
ALASKA
STATE
OFC,
BUR OF LAND
ALASKA
FIRE
SVC MANAOERS
OFF
BiV
OF
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
BR OF TECHNICAL
SYSTEMS
FAIRBANKSI
ALASKA
5a_J_
PH
21. P_
$24.95
MGMT
ALASKA
STATE
OFC,
BUR OF LAND
ALASKA
FIRE
£VC
MANAOERS
OFF
I]IV OF
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
BR OF TECHNICAL
SYSTEMS
FA IRBANKS,
ALASKA
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CQDE
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IN BLOCK
30 INDICATES
COVERAOE
BY FERS
AND FICA
SELECTED
FROM
BLbl MERIT
PROM
PLAN
, #AK-91-O85(M)
DATED
08-17-91
FULL
PERFORMANCE
LEVEL
IS WG-II
OPF
MAINTAINED
BY INT-BLM-ALASKA
STATE
OFFICE
_.
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Of Agency
INT-BUREAU
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TW000334
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t
Thor
Weatherby,
Career
Dates
of Service
Position
III
Positions
Series
Title
WG-2604-05
07/26/84-07/20/85
Electronic
Mechanic
07/21/85-11/19/88
Electronic
Mechanic
WG-2604-11
11/20/88-10/05/91
Electronic
Mechanic
WG-2604-10
10/06/91-07/20/97
Electronic
Mechanic
WG-2604-11
07/21/97-09/07/02
Telecommunications
09/08/02-06/28/03
Infotech
06/29/03-11/01/03
IT Specialist
(SYSADMIN)
GS-2210-11
11/02/03-Present
IT Specialist
'SYSADMIN)
GS-2210-12
Specialist
Helper
and Grade
Specialist
(Network)
.GS-0391 - 11
GS-2210-11
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UNITED
STATES
DEPARTMENT
OF
INTERIOR
BUR_.U
OF
LAND
MANAGF/'IF24T
*CAREER
SEASONAL**
**C.__REER
VACANCY
*_*
THE
DEPARTMENT
for
this
Sa!ec<ion
OF
THE
position
INTERIOR
,will
be
IS
made
AN
EQUAL
solely
on
and
qualificaeions.
All
applicants
wil!
receive
race,
color,
age,
sex,
marital
status,
religion,
affili'ation,
handicap
or
o_her
non-merit
factors.
ELECTRONIC
WG-2604-I0/!I
POSITION:
OPENI-NG
DA_:
CLOSING
DA%"E-:
LOCATION:
JULY
JULY
15,
26,
MECHaniC
AL_kSKA
STATE
INFORMATION
OF
OFC,
BUR
OF
LAND
SYSTEMS,
w'Ho
former
Any
basis
EMPLOYER
of
merit,
_**
fitness,
consideration
without
regard
national
origin,
political
current
or
MGMT,
BR
while
a
have
an
Federal
APPLY:
__
NUMBER:
OF
ALASKA
FIRE
SVC
COMMUNICATION
BLM
employee
interest
in
lands.
Federal
te
_d<-96-49
FULL
PERFORM_aNCE
LEVEL:
WG-2604-II
RECRUITING
AREA:
GOVERNMENT-WIDE
**MULTIPLE
POSITIONS
TO
BE FILLED
If
appointed
no
this
position,
estate
license,
and you
cannot
in
firms
that
have
interest
in
PIAY
O_PORTUNITY
the
ANNOUNCEMENT
1996
1996
DIV
SEASON_/_
ANNOUNCEMENT
MANAGERS
FAIRBANKS,
*_
OFF,
ALASLA
you
cannot
hold
an active
real
Federal
lands,
or
ho!d
stocks
employee
Nationwide
who
has
competitive
civil
service
status
or
reinstatement
eligibility.
U.S.
Citizenship
is
required
for
appointment
to
this
position.
U,S.
Citizens
who
are
eligible
under
special
authorities
for non-competitive
appointment
in
the
competitive
service,
such
as
Veterans
disabilities
who
Vista
volunteers
who
have
30%
or
more
disability,
VRA
eligibles,
qualify
under
a special
appointing
authority,
may
also
apply.
The
Bureau
of Land
Management
a hiring
approval.
Selection
freeze.
CONTACT
TELEPHONE
ADDRESS
OF
outside
the
NUMBER:
PERSONNEL
S_ate
or
(907)
BURF.AU
OFFICE:
BLM
Center
356-5667
OF
require
(907)
(907)
MANAGEMENT
LAND
ALAS_
will
STATE
•
I
I
/
qualification
field
work
aL_d extreme.
in
requirements
remote
and/or
This
is
(8 hours
certain
a CAREER
SEASONAL
per
day,
40 hours
times
due
to lack
reasons.
sEa=us.
It
not
more
periods
than
when
During
these
is expected
50 weeks
incumbent
place
in
non-work,
Employee's
Health
Service
Retirement
the
full
is
The
duties
of
where
climatic
POSITION.
The
initial
per
week).
Incumbent's
of
work,
lack
of funds,
periods,
incumber[
thac
incumbent
will
or
25 pay
periods
may
required
[o
will
work
on
work
Incumbent
Employee'_
tour
of
services
weather
be placed
at least
AK-951
_!3
this.position
conditions
may
involve
are
variable
duty
will
be
fulltime
will
not be
required
at
conditions
or
for
other
in a non-work,
six
months
per
a full
time
basis.
on a part-time
basis
non-pay
year,
but
There
may
be
in lieu
of being
will
be
eligible
for
Group
Life
Insurance
O78
Level
356-5622
271-3159
full
performance
level,
the
incumbent
performance
level
without
further
satisfactory,
and
time-in-grade
and
have
been
met.
rugged
terrain
non-pay-status.
Benefits,
Federal
benefits.
higher
OFFICE
BRANCH
OF HUMAN
RESOURCES,
222
WEST
7TH AVENUE,
BOX
ANCHORAGE,
ALASKA
99513
If this
position
is filled
below
subsequently
be promoted
to the
competition,
provided
performance
persons
with
and
_eace
Corps
and
is currently
under
Federal
and
FICA/Civil
Department
of
the
interior
(DOI)
Career
procedures
apply
in
filling
this
for
Surplus
and
Displaced
Federal
selection
for
this
position:
at
At
Bureau
option,
personnel
Transition
vacancy.
Employees
actions
Assistance
5 CFR
330,
requires
lisned
in
5
Plan
(CTA?)
Career
Transition
the
following
order
CFR
Assistance
of
330.606(b);
b)
Any
we!l-qualified
SSP
candidate
who
applies
within
the
local
commuting
area
(Surplus
and
displaced
employees
will
be given
equal
consideration);
c)
At
Bureau
option,
personnel
actions
noc
subject
to RPL;
d)
Qualified
RPL
candidates
in
the
local
commuting
area;
e)
At
Bureau
discretion,
any
employee,
e.g.
a well-qualified
local
communing
area;
fl
g)
We!l-qualified
O_her
outside
Applicants
to
each
will
not
ICTAP
applicants
applicants
(ocher
must
complete
of
the KSA's.
be
considered.
SCREENOUT
electronic
telephone
repeater.
systems,
ins_all,
include
questionnaire
submitting
the
radio,
OF
DUTIES:
The
duties
of
overhaul,
maintain,
and
fixed
station
and
field
VH_F,
control
links,
repeaters,
Advanced
power
sources
such
wet
and
dry
batteries
communications/electronics
are
KIqOWI_XDGES,
ABILITIES,
I.
Ability
_o do
the
supervision.
3.
4.
in
the
local
commuting
agencies,
nonstatus,
WG-II
- Ability
to overhaul,
repair,
systems
such
as radio,
microwave,
switching
equipment,
VHF
con_rolled
include
DOI
outside
explaining
supplemental
lines,
the
area;
etc).
their
experiences
questionnaire
align,
and
troubleshoot
controlled
link
repeater
base
station
linked
to
control
Know!edge
alignment.
Knowledge
Knowledge
this
audio
SKILLS
AND
work
of
an
electronic
of
of
e!ec[ronics
elecrrcnics
Kesume
OF
510,
or other
Applying
Supplemental
The
following
with
complex
systems,
a wide
area
lines,
equipment
- DI-1935,
purposes
Selecting
Applicant
only
and is
Official.)
applications
m_%erials
of the
announcement.
- DD-214
Application
for
not
contain
descriptions.
vacancy
will
applicants
materials
for Wage
optional:
Background
not
used
in
must
applying
should
not
trade
antenna
be
_o
and
incumbent
systems
to
UHF
carrier
systems.
of
state-of-the-art
and
(_SOCS)
without
installation,
one
of
the
Employment
includes
the
following
information
Grade/Leader/Supervisor
received
to
systems
microwave,
used
:
more
to
power
than
repair,
normal
and
practices.
Survey
Form.
the
evaluation
documents:
identified
must
be
in
submitted.
(To be used
for
statistica'l
process
or
shared
with
the
in
the
Personnel
under
the VRA
or
30% disability
be
submitted
in
notebooks
or
extraneous
materials
such
Only
materials
submitted
be used
in
the evaluation
submitted
in response
merit
promotion
file
these
assembly,
shop
and
_heory.
are
the
of
electronic
consisting
of
OTHER
CH-A-_ACTERISTICS
electronics
mechanic
written
format
that
for a Federal
Job
questionnaire
document(s)
require
a variety
systems
frequency
division
multiplex
solar,
thermal,
and
a variety
as
incorporated
units.
of
position
troubleshoot
transportable
HOW
TO
APPLY:
All
applicants
must
submit
- OF
612,
Optional
Application
for
Federal
- BF
171,
Application
for
Federal
Employment
All
date
well-qual_fied
applies
from
WG-10
- Ability
to overhaul,
repair,
align,
and
troubleshoot
complete
electronics
stand
alone
components
such
as HF,
VHF,
UFH
transievers,
radio
and
handhold
radios.
STAT_/_IENT
2.
former
displaced
candidate
who
a supplemental
Applicants
not
Knowledge
must
and
duplexers.
SCREENOUT
complex
consoles,
other
RPL
as training
with
the
process.
by
the
authority
binders
and
closinq
should
certificates
or position
application
package
for
this
All
application
materials
this
vacancy
announcement
cannot
be
returned
to the
079
Office
will
be
retained
applicant.
The
as part
use
of
of
the
Government
postage
or envelopes
to mail
job
appllcanions
is
a vio!a[ion
of OPM
Postal
Service
requ!aEions.
Applications
submitted
in posnaqe
paid
Governmen_
envelopes
WILL
NOT
BE CONSIDERED.
Further,
violators
may
be
subject
to
disciplinary
Applications
be
considered.
action
and
a
submitted
by
fine
FAX
as prescribed
machine
or
in
PRIVACY
ACT
REQUIREMENTS
(PL 93-579];
The
to determine
qualifications
for
employment
Title
5, United
States
Code,
Section
3302
a
by iaw.
governmen_
postage/envelope
application
forms
or promonion,
and
and
3361.
Applicants
end
wil!
not
prescribed
are used
are
authorized
under
submitting
Form
612,
resume,
for
Federal
authorize
a
accuracy
of
or other
written
apo!icaclon
wi!l
be
asked
to
complete
a Declara5ion
Employment
to determine
suitability
for
Federal
employment
and
to
background
investigation.
You
will
be
asked
to
sign
and
certify
the
all
the information
in your
applica[ion.
If
you
make
a false
statement
in any
begin
of
or
parr
work;
POSITION
your
you
application,
may be
fined
SENSITIVITY:
you
may
not
or
jailed.
Non-critical
be
hired;
you
may
be
fired
aircraft
if the
person
tentatively
Government
aircraft
may
If you
have
a private
may
affect
the
benefits
you
Sensieive.
The
person
tentatively
selected
is
subject
co completion
of
a favorable
investigation_
Direct
deposit
required
as
a condition
of
emp!oymenE
arduous/hazardous
oosition
which
requires
that
the
person
tentatively
pass
a physical
examination
before
appointment.
_m
offer
of
employment
withdrawn
Travel
in
position.
after
be
life
selected
cannot
pass
required
as a part
insurance
policy,
payable
in
Ehe
080
event
of
background
This
is an
selected
will
be
the
physical
examination.
of
the
duties
of
this
travel
in a Government
an
accident.
,-/_q II lj ,3
@
United
States
Department
222
AN
candidates
religion,
will
ANNOUNCEMENT:
SERIES,
ATLEA
The
W.
7th
GRADE:
full
performance
a
hours
certain
per
reasons.
During
Incumbent
is
eason,
incumbent
DUTIES:
This
Division
of
are
not
WAE.
position
hardware
corrected.
Qualifications
the
that
Reads
electronic
to
for
QUESTIONNAIRE
Federal
in
standard
interprets
components
of
of
operational
position
Alaska
AIAMS.
not
be
a
day,
required
other
status.
than
9.
Insurance
and
For
and
this
Health
be
THIS
Attack
Management
based
modems,
efficient
the
upon
incumbent's
by
level(s)
NOTE:
ALL
DO
and
AIAMS
of work
APPLICANTS
NOT
COMPLETE
System
and
(AIMAS).
dates
etc
repairs
little
or
maintain,
manner.
rates
of
to
no
repair,
Maintains
logs
problems
were
and
on
system.
ability
to
perform
experience
and
MUST
COMPLETE
TEE
response
THE
SUPPLEMENTAL
POSITION.
1
081
but
and
multiplexors,
with
order
include
Automatic
Installs
inspects
equipment
in
Service,
duties
the
Systems.
test
Fire
Major
Disassembles,
failure
users
Alaska
Weather
diagrams
THOSEWHO
FOR
more
meet
per
or_for
maintains
equipment
shop
to
the
and
Initial
operations,
support
with
calibrates
timely
which
is evidenced
Questionnaire.
EVALUATED
will
Life
to
hours
non-pay
not
full-time.
person
(8
conditions
but
HOUR
is
trained
Services.
Automatic
and
will
duty
services
Group
Technical
schematic
a
PER
full-time
non-work,
year
07/29/91
Benefits.
electronic
in
a
Employees
Alaska
ALDS
of
a
be
weather
each
Fairbanks,
the
the
and
BE
placed
months
Remote
SUPPLEMEHTALQUESTIONNAIRE.
CANNOT
be
tour
Your
funds,
DATE:
$24.95
appoint
basis.
of
telecommunications
using
this
and
with
the
length
to
Installs,
(ALDS)
support
determine
Provides
in
The
will
Branch
following:
duties
of
the
position
the
attached
Supplemental
ATTACHED
located
Services,
WG-II.
used
Retirement
associated
systems
supervision.
to
troubleshoots
lines
electronic
is
System
and
entitled
Service
duty
6
sex,
Alaska
-
of
will
least
Service
Information
hardware
you
color,
CLOSING
Forest
be
lack
at
race,
$21.39
tour
EMPLOYED
work
U.S.
will
of
work,
age,
Fairbanks,
is
ACTUALLY
periods
he
position
initial
to
07/16/91
including
position
lack
FICA/Civil
maintains
Area
this
The
to
will
to
of
a WHEN
these
Detection
leased
DATE:
LOCATION:
Your
to
expected
Maintains
calibrate
on
due
limited
Lighting
and
level
week)
regard
factors.
SALARY:
need.
times
and
ISSUING
Commuting
seasonal
denefits
without
non-merit
Mechanic
long-term
recurring
at
other
EMPLOYER
WG-2604-II
CONSIDERATION:
40
or
#13
99513-7599
OPPORTUNITY
AI_-91-085(M)
Electronics
is
EQU_
Avenue,
ALASKA
consideration
origin,
OF
This
receive
national
POSITION:
Interior
BUREAU
OF LAND
MANAGEMENT
.ALASKA
STATE
OFFICE
ANCHORAGE,
All
of the
the
to
S_ECIFIC
JOB
ELEMENTS:
i.
Ability
2.
Knowledge
to
of
3.
Knowledge
of
electronic
4.
Knowledge
of
theory
5.
Ability
to
read
6.
Ability
to
troubleshoot
IS
SUBJECT
APPOINTMENT
PHYSICAL
from
guardrails,
sustained
mild
mountaintops
over
helicopters,
or
is
appear
to
employees
been
BLM
interpreted
Federal
lands
Selection
least
of
three
Fairbanks
a
is
a
junior
some
exceptional
of
access
MAy
apply:
APPLY:
against
i)
reinstatement
appointments
and
supervision.
alignment.
EXAMINATION.
object
weighing
tops
without
kneeling,
is
extremely
to
and
under
cold,
from
is
climbing
for
weather
conditions
conditions
windy
work
1O0
of
heated
varying
performed
to
and
under
over
benefit
and
well-lighted
outside
are
to
i0
on
varying
weather
fixed
on
wing,
current
Within
not
of
60,000
3,500,
grade
Federal
employees
eligibility;
as
Federal
in
an
his/her
that
In
thathave
having
some
activities,
The
conflict
active
which
interest
real
duty
or
addition,
lands
an
current
U.S.
of
from
AM
2)
disabled
peace
your
& FM
Forest
persons
Corps/Vista
22
the
has
in
estate
station
status
front
or
and
be
license.
for
cold
of
sunlight
at
door.
with
following
individuals
eligible
etc.)
-50 ° F
the
relative
has
a
indoor
employees
individuals
to
community
Many
Federal
a
program,
produce
is
The
stations.
former
schools,
(down
attractions
volunteers,
082
high
a vocational
very
hours
radio
the
three
with
chief
Service
consideration
competitive
veterans,
of
hospital,
can
when
One
and
new
college
climate
summers)
often
and
area
a
community
gardens.
with
duty.
in
interest
boasting
a
schools.
(90 ° F
DOI
of
an
from
been
interests
performance
inbusinesses
prohibited
has
of
the
having
financial
approval.
vegetable
outdoor
owning
ownership
who
warm
apply.
(such
under
impartial
from
stock
community
and
and
prohibited
subject
and
All
heavy
mountain
bending,
work
Transportation
weekly
paper,
and
numerous
TV
facilities
also
are
available.
may
on
and
terrain
M_DICAL
carry
inside
time
Outside
efficient
quite
to
and
reaching,
the
stable
enrollment
flower
daily
and
recreation
status
to
on
employees
modern
an
of
time.
applicant
is
highs,
winters)
ease
BLM
with
the
SATISFACTORY
spaces
performed
50%
include
BLM
years
university
three
and
small
prohibitions
are
to
A
pushing,
required.
feet.
with
the
normal
vehicles.
to
conflict
than
repair
schematics.
unload
on
is
weather
5000
more
practices.
and
OF
helps
pulling,
time
are
of
without
installation,
equipment.
COMPLETION
often
motor
trade
diagrams
Work
subject
of
and
electronic
TO
50%
Mechanic
assembly,
electronics.
approximately
pleasant
Selectee
shop
of
ENVIRONMENT:
for
Electronics
equipment
Frequently
approximately
from
of
electronic
lifting,
periods
of
WORKING
work
helicopters,
conditions
WHO
the
electronic
DEMANDS:
pounds
for
do
competitive
may
employees
for
other
also
with
special
HOW
TO
APPLY:
All
3uestionnaire
applicants
and
supervisory
will
be
appraisal,
training
materials/information
evaluation
submitted
process.
from
the
ist-level
from
the
current
evaluation
is
Chief,
Branch
closing
ARE
complete
the
the
Human
this
IF
RECEIVED
than
one
FOR
OUR
Privacy
regulations
ON
and
the
60
days
of
rights
1974
the
TO
within
meeting
closing
NOTE:
The
may
be
BE
All
ARE
5 USC
directed
O83
to
showing
no
later
than
EITHER
ORAL
TO
271-5043.
the
or
the
RETAIN
contains
OR
USDI,
WRITTEN,
to
closing
qualification
issuing
ALL
office
APPLICATION
information
regarding
BLM,
the
required
following
Questions
(907)
SF-50
the
in
86a
appraisal
reach
be
the
and
specific
an
restrictions
submitted
552a).
the
of
days
REQUIRED
in
performance
documents
must
used
1400-86
must
CONSIDERED,
5 working
application
copy
address,
DATE.
appraisals
WE
a
documents
above
be
Forms
covers
A
time-in-grade
date.
93-579,
the
CLOSING
Supervisory
(P.L.
extended
THE
which
Only
will
submit
requested.
at
received
of
submit
must
experience,
position.
must
These
REQUESTS
this
vacancy
appraisal
Supplemental
education,
this
applicants
is
and
their
to
for
applicants.
be
of
applicants
above
BEFORE
SF-171
basis
SF-171
supervisory
considered.
after
current
pertinent
Management,
OR
must
RECORDS.
Act
with
announcement.
be
week
awards
non-Bureau
within
will
a
the
and
listed
Resource
of
Applicants
MATERIALS
to
for
on
Bureau
A
criteria
application
requirements
later
9)
submit
Non-Bureau
supervisor.
of
date
addition,
supervisor.
mandatory
ACCEPTED
date.
In
(rankin
status
must
considered
Privacy
subject
Act
no
Page
39
Page
5
6
7
8
AFS?
2
AYes,
assignments.
Does that sound fight?
A There's organizational
structures that deal with both.
3
4
5
Q All right. Was he required
condition?
A Yes.
Q Organizational
A Okay.
6
7
Q Okay. You mentioned something just a second ago, Kathy,
about AFS being an emergency organization and you
structures
is exactly the notion .....
i0
Q ..... i was fftssing with, tha_6k you Kathy. Did Thor have a
role in each of those organizational
structures?
A Yes.
iI
Q Okay.
12
AFS, they had a job at the base and they also had a role
13
in
14
A Yes.
15
Q
16
A Yes.
17
18
Q ..... ifI can put it that way? Yeah. Is that how k is
that your computer guy, if I can characterize Thor that
19
20
21
way, in the Technical
and work on radios?
A Yes.
22
23
2a.
25
Q Yeah. So that cross pollination
not organizational .....
A Right.
Q ..... status?
9
41
t
Q There are really two management schemes in play at AFS,
aren't there? One dealing with the base at home and jobs
people have and another dealing with fire jobs and fire
Did - was that the case with most everybody
at
.....
.....
Systems
Branch would go to the field
is a function
of skill,
Page
1
A Yes.
2
Q Okay.
3
4
A You know, the basic concept of the organization
fire emergency organization.
Our mission is fire
5
suppression
7
There are management
decisions as to which ones we fight
and which ones we don't but the game is putting out the
it does.
to be in good physical
8
9
10
11
!2
mentioned earlier that there was emergency monies
available, the bottomless pit to fight fires. Was there
someone else available in Alaska to fight those fires or
control those fires or suppress those fires if AFS didn't
do it?
13
a The Iines are clearly drawn between
14
15
suppression responsibility and the federal agency, AFS's
responsibility.
They're dearly defined lines. In an
t _
17
la
area for which A.FS has suppression responsibility
it is
AFS's job to do that and AFS is the only federal agency
that is required to do that. And it is clearly unIikely
the State of Alaska
19
that the State would ever jump in and do something
20
21
22
area that AFS is responsible for because there's a fairly
sophisticated billing cycle for how we pay the State when
they fight on federal property and how the State pays the
23
24
federal government for suppression actions taken on their
property. And we -- while we do share in the effort it's
25
very clear cut about the billing.
40
is we're a
for the most part, still is fire suppression.
in an
Page
42
l
2
3
Q Okay. Is it fair to say that every wildf'n-e or most every
wildfire is an emergency of some sort?
A No.
4
Q Why is that?
5
6
7
8
A Well, because we have put huge acreages into what we
categorize
as the limited response action which means all
we do is monJtorit
We actually .....
Q Okay. Essentially let it burn.
A Yea_h, we actually have four categories, we have critical,
full, modified and limited.
•
in
an area that's classified as limited would have no
8
9
1.0
fires. To that end we train our employees to be able to
fulfill that mission. Anybody that feels that they're
coming to a job in that organization that's 8:00 to 5:00
l_.
and nothing else is -- you know, I've tried to explain to
9
10
11
1.2
them that that's not the type of job that this
12
response
13
14
organization lends itself to and it's not a good mix for
the individual.
13
14
mean a flight over to just see where it's going
it. Could be that we'd map it from a satellite.
15
Q Okay.
16
17
1a
A We've got a mission where people have to be able to be
gotten a hold of anytime of the day to perform because of
fire,
15
16
it's just not something that we would spend very much
money on. The modified is the scenario of the ducks,
19
20
Q During the fire season was Thor on call on a regular
basis?
17
18
t 9
certain times of the year you will want to fight those
aggressively
and other
time. )knd
21
A Yes.
20
21
then full and critical are the suppression
responses in
which we throw everything at it. Critical being a fire on
22
23
Q Was he expected
A Yes.
22
23
the hillside or Oaldand - I think you're from cal -- you
know, something that's going to be, you know, the threat
24
25
Q I mean you mentioned overtime for example, does overtime
feature prominently in the compensation of the folks at
24
25
of life and property.
Full would probably be proximity
a village and the potential for it to go to critical. So
to work more than eight hours?
whatsoever
other than monitoring.
Ii
Kron
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
Suite
200
(Pages
Anchorage,
And that may
and map
I mean
39
AK
to
to
42)
99503
276-3554
601bc4f4-7e88-432b-8cb6-f52d7813af4f
084
Page
1
2
3
critical would get everything we've got. Full would get
everything we've got as long as we've got stuff. Modified
would get it at the right time of the year and then
4
5
limited would get very little to none. But it's not to
say that limited fires don't get very, very, very large
6
7
8
9
and oftentimes get to the boundaries of their limited area
and then move into something that's critical or full.
Q And you expect this mix of fires here on an armualized
basis.
i0
A Yes.
11
12
Q Yea& And it's not Iimited to Alaska I suppose,
for the lower 48 .....
13
14
15
A I suppose.
Q ..... as well, isn't it?
A Yea&
16
17
Q
!8
19
go work on that fire, [ want to stay home,
off?.
20
21
A Well, anybody can say anything.
resulted in disciplinary
action.
22
23
2_
25
Page
43
i
2
step up with the other foot and step down. They measured
your heart rate prior to the step test and then after -
3
4
5
right after the step test and then [ think five minutes
after that. And the idea was they were looking to see
that the heart rate went up and then it would drop off
S
7
significantly
after a period of time. And I'm not sure
how they all measured it, if it didn't go back down then
8
9
you got one number and if it went too high you got another
number. The idea was we can get an indication of the
10
11
health of the individual by having them perform the step
test. It was not mandatory, it was suggested.
It was a
12
l3
trial, it was an experiment.
Q Did it become mandatory
1.4
15
A It became mandatory at some point I think probably
mid 80% for certain positions but not all positions and
16
17
18
1.9
every year it seemed to fluctuate in terms of who had to
take it and what kind of score you had to have, that sort
of thing. We have now evolved into a different tyl_e of a
t_
20
21
the Forest Service, in which you didn't do the step test
anymore, you actually either took one of three levels,
Q Just that simple.
A Yeah.
22
23
light, medium - light, moderate or arduous. The arduous
I think is a three mile hike with 45 pounds on your back
Q Okay. Was that true with regard to all the people that go
to the field with fires?
24
25
and you have to accomplish
it in so many minutes.
The
light as - for the range that would be the arduous and
Yeah.
manager
it's true
Okay. Did Thor have the opportunity
to say to his
I don't want to go to the field, I don't want to
No.
it's my day
That would
have
Page
1
A Yes.
2
?
4
Q Are there physical
today at AFS?
AYes, there are.
5
8
7
Q Have there always been physical standards
fire fighters?
A No.
8
9
Q Okay. Describe for us - take us from when there were
none to the presem.
10
11.
A In the early 70% when t started work for the organization
there were none. I believe it was the late 70% when the
12
13
1.4
15
concept of the step test came about.
Q What is a step test?
A The step test was a way of measuring cardiovascular
health. They take a box that was - if you were a man it
1.6
1.7
was maybe that high and if you were a woman it was a
littIe bit lower. There were .....
standards
for firefighters
in place
in place for
19 high?
20
A Well, maybe 20 and 15, I don't know.
2 J. Q Okay.
22
A You know, and it didfft make sense because
23
2 ,t
more long legged women that I saw on the shorter step.
But anyway, the idea was cardiovascular
health could be
25
measured
by having someone
at some point?
44
_.B Q For the record you're talking about maybe 24 and 18 inches
there's a lot
step up and step down and then
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
in the
46
Page
1
2
the light is I
1
you have to be able to walk a mile in
16 minutes.
3
4
Q Is that a mandatory
A Yes.
5
6
Q Okay. Can you go to the field without that qualification?
A You can go to the field but in Alaska you can't go to a
7
titre.
8
Q Is going to the field, and I mean to ftres, in the way
test today?
9
lO
that Thor did during the time that you were his
supervisor,
second level supervisor I guess actually,
ll
12
that physically
demanding?
A Parts of it were.
13
Q Whatparts?
14
15
16
A Well, the parts where he was remotely in the field and
actually installing equipment.
I would say not quite as
physically
demanding
-- well, not as demanding
at all If
was
1.7 he was going to a field station, a field dispatch station,
3.B a village where he was working in a well lighted, well
! 9 heated building.
20
21
Q And he did both of those things.
A He did both of those things.
22
23
24
25
Q Okay. You mentioned
the use of aviation in response
some questions of mine earlier today. Is aviation a
dangerous
business at AFS?
A Yes.
12
Kron
45
Ln.
Suite
200
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AK
to
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1
Q Why?
2
A Well,
3
times
4
equipment.
5
Q Does
6
A Or not.
in Thor's
they're
situation
landing
that
mean
have
8
land on because
9
to find a place
a little
to get the radio
would
point
dealing
small
i 3
accident
! 4
landing
at what
15
to look
at it on a map
winds
injured
that fast flipped
17
mountainside.
two
looks
can't
Q That
was
-- there
A No,
there
weren't
blow
off.
of our employees
They're
but the winds
We
had
who were
to be in innocuous
20
risky,
in many
21
communications
22
some
23
thousands
24
very heavy
25
the employees
time
were
hill if you
along
a
just
were
this hill just
and it roiled
no fatalities
down
in that,
So the aviation
cases
when
site
you're
or numerous
ftres
throughout
smoke
conditions.
aspect
trying
and the fire's
of acres
the
were
you're
I mean
appear
is
to set up
for quite
burning,
Alaska,
there?
of the job
been burning
have been
is if it doesn't
what
hundreds
dealing
we always
safe don't
nothing's
worth
2
knowing
that the communications
3
4
systems
in and in place.
like the wind.
5
Q Okay.
your
And those
6
A Yes.
7
Q Fires
8
they?
9
A Yes,
they can.
i0
Q They
can turn,
ii
can slow
12
A One
13
have
life.
But there's
always
are critical
And the conditions
conditions
with the smoke
4
the technician
5
them real
6
Q I'm going
to show
7
7, Appellant's
E-7.
8
of human
9
A Yes,
uh-huh
10
I don't
know
11
fire is behaving.
12
column
will
13
column
will just come
14
direction.
15
it's not just dangerous
16
that they're
down,
they can do a whole
of the most
a big huge
dangerous
column
is spot out ahead
15
a place
16
you and fmd out the fire's
17
Q What
18
A There's
19
know
20
that you really
21
type of work
22
you have
of where
that there's
of safety
22
MS.
POSTMA:
23
illustrate
signs
that everybody
have
THE
repeater?
4
THE
5
MR. JAMES:
can't
taking
what's
24
you in the air looking
25
human
on.
You can't
12
up
out
to
always
afford
somebody
put
Associates
1113
W.
sure
and
above
eyes
(Appellant's
of E-7, Judge.
Ms. Postma?
are you offering
right.
it again
[ do not know
just to
the
Judge.
I 18
THE
COURT:
MR. JAMES:
MR. JAMES
Q Kathy,
the phenomenon
of human
Yeah.
Exactly.
I hope
this person
gets some
whether
1 don't
throughout
20
retired.
object
I'm going
you're
kind
going
of hazardous
to get into that.
sir, no.
to admit
Appellant's
E-7 into the
E-7 admitted)
They
get an adrenalin
Psychic
Yeah,
income
there
pump
as Jerry
out of doing
Brown
used
this
to say.
we are.
RESUMES:
you were
19
Thor's
supervisor
most of his career,
i 21
! 22
A Yes.
Q Help
I 23
I
employed
as a wage
I 24
employee
because
i 25
therecord.
Ln.
50
For .....
The - to illustrate
Exhibit
stuff,
Fireweed
(907)
for the
that
so
on.
us understand
the distinction
gade
he's been
Suite
200
at one level
or another
that is to say until
employee
employed
13
Kron
communications
the line there
on
exactly
Okay.
COURT:
[ 14
[ 18
a
who will just kind of keep their
And
any objection?
[ 13
the
weather
in every
to be in.
The reason
the admission
pay but I don't know
MR. JAMES:
17
a look at the overall
so they'll
record.
i 16
doing
situation
the
and then the
in this photo.
MS. POSTMA:
_ 11
l
do is make
many
and the fire will race
going
That's
COURT:
Anyway,
THE
you
embers
THE
8
of you.
you're
times
Mr. James,
WITNESS:
duty
circumstances?
tecbmicians
there's
will change
.....
COURT:
7
10
they
and one of the things
to look out for when
know,
Any objection,
MS. POSTMA:
3
is supposed
or woman,
the way the
possibly
I'll move
depicted
2
it is. You can be in
in those
about?
see, this fellow
is to provide
COURT:
as E-
be watching
down
JAMES:
['vl]_. JAMES:
the sort
would
dangerous
THE
andnot
identified
for the technician.
up there
to ge_ the
on both sides
apply
our communication
23
repeater
actually
rules
they go to the field
someone
going
you think
you
It's a very
can change
burning
of
Page
no fire with the fire on one side of
10 lookout
before
carrying
And,
been
that depict
Now
go up, the weather
1
they can do is when
on
get a hold
in to evacuate
that's
talking
who it is, here
the attempt
than expected,
stuff
going
48
lot of things.
things
of smoke
14
kind
faster
a photo
you were
that are down
person
get somebody
(affirmative).
MR.
9
they can travel
repeater
i 21
28
they'll
you
! 2o
24
or the weather
Is that -- does
Q Okay.
tell
on their
real bizarre
49
quick.
they can be told what's
of
are working
that looks
and they'll
i!9
do it,
wildfires,
column
! 18
can be life threatening.
all by themselves,
the technicians
see something
people
8
can be dangerous
while
i l v
in
Page
1
3
has
to the highest
on mountaintops.
the helicopter
19
and if they
even
So ifs .....
i a
on things
2
that they
and so the helicopter
it so that it didn't
squirrelly
! 6
a peak
to lug the equipment
12
that
there's
have
1!
1
many
on the area?
can land and then the
technicians
shop
to install
they
i 0
with
sites
on that the helicopter
it's too
and secure
grass
or possibly
that
in the radio
in unimproved
Or rocks
7
or anyone
Page
47
between
you
Thor
and a general
being
schedule
as both according
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47
AK
to
to
50)
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Page
A Well,
collar
the wage
workers,
schedule
grade
employees
the hands
is generally
are typically
on in the field.
more white
Page
the blue
The
collar
5i
t
two
2
on mountaintops
3
discussions
4
that
are expected
5
vigorous
find in a
6
demanding
7
personnel
8
Q Does
9
program?
GS
work.
Q Professional?
A Yeah.
In many
to have
a college
7
wage
8
training
9
military.
I0
Q Okay.
Ii
portion
12
file, what
13
little
14
believe
15
find my
16
well as 53.
17
THE
COURT:
18
MS.
POSTMA:
19
THE
COURT:
2O
Q The
21
for a minute.
22
depicts
23
2000.
24
A Yes.
25
Q Okay.
grade
but not all cases
degree
series
whereas
would
or hands
Good.
found
glasses.
to show
It bears
zeroes
a vocational
had in the
you
a document
or a
at tab five of the Agency
I8, that's
tabs, Judge.
it's four
with
like Thor
I'm also going
I'll call section
white
you would
be someone
on experience
of a document
GS employees
what
how I refer
a page
to the
number
TW
I
52.
Yeah,
it's TW" four zeroes
We have
and a 52 as
it. Ms. Postma,
are you
there?
Yes sir.
Okay.
question's
very simple.
First, take
And tell us whether
the organization
And
a look
at that
or not that accurately
that you headed
in fact we find your
in 2000,
name
right
the year
up there
in the
Page
1
Division
2
and supervision
3
work
4
A Yes.
5
Q They
6
it not?
7
A Yes.
8
Q Physical
9
doingthosejobs?
Chief
slot,
don't
we?
was Thor's
that required
a vigorous
had a -- a testing
Based
on your
job -jobs
more
observations
in over time,
did
'
Were you concerned
to have
young
do.
that
13
A Yes.
1,_
Q ..... exercise?
15
A Yes.
16
Q Was
Thor
17
A Yes,
he did.'
!8
Q Okay.
Why
19
A Well,
because
20
a desk
2z
jumping
22
mountaintop
23
training
and
people
So you
bring
expect
them
Q And you
4
A Can't
5
get rid of the employee
knows
Q And that
9
federal
16
great
hurt my feelings.
. 14
19
were
20
sometimes
21
shop
22
was
23
basis.
What
24
person
on light
25
guy goes
finding
that in the normal
of the job
typically
there
happening,
backs.
knees,
shoulders,
We also had an aging
workforce
and at one point
somewhere
duty,
on light
five and eight
people
is if you have an injury,
then you get another
17
A Well,
t S
were
t 9
environment,
20
21
Q I mean
SeVen .....
duty.
Pretty
soon you're
it
down
afford
done,
Associates
1113
W.
up a
body
damaging.
and you certainly
to come.
Because
more
54
badly
on the payroll.
get the employee
and get a healthy
have
- can't
one in that
to get the job
healthy
or that need
working
done
so --
people.
I take it is different
in an office
in Boise,
than
Idaho
a
for
Thor
performed
while
you
supervised
jobs?
to that,
of course.
functions
Not
that
office
none
ANo,
I 23
Q ..... 52 weeks
and that
i 24
A No,
to one or
i 25
they
Fireweed
somebody
to have
fast enough
don't
exceptions
1r22
(907)
equipment
done.
can't
there
in fact
put people
play
with
he performed
Ln.
Suite
one in there
where
he
his computer?
his computer
that were
but
there
in an office
setting.
of your
no, no, no.
wasn't
and play with
people
were
out on fires
24,
No.
a year,
were
they?
the organization
out
has moved
on fires
for about
14
Kron
at
be
bodybuilding,
It's really
end up with
got to sit in his office
put a
on a regular
injury
to be sitting
A Yes.
that
you
body
for the job
can
Are the jobs
of the
shop,
program?
all of a sudden
constant
get the job
demand
hazardous
Q Any
in the
time
of the story.
just
we were -- and it's a small
between
happens
ankles,
the sake
15
of injuries
or paid
A Yes.
16
Because
performance
were a number
was a
can't
employee
A I have
' 11.
you
the job
if you
8
Q You
duties
fitness
a program?
can do that.
the equipment
it's a mess
15
for
do that
get the job
14
we were
as the
up to it.
in that
on your
on in the spring
3
Q Yeah.
17
such
the fact
was
or physical
or carrying
some
to be in shape
than
him
18
have
and then
people
hold
participated
nothing
you
the job
on the clock
hard
if you don't
13
or so.
didn't
it's very
damaged
12
to me over the last 10 years
did they
2
A Well .....
concern
time
up
young,
to demand
training
who
1
example.
shop
someone
without
25
13
out there,
in the radio
involve
to where
12
to say that the employees
just
a physical
doing
24
l0
won't
bodes
about
or training
continue
out of an airplane
Q You
my age
have
they
A Yes.
someone
AFS
meetings
because
couldn't
their
Q And does
to.....
II
wanted
aged,
team
of recruiting
forthatjob
and you
A Yes,
I0
have
individuals
boxes
so - and we had many
in our management
1!
!2
6
J
wouldn't
50 to 100 pound
and forth
we had to find a way
to
7
testing.
to lug these
back
Page
accurately,
came
that have
52
employee?
requirement
guys
53
200
to a decision
I4 days
(Pages
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where
and then
51
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to
54)
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Page
1
questions.
Another
2
signature.
This
3
1
watching
the fire behavior
as a lookout,
2
hot.
know,
to wear
Mr. Kastelic?
3
this person
4
A JoeKastelic.
_ 4
which
5
QJoeKastelic.
! 5
too much
6
A He was the Chief
6
helicopter.
7
located
7
sure don't
appears
QOkay.
Kathy,
10
position
- actually
to have been
of-
not with
signed
your
State
!
by -- who's
he was the Fire Management
here at the Alaska
8
9
ll
PD with your
Page
87 i
Officer
office.
Fll give you a minutejust
and what I'd like to know,
to look this over,
does this pertain to a
held by Thor?
(Pause)
12
A Yes.
13
14
Q Okay•
A This appears
!5
when
16
a name
17
individual.
18
would
19
QOkay.
20
it's for an electronic
21
AYes.
22
Q ..... this would
23
AYes.
AFS
to be the position
was
a brand
wtinen
description
that we wrote
new organization.
in in block
Generally
17 that identifies
have
24
Q ..... because
25
A Helper,
have
been
mechanic
have
you have
a helmet
Q Okay.
Thank
i 13
! 14
THE COURT:
to a fire retardant
there's
.....
helper?
yes.
Page
1
Q Okay,
2
you
3
electronic
4
A Yes.
5
Q So this would
6
he first came on board
7
A Yes.
8
Q And similar
9
have
tab 49 please.
with.
You'lI
mechanic
helper
signed
under
clothing
18
situations
is either
19
you have
when
20
green
21
material.
THE
24
funding.
25
A Yes.
to your signature
io
A Yes.
ii
Q And that would
12
your
volume
away
13
some
other
questions•
14
talked
15
someone
16
A Yes.
17
Q And
18
taken.
on the others
that he had reviewed
be in block
20.
Appellant's
Exhibit
as a human
acting
E-7,
when
to
back to
you
-- or you thought
funds.
And
3
4
normal
A Yes.
eight
5
Q ..... including
6
A Yes.
going
19
A I do not.
Q Okay.
21
is it Nomex?
22
A Yes,
23
Q Okay.
24
A ..... that is Nomex.
25
helmet.
That
person's
not wearing
or --
Is that .....
Q .....did
13
Fort
1. 4
A Yes.
You sometimes
sit up there
them
to have
for an hour
a
-- hours
were
Associates
1113
W.
it
and the
that are in fire
they're
like
dark
all fire retardant
you.
in your
testimony
today
you talked
pro-suppression
employees
versus
salaries
paid by pro-suppression
about
to -- from
of these
also spent
sites
some
emergency
during
their
.....
'84 to '88, in addition
we've
discussed
time in the radio
to
in more
shop
he not?
And that is located
in a building
on
Wainwright?
Q Could
you describe
A Sure.
It's a metal
buildings
they
that building
building.
were
during
Q Okay.
A And I'm not sure the
in. But it's a building
leaked.
The
water
• 23
of ice during
! 2 a.
but, you know,
i 25
and here'd
would
the winter.
warm
be employees
Ln.
Suite
200
to describe
they moved
of Thor's
early
that's
for us, the shop?
I'm going
in because
the course
20
several
career.
buildings
a metal
the
from
which
exterior.
one's
he was
It
come
down
and freeze
It was
really
cold on the floor
from
about
in bunny
here up.
boots
in columns
So you'd
and T-shirts,
(Pages
Anchorage,
87
walk
in
you
to
AK
276-3554
601 bc4f4-7e88-432b-Scb6-f52d7813af4f
088
90
Thor.
19
Fireweed
(907)
sure what
or it's the typical
they're
23
Kron
material
by people
shirt,
to going
last building
22
this is a flight suit ....
expect
you referred
suit like this which
in particular
out to some
12
i 21
I wouldn't
eye on
that
A Yes.
' 17
that was
any sort of helmet
of fire retardant
you had stated
detail Thor
itself. ....
18
2O
your
is a - I'm not even
on a helicopter
Thank
early
Q In addition
16
or where
for the position
a flight
you're
very
Q Fire money,
' 15
that person
required
that are worn
COURT:
2
• ll
repeater?
you said you don't know
and you just
and keep
Yes, Nomex
and yellow
1
8
i
you can put
Kathy,
So once you're
you sit there
Page
9
10
Kathy,
reason.
and you
88
it.
for a little bit and we'll switch
about how this is someone
acting
Okay
Don appears
it for communications
Could [ just ask, is the material
material
of some kind?
for but it's a type
Q Kathy,
is way
on.
typical
23
which
you.
WITNESS:
pants
that
not in a
comfortable
It's not
stands
in '84?
certifying
it.
17
: .7
signed
going
THE
by Don Stichler.
worked
yourself
15
of
have been the PD that Thor
of make
22
if you're
repeater
16
And this is the last tab I'll bug
see this is for the position
need
as a human
suspect
had a flight helmet
head
need it for any other
! 12
so .....
first he was a mechanic
You don't
it gets kind of
- I would
to this site in a helicopter
he may have
Ill
kind
gotten
to keep on your
what's
that Thor
position
meant
! 10
in this -- I see that the --
been his second
may have
t 8
f 9
filled.
And he would
you have
positioned
the
But this is the type of position
You
8 9
90)
99503
5
91 i
l
know they're - keep their feet from freezing and be
[ 1
comfortable at their head level. It wasn't a very
I 2
I
comfortable environment but it beat being outside at 50
i 3
below, k was well lighted, there was power there.
] 4
Q And when you talk about 50 below, for the record and for
I 5
6
7
the Judge that would be Fairbanks December
A Yes,
9
Thor's career do you recall him being an employee
Page
Page
1
2
3
4
Q Okay.
to February.
And at least for the first decade if not more of
about
93 i
those radios was they broke into the kits because they'd
take 50 radios and s'dek them in Galena for their cache,
50 in Fort Yukon, 50 in Tanana.
So there was no way to
maintain this concept that Boise had because it didn't
work for Alaska.
Once
got into the radios performance
we
i 6
-1
checks normally occurred because you wanted to make sure
before you shipped them to the field the batteries were
i 8
j 9
a problem
during
And when they came in with
our technicians would take
the season
1
3.7
! 10
So he I 11
12
would have been employed for part of the year, most likely
nine to
13
x4
QOkay.
And the time that Thor spent in the shop as a radio
hel -- or a, excuse me, electronic helper, electronic
15
mechanic, what would he be doing?
16
17
A As a helper he would be assisting all of the other
18
1.9
20
technicians in the shop. As an electronic mechamc WG,
wage grade I.1, he would be performing maintenance and
installation on a number of different types of radio and
!8
9
23.
22
communication
systems. The difference between a helper
and a journeyman
is the helper really doesn't have any
1
22
involved a radio telephone interconnect and Thor was at
that ftre. But I wasn't accompanying
him, I was not with
23
24
25
authority to do anything, it's usually a beginner kind of
a position, whereas a journeyman is expected to be able to
troubleshoot entire systems end to end from the handhold
23
24
25
him and I may be wrong about which technician it was but
it was - it would not have been something that [ would
have done.
10
13.
t 2
3.3
14
?5
16
nine months out of the year?
A He was WAE which means when acmally employed.
Page
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
i0
13.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
_19
0
Q Okay.
radios.
and be able to remedy
I think you mentioned
whatever
the
that AFS had some handhold
A Yes.
Q That it -- those would come to the radio shop for
servicing and then go back .....
A Yes.
Q ..... to be stored somewhere else.
A Yes. Unless you were on a fire in which case they'd come
to the communications
tent and then oftentimes the
technician
would
fix them in the field if he could.
Q And do you sometimes
from Boise?
get equipment,
radios and stuff, up
A Yes.
2O
21
Q And those would not be maintained by you all, would they?
A The kits when they arrived were sealed and were supposed
22
23
24
to work. Boise was very fussy about anybody breaking
seal and getting into those rad{os. However, with the
25
of radios the government
concept
I spoke about earlier about minimizing
Q Okay.
We've been a little loosy goosey today
interchanging
the term fire assignment with field
assignment maybe. And they're not necessarily the same
thing, are they?
A Thafs right.
Q Okay. Those
times that Thor, like other AF.S employees,
went out on fire assignment
with him?
over the years did you ever go
A I believe I was on a fire assignment
Associates
that
the number
needed to buy what AFS did with
1113
W,
1
Q Okay.
2
3
A Go to the field or go to a fire with one of the
technicians.
4
5
6
7
Q Okay. What about the first line supervisor in the radio
shop, would he or she have gone out on fire assignments to
the lower 48 or whatever with their employees?
A No.
8
Q Okay.
9
10
ll
(Pause)
Q I'd like to switch a lktle bit, Kathy, and talk about
post'88 .....
].2
13
14
A Okay.
Q ,....if we could. Once Thor left the radio shop and
started to transition more into what I think you've
94
15 descr'[bed as computers and other sorts of similar
16 technology. As part of his duties is he the =maythat gets
].7 called when my computer on my desk at AFS isn't working?
18
19
Or my phone on my desk at AFS isn't working.
A Well, in '88 when he went to the Branch of Techrqcal
20
21
2z
Systems he would not have dealt with computers right away,
he was mostly focused on the ALDS.
Q Okay.
23
A Okay?
24
involved with computers
25
involved
Fireweed
(907)
out of Tok that
Page
And the RAWS.
As the job evolved and we got more
he was tapped for becoming more
with the installation
and setup of the computer
24
Kron
to the radios
92
through the dispatch console through the transmission
through the microwave up to the repeater sites and back to
a handhold and if somehow or the other the signal's not
getting through be able to figure out which point in that
process needs attention
cause is.
care of them because they were identical
that we normally maintained.
Ln.
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you're not going to be made available. You can't be made
available because if there's a standard that you have to
meet to do it it goes without saying *,hat if you don't
4
5
meet the standard you won't So I'm surprised that it was
speiled out, but I don't remember that memo.
6
Q Okay.
7
go
8
9
A That's exactly light
Q ..... on fire assignments.
99
go if you don't meet the standard you're unable to
.....
And not going out on a fire
4
4
,I
4
•
_
what part don't you understand.
It's not a 40 hour a week job, maybe you'd be better
3
4
suited elsewhere• I made that point quite strong but
there was no choice and the individual did take the
5
assignment.
6
Q Now back to this overtime
7
8
all overtime is fire assignment
A Yes.
Q You talked before, Kathy, about how your hope, your dream
for the radio shop maybe is to have a lot of young,
vigorous folks in there.
A Yes.
15
16
Q To you what's young for the purpose of the radio shop?
A You know, I may have misspoke by using the word young.
17
i8
What I meant was physically
THE COURT: Thank you.
14
15
a hotshot guy or gal and you're unavailable
assignment that might be very problematic
16
17
18
continued employment?
A Well, no.
QNo?
19
20
21
22
A For example, if the smokejumper got pregnant they would be
19
considered to be in a temporarily incapacitated form
I 20
I 21
possibly from jumping out of aircraft. We've had jumpers
! 22
that have jumped and broke their ankle. Doesn't mean
23
24
25
they're no longer jumpers, it means let's get you .....
Q They're out of there.
A ..... back together and get you back to the job. It's not
1
2
a matter
a matter
3
they treat it for a step test that was not met either.
4
5
Q Not all -- you've
A Yes.
6
7
Q ..... obviously.
A Yes.
Q ..... folks.
lots of employees
Radio shop and non-radio
Not all those employees
capable of doing the job.
A Physically capable would mean an individual who could lift
100 -- liR up to 100 pounds, carry it over uneven
25
surfaces at elevation,
deal with adverse weather in the
!00
.....
shop .....
have been equally
9
10
comfortable
going on fire assignments,
A Yes, that's true.
11
12
Q Have you -- I'm going to ask you a question that Mr. James
got at a little bit before but I'm hoping to pose it in a
13
slightly
14
15
MI_ JAMES:
Betterway.
Q No, not better, just different.
16
employees
17
I8
different
Yeah.
MR. JAMES: On behalfofall
of us, that's right.
A And myself included.
Q And so what's for-- in this context to you what's
physically capable?
i 23
I 2,1
of whether or not you can perform your duty, it's
of temporary incapacitation.
And that's the way
supervised
overtime.
li
12
13
14
A Oh yes, that's much different.
Q With some exceptions. I guess if you're a smokejumper
for fire
for your
issue, you've said before not
Q Yes, that's correct, right?
A Yes, that's correct.
12
13
or
have they?
way which is have you .....
!01
9
i0
assignment is different than losing yourjobat the
Agency, isn't it?
8
4
1
2
10
Xl
Page
t
Page
Page
102
1
2
performance
of his job, climb towers. Hike around, be
left on a mountaintop
by himself or herself. The strength
3
4
5
required to lift the equipment,
put it into place and work
in some pretty ugly situations with regard to weather, you
know blowing wind and snow and - and tower climbing is a
6
7
very strenuous part of the job, very arduous.
Q And how many towers are there for AFS?
8
9
i0
A Well, there's a - basically a tower at every mountaintop
site. So I want to say 26, 28, 30, somewhere around
there.
i 1.1
1.2
t ?
Q The folks who are in your radio shop today,
did you hire
them or were you involved in most of the hiring for them?
A There's only been one hire since I left that I did not
14
15
have a personal involvement
in.
Q Okay. And of those radio shop employees
1.6
with the exception
no thank you, not this time?
A Yes.
i 7
18
average how long have they been there, do you have a sense
of that?
z9
20
Q Guys in the radio shop?
AYes.
19
20
A Well, the supervisor that I just hired has been there a
few years, not long. I picked up two students that are
21
Q Did you fire them?
22
23
24
A Firing people in the federal government is not an easy
thing to do. As I recall [ was so shocked that anybody
thought they had a choice on that I had a meeting of the
21
22
probably two or three years tenure so far. Then there's
Emie and James. And the rest of the group I would say
23
are very long term.
25
entire shop and said, you know, we work for a fire
24
25
Q Okay.
A Ten years,
Have you had any
tell you when you offer
Associates
1113
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on
t 5 years.
26
Kron
on average
of the new hire you just mentioned
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l
do for a lifetime
2
And
I worked
but all of a sudden
out of Fairbanks
2
when
we first - before
4
under
the resources
5
before
6
fire for quite
7
Q Okay.
a
career
9
A Electronic
'81 when
I went
-- from
What
Q Okay.
!l
career
that time
1
Q And
the -
2
A Road.
we went
3
Q Road.
under
4
Fire
Qualification
5
you
do that?
with
conditional
conditional.
Page
I did.
time
and then moved
career
position
conditional
1.0
I went
branch
I realized
the entire
139,
over
We were
fire
under
on.
did you hold
appointment
when
you received
your
in 1981?
mechanic.
Had
you
been doing
kind of work
prior
to
Okay.
accessible
Tell
us just
System
a bit about
6
A It's -- to get a qualification
fulfill
the requirements
8
often
have
9
classes,
well,
corn unit
1981 .....
11
ICM
12
A Absolutely.
!2
Q Let's
13
Q ..... on a seasonal
13
A Okay.
14
A Absolutely.
14
communications
15
Q Okay.
15
Because
16
conditional
16
have
17
A GS-7.
17
and have
18
Q Okay.
18
a corn unit
19
point
19
you have
to be on a type
one team
20
A GS-7,
20
successfully
for over
years.
2_
GS-7,
22
best of my knowledge.
23
Q Okay.
24
A Yeah.
25
Q Okay.
basis?
At what
g-rude level
appointment
did - was
- did you career
come?
run through
then the grades
you held
from
that
on.
it was
GS-9,
in -- well,
from
that time I think
GS -- and then we went
And that's
where
All of those
to wage
you were
were
when
it went
gade
you
as an electronic
l I to the
retired,
was
mechanic?
Page
!
A Correct.
2
Q You've
3
4
retirement
A I did.
5
Q Okay.
6
that approved?
A Yes.
7
8
9
retired
under
program,
Your
the firefighter
have
service
it?
1981
August
of'01,
was
Q As firefighting?
A Yes.
io
Q Okay.
ii
AIdo.
12
Q Okay.
13
A Be right
14
15
Q Okay.
Tell us what you
when he came to work?
16
A Well,
he came
17
'84 and
I believe
18
mechanic.
19
name,
2O
All winter
21
the equipment
22
and later
23
remote
24
were
mountaintop
25
were
helicopter
You
know
Thor
Do you
recall
around
'84.
we've
long
recall.
a couple
worked
-- that's
on with
was
systems.
sites
we did
all those
to know
rating
people
how
leader.
The
Associates
because
Q Okay.
Now
22
A A type
one team
why
23
there's
24
type four.
25
what
Type
we refer
don't
-
four types,
you
well,
type
four
an
one,
you step
attack,
leader
a type one team
teams,
two, type
attack,
in
to
that I held
as a corn unit
three
rating.
just typical
tell us what
type
is initial
incident
for you and you
position
there's
to as extended
1
-- I don't
2
understand,
want
to speak
3
project
4
-- a rather
5
person
that was
6
crews.
When
7
starts
8
that are - we have
9
usually
fire we're
large
three
and
is
type two is what
kicking
we
gear,
minimum
to
we get into
resources
a
and a whole
can be the first
- as soon
property
So is a team
is -- it varies
i 5.6
l 5
AYes.
most .....
i17
Q ..... sophisticated
he was electronic
three
going
142
crews
as they
team
or three
go project,
sizes
and or lives
it
and resources
in danger
it means.
Q Okay,
in
Type
Q Okay.
fire?
generally
let's
nobody's
on the fire and say two
into
is what
here
is.
actually
type three
Anytime
massive
we go type
14
l
talking
team.
team
was his situation
words
but is a project.
A A team
helper,
tech,
operator
usually
And that's
coordinator
three
rating,
be working
to do the job
goes
focus
several
thousand
peopIe
in size but as I recall
out
with
about
that come
a type
37 people
on a type one team.
That
to a
one
now.
is the
.....
all summer
long.
not only
but the I 1 remote
detection
But the 11 sites,
that we maintained.
system
with
sites
and the
ra
19
AYes.
Q ..... the top of the list.
20
A Yeah.
i l 21
Q All
fight.
What
22
team?
Just
by job
remote
sites,
I 23
A Okay.
All
but one
J 24
i 25
have
accessible.
your
and your
It's broke
sorts
title
operations
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
Suite
-- it's broken
group,
and
200
are on that type
one
obviously.
into
command
of people
36
Kron
the
a corn
and a radio
would
to do all sometimes.
13
for fire season
in the shop
the lightening
technician
manager
12
mechanic
-- well,
fire, we - it's our middle
what
we prepared
that
years
A communications
sure of the month.
helper,
acom
do it in English.
met him?
What
their
for example,
-- I'm sorry.
21
, 10
11
you first
in as electronic
we always
weather
when
within
And
Weatherby.
I'm not exactly
requires
to
Page
law enforcement
through
would
for that,
140
you not?
from
required
48 and go through
and any othernow
red cards,
on a red card you have
of the classes
to go to the lower
leader
the Interagency
that generates
7
it's a-
by?
10
And
that same
that one was
141
into groups.
You
commander
the IN -- the incident
tactically
all your
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in particular
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2
proposition,
regardless
3
4
you recognize
A Yes.
5
6
Q What are they?
A That's a red card.
7
S
Q Okay. In fact they are red in color, are they not?
AYes, they are.
9
Q Okay.
You don't happen to have one in your wallet,
!
2
3
to - you know, a fire will -- often a large fire will
take maybe five to eight sites, different mountaintop
sites that most likely nobody% ever landed on before
4
5
into. Ifs - and as a corn tech usually you don't have a
- you only have one person to do this. It's -- you're
6
7
carrying them, you're doing
up and often they'll just drop you off and leave you there
8
9
because the fbe needs that helicopter and just to get
that job done is a -- it's a priority mission but once
or
you're - once you have it up you're not a priority
anymore.
12
13
t 4
Q So you have to walk home, is that it?
A Well, they pick you up when they can get around
It's rocky, it's usually hot, it's buggy, it's -- if it
15
16
17
wasn't so pretty it'd be really miserable.
It's a hot -you know, you're clearing brush, you're doing whatever it
takes to get this up and you know you have to get up. The
ia
19
pull people
A You have to go and do a fire line refresher.
Or -- yeah,
fire line refresher course. It's a full day. And a --
20
21
down if they can't talk.
Q And why is that?
22
now it's a pack test. Actually
23
24
25
I don't know if they're still doing - if they're going to
require that with the new people I'm working for now. But
when I was working in Alaska we had a -- first a step test
22
23
A Communications
is a safety issue. It has to be done, it
has to be up. If you got people in trouble and -- well,
24
25
even if they're not in trouble ifs a safety issue if you
can't udk to them. The directive is that you have to be
12
13
14
15
I pulled it out.
Q We'll try to keep it that way.
A Yeah. And besides, it's not good this year.
have a new one issued.
16
Q Why is that?
17
18
19
A They issue them new every year.
Q Okay. And to have that card issued
do?
20
21
I wasn't going to a fire so [ don't know if
1
then a pack test.
2
3
4
Q And that was annually?
A Every year, yes.
9
io
ii
t
do
! 49
10
ii
you?
A I don't know.
7
8
4
do
these things?
!0
11
5
6
,I
Page
As a general
of the name on the documents,
I have to
what do you have to
since I'm in the lower 48
Page
t
147
to it.
They'll
fire
right off the line and shut the whole
Page
148
150
1
2
within 10 minutes of communications
at any time, the BLM
directive was. And we're putting people in hazardous
Q Okay. Did you get the opportunity to what ['ll call opt
out of taking the pack test or step test?
?
4
5
situations without being able to tall< -- tell that they
have a problem.
Q Okay. You talked about being in trouble. What do you
A Not if you wanted a red card.
Q Okay. And why would you want a red card?
6
v
mean by being in trouble on a fire?
A In our case - or I mean in a corn tech's case it would be
A As you go to fire to get the overtime.
Q Okay. And the adrenalin and all the rest of it I suspect.
A Oh yes, absolutely.
No, you're fighting
a good fight.
a bear on more, one or two. A lot of weather problems.
, you know, the weather isn't very good around here
or not - it's worse here than it is in Falrbanks, but
t 1
cloud cover often comes
12
you're stuck there on it. You're -- don't usually go --
13
14
you go in with a little bit of food but you can't carry
very much of anything because of the weight restrictions
in, obscures
the mountain
and
12
Q Okay. There's an entry in the lower right hand comer
these two cards that reads arduous. What did you
13
14
understand
that to be all about, Greg?
A It's - what we did out there is -- we weren't
15
16
17
the fire line with pulaski and shovel but what we .....
Q Excuse me a second. What's a pulaski?
A Fife .....
15
t6
on the helicopter.
You've got your - all your gear and
you're going from mountaintop
to mountaintop.
If they
17
can't get back and get you you're stuck there.
18
19
Q I told you rd ask.
A A fire tool.
I
18
some things,
2o
21
Q Okay.
A But what we did, it's very arduous.
]!!
22
going up to high altitudes
23
24
repeater boxes are 100 pounds each one. And then there's
links, let's see, which actually allow the repeaters to
22
23
! 24
Q All right. Have - fires are erratic in terms of the
course they bum and the speed at which they bum, are
they not?
25
talk over different,
i 25
A Yes.
for seaing
working
of
S
9
10
on
First of all we're
repeaters.
you know, mountains.
The
You can get up
you can walk out. Usually
pick
the lower
48 - off
I mean
-- tower 48,
do is me
walkup aincouple
of relies
the mountain
and lower
let them
elevation.
And .....
_
38
Kron
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
You can do
what I've had to
Ln.
Suite
200
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Q Is that
2
fire?
3
A Oh yes.
4
you're
5
over,
which
6
burnt
over
7
should
8
you're
9
They
10
a problem,
is that part
It's a - when
setting
you're
in the black,
you're
on
meaning
- the repeater
you
coverage
go right
and
up -- once
-- it doesn't
l 1
have
two
repeaters
13
ash and
we've
14
actually
I have
15
over
we had
16
didn't
but
burnt
moved
actually
the
over.
to refine
that.
done
protection
catch
where
18
road
19
overhead
20
pretty
21
the next
day.
22
Q What
do
23
A The
24
morning
there's
25
and part
of the brief'rag,
but
free is behind
I got
out
but
watching
nervous.
safety
A Oh yeah.
8
Q .....where
the
9
A Oh, they'll
it'll create
10
11
know,
watch.
12
Q And oftentimes
13
they're
14
A You bet and then you got a widow
15
Q Okay.
16
near miss?
17
A In Yellowstone
18
twice.
I've
19
20
Q What did you do, just walk
for the best?
2t
A Well,
22
we -- everybody
got on the buses,
23
everything
there
except
24
bus and .....
25
Q That's
personal
gear,
more
been
to
-
burnt
and
they
in situations
burning
air attack
and it was
want
right
sites
them
-- we had
by
-
done
and it was
fire
fire
and
me
the
mean
7
The
across
-- it was
a
making
to be the safety
that?
message?
Every
a briefing
year-
at about
we brief
every
6:00
day,
every
in the morning
the entire
camp.
Part
Page
l
of--
2
briefing
3
to do,
4
to look
5
6
of what
been
people
wasn't
8
that
9
how
expect
through
on what
they
it to run and pretty
of snags,
you know,
and are falling.
the fire
much
that
I've known
-- hazards
that
or anywhere
else
ii
what
12
Q And
13
A I didn't
14
Q All
15
A ..... I didn't
16
Q Okay.
17
THE
COURT:
18
THE
WITNESS:
19
THE
COURT:
2O
THE
WITNESS:
to remind
you
what
have
three
they're
you've
doing
you
see in - on the fh-e line and got a fire going
everybody
didn't
want
to keep
because
want
their
through.
heads
It's
up and watch
.....
to be the reminder.
to be on the safety
message
.....
right.
Q Explain
A Okay.
want
Could
that
there's
-
24
rotten
wood
25
been
burnt
be like that
I ask, is a snag
guy.
a portion
they'll
break
off branches,
Associates
they'll
you hear them dropping
coming
they'll
down,
Have
get caught
either
of a tree?
we were
burnt
away
it was coming
for our PG, threw
i
1
A Personal
2
Q Okay.
gear,
3
A And moved
to another
4
and you could
see 50 foot flame
5
there
in a -- we were
camp.
there
lengths
them
down
and we got on the buses again
i
8
don't
know
where
i
we moved
9
night
by then and - and we got back
went
back
11
Q It's a dangerous
12
AYes.
13
Q Okay.
14
A Yes.
15
Q There's
I. 6
allowed
to our original
camp
that have
past or it's a -- it's a path
either
to get
' 22
l
i 23
job.
been
some
to work
demandingjob,
testimony
what
24
about
doing
PT.
due to the nature
given
hour
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907]
Ln.
Suite
a half hour
so we could
way of compensating
how
meaning
given,
our lunch
for an hour,
AFS employees
I'll call on the clock,
while
we're
and AFS
is it not?
-- we're
that a shared
an hour
• 25
for--
We were
Q Was
and - a day later we
I--yes.
It's also a physically
was just their
-- I
of the
and it all had been burnt.
or at the end of the day or whenever
some
and moved
to but it was the middle
10
Yeah,
and set up
our way out
for about -- just long enough
6
I v
i
154
set up and then we were told to break
21
trees
our PG on the
coming
to get our tents
add onto
- o f certain
of the night
-- left
We got to that camp
20
have
and hope
yes.
of our business
you get a fire through
over
is it not?
19
usually
your camp
left -- almo
tree.
when
from
was burnt
and in the middle
Oh, the whole
happens
over on a fire or had a
over, our camp
A Yes.
go ahead.
as
maker.
burned
compensated,
of the tree there's
up in other trees
right?
you been
we knew
do all -- you
and you just have to kind of
l 8
what
at
break.
arrangement
extra
work
being
being
of the --
every
day to
out at lunchtime
we chose
to and that
us for our PT.
where you
paid you half an hour,
contributed
half
did you get paid
did that work?
39
Kron
happen
say 10, 15 feet in the air .....
17
at the base
in the
to fall.
tree.
Greg,
that
going
-- that'll
It's a whole
Yeah.
Usually
23
to say don't
they're
that they'll
Page
oft.he
expect
when
it
152
who were killed by snags over the years.
One
killed
but he's not right.
And it was just things
just
is1
i22
to do that day but part
message
for in terms
I0
i
going
fast they
out
burnt
7
we're
is a safety
me
message
knows
and as they burn
the base and they fall down
elevations,
-- [ mean
had
up inside
less and less around
6
and we've
around
leaves
153
and it's dry and the fire will go into
and burn
it
it was
I didn't
you
We
on fire.
17
when
3
wood
Q And it's also true
to go up mountains.
more
the hard wood
and nobody
up
a couple
the hard
5
in the valley
I mean
into
2
4
where
them,
1
they're
isn't
to push
- and run fight
12
it's burnt
when
on the fire.
they're
even
unless
often
fires want
Page
on a
repeaters
where
but
not
a mountain
in trouble
setting
we do occasionally
be to give
winds
of being
151
200
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to
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Page
t
camp
2
get
is not
3
will
4
area.
5
keep
6
the -
7
-- ffwe
8
to talk
9
got
even
on another
talk
close
that
can
which
go more
it to one because
after
that
quite
we're
constantly
burnt
over
12
fire
the corn
tech
13
keep
them
constantly
14
fire.
15
Q Is that
16
A Yes.
17
differ.
18
level
19
rotation.
there
watching
±at
in.
purpose
to the
3
A Just
we try to
4
Q Okay.
A We've
Q More
what?
repeaters
7
A More
groups.
So you've
8
radio
9
channels,
there
it. And we usually
and
Anytime
you're
it's very
dangerous.
It's - there's
a reason
20
these
repeaters
to
12
or we run into interference
good
coverage
on the
time.
It sets down,
22
1,000
or 5,000,
23
break
you're
their
frequencies.
And as a fire
1.5
expands
they want
more
frequencies.
It's - all the -
16
all of the ta -- how far into
1. 7
Q You're
18
go .....
a mechanic
19
A Okay,
helicopter
20
Q ..... but yeah,
It's got
21.
the end of a fire.
24
25
Q Okay.
A Yes.
how many
to crash.
22
23
fire's been
corn tech?
So you
move
24
A Well,
25
this.
auto
it.
parts
at low
and if any
of them
So.
the repeaters
from
time
to tizne.
Page
t.
Q Do you
2
on fires?
3
A Abso
4
and exchanging,
people
5
checking
in, checking
6
programmed,
7
need
8
know,
9
have
-- well,
they're
issuing
maintenance
especially
Q Okay.
A
3.2
and re-battery
"t
13
at the edge
14
A Well,
1.5
corn
z 6
we start
3.7
corn
1.8
certain
getting
1.9
go down
you -- they're
21.
out,
22
problems
23
know,
24
not coming
a really
got
there's
do you
coming
their
radios
a change
t
Q Meaning
2
A Yes.
a smaller
group
3
for the coverage.
The
4
wouldn't
to type
5
partial,
part
6
I mean
they declare
We determine
be going
maintenance
right
have
If we have
a
a -
if
sent a
our coverage
them
at
actually
got crews
where
spiked
got
- there's
-- you
where
plan changes
reprogrammed
they're
daily
again.
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
I
two.
they'll
it out
to a type
links
as a
two.
leave
1. 1.
-- it usually
one repeater.
12
fire for a week,
1.3
Q Does
t 4
descending
15
A Well,
16
they
do and sometimes
17
two
they
18
. _
that
And
down
mean
often
remove
usually
techs
as a - as battery
radios
21.
the problems.
22
this
23
about
24
he does
25
into
The
in any derogatory
the radio,
with
they
trouble.
Some
Ln.
Suite
200
need
don't.
a corn
that
- that -- even
monitor
to stay with
the
the
stay
average
there.
with
help
of them
If it goes
experience
uses
are very
(Pages
Anchorage,
with
these
to
act
those
people
and I don't
is not really
and he just
as far as a type
it and just
got to stay
firefighter,
way,
sometimes
I mean
tech
accountability,
he has more
a radio
a
radios
and they
if ifs -
- somebody's
and maintain
More
teams?
I've had corn techs
20
is out,
everything.
out of a fire with
three
if it's -- definitely
! 9
to need
or it
and do cleanup.
the corn
need
going
smaller
it just
there's
to type
of overhead
definitely
162
So we can eliminate
and we remove
two weeks
size
they're
much
and vat - and aircraft
1.0
goes
what
Sometimes
put -- we'll
41
Kron
at
a
a - I'll start with
with
of the repeaters.
we put up for the helibase.
will
activities
fire is normally
9
Often
happens
of managers.
along
repeaters,
it's pretty
to
Page
three
And they
and the corn
with
8
in the programming
to camp
-- usually
it's a type on, it goes
minor
if they're
or they're
if it's been
then to what
are your
oId, doing
by that,
move
out, what
likely
mean
me to get?
as far as l wanted
for the sake of the story
than
if you've
into camp,
Let's
Assume
7
fire, I've often
- check
yeah.
-- you
coverage.
to go to the crews.
back
25
them
in, they
the radio
about
or
fine.
declared
Usually
this do you want
much
constantly
the fire is, and have
and - especially
not
with
large
to look
where
there
they've
having
radios
If just -
in a camp.
and do radio
to walk
areas,
in
line?
in - usually
go out
20
on site.
coming
in, they're
they've
own
you say on site doing
of the fire
out
coming
out,
replacing
and so on, what
we're
tech
their
to radios
people
that's
pretty
frequencies
160
in the first week.
When
tech
people
The batteries
batteries,
regard
continuing
them
bringing
on the radios
11
t
new
with
leaving,
to be programmed.
busy,
4
responsibilities
he's - we have
radios
10
4
other
probably
change
fires we
to change
you
and either
change
with other
get them
that
he's checking
I forgot
going
have
problems
have
go into
with
one or two groups,
and then as things
1.3
how
to that
Fourteen
on that but that's
14
that's
to respond
but we .....
is a King
groups.
program
it to one group,
groups
radio
Fourteen
variations
we try to keep
can't
they
is some
basically
helicopters
He's
A
-- the standard
14 groups?
1.i
with
They
There's
and it has
1.0
-- you know,
dealing
now we got more
to be
giving
-- anytmae
got 14 channels,
the
dangerous?
hell
changes.
6
gong
If not
moving
frequency
the radios?
5
around
161
For what
do you reprogram
during
of it.
covered,
Q
2
place
moving
that to see if we're
is out there
1.
But
often
two or three
you're
and try to stay ahead
Yeah,
all the
that.
and then talk back
out
t i
place
to
talks
we can
_'age
which
Normally
after
coverage
link
a system
one.
got
up there
the repeater
than
do that we can often
We've
link
ifs urireliable
repeaters
to the same
the ftre is.
and put a _
to the repeater,
And
10
21
to where
mountain
159
with
mean
knowledgeable
with
a pump
than
it, and they run
knowledgeable
159
but a
to
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167
Page
Q Ycah, okay. Inthefire organization
you were --what
1
positions
didyou --had you attained
or didyou acquire?
A I was -- after communications
unit leader for about six or
2
all the way clear over to
11
12
Q And for the record Coeur d'Alene is in northern
it not?
13
A That% correct.
14
Q Okay.
15
16
17
as corn unit coordinator,
the comtechs?
A Yes.
l.s
!9
Q Okay.
A Yes.
20
21
Q ..... straight up and down like the military.'?
A Yeah, they work directly for the corn unit leader.
22
coordinator
23
24
25
a group of tom techs or any amount as he wants and either
the -- Iet them go to the fire still connected to him or
they will be assigned to the fire. Ira fire orders them
And in fact it's in northern
Idaho.
5
6
Q Okay.
A Yes.
Idaho, is
7
8
Q Any question
A No.
.....
Com
will often do the same th/ng, he can order up
Page
they go to the fire and they are their - they're
2
3
4
Ifa coordinator
the duration.
7
8
9
I0
Ii
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Q Yeah.
A Yes.
(affirmative).
about your getting
Yes.
Did that happen regularly?
a call day or night?
radio or telephone
contact witt
APagers.
QPagers.
A And Thor carried a pager too.
Q You also did some level of work in the office as a corn
tech, didn't you?
A Yes.
17
18
19
Q Yeah. Did you get sent to the lower 48 to fight fires
after the season ended up here?
A Yes.
20
21
Q Did Thor?
A Yes.
22
23
Q Okay.
A Yes.
Andyou
24
25
Q Okay.
is?
Let me just do this.
did the job I suppose.
Do you recognize
what this
1
A It's a fire shirt.
2
3
Q Okay. Yellow in color?
A Nomex.
4
5
Q Nemex material.
A Fire retardant.
6
7
Q Okay. Are these issued?
A Yes.
8
9
Q And they're issued to aI1 people going to fires?
A Yes.
170
What's Nomex material?
Q Did you name request him regularly?
A Yes.
10
II
Q Is there an alternative
pants?
Q Why?
A He was the best we had.
12
A Yes.
13
Q What is that?
14
15
16
17
A Nomex coveralls that we're issued for any helicopter -almost everybody that is placing repeaters or going any -flying in a helicopter you're required to wear Nomex
coveralls or Nomex -- you could wear that, fire hoots over
lS
1.9
20
- 16 inch fire boots and a helmet, not just regular
helmet but a -- one of the jet helmets, you know, one of
the flight helmets.
Q Okay. Did anybody say to you, Grog, you can't have Thor
anymore, he's got to stay home?
A Not on a -- not worded like that. It was he's not
available.
available,
And that just means for that order he's not
it doesn't mean that an hour later he won't be
available.
we had to order from the lower 48.
21
Q Okay.
eight hour days you were working
A Sixteens.
24
Q Okay.
25
A Actually
priorities
and
Just to sort of cover the bases, these weren't
16 was the -- actually
on fires, were they?
it.was
16 most of the time
Associates
1113
W.
21
Q That the fly boys wear.
Yeah, okay.
A Yeah, with the speakers
and everything,
23
24
Q Which of those alternatives
A Nomex. Nomex coveralls.
25
Q Coveralls?
Fireweed
(907)
to wearing a Nomex shirt and Nomex
22
43
Kron
the fire season?
Page
theirs.
Q Okay. Did you supervise Thor in the field on fires based
on your being a corn unit leader or communications
coordinator?
A Uh-huh
it would drop down to no
168
orders them then he's -- they're his for
22
23
13
1.4
I 15
16
In these jobs
i
5
6
11
12
i
the end it went down
Were you on call throughout
9 " Q Did you have to maintain
10 the .....
tom unit leader do you supervise
Is it a direct line coordination
towards
And -- well, it's something.
But you -- as a fire progressed
lower than 14.
communications
coordinators out of Boise. Now they manage
type one and type two fires. IVly first
assignment was down in Coeur d'Alene and I had 27 fires
all the way from Washington
Idaho.
together,
5 and a half.
3
4
seven years I was on the type one team, the Alaska type
one team. I was asked to be one of the first three
10
Thor and I worked
169
Ln.
Suite
200
the mics.
did Thor favor or do you know?
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2
3
Q Okay.
working.
A Yes.
4
5
Q Okay. Did - to your knowledge
corn unit leader?
6
7
8
A Thafs - let me - I don't know. I mean I - he served
as a corn tech who took on corn unit leader - he did some
corn unit leader duties.
9
! 0
! 1
Q Explain that.
A Oh, for example, he's setting up a - issuing a frequency
to begin with on a fire if he was there before me just to
?.2
get the things rolling.
13
! 4
.a
4
4
t
A
Page
you to keep those radios
did Thor ever serve as a
at all, and that's where your problems
1
training
2
3
4
productonce the communications
is established, you
know, I mean once you could talk to the fire and you have
good coverage then the - your whole problem then becomes
5
6
7
trying to get your communications
center working in a
smooth and coherent way where they can -- where you have
people that are understanding the orders from the field.
8
And it's -- that's a major effort, that's - because
fall. The
they're -- the training on a - for example, for radios,
for many, many, many years there was no training at all.
11
12
We'd get people off the street and they never picked up
and talked in a radio before. If you had an Ln - if you
a repeater up and getting these people roiling, giving
them frequencies that they could use saying you're going
13
could get an incident communications
14
lucky.
15
16
17
1s
to be on this. Other than that - you know, he's saying
- that's kind of a loaded question. I don't think .....
Q Well, do you know if he ever had a certi -- a red card
certification?
15
16
17
18
Q So your duties were more managerial as opposed to the corn
tech that's more hands on in the fietd doing things.
A Absolutely.
No, he's doing it, yeah.
Q I see. Okay, [ see. All right. Let me ask you this. Is
i 9
20
A No, be never had a red card.
Q That - sure. Let me show you briefly what has been
21
marked
1.9
20
21
- was there an early mandatory
electronic mechanic position?
A In my case there was.
22
23
24
anything in there relating to tom tech duties of the sort
that Thor performed?
A In the -- under the corn unit leader?
22
Q Okay, and what was it?
25
Q On this document,
23
24
25
A Fifty-five. I actually retired later but I got into the
system late.
Q Okay. Was there a youthful maximum entry age? If you
as Agency's
Oening
proposed
- possibly
Exhibit
even putting
number
1. Do you see
on this Exhibit.
1
A Okay, let me look.
2
3
Q Sure. Do you see anything in that Exhibit that relates to
the duties of Thor as acom tech in the field?
retirement
age for the
5
(Pause)
A No.
6
Q Okay.
7
8
position that you've
ACorrect.
Page
Will you repeat the question?
I take it from this Exhibit that corn unit leader, a
held, is abbreviated
manager you were very
176
COML?
1
2
know.
A [ don't know.
3
Q Okay.
4
5
of significance to you prior to your case being approved?
A I don't believe so.
6
7
8
Q Okay. I mean put it to you this way.
A Yea.h, let's .....
Q Yeah. Before your retirement claim was approved
Okay.
were you
9
10
11
Q Would you expect COML to be - appear on your red card
because you're a corn unit leader?
A Yes.
9 concerned at all about being forced out of the federal
10 service at age 57?
1.1. ANo.
12
13
14
Q Is there a different
technician?
A COMT.
12
13
Q That only became a concern once it was approved?
A Yes.
15
Q Okay.
14
15
Q Okay.
A Yeah.
t 6
A Exactly.
17
18
Q Okay. During the time that you were both peers and
subsequently
you supervised Thor in the field on fires did
16
17
Q The corn tech job, is that a physically
A Yes.
1S
Q Yeah.
19
20
you perform
A No.
21
QNo.
22
23
24
A One of the big jobs of this com unit leader is - or the
major part is doing an overview and running the
corrmmnications
center. [ have incident communications
25
manager
abbreviation
for a communications
And that's what you'd expect
on Thor's card then.
Why were they different?
and two marginally
demanding
job?
We've talked about some of that already.
The
19 electronic mechanic's
20 job as well?
21. A Yes.
the same duties?
trained radio operators,
if any
I
22
Q Okay.
job, is that a physically
Which
23
Wainwright
24
systems
25
A R.adioshop.
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
demanding
- in which organization
were you employed?
The radio shop, the tech
Suite
200
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group or some other place?
45
Kron
178
Did either of those -- were either of those
t
4
177
9
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183
qualified in that interest associated with fire, whether
it's corn tech or some other logistics job or even
something else, pass the test and go.
A If--as long as you'reapprovedby yoursupervisorfor
thatjob.
Q Okay. And that supervisor
the radio shop .....
A Correct.
Q ..... folks.
approval
was also required
And in the radio shop did, for purpose
for
of
Page
1
Whether
2
3
4
in Anchorage you have the chance of encountering
moose or
bears. Right?
A That% correct. Not the same chance though. There's a
they'd leave one person back, there was always somebody
who didn't want to go.
Q Okay. That person that didn't want to go get fired?
lot more out where
8
of this state isn't it true that you can only get there by
9
airplane?
A That's true
for a minute
bear risk and
Q Well, first
21
everyone
-- you were qualified as a corn unit leader,
22
everyone
was.
23
A No, not everybody,
24
years but there -- everybody in the shop as far as I know
were qualified.
At -- you know, this varied over the
19
25
not
I was the only com leader for a lot of
Page
!
2
3
4
years with new people coming and going, but mainly
everybody was qualified as corn techs.
Q And that's because they -- to get those positions they had
experience in electronics .....
6
7
A They weren't
8
Q Okay. You've used some great words to describe Alaska and
I'm not sure if it was -- I think it was in Alaska, maybe
9
i0
ii
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
alI grandfathered
in. They went to a class.
it was on fire, maybe not, but you've said things like hot
and buggy and rocky and -- how long were you an Alaska
resident before you ....
A Over 30 years.
Q Okay. Buggy can fairly describe Alaska during the sun'm_er
months whether you're a radio .....
A Well .....
Q ..... tech or not?
A It's a lot different
out there, there's a lot more.
In
the city there's nothing to speak cf like it is out - and
also you're in areas that -- I mean you can just see them
23
coming. I mean it's like somebody shot a shotgun at you,
if the wind's blowing there's just a wail of them.
Q Sure, and that's life in Alaska if you want to take
24
advantage
25
areas.
2Z
but I'd like to go back to the other question
if I could. Can I elaborate on that, on the
the .....
what's the basis of your elaboration?
A Well, the only time I ever faced a bear was on a f'tre and
with a gun. And I've traveled and spent a lot of time in
Alaska out - almost everywhere, I've never -- the only
time I ever -- I mean
it's different
F_
of this state and go to some of the different
You're going to encounter bugs, for example.
Associates
1113
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21
2Z
you're on a mountaintop
and it's net just -- it's either
rain or blowing snow or -- and a lot of wind. h'snot
the same as going out fishing on a river. It's -- it is
23
a lot different.
24
25
year residency.
Yeah, it's buggy out [n some campground
someplace but it's different when you have to be in it and
And I mean rm saying that from a 30
Page
186
1
2
3
you have to concentrate
and you have to do the work. You
dofft have - and then you still cank see what's going on
around you because you have your head covered up with a
4
5
tarp trying to see the rad - what's going on with your
test gear. It's a lot different.
6
7
Q Welt, and that would be true with many of our employees
that we send to the field, wouldn't it?
8
9
10
A That's true but it's not very many.
Q BLM employees.
A There's not very many people that do that.
11
12
Q You're not aware of BLM sending
field .....
13
A Yeah, compared to the amount
z4
15
16
Q ..... field realty specialists.
A Compared to the amount
would come closest to it.
17
18
19
Q Geologists, biologists, you're not aware of these peopIe
going into the field for BLM?
A Not Iike we do.
20
21
Q And that's because you keep track of their time?
A No, it's because I know what their
2z
23
towers and that in itself is hazardous, they do it in high
winds, ice and snow. We do it - we fly in real poor
24
visibility.
25
have to -- when you have a fire going you have a lot of
Fireweed
(907)
when you're going out
on a recreational thing than when you're trying to do a
job because you're stuck there until the job is done. And
Ln.
of--
This is a hazardous
47
mzEo
around a camp.
184
A They were class .....
Q ...... repair .....
5
we are, especially
you're here
Q Perhaps, but that chance -- I mean we're talking about
life in Alaska has these inherent risks. To access much
2O
18
Alaska or whether
6
7
A No, but he was required to go if we got to that point.
But we needed somebody in the shop. Somebody has to, you ! 17
know, be there,
i 18
Q Now the folks in the radio shop, they didn't all have the
19
same red card qualifications,
clid they? For example, not
20
17
rural remote
5
10
11
12
I 13
i
! ?4
I 15
1I 16
just fire assignment, people go out on a rotating basis?
A They did at one time. Other times it was just whoever
wanted to go. And usually they'd empty the shop. I mean
you're
185
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200
surveyors
to the
of. ....
it's -- I would
business
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A Correct.
mentioned.
Q So folks who work for AT and T, they would
towers, right?
A Yes, that's true.
4
5
6
A Well, because I was talking about mountaintop sites.
Q Okay. So there were other sites you visited, it wasn't
Q And in Alaska they'd be .....
A Not usually on top of mountains though.
Q They'd be climbing towers, they might be flying to
locations because of our limited road service. Just like
7
8
9
i0
people who live in the bush fly in.
A Do they have 2,000 people waiting
communications
up.
Q That's not the .....
11
12
13
14
COURT:
22
23
24
25
for them to get the
A And they're all in the bush.
Q I understand what you want to testify
2O
21
also climb
you specific questions,
Grog, so.
And, Mr. Ely, you need to wait for Ms .....
TIlE WITNESS:
Oh, sorry.
THE COURT:
..... Ms. Postma to complete,
or me, complete
our statement before you respond. Okay?
T'I-I_ _qTi'fE SS: Sorry.
Q Was the Ester Dome site up and running
I
2
electronic
A Yes.
3
4
5
Q And that is right outside of Fairbanks,
to it?
ACorrect.
6
Q The Midnight
7
8
the Equinox
it. If you're
you can drive up
you can even run up to
AIfyoucan
you're .....
Q All right. So that's a road accessible
A That's our .....
12
13
Q That was there .....
A That's our road accessible
z4
15
Q ..... when you were there.
'84to'887
). 6
A It was there
).7
18
Q Okay. Galena,
A Fly commercial
19
Q Okay.
20
21
described there's a little dispatch
fairly nice landing strip?
22
23
A Oh, it's an excellent strip.
Q Okay. And did you go to Galena
24
25
AOhyeah.
Q Okay. Bettles
you can fly into Galena?
to Galena.
office
witness
Q Okay. But these other sites, you serviced
equipment at them.
A Yeah.
Associates
radio and other
Q Okay. And that was part of your duties as the electronic
mechanic.
A Correct.
I think it was just the other ones were more
!7
i8
19
arduous, that's why I left them out, t just -- they were
the ones that stick in my mind. Galena was nice.
Q Sure. But it was a mix.
20
A Uh-huh
21
22
Q You mentioned
Totson.
That's take a helicopter in but
when you're there it's kind of wide open, rounded on the
top, it's not a .....
A It's a .....
(affirmative).
Q ..... a craggy ....
has
there and
I
2
A No, it's not like Purcell. It's fairly low, it's outside
of Galena about 20 miles, 27 miles i think.
3
4
Q Okay. You testified a little bit, and I don't want to
repeat your testimony, I'm asking you a different
5
6
7
question. You talked about two repeaters
You were talking about on a fire
A Yes.
8.
Q You mentioned
190
burning over.
some of your fire experiences,
gave some
like Yellowstone and some others. Not
fire experience is the same though, right?
12
13
Q And you and Thor weren't joined at the hip going out
together allthe time.
14
). 5
16
,17
A I -- some of my knowledge on that, under that is _om
being a coordinator and I would have to visit part of the
job (indiscernible)
fires and I'd see him on various
f_es.
18
19
! 20
Q But you weren't together on every one?
A No. No, no.
Q And when you were back in the radio shop you were not his
I
'222 supervisor.ANo.
I 23
i24
in '84 to '88?
you can also fly into?
Q And of course after he left the radio shop you weren't his
supervisor.
25
A No. Until he
went
out
48
Kron
the mountaintops.
examples,
everyone's
ANo.
site.
And that was there in the like
- I think as another
--just
9
10
Ii
site.
in '69.
And there's
just terminology.
We referred
I should have made that clear.
Page
Sun or what -- no, the - what's the mara --
9
10
11
sites.
A We never really considered
the base stations sites,
mountaintop
-- our sites because -- I'm not sure why, it's
188
mechanic?
Marathon in Fairbanks,
crazy enough.
just mountaintop
23
24
when you were an ]I 2 5
Page
That I
Q Okay, why'd you leave these out?
).5
). 6
about .....
None of these are the 11 sites though.
189
1
2
3
19
18
Page
people depending on you and it has to be done in a timely
manner. It isn't just sitting there waiting for the
weather to clear. It's a different business.
A Okay.
Q ..... but I'm asking
A Yes.
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Q So I guess what [ was trying to understand is if the
Appellant is involved in a fire, for example, and he's
3
4
5
installed these repeaters and you need to change
frequencies because you're gening interference .....
A Yes.
6
7
S
9
203
Page
activities
205
1
Q ..... in a typical year for pro-suppression
2
3
well as actually on the fire site type activities.
A Yes.
as
4
Q In one of these - let's say it's a 10 day deployment.
Q ..... from other nearby fires, does he have to revisit the
site of the repeaters?
5
6
7
You're going to be working every day, 16 hours a day,
you're going to be getting eight hours overtime Monday
through Friday and then 16 hours overtime for each of
A To change out the repeater, yes.
Q All right. And he also has to put his hands on all the
a
9
Saturday and Sunday?
A That's correct.
10
1t
radios involved in order to reprogram them?
A Yes.
10
Q Okay.
1!
A Sixteen
12
13
14
Q Okay. These would be radios used by anybody and everybody
on the ground involved in that fire.
A That's correct.
12
13
14
four years ago then it dropped to 15 and a half because
you had to have some extra -- I think you had to have time
to eat.
15
16
Q Okay.
A Can I elaborate
15
Q Yeah.
16
A You had a half an hour break in there, you know.
17
Q Yes, sure.
18
A Many people can program their own radios. 1 would say -
19
20
21
I mean just as a wild guess I'd say 50 percent of the
radios he's going to have to reprogram.
Q And as you mentioned it's because firefighters sometimes
17
18
19
20
Q Okay. All right. Now, as to the length of the fires, I
understood you to say the maximum deployment
was 2 l,
became 14.
A Correct.
21
Q But I noticed the Rattlesnake
22
23
24
are not familiar with the technical gear, the electronic
gear.
A That's correct.
22
23
days.
A It was short.
25
Q Okay. Now I want to go back to your description of
24
25
Q Yeah. Do you recall, do you have any average length of a
fire deployment
in mind for your career with AFS?
a little on thai?
Page
l
2
3
lengthiest
days?
A Yes.
employment
4
5
6
Q And do I -- did [ understand you to say you're working
hours a day, seven days a week?
A Yes.
7
8
Q For the duration
normal routine?
Without
any limit that you were ever aware of.
hours limit and then it - up to about I think
That would be nice.
fire I think lasted six
204
Page
on a fire would be 21 consecutive
206
1
A It -- about 85 percent
2
3
weeks or a full term. At least two weeks, probably -this would just be a judgment
call, I would -- it usually
4
5
6
runs to your limit a year time. Because if you got a
project fire somebody,
you're going to have to hand it off
to somebody.
that would be the
7
8
Q Who's available
offto?
If....
9
l 0
11
12
_
_
the intensity of the fire. If we hand off
after that period of time to another type one team we'll
still be on 16% when we hand off. If it's downsizing
often it'll go to 14%.
9
A Another
team.
10
11
Q If you've
deployment
emptied the shop for example to initial
to this big fire and you get to the end of your
13
14
15
16
Q
A
Q
A
12
13
14
allowed maximum deployment
who's there to take over?
A You -- the order's placed for another team. If it can't
be filled in Alaska it'll be filled in the lower 48 and
15
Z6
they'll be flown up.
Q Okay.
t7
Q You could be -- somebody
17
18
t 9
A Same with crews and everything else.
Q All fight. If Mr. Weatherby
has gone to one of these
fares and he's erected these repeaters and he's made sure
20
21
all the gear is compatible
go to the communications
18
I 19
2 0
21
of the deployment,
16
But you're on site working every single day .....
Absolutely.
..... well beyond an eight hour day.
And available 24.
could wake you up in the middle
of the night, pull you out of the tent and tell you to go
fight a new development on the fire, what have you. Okay.
Now
.....
lvfR. JAMES:
You need to answer out loud.
22
A Yes.
That's true, sorry.
23
24
Q And you talked - you appar%ntly kept careful records of
the overtime you earned .....
25
A Yes.
to have that -- for you to hand the fire
Associates
developments?
23
24
A Af_er the system, the communications
system
return to the tom center and -- Or communications
! 25
1113
with the repeaters does he then
center to wait for the
22
W. Fireweed
Ln.
(907)
276-3554
is up he'd
and
, just be available
52
Kron
oft he time it runs a fall two
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200
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203
to
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I
developed
2
detection
early
on, which
3
studied
4
somebody
at the levet
5
extremely
difficult
6
in Alaska.
7
is handled
by a contractor.
We have yet to have
8
contractor
install
a network
in Alaska
9
particular
issues
that we deal with with
started
for a number
of a ph.D.
remoteness
ll
gained
12
the remote
areas
13
administer
that lightening
14
would
15
Q I guess
what
16
between,
you know,
17
background,
of that network.
while
working
be incredibly
!8
abilities,
And
2O
it's only
21
shop
22
position
23
A No,
24
individuals
25
regards
people
that
system.
dream
Systems
6
yes.
a
7
Q Well,
of the
8
difference
to the
9
being
that Thor
l0
position.
an
in
it
him.
who's
got a certain
could
function
to functioning
in that
role.
in that role in Alaska
come
2
developed
from the evolution
3
actually
4
Q So since
developed
5
position
6
developing
7
a position
8
mandatory
9
10
11
of that network
in the remoteness
-- these
people
it, they're
retirement
age?
MP,. JAMES:
I think
argumentative
nature
Q Well,
22
as if, counsel,
23
Is that what
with
24
12
maximum
1.3
if you're
entry
t 4
A For
15
QForthis
16
A ..... understand
17
Q The
older
age?
than
-- I'm not sure
who has
was
A With
involved
MS. POSTMA
in
Q Well,
8
he's in now or the jobs
9
1997.
to the
any sort of
know,
I.....
it's so
there
is
21
to enter.
23
gained
What
while
24
component
25
maintenance
I am saying
working
is the expertise
in the radio
to the lightening
of that system
shop
detection
as it stands
that
to ask about
that's
another
And it also sounds
a maximum
point,
entry age.
sir.
Yeah,
but
Thor
is a critical
242
sir.
So why don't you take
"/
system
said it is a
experience.
at here?
I'm sorry
COURT:
age or a
10
detection
l didn't ......
But you've conflatedthem and now I'm
question.
to -- you
have
for
the evidence,
that this wimess
that
trying
Well,
COURT:
5
developing.
22
confused.
THE
36 you need not apply.
to the lightening
THE
2
MS. POSTMA:
what position.
regards
1.
4
detection
20
they must
the only way
l'm sorry.
3
in now that you said that
poskion
that's
as if for
.....
know
getting
entry
1s
19
you're
6
you have
it it sounds
to understand,
that they have
80% this
have
for a
It mischaracterizes
know
I don't
to be
Does this position
described
because
I'm trying
going
I've got an objection
that Thor's
I don't
I'm tr -- yeah.
a
and something
Page
.....
position
COURT:
you're
But there's
desirable
240
ts that right?
For example,
Objection.
COURT:
to that is
ALDS.
JAMES:
MS. POSTMA:
25
it would
shop
about
requirement
of the question.
let me back up.
them to learn
for Thor's
21
were
that has a min - or a maximum
15
to be eligible
in the radio
into the
in the early
so this isn't
served
THE
or somebody
who supposedly
all aging
someone
14
that
of Technical
to be qualified
you've
20
the technology.
this was all developed
13
I
that, right?
And the way
in the radio
as it was
of Aiaska
Q Okay.
MS. POSTMA:
Page
l
A Yes.
241
to the maintenance
being
prerequisite
You understand
THE
And
something
a mandatory
ll
critical
that it's desirable.
between
t.9
specific
shop
in time and the answer
I understand
12
that expertise.
to be is the expertise
within the Branch
at this point
18
that
in now?
are very
he plays
MR.
testimony
that have
first question
in the radio
Judge.
can then move
is that there
gained
!7
for a position.
worked
individuals
your
!6
knowledge,
required
stuffthat
my testimony
who
5
states
I think
employee
certain
who have previously
Thor's
detection
have
a difference
to get at is is it your
with this ALDS
and the role
regards
to fill in behind
actually
I'm trying
4
would
because
at is there's
your
and what's
what
they
him to effectively
detection
that they bring
Thor
of Communications
enables
I'm getting
3
typically
in the contiguous
in the Branch
difficult
understood
&years,
So the expertise
of Alaska
are very few
2
with lightening
detection
i0
1
who has
Now,
time dealing
Lightening
Page
of lightening
in the 80'% or a scientist
this technology
19
the development
239
another
shot at a
RESUMES:
let's
do the age one because
you're
that's
supervised
easier.
The job
him in since
A Correct.
11.
Q Okay.
12
ANo.
Is there
any mandatory
1.3
Q Is there
14
A No.
!5
Q Okay.
When
16
obviously
as a peer what
1.7
A
18
Q was
19
A Not that I'm aware
20
Q Or a mandatory
21
A Not that I'm aware
any maximum
retirement
entry
you were
age?
age?
peers
from
job Thor
'90 to '97, you were aware
was in.
Correct.
he in a job
that had a maximum
retirement
22
Q Is fJ.refighting
a prerequisite
had since
Firefgjating
system
and the
24
A I'm confused
today
and there
25
experience.
age?
age.
of.
23
1990?
entry
of.
by your
for the job that Thor
question
We consider
has
experience.
a number
with regards
to ftrefighting
of different
positions
t
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245
at the Alaska Fire Service as fu'efighting positions and
I'm not sure what position you're referring to. We
consider all of our -- 1 consider all of our field
1
2
duties?
A Correct.
3
Q Okay.
personnel that deploy to incidents in a firefighting role.
So I'm not sure I can answer your question as asked.
4
5
6
This is a position description
and then the top sheet I
had some testimony is a form that goes to HR or personnel,
human resources.
7
A Correct.
8
9
Q Do you see your signature
AI do.
Q Okay. The fire cache at APS is something
the radio shop, isn't it?
separate from
A Radio components and radios are managed in the fire cache.
Some of those components are also managed in a sub-cache
Okay, tab 10 please,
if you would flip one more.
on that page?
10
11
32
Q Okay. And you signed this as a supervisor
you had reviewed the attached PD .....
A Ihad.
13
within the radio shop. Does that .....
Q The Ii -- let me break this down. The fire cache is a is it's own entity at the Alaska Fire Service. There is a
fire cache there.
13
Q ..... and that it was correct?
14
A That's correc% it's a warehouse, yes.
15
Q Yes. And it is -- is it Matt Knudde that's in charge of
that or works there?
14
3.5
this certification
A Correct.
16
17
Q ..... it looks like.
A Ido.
38
39
Q Okay.
that .....
20
23
2z
23
A This is correct. But let me qualify.
Q Okay.
A This is a standard PD that was required by our personnel
office. I had written individual PD's that described in
24
detail the various
25
positions
i0
II
12
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
A He is the branch chief over that, yes.
Q Okay. Mart Knudde and Matt Knudde's crew, whoever
supervises, they are separate and apart from the radio
he
shop.
A That's correct.
Q Okay. You mentioned Thor gets 30 minutes of time to do PT
a day. Probably also aware that the smokejumpers and the
hotshots, those guys get more paid time to do PT at AFS?
A I'm not sure how much time they get.
Page
1
Q You've
2
A I have, I just don't recall how much time they get.
3
know that they
of the PT time
Q Okay. You
two to two and
4
5
6
7
8
9
i0
Ii
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
2O
21
22
23
24
25
not as a manager read AFS's policy
on PT?
I
talking about?
A I believe it was in the mid 90% that he was out for an
Thor typically
goes out on fires every
that there are some years he didn't go out
Q Okay. There are in the Agency file several employee
performance
plan and results reports, EPPR's.
A t/h-huh (affirmative).
Q I'm going to show you just one of them at tab nine since
you're at tab eight already. If you rum to page 19 which
will be the last page of tab nine.
that page?
A It is.
Is your signature
Q Okay. And this is a EPPR pertaining
A Correct.
Q And for the EPPR's
the critical
results
on
to Thor?
that you've given him as a supervisor
are supposed
to correlate
Do you remember
Associates
1113
to his
W.
And you had signed
doing this?
And this is for the job that Thor's in now?
different
Fireweed
(907)
Is
system administrator
that were held by the employees
in the Branch of
Page
Technical
masterPD.
3
4
Q So then looking if you could on page - it'll say 22 at
the lower right, Bey.
5
6
7
A Okay.
Q It says factors,
A Correct
8
Q Ifyou couldjusttakea moment and readthattoyourself.
9
Systems,
personnel
246
I
2
rolled them all into one
knowledge
required
by the position.
(Pause)
10
z3
12
Q Which pan of that is incorrect, anything? I mean that
doesn't pertain - you said you had wanted something more
detailed and this is a general type of PD. Is there
13
14
15
something here that Thor's not required to do or required
to have knowledge
of?.
A This - the original PD that I submitted was more
36
17
specific .....
Q Okay.
1S
19
20
A ..... about the knowledge
that was required for Thor's
particular position.
This generalizes system
administration
as a whole.
2z
22
23
Q Okay. But is he expected though to have this knowledge
that's generally described here?
AIt--heis.
24
Q Okay.
25
You see where it says number
Couldyou
turn to the last page of this document?
62
Kron
Okay.
that
of 2003 .....
244
have physical requirements
but rm not sure
they're allowed.
said that Mr. Weatherby was out on fires for
a half months? What year or years were you
extended period.
year.
Q Are you aware
on any fires?
AIam.
in August
certifying
Ln.
Suite
200
eight, physical demands?
(Pages
Anchorage,
243
to
AK
246)
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101
Page
A Yes.
Q Does that describe
ofhisjob?
Thor's work - or the physical
5
6
A As a system administrator,
Q Okay.
A Not as a field technician.
7
to go on fire.
247
demands
i
i
] 1
i 2
I 3
yes.
Page
Q No, I think I'm questions Bey, thanks.
AOkay.
No further
Thank you.
4
VO[]_
5
BY THE COURT:
D[R_
i
Not as someone
who's required
This is a general system administrator
PD
8
9
l 0
and our personnel offices states that if 80 percent of the
PD is accurate that's what they will use.
Q Just as if I am a secretary or a clerical person at AFS
11
!2
13
14
and I have a red card and I'm available to go on a f'tre
assi_maraent it might not say anything about that in my
secretarial PD.
A That's correct.
15
16
17
Q Okay. What about work environment?
A And again, this is the standard for a system
the work is in an office setting.
18
19
Q Okay.
A And then we get into the red carded aspect of the
20
21
22
position.
Q Now you have other employees
A I do, all of my .....
23
24
25
Q Okay.
A ..... system administrators
are under this PD.
Q And are all of them red carded?
working
I 6
7
a
9
under this PD?
Page
q I have a couple, l'vfs. Fronterhouse,
A Yes sir.
and then
Q ..... each party may ask you a few more.
A Okay.
10
11
Q l want to refer you again to tab eight.
AYessir.
12
QTab18,
13
14
!5
described it as a schematic of your organization
in the
year 2000. Now are there more than one incumbents for any
of the jobs described in those boxes or do you have a
! 6
17
18
total of five people reporting
A On page 52 .....
Q Yeah.
t 9
A ..... Kathleen
20
2t
currently in. In 2000 1 was in the position on page 53.
Q I'm sorry. I missed that. Now tell me again where the
22
23
24
25
Appellant shows up on this org chart. He's on page 53?
A He's on page 53, right column, second from the bottom.
Q Okay. Good, got it. Now looking at page 53 .....
AYessir.
page52.
I'msorry,
18.
With the org chart, Ithinkyou
Cullings
to you in 2000?
held the position
that I'm
Page
248
1
A Yes, they are_
l
Q ..... all of these people report to you at that time.
2
Q Could they choose not to be?
3
A No.
2
3
ATheydid.
Q They all had red cards unless they had some physical
4
5
Q You testified
red carded?
6
A Because
el
5
8
disability that made it in your view impossible
to go work fires?
A That's correct.
7
Q And they all got time offto
earlier you have some employees
of medical
249
accommodations
who are not
and they are not my
7
250
for them
do PT?
8
9
10
Q Okay. Have you ever had an employee not pass the step
test or pack test, either one, at any level?
A To my best recollection, no. The individuals that were
8
9
10
A it's available
Q It's optional.
A Yes.
11
12
13
not capable were given medical accommodations.
But
everyone that's taken it has passed it, yes, best of my
recollection.
11
Q Okay.
12
13
duty of all of these people unless they were in one of
those excepted - in that excepted category of the people
14
Q And if an employee
1 el physically
15
A Didn't pass?
didn't what would you do?
16
i 17
t8
19
Q Uh-huh (affu'mative).
A They are not required
it. They are required to pass it if they are to deploy to
incidents in Alaska.
20
21
i 22
Q Okay. I think -- let's see, one more question maybe, Bev.
A Okay.
Q Maybe not, I might have turned myself to the wrong tab.
i 23
24
Hold on, just a moment.
(Pause)
25
(Whispered
Did you consider
Associates
1113
W.
A During our fire season it's their - I consider it their
primary responsibility.
Q Well, back up and look at a whole year, somebody's
z8
employed
I.9
20
to be a collateral duty during that entire year?
mean to argue with you, but .....
21.
22
A No, no, no. And maybe I'm having trouble with your use of
the word collateral. I consider it part of their
23
24
responsibilities
in that position.
subset of what they do.
Fireweed
(907)
to be a collateral
unable to do fires?
for you for the whole year, would you consider it
I don't consider
I don't
it a
Q Okay.
63
Kron
firefighting
15
1_
17
125
conversation)
to them if they choose to use it, yes.
Ln.
Suite
200
(Pages
247
Anchorage,
to
AK
250)
99503
276-3554
601 be4f4-7e88-432
102
b-8eb6-f52d7813af4,
Page
A I was
very
Q Right.
you?
were
1
A Yeah.
of
2
Q Yeah.
Okay.
when
3
the radio
shop or how did that
4
5
A Yes, I believe I put in a application
and was selected.
you rum to tab 48 in the file in front
reassigned
A I believe
Page
pleased.
Would
Is that the PD for the position
you
5
271
as a wage
you encumbered
grade
11, Thor?
so.
6
Q Okay.
7
A I don't
8
my
9
records.
I0
Q Okay.
ii
A As representing
12
that
13
Q Okay.
14
look
15
A Absolutely.
16
17
Q Okay.
Just
A Correct.
18
Q All right.
19
page
2O
physicality
Did you apply
actual
it and I don't
records,
this was
I believe
Okay.
familiar
this came
out of Don
at the time.
one but I believe
Well,
out of
Stichler's
I don't
know
it is.
let me do this.
All right.
Does
it
to you?
doesn't
First,
274.
it came
the position
the actual
believe
have your
of the job
with
22
position.
23
Q Tell
24
A I remember
going
25
Totson
was
which
demands
what
portion
you recall
on
the
being?
_ to describe
us what
on it.
look at the physical
Is that consistent
•
name
you recall
the physicality
specifically
to some
then.
of these
a rounded
of the
mountaintops,
not particularly
including
high
Page
1
mountaintop
for us, and digging
2
and shovels,
chipping
3
-- hauling
4
mountaintop
5
buildings
that
we were
placing,
6
and stuff,
and
working
on the towers
7
on large
s
tower
9
on top
concrete
away
bags
in barrels,
wind
had
and mixing
pouring
generators
probably
of it with
three
doing
maintenance
11
fall and
12
is just
13
involved
with
these
14
Q Okay.
And
was
15
16
in the radio
A Yes.
17
Q Okay.
i8
.
putting
them
part
shop
"..:.. •
bladed
back
19
established
poured
foundations
21
in with
helicopters
22
systems.
23
Q Are
and competed
five
24
A Yes.
25
Q ..... reference
foot
I
houses
grade
repeater
and assembled
the backbone
during
towers
the course
13
14
Q You've
A Yes.
15
Q Do these
16
for and got as a wage
17
A Yes,
18
Q What's
19
A Page
20
Q Go ahead.
21
A ..... Exhibit
22
Q Yeah.
23
A l personally
believe
24
trouble
qualified
25
communication
I believe
up
and
APP0020
l
many
the tasks
4
this position
in the radio
at?
technician,
and got into a position
the rigors
THE
were
COURT:
(On record)
14
THE
15
16
THE COURT:
James.
MR.
18
MR.
JAMES:
job
where
person
Let's take
a brief
We're
Sorry
about
the - a more
positions
that
could
break.
If we need
to take
Thank
Go
ahead
Mr.
you Judge.
RESUMES:
- the first of the vacancy
and power
21
appears
that it's Appellant's
22
23
generate
a younger
crew
source of that belief'?.
24
A Working
Suite
an
in the radio
the interruption.
Q You just told us, Thor,
Ln.
was
back on record.
position
Fireweed
-- [ mean
Offrecord.
19
mentioned
of
of the job.
20
i 25
some
this position
into those
we
(907)
274
mechanics
announcement,
and getting
structures
been .....
to complete
to electronic
positions
mechanic
REPORTER:
JAMES
unable
assigned
And I believe
REPORTER:
13
17
physically
being
to fill those
vigorous
(Offrecord)
W.
.....
shop was having
electronic
announcement,
at _'ying
THE
you
shop.
of electronic
12
of the day?
1113
applied
shop?
looking
that the radio
technicians
that were
11
there's
you think you
D.
of them were
that were
in, slung
not?
.....
with some
earlier
here.
about
200
your
belief
for the radio
of the people
Carlos
visa
vis the
announcements
D was an effort
69
Associates
the job
have you
11 in the radio
you're
D which
announcements
to me.
this first announcement
number
and -- and this
to which
reflect
grade
Exhibit
vacancy
to look at these,
the page number
2
3
9
off in the
towers
you Appellant's
of three
you provided
documents
finding
handle
where
is comprised
had a chance
a break.
positions
to show
which you may recall
A Yes.
8
..
large
I'm going
[ 1
12
younger
sticking
grade
it?
I'll represent
10
:-
type
Q Okay.
7
11 ?
and put structures
9
40 foot
the case while
...
wasn't
10
attempt
positions.
as a wage
A Yes.
shop
blades
labors
that consistently
s
6
tong blades
on the spring
I1 job,
5
generator
for it
you got that wage
7
and working
towers,
wind
picks
concrete
radio
in
Page
for these
up there
of these
of the physical
permanent
those
with
11 job
272
up on the
sheds,
and pulling
. .
20
concrete
small
on top
on them
rock
to pour
the foundations
an 800 pound
10
a small
in heavy
at the rocks
grade
about?
6
remember
21
Kron
for the wage
come
273
was
shop.
that
to sort
of
What's
in the shop
the
that
have been
one that I worked
(Pages
Anchorage,
271
to
AK
with
274)
99503
276-3554
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103
Page
is it?
t
A Yes.
2
3
4
THE WITNESS: Yes, it is.
THE COURT: All right. So you were deployed on 1 June?
THE WITNESS: That would probably be a situation like I
2
3
4
Q Okay.
What are fire radio kits?
A There are several different types of kits. There are kits
of handheld radios which have 16 individual
radios,
5
was just describing where I was working in an area command
5
handheld
radios,
6
"/
system and .....
THE COURT:
6
7
antermas,
somebody
magnetic mount antennas that would put -would put on a car if they needed to use one of
a
9
THE WITNESS:
..... supporting
multiple
incidents.
THE COURT: And how can we tell how long you were deployed
8
9
these portable radios in a vehicle and they would also
include all the batteries and a spa.re set of batteries so
Okay.
10
on those four incidents?
11
12
13
THE WITNESS:
The operation - the OP - the .....
THE COURT: OP?
THE WITNESS: ..... code OP ....
14
THE COURT:
Yeah.
,4
4
1
in them
and that -- they also include
the
10
11
that you could have a kit of 16 radios to go out to a
fixe. Then there were also logistics kits which were used
12
13
for ordering supplies usually from the line to the ICP
which is -- incident command
post which is where the
14
communications
center that Ely was talking about earlier.
Q How would the scene of action repeaters
usually
-- the communications
office
or
15
16
THE WITNESS: ..... is the operational periods and so that
is a day - not actually a day but it's probably - it's a -
15
16
17
Z8
it's basically a day, you think of it as a day. It's generally
what I think of it is between a 14 and 16 hour operational
!9
20
period. It could split, you know ......
THE COURT: Oh, okay. Yeah.
17
! 8
39
20
about earlier today get to the field?
A Those are request -- there's a resource order put in
through the ordering system at the fire and that resource
order makes it into the local dispatch office or expanded
21
22
23
THE WITNESS: ..... midnight so that it was two days.
THE COURT: It's a shift, it's a firefighting shift?
THE WITNESS: It's a- exactly, exactly.
21
22
dispatch office betw -- depending
upon how big the area
fires are. And then it is filled either from a local
23
cache
THE COURT: All right. Thank you.
THE WITNESS:
And each one of those being usually from 14
24
supplied
Page
.I
285
1
24
25
J
Page
283
1
2
to 16 hours as Greg Ely described.
THJE COURT:
Got it. No objection to this coming
3
it's admitted
as Appetlant's
4
5
(Appellant's
MR. 1AMES
Exhibit B admitted)
RESUMES:
6
7
Q Thor, you heard Greg describe
in the spring that was undertaken
] 25
if they have the radios
Q Okay.
out of the NIFC
that we heard
or if not then they're
in Boise.
What were your responsibilities
with regard
Page
284
in_ then
Exhibit B.
sort of the startup process
at AFS in terms of the
to
286
_.
2
3
those? The repeaters.
A Sometimes I was requested to order them when needed by the
communications unit leader. I would actually put in the
4
order and then have him sign them.
5
6
the first thing that happened is I'd pull them apart and
check them out, I would actually set up the antennas, pull
"I
S
the batteries out and hook them up and check any multiple
links of-- links in repeaters that may have to be - may
Then when they came in
8
9
10
11
repeaters and the field systems and so on. is that
consistent with your recollection?
A Yes. Pan of- yes. What happened is we would get -- it
became a rush to - not a rush, but we would prepare
12
much as we could in early spring until we could actually
13
14
fly to the mountaintops
and as soon as we could fly to the
mountaintops
being aircraft available and the snow melting
13
the helibase to get aircraft to fly up to the
14
mountaintops,
15
enough
16
1v
38
thing then we would immediately start working on the
mountaintop
systems. Well, actually what we would do is
we would start at the stations like Galena and Fort Yukon
15
16
Q Okay.
A Sometimes
19
20
which we could fly to in a freed wing and with lower
elevations and we would work on those radio systems
17
18
19
talking with the operations people to figure out where the
coverage was needed, where it needed to be improved and
what the objectives were and what I was trying to cover
20
with this repeater.
21
22
Q And now we're not talking about permanent repeaters part
of the backbone system but rather the temporary fire
23
24
specific repeaters, right?
A Correct. This is work on an incident.
25
Q Okay, I just wanted to make sure we're straight on that.
away from them to get into them and that sort of
21
22
and then start on the mountaintops
accessible.
23
24
Q Okay. And again, tb_is was the backbone
ACorrect.
25
Q ..... what I'll loosely
first
as soon as they were
call the permanent
system or the .....
system.
9
1.0
have to go up on the hills before l install them. And
then I would work with the helibase to schedule aircraft.
11
12
I would do the planning to where it went and I would
either drive to the location and install it or work with
that also involved doing radio system checks or
72
Kron
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
Suite
200
(Pages
Anchorage,
283
to
AK
286)
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4_A
Page
Page
287
1
2
3
Particularly we're talking about the sor_s of repeaters
depicted on E-6, are we not?
A Yes.
1
working with another
2
3
doing radio communications
checks between the incident
command post, this mountain as a link site and a farther
4
Q Okay.
Are there other views of this repeater in this set
5
of photos?
4
5
one. I flew off to another mountaintop where we were
going to put the remote repeater at and -- to my and make
6
7
8
A Not that specific repeater but the access to that location
is depicted in the E-5 photo.
Q Okay. As we look at E-5 can you tell me where the
6
7
sure we had the direct line of sight communications
we needed between all three sites.
9
10
l!
repeater depicted in E-6 is located or would be located?
A Yea_h, it's -- yes, it's right up amongst the trees up at
the highest part in the center left.
12
13
14
Q Okay. What fire was - were these photos taken at?
A That was - that fire was combined when this picture was
taken to be the BIackwel] Corral Creek fire which were two
15
16
17
118
i19
large fires just outside of McCall, Idaho that had burned
together and become one large incident.
Q When fires burn together they sometimes become known as a
complex, is that right?
AYes.
20
21
Q Okay.
A I did.
Who tookthispicture?
22
Q For what purpose?
23
24
25
A I thought it was pretty.
Q Okay. Does it fairly depict the scene where the repeater
in E-6 was installed?
Page
289
technician at that time and we were
that
S
9
l0
QOkay. There's an arrow up the right hand side of E-2. It
appears to refer to someone named Jim Lewis. Who's Jim
Lewis?
11
12
A He was another communications
on the Corral Creek fire.
13
14
15
QOkay. Is he visible on this photo, E-2?
A His yellow shirt is visible.
Q His Nomex shirt?
16
17
1.8
AYes, his .....
Q Okay.
A ....his Nomex fire shirt.
19
20
Q Okay. And where -- is that right at the head of that
arrow?
21
A Yes, it is.
22
23
Q I take it you made the handwritten
arrow.
24
AYes, l did.
25
Q Okay.
tech that t was working with
aanotadons
and the
288
Page
290
1
2
A Yes. And it also depicts the sort of things that we had
to carry up 100 pound repeater boxes and batteries over
1
2
THE COURT:
A He's thinking
3
4
5
including all the ragged terrain and large boulders and
things that we had to scramble over to get it up to the
top.
3
4
5
going to jump off first.
Q And you took the picture that is now E-2, did you not?
A Yes.
6
7
Q Was this typical
in?
6
7
Q Yeah. Same questions
that photo?
8
9
A It's the same picture, we Were flying by in a helicopter,
we had-- we-- and it was-
of the type of terrain you needed
to work
8
9
l 0
11
A Nothing is really typical. But this is an example of,
yes, many of the sites that - every spot is different and
that's part of the beauty and the fun of the whole thing
is to try and make it work, it's the challenge of the job
12
13
is to, you know,
be done.
get the communications
14
Q Does E-4 relate to that same fire?
15
A Yes, it does.
16
17
i
! 18
where it needs to
Q And what does that depict?
A That is another mountaintop that - I believe that's one
that we tried to get into - tied to put a repeater on
19
20
but I don't think
we needed.
21
22
Q Okay. Did you take that photo?
A Yes, I did.
23
24
Q Okay.
as well?
25
A Yes, that's the Corral Creek portion of the fire and I was
How
it actually
about E-2
provided the coverage
that
, are they on the same fire
He looks like he's about to jump.
if I have to climb up here one more time I'm
10
11
timeframe,
E-2.
just a closer view -- a farther view o f it than
12
Q Okay.
13
14
15
16
A That is a site where we landed to.try and get access up to
a higher peak to install a repeater. And just behind that
helicopter is a drop off that this picture doesn't really
show but it also does show some of the other hazards that
17
i 8
we're flying around with the trees in close proximity to
it and the winds that can -- I mean it doesn't show the
19
20
winds but that's part of the hazards
conditions.
2l
22
23
Q Okay. Did you take this photo?
A Yes, I did.
Q And..'...
24
A And then we hiked up to the left up to another
25
completely
What doesE-1
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
Suite
depict?
of working
in these
peak that's
off view and that was one of the places
73
Kron
with regard to E-3, did you take
200
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1
A 1986.
2
Q Okay, Was yourgoing towildfires
as a communications
3
technician
4
5
at Fort Wainwright?
A Yes.
6
7
Q In what way?
A It was consistent
8
position
consistent
with your electronics
because
- by the position
it was basically
mechanic
job
required
by the
that I held there and the
Page
297
!
2
A They could use similar link frequencies but the end base
station - remote base station or local base station was a
3
4
different frequency and modulation scheme.
They were AM
radios where FM radio were tactical and logistics radios.
5
6
Q Was it necessary for there to be some interface?
A Interface to what?
7
Q Between
8
A No, they were completely
9
10
11
supervisor in the shop.
Q Did you understand that you had any choice as to whether
or not you went to wildfires?
Took fire assignments.
9
10
12
13
A I did not believe I could refu - could decide not to go
to wildfires on a - in a general basis. I - there were
14
15
times when exceptions could be made that I was not
assigned to an incident but in general I was required to
! 6
!7
ts
go. And a little bit more detail on that might be if the
microwave was broken affecting multiple radio systems
of either Galena or Falrbanks then I may be sent out to
t9
20
Galena to repair the microwave
Q Okay.
the AM and FM radios.
separate
and isolated.
Q Okay.
A Yes.
And you were responsible
1i
QYeah.
Okay.
12
A There are three basic radio systems out on fires.
13
14
15
were the aircraft, the logistics for ordering of supplies
and then there was the tactical for operations and
command.
16
!_
Q Okay. Once you were at a fire site and repeaters were set
up, the radios for avionics were set - or for aviation
to a fire.
18
19
20
were set up, what activities did you then undertake?
A If the incident was active enough just maintaining
the
repeaters and the radio sites would keep me very busy.
2z
22
A There being the fact that multiple initial attack systems
were down and that would be a higher priority, you know,
2!
22
But when I had -- and during those times there could be
multiple communication
-- corn techs on these incidents and
23
24
than - and they would send somebody
the fire.
25
Q I see. Going
23
24
25
one or two of us could be off traveling, installing,
maintaining the mountaintops
and another one may be
actually down at the ICP .....
and not assigned
out
else from the shop to
back to your fire cards which are at tab 21
Page
for both?
296
Page
1
2
of the Agency file beginning at page TW four zeros 78.
Did you understand that obtaining the qualifications
and
1
3
passing
3
QThankyou.
A That's the base camp for the incident.
the physical
fimess reflected
on these was also
They
298
Q What is that?
A
4
5
expected
A Yes.
of you?
4
6
Q Okay.
Did anyone ever say to you, oh, you don't have to
5
s
programming
radios as people come and go and working
the corn unit leader at the ICP.
7
8
take the step test or pack test this year?
A No.
7
8
Q Okay. How close to the fire did you typically
you were at fires?
9
Q Was there ever a year following
qualified
'86 when for some reason
10
11
12
you weren't physically
qualifications?
A No.
13
Q Okay.
14
15
16
retum - regard to aviation radios?
A Two different situations.
There again, I would set up
aviation radios for the different out stations we had, the
17
18
19
dispatch offices would talk with the aircraft and I would
also get the aviation radio kits out of the fire caches
and install them for incidents.
20
21
22
Q Okay.
A There were a couple different types of kits for aviation
radios, there were also base stations, links and remote
23
base stations
24
25
Q Were those interrelated
fire?
What activities,
to meet your red card
if any, were you engaged
for the aviation
in with
systems.
with the tactical radios on a
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
for
work when
9
10
A That depends upon whether I was in camp or actually - I
regularly flew over the fires, drove inside the fire lines
11
and in some instances
12
13
very large portion of my time in hazardous duty. One of
the examples, and I'm not sure which Exhibit it is, shows
14
history
15
depicted
16
17
!a
half of the days depicted in the timesheets
show that [ was in hazardous duty pay status. And to be
in hazardous duty pay status I had to be inside the line
19
20
or flying - either flying or driving inside the fire line
or
I spent a very good portion - a
of my time on the Corral Creek fire which are
in these pictures.
And I believe over half of
-
21
Q Did you do that regularly,
22
23
24
A in that - yes, I did regularly.
And in that situation
least 50 percent of the time I was in hazardous pay
status.
25
Q Okay.
75
Kron
And he might be
Ln.
Suite
200
drive or fly into the fires?
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Page
1
A And that was
2
earlier
3
that time was
4
(Pause)
5
Q Was
of duty
you've
6
that you -- that occurred
from
where
year
the kind
regular
8
A Yes.
9
Q For example,
that we were
I 0 weeks
in hazardous
7
i0
the same
I spent
talking
on one incident
Page
about
and half
of
duty pay.
just
been
describing
and following
something
1986
on a
basis?
I'm thinking
telecommunications
13. Systems
specialist,
group.
you
point
in time?
activities
13
A I believe
14
time.
15
my IQS history.
16
Q Okay.
17
found
at tab 23 &the
18
Look
at page
19
dealing
20
physical
21
That
22
regarding
23
that consistent
24
25
at that
I was
know
The
description
demands.
Read
employees
without
that
reviewing
you?
in front
Look
eight
of the Alaska
is
of you.
at the section
dealing
that to yourself
taking
during
for that assignment
numbered
of the policy
kinds of
incidents
file there
114 of it, would
as a
in the Technical
numbers
Agency
-- section
service
the same
to a couple
the specific
position
with
speaks
doing
assigned
your
GS-11,
Were
12
I don't
about
with
if you would.
Fire Service
annual
fitness
experience
while
testing.
Is
1
Q Explain
2
A And
3
level
derived
4
light,
I believe
5
describes
that.
what
35 -- what
from
Q Flip to the next
left hand
8
not?
9
A Yes.
comer
t0
Q Score
z 1
A Yes.
12
Q In the lower
13
prior
t 4
difference
15
A Yes.
16
the question
17
qual
18
under
19
allowed
level.
told
22
level.
there
years
right
card
about
Q Now
on some
of them
3
physical
standard.
4
2I, page
number
5
hand
6
A Yes.
portion
7
Q First
8
A I don't
9
Q Okay.
And
80.
of that
narrative
I'm looking
Do you
description
of the
in particular
at tab
see the card in the upper
the
atthe
left
top of that?
a clue.
i0
A It looks
ii
what
12
Q Okay.
You
13
A Well,
I might
14
done
15
Q Okay.
16
comer
of the red card
17
comer
of that
18
fitness
and a block
19
like a real
estate
agent
to me but
I don't
know
it's about.
I had actually
1
A And 1 was
2
approved
3
from and [ had never
4
happened
was
greater
than
7
determined
8
a light
9
risk the possibility
10
part of the procedures
11
and I believe
May
with
the heading
17
six or seven
year.
You see those?
18
in my scores
A Yes.
19
the arduous
45 level
light
The
21
Q All right.
A Yes.
20"
22
Q Explain
23
A Thirty-five
24
because
25
time.
2O
page.
Can
what
There
with
is a block
the heading
we agree
that this related
35 in the fitness
is the score
of the position
score
that was
requirementS
to 1994?
means.
applied
to this card
I believe
at that
level.
problems
I think
23
recorded.
24
THE
--
years
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
not
that
and I was
302
during
this time were
standards
And
when
probably
things
really
getting
than that,
out in
and then they
up until
But it refiects
having
changing
that came
happened
stricter.
it was probably
the variability
that one year I could
of the system
with people
in the way these
If I can just jump
needed
test and
and things.
and the next year I could
reflected
COURT:
that only
an arduous
and they were
requirements
they were
were
at a level
attacks
changes
It wasn't
But what
that people
and it was
put people
longer
ago.
here.
that had come
testing
position
through
new
down
where
determined
to be flexible
probably
years
Bev said she had had it
physical
ago I believe
tied
-- it was
21
! 25
a let of these
getting
22
they
level
pass
only
pass a
and the
and heart
scores
conditions
were
in to clarify.
So were you
on the years where you had a 35 score you onlytested to the
76
Kron
doing
of-
by their
were
16
in the upper
hand
point
back
there
left hand
depicted
right
I was
test at an arduous
of that happening.
of heart
started
have
when
heard
flmess
15
at the upper
for.
test at an arduous
heard
that they wouldn't
physical
or four
look
about
flue pack
was required
three
to the point,
than you were
am that we were
inquired
doing
6
14
I would
that.
More
Bey answered
qualified
the pack
at some
fluc -- continued
why
- the
the
when
score
were
quite surprised
were
remember
earlier
a higher
and I had never
'93 when
that to be there.
but I don't
do we
department.
12
cause
have
What's
to take
take
13
didn't
In the upper
know?
and I still
5
handwriting
45
Page
page?
of all, what's
have
than
you?
for 1998,
300
your firecards --red cards,excuse me, have numbers
rather
the
is the following
of 45.
that you
no, I couldn't
Q Okay.
2
having
at this point
25
comer
surprised
the assumption
A Yes.
1
is a fimess
and I think
81, would
fire card
do you
-- the position
Q By whom?
Page
page
your
hand
and why,
A By the training
by
the moderate
and a score
I was a little
24
employed
depicts
35 describes
is 35.
AFS?
your
page,
we see
23
with
score
test where
the arduous.
6
20
the number
the step
40 describes
7
2 Z
301
Ln.
Suite
200
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to
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Page
i
level required
2
THE
3
test they came
4
be 37 and you were only required
5
they would
6
THE
7
on your
8
to test higher
9
THE
WITNESS:
lo
THE
COURT:
1t
THE
WITNESS:
Z2
inconsistency
13
MR. JAMES
14
Q Okay.
15
you?
Z6
A Last year.
17
Q Let me show
la
which
-- oops,
is on page 84.
303
Page
by the position.
WITNESS:
Not exactly.
Early on when
up with a score.
And
if your
you did the step
score happened
to do - have
to
a light level
put a 35 in there.
COURT:
Right_
card,
But the year where
is that apparently
you were
permitted
for the position?
Go ahead.
Sorryto
And that's what
in their testing
and reporting
about
3
provided
4
A Yes, but they're
5
Q Okay.
in these.
I misspoke.
19
which
20
you are qualified
21
A Yes.
22
Q Greg
23
leader
24
those
25
organization
to be your
Let me show
I believe
about being
8
Q Okay•
Do you wearjumpsuits
9
A When
I fly I usually
Q Okay.
A Along
to
the card for 2003
which
a communications
coordinator•
higher
of fire
positions
and a communications
in the hierarchy
than the ones depicted
on your
with the hoots
Q When was a flight helmet
remember?
15
A No, I don't•
QOkay.
Is that normally
19
Q Okay.
let's ask the question
20
frequently
Well,
A I guess
22
would
fly in helicopters,
Are
23
fires.
More recently
24
Alaska
it's -- it depends
25
been
forest
Q Would
3
AThecomtech
3
were
the case for you specifically
command
assigned
A Absolutely,
5
and that's .....
6
A Correct.
6
Q Yeah.
It's important
7
QAllright.
7
A Have
one that -- yes.
8
A I had no
8
Q Are you assigned
9
Q The
9
assignments?
on fires.
Do you
and flight
suit with
regularly
to the lower
but yes, I have been
12
Q Where?
12
Q Okay•
13
A Out of the fire cache.
13
Fire Center
14
Q Was
14
with?
15
A Yes.
15
A Yes,
16
Q All fight.
16
assigned
to NIFC
and two different
times
17
clothing
17
at NIFC
working
in the radio
at NIFC
18
A Yes.
18
repairing
their
19
Q What
destroyed
21
A Well,
22
they
will
if something
for some
not only
dispose
on a regular
happens
to that
it gets
but
even if it's exposed
to heat
of it.
Q Is another
one issued
to you then?
24
A Yes.
the supply
system
25
supplies
of these
on a fire,
reason?
destroyed
23
And
basis?
and we don't
is how would
flown
Do you have assignments
to deal with the kind
were a couple
radios.
19
spent
20
-- the other
a month
there
2t
week
22
in the shop
23
repairing
24
checks
and filling
25
getting
them
time
or two.
One
And there
cranking
them
Associates
ways
time I know
you work
that I was
I've spent
I think
work
turning
the radio
time
maintaining
and
I specifically
remember,
we basically
and doing
Interagency
the last
than that, possibly
out radios,
wash
actually
them.
keep
Basically
the kits, cleaning
back ready
for issue.
77
Kron
of equipment
cache
shorter
regularly,
times.
at the National
different
and l don't
it was
you define
south many
a
12 hours
them
a day
over
and
-- the acceptance
I
on the incidents
even
the question
there
fit
48 on fire
A I guess
ftre retardant
don't
to have it
11
to you?
306
you if you
I've got a big head and they usually
10
issued
48 have
48 to fight fires?
know
20
from?
helmet
A Yes.
you're
to in
drive to the
11
Is that the sort of clothing,
on I
to the
or in the lower
10
it issued
Early
helicopters,
you could
to the lower
4
that came
most
post.
throughout.
where
How
the dmeframe.
roadside
you take your
Q Okay.
in color.
upon
type fires where
4
personnel
differently.
most of the fires I've been
5
yellow
I fly on
Page
incident
_ you a shirt
when
304
2
in supervising
to you, do you
in laelicopters
transport
have been more
1
interest
shirt
do you get to fires?
Q Okay.
--
and a Nomex
what you wear to fires?
what I wear
21
card?
first issued
A It's normally
fire.
A Yes.
been
pants
that are required.
!7
18
2
that's
typically
at all?
and gloves
13
1-4
1
And
material
wear a flight suit and a flight
unit
Page
wear Nomex
A Yes.
. 12
to fill on a fire?
Ely testified
Do you typically
helmet.
card for 2001
Are these the only positions
of [he same
g-teen.
7
' 16
you what appears
one from supply.
pants made
that way?
1.t
the
was the last year a fire card was issued
them in and get another
10
interrupt.
I'm talking
RESUMES:
When
Q And are Nomex
of this sort?
Yes.
Okay.
we mm
you have a 45 shown
a year where
than the level required
1
2
305
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
Suite
200
and filling
And these
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and
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--
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to
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306)
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1
was doing many
2
came
3
certain
4
opposed
5
percent
6
point
7
happened
8
switched
personnel actionsand I don'tremembeg
out as -- of a transition
percentage
more
to data
of being
of system
work
on system
me over
9
lO
Q And then you
later.
What was
l l
A That
12
really
13
surprises
14
QOkay.
15
A No,
16
Q Okay.
17
A She had worked
18
failing,
19
was
20
happen
2Z
QDid
.....
22
THE
COURT:
23
where
you
24
sequence
25
classification
it
work
took
and so it weighed
administrator
data communications
4
in wortdng
5
the wide
50
at that
Was
pursued
8
I started
dealing
9
came
about
that?
of these
and I don't
things
were
about.
that would
And it
and eventually
it did
I just ask, I'm sorry.
when you came
be the logical
promotion.
office.
up
place
Is that
- looking
for there
at the
to be a
But is that correct?
WITNESS:
12 because
4
to actually
5
probably
6
was
after the desk audit before
I actually
get the 12 pushed
more
about
Q And is that the nature
ll
A Yes.
12
Q Okay.
13
entry
14
positions
15
ANo.
_.6
Q Okay.
17
high level
18
these
z9
A I've had to maintain
20
conditioning
through.
So the desk audit
the same time as the previous
Did anyone
Have
positions
Q Okay.
22
A In the recent
Have
ones.
23
Q Okay.
you
24
25
that for yourself
A Yes.
Have
I
2
Q Okay.
A Yes.
office
3
Q At work?
was
4
A On the clock,
5
Q Doyou
which
Have
ii
the continued
12
ultimately
they ended
up changing
the desk audit
- out of the
me to a system
back and forth between
admin
Bey and the State
9
and then
office
got me the I2.
13
THE
COURT:
14
THE
WITNESS:
Okay.
15
MR. JAMES
16
QI ....
17
A Basically
18
Q Okay.
19
A .....these
2O
position
21
these
22
Q Well,
23
November
of'03
24
apparently
related
25
changed
Sorry Mr. James.
It% still coming
back.
RESUMES:
I was doing
things
the same job, it was .....
happened
-- my job
changed
yes,
in your
you ultimately
to the earlier
duties?
an -- I mean
hour
is lunch,
10
way
back to work
work
Associates
11
12
Q Okay.
fires?
13
A Yes.
14
Q Okay.
15
A Less
16
fire season
Are you
How
here
and systems
blown
up into a national
21
fire teams
22
then caused
What
23
24
trust data residing
BLM type people
of significance?
25
this court
to ask is in
but
Fireweed
(907)
Ln.
out on a regular
basis?
could
and what
where
an hour
[ usually
half an hour
is on the clock,
grab
a bite
an
on the
to go to the field
today
to
last year was
Pan
of the reason
by Iocal
have
a significant
and I did not get any fire
we were
problems
having
fire teams
Ieve! event
access
because
that were
of
being
as to whether
to our BLM
because
was
with the network
these
networks
of the individual
which
Indian
on the BLM network and allowing
nonaccess to the BLM network
when there was
case going
Suite
lunch
on.
200
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Anchorage,
315
to
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318
to work.
Actually
in Alaska
access
like any of
any of
W.
said?
frequently?
frequently.
critical
half
continuing
20
1113
than
out .....
lunch
out for an hour,
80
Kron
of fitness
the scoring
work
during
and back
19
desk audit.
a
of
of physical
level
to work
and a half
issues
I was going
of what
a week
last year.
got the GS-12
Anything
times
some
last four positions.
and that was the question
a higher
I regularly
assigmnents
through
a [ight level
continued
17
to me and it wasn't
to maintain
in each
about?
maintained
18
drastically
required
.....
is my lunch,
audit
a maximum
positions.
you
8
desk
was
age for any of the
Page
do is I take an hour
i0
that there
been
at least
regardless
A .....several
The desk
today?
you .....
7
[ think maybe
where
that the 12
to do your jobs
talked
in these
6
that's what it was.
tell you
retirement
fimess
we've
Okay.
So, you know,
duties
you consistently
adm/n.
THE WITNESS:
of your
ever
of physical
COURT:
got me con -- yeah,
scale
316
change
that
of my job
you filled?
to a system
THE
national
age or a mandatory
21
got the
it took a lot of back and forth with the State
team,
requirements
of that evolution
on a more
in
integral
out of.
lo
But that was - it was also - it
Right.
more
and determining
five months
it appears
around
part
317
I became
- we call it the WAN
team,
position.
type
then.
audit
the National
networking
I became
administrator
by Bey Fronterhoase
had the desk
wide.
it was
by the State
Is that -- can
bureau
was
and fires needs
for fire and the networking
I did know
promoted
had changed
And
on it for a long time and it had ended
and I was
with
area
But what
communications
we had.
Some
accepted
in data
requirements
that one ofthem?
not being
not on that date.
involved
6
a long time to happen
all the details.
3
9
3
as
to me.
was a long time
8
more
7
were promoted
the circumstance
promotion
2
7
A Well,
2
of that shift that she then
to a system
the promotion
THE
1
I did a
Page
1
Page
-- but my - it's been a shift is what
and it was because
have
where
administrator
communications
-- or 51 percent
or some
315
bc4f4-7e88-432b-8cb6-f52d7813af4f
318)
99503
Page
1
3
Q Far away? Pretty far away?
A I'm not sure, maybe 75 miles south of Anchorage,
really sure.
4
Q You didn't take Alaska geography
2
5
6
7
8
9
i0
II
12
13
14
!5
TH_
COU"RT: There's all kinds of maps right next door to
Q Yeah, there are. We should .....
A We do have access to that stuff.
Q We should go grab them. Terrible Alaska residents we are.
A/so the Exxon Valdez spill is someth/ng you went and
worked on, is that right?
A Yes. I -- yes.
Q And where did you go to work on that?
18
Q Okay.
19
A Maybe 120 miles south, southeast
Q Seward is a town .....
A ....,maybe 200 miles. I .....
21
22
23
24
25
I'm
US.
17
2O
Q You've been a longtime
A Awhile, yeah.
of Anchorage
Alaska resident,
or .....
right?
Q Okay. Have you been to Seward?
A Yes, I have.
Page
t
Q Okay.
2
depending
3
south of Anchorage?
A I guess if you didn't know the Cook -- I'm sorry, if he
didn't know the Cook Inlet how would he know Resurrection
5
6
is a town on the Resurrection
9
Bay.
4
i0
.4
ii
A Okay. Yes.
Q I'm not trying to ask you hard questions,
4
12
to
13
A I'm not sure what you're asking.
!4
Q I'm just describing
A Seward.
17
Q ..... were in Seward,
A Yes.
18
Q So you go to Seward
19
working out of?.
A Out of. ....
.i
*t
Bay about -
8
!5
16
2O
21
22
23
24
25
3
Q Okay.
4
5
You know what overtime
AYes .....
6
7
Q Overtime, okay.
A .....I know what overtime
We've heard some testimony
is.
Q And no one's ever guaranteed you any amount of overtime in
a year, is that right? There's no guarantee .....
ANo. There is.....
11
Q ..... to how much you'll get.
12
13
14
15
A .....no guarantee
Q Okay. If any, is
A For awhile when
money than regular
t6
17
1a
step 11 and our overtime pay was less and it did not
include COLA. So overtime isn't always an incentive but
on fire incidents they changed it so now we get full time
19
20
and a half overtime on fire type incidents.
Q And we were talking on the record before the break about
21
22
non-pay status that you had .....
A Right.
23
24
Q ..... inyourjobs?
A Yes, we were.
25
Q Okay.
on overtime.
that right?
we worked overtime we actually made less
time. Because we were limited to a 10,
So if I say non-pay status you know what I'm
334
1
2
3
referring to? To a chunk of time when they tell you go
home, come back when we put you back on duty.
A Yes.
4
5
6
Q Right? Okay. So in 1984 you worked from July to October,
about two months. Does that sound right?
A [ can check the records. I do not remember the schedules
7
8
that I was working back in the 80% but we can confm'n
them from the records and .....
9
Q Well, do you remember
1984 being a short work year for you
12
do remember
where you .....
13
14
Q Okay. And on average from '85 to 94 typically worked
about nine months out of the year, is that right?
yes.
15
16
A That sounds about right.
Q Okay. And then late '94, early '95 was when you went to a
17
1_
12 month, a full year position,
right?
19
20
A I would -- yeah, sounds about right, I would have to check
the records, the SF-50's, to confh-rn that but that sounds
Okay.
and for Exxon Valdez
what are you
21
122
Q Are you.....
A ..... Seward, the town. We were actually .....
Q Are you in a tent, are you in a building, where are you
Associates
today about overtime.
is, right?
a
9
10
working
-- I was staying in a hotel room
that I started in July.
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
does that sound about
about right.
Q Okay.
23
24
A That was another one that Bey came in and said surprise,
you're all full-time now. I said thank you, t think.
25
Q You talked about Carlos Rosas.
84
Kron
in Seward when I was in
I0 compared to some of the others?
t i A I don't remember when l was laid offat this point but I
Tllor, I'm trying
.....
set up?
A We were actually
and working out of a building
Seward.
333
Page
on traffic an hour and half to two hour drive
Bay. But yes, you take the Seward Highway out of
Anchorage and you go to Seward. That's -- okay?
Q Okay. Yes. And it's a little town there on Resurrection
7
t
Seward
1
2
332
1
4
Page
I'm not
either, did you?
A The incident team was working out of Seward.
Q And where is Seward?
A In Alaska.
16
331
Ln.
Suite
200
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334)
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Page
335
Page
337
l
A Yes.
1
A Months .....
2
3
Q And about some problems he had. But you're aware that as
recently as last summer Kathy had asked him to come back
2
3
Q Months.
A ..... preparation.
4
5
to the radio shop?
A I believe I saw him when he was here last summer,
yes.
4
5
Q Okay. And the actual - and bear with me if my terms
aren't real precise and you can help me out as
6
7
Q Okay. Looking again at Appellant's B, Exhibit B. The
time you described, I think you called it time at NIFC
6
7
appropriate.
But when you're going out to these backbone
sites how much time on average are you spending installing
8
9
working on the radios.
A Right.
8
9
the stuffer the beginning of the season?
A Usually four to six weeks. We would start in May sometime
10
ll
Q Does that show up on here as BIFC radio?
A Yes, it's currently now called N_C.
The name had
1o
11
trying to hit the field stations as much as we could and
then we would hit the mountaintops and then we would try
12
?3
14
changed.
Q Okay. So, for example, on Appellant's B in 19 -- August
of-- excuse me, August of'86 it says BIFC radio? Am I
12
13
and be ready by June 1 for the fire readiness inspection
date.
14
Q Okay.
15
16
reading
A Yes.
! ).7
18
Q Okayl
AYes.
15
16
17
it would take to get to the site as well as, you know,
unload your equipment and install it .....
A Yes.
18
19
Q ..... and then come back.
AYes.
20
Q So it would include all of that. And that would also
21
22
include picking up new equipment
next site is that you're going to.
23
24
25
A You mean going back to shop and get .....
Q Uh-huh (affurTnative). Right.
A We didn't go from one site to the next without going back
over correctly?
And then again in August of'89?
19
Q Now you described
that assignment
20
21
working
A Yes.
22
23
24
Q Okay. And for that assignment
pay, did you?
A Correct.
25
Q Okay.
as being [ 2 hour days
on these radios.
you didn't get any hazard
In '84 do you recall how much of your time was
Page
1
4
5
A I'm not sure I traveled
the summer, fall of'84.
6
7
Q Okay.
A I believe
8
9
the systems
Q Okay.
sites in
most of my time was spent in the shop learning
and the radios.
lo
11
12
13
14
A To state that more directly,
was spent traveling to remote
Q Okay. And in 1985 1 think
weren't any fire assignmentS
ACorrect.
I don't think any of my time
sites that -- in '84.
we've already established there
for you that year, 1985.
15
16
Q Do you recall
what pementage
17
18
19
on equipment versus going out in the field to these sites?
A No, I don't remember what percentage but I do know that I
extensively
started traveling in the summer of'85.
20
2 _.
Spring and summer, May, usually starting in May and then
through the summer.
22
23
24
Q This process of getting equipment ready to go take it out
to the
_
_ making sure
it's ready to go out, how long does it take to do that?
25
Is it something
how much of your -- as far as a percentage,
of your time was in the radio shop working
in a day, a week?
• .
:
as inGalena would have threeorfourorfivemountaintops
3
associated
4
5
8
7
those in one trip.
Q Okay. But that wasn't always possible so you'd go back to
the shopinbetween?
A Then we would hit another area after Galena and we would
8
9
go back to the shop and prepare for that. Then we would
go to MeGrath next for example and get the equipment that
with it and we would try and plan for all of
10
ll
we would -- had prepared previously and run it out to
McGrath and do the installs and stuff there.
12
13
14
QOkay.
And then at the end ofthe season you go out to
these same backbone sites and take some equipment down to
bring it in for the winter?
15
16
3.7
A Not usually take it down, more pickle it, get it ready for
the winter, leave a lot of it there.
Q Okay.
18
19
A Usually the springtime was in upgrading and installing new
systems and things like that and then we would pickle it.
20
21
22
Sometimes it would be replaced in the spring. We would
take old stuff d6wn that we were replacing in the spring
and usually in the fall it was more of a pickling process
23
2,1
where you shut things down, winterized stuff and .....
Q Okay. And on average how much time would you set aside
25
for pickling?
How tong is that -- was that weeks to get
85
Associates
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
338
2
. ._
Kron
the
Page
spent actuaIIy in the radio shop working on equipment and
how much was spent going out to some of these permanent
sites?
that can be accomplished
for the -- whatever
336
1
2
3
to any of the permanent
And that four to six weeks would include the time
Ln.
Suite
200
,.
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to
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Page
351
1
2
3
required. There were also times in the early days that I
remember arduous being required and that's why I was rated
at arduous on my card. I don't actually know and could
4
not prove it at tt_s point as in fred history, l couldn't
5
6
fred history of any qualifications before 1993. But those
cards do not reflect my -- the early cards up to '94 do
7
not reflect my fitness test score but I believe they're
s
9
reflecting
then.
the physical
requirements
!
THE REPORTER:
2
(Off record at 6:21 p.m.)
3
4
5
(On record at 6:30 p.m.)
TH_ REPORTER:
Back on record.
MS. POSTMA
RESUMES:
6
Q Thor, just a couple more questions
7
9
!0
again for FLERT, your service, you mentioned that 1990 and
on you've done a small amount of fieldwork for RAWS and
for lightening detection stuff?.
AYes.
11
1-2
Q Who did the bulk of that fieldwork
PAWS and the ALDS?
13
A With those two sys -- I did the majority
1.4
].8
16
detection system work and another
the majority of the RAWS work.
Q Okay.
17
18
A And we backed each other up basically.
Q But at some point didn't the ALDS fieldwork
for that position
Offthe
record.
for yore Indescribing
10
11
Q When you went out on fire assignments as a corn tech you
sometimes had other folks on that t]re assignment as corn
12
!3
tech with you, correct?
A Yes.
14
15
Q Okay. And we've seen pictures of other people serving
corn techs with you on fire assignments, yes?
16
1v
ia
A Pictures here today?
Q Could you look at Exhibits
E?
t9
20
A I believe the picture that had the fellow in the -- as the
lookout in it was - I think I testified earlier he was a
1.9
20
radio shop?
AYes.
21
radio operator
22
23
QOkay.
And .....
A ..... and a helping
21.
22
Q Even after you left. Well, I guess after you left it
shifted back .....
24
25
Q And Jim Lewis?
A Oh, sorry, you're right.
23
24
25
A After I left the radio shop.
Q After you left the radio shop, yes.
A Correct. I believe that was '96 when the responsibility
as
E - or the photos at Exhibit
that I took with me as a lookout .....
hand.
Page
Q Thank you.
A He was a corn tech.
3
Q Okay. And in submitting your claim for firefighter
retirement you prov/ded several different narratives about
4
5
6
7
8
9
your experience
A Yes.
over the years.
Do you recall doing that?
Q Okay. And at tab 30, specifically page 133 of tab 30.
You talk at the bottom about how when you're going out on
ftre assignments
to these sites where you're setting up
I0
ii
repeaters you have people with you who aren't -- who are
helping you but aren't in as good of physical shape as you
12
are.
13
A Yes.
14
15
Q Is that true?
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Okay.
And it's your testimony
that over
the years you were given 30 minutes a day or were
permitted if you wanted to use 30 minutes a day for
Yes.
Paid ti£e.
Q Yes.
A Time on the clock.
Q Yes. .
MS. POSTMA:
THE COURT:
MS. POSTMA:
THE COURT:
..
Can I have just a moment
Yes.
Thanks.
Go offthe
sir?
record for just a minute here.
1113
W.
Fireweed
(907)
of the lightening
person in the shop did
shift to the
t
of the maintenance
of the remote sensors moved
2
3
,1
5
6
radio shop.
Q Okay.
MS. POSTMA:
I don't think I have anything
VOIR DIRE
BY THE COURT:
7
Q I have a few and then we'll give each attorney
354
back to the
further, sir.
another
a
9
t 0
shot at you. I was just wondering when you were talking
about fire assignments, generally everybody had to go when
they were told there was a fire. Would there be family
11
reasons
12
13
fire assignment?
ATherecouldbe.
14
assignment
15
t 6
17
catastrophe
you could get replaced on the fire for
significant events like that.
Q Did that ever happen to you, that you had to decline to go
18
19
on a f'tre because of some personal
A Personal?
No.
20
21
Q Okay. You used the phrase driving
and obviously that had some significance.
22
23
line a perimeter
A Correct.
24
Q All right.
25
couldn't
that would in effect excuse people from going on a
And in fact ifyou
Ln.
reason?
Is the fire
within which the public can't go?
So you were able to go where the public
go given your position
Suite
were on a fire
and you had a death in the family or some major
89
Associates
with the
Page
4
Kron
associated
352
1
2
353
Page
200
with AFS, your
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Anchorage,
351
to
AK
276-3554
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11?
354)
99503
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1
responsibilities
2
A Yes.
related
3
Q Okay.
4
large
antenna
5
time
on this
6
chipping
7
faster
8
A Absolutely.
9
Just
than
to the fire.
if you could
installed
quickly
I would
mountaintop.
stones
tell
think
Earlier
and laying
me how
you
concrete.
were
talking
come
in five foot
as a ldt from
down
two
of the anchors
11
laid out
where
you
can put two of the anchors
the gyri's
the antenna
i welcome,,
thank you.
me try to stick to our I0 minute
timeframe
here.
get this
3
issue here_ of course, is whether
the Appellant's
of
4
AFS was creditable
about
5
under
it's a lot
NIFC
sections
you put
connect
MR. JAMES:
2
all of that.
They
and basically
to it, assemble
on top and
14
third
Q And are you just pounding
to anchor these wires?
one off then
holding
17
la
A Yeah, a five
stakes
to .....
19
Q Great.
20
A ..... hold
it up
2!
Q Cleared
that
pound
comes
22
is the Cook
23
24
Pacific
to Anchorage?
where .....
Inlet
the body
25
A The
with
And
metal
-- that Captain
12
positions
as defined
t 4
at whether
other
mud
2
Q Oh, okay.
when
he found
3
A Yeah.
4
Q And
5
but anyway.
6
TEE
7
M2,_ JA_M_S:
it's too
know
Anchorage
9
Judge.
i0
THE
COURT:
ii
MS.
POSTM.A:
12
THE
COURT:
13
MS.
POSTMA:
14
T}{E COURT:
15
TEE
REPORTER:
Offthe
16
(Off
record
at 6:32
p.m.)
117
(On
record
at 6:46
p.m.)
history
the
22
entry age or mandatory
23
firefighter
24
positions
25
don't apply until they get approved.
this evening,
Going
THE
COURT:
going
to have
23
24
CLOS
25
BY
no questions,
going
twice..
Okay,
No sir.
All set?
closing
I will
close
record.
we're
on record.
As [ indicated
statements
the record
Mr. James,
back
today
earlier
today
and after
in this appeal.
you get to make
we're
those
dosing
As the
the first closing
5"4G STATEMENT
MR.
JAMES:
Associates
1113
W.
of this.
retirement
There's
And probably
no maximum
age applicable
to a
- until either all - if all their
are approved
that's fine.
1
approved
age by operation
immediately
But otherwise
those numbers
And if your claim gets
3
dealing
,_
here because
5
anomaly
6
encourage
7
as Congress
a
we want to retire
9
firefighter
you're
with an individual
none
I guess
Fireweed
(907)
to the mandatory
claim which
of the positions
is what
older
seemed
of course
to you.
to think
to
for the younger,
this legislation,
And if they're
of adjudication
we have
It's a curious
If we want
when they created
them out earlier.
retirement
when you're
is what
are approved.
I'm saying
358
they go.
indeed
So that's
a
my
on that.
The second
thought
is Watson's
age problem
guidance
12
maximum
entry
13
instructed
to create
14
reasonably
15
this process
son
of dribbles
16
are no articulated
maximum
17
Mr. Weatherby,
18
number
19
20
being the case.
So I don't
ascribed to that.
21
On the last two of the most probative
22
essentially
23
these cases,
24
any event,
25
those
Ln.
happens
folks to retire and make room
as a result
thought
subject
of law is what effectively
maximum
possible,
I don't
of reasons
most
rigorousness
to finish
probative
Suite
200
via the
entry ages, quote,
along.
and I think
Whether
lO and 15 years
there
ago for
why that is but [ can imagine
than malignancy
think there's
that would
great
from
ever more the theme
aren't necessarily
Anchorage,
Dodd,
in deciding
and hazardousness.
the sort of Watson,
(Pages
a
lead to that
value to be
factors
or vigorousness
factors
are
as soon as
not tomorrow,
entry ages
know
other
visa
And that is agencies
and drabbles
this is becoming
just
issue.
not post haste,
90
Kron
age and
entry age a couple comments.
until they're
2
11
once,
retirement
is
Page
10
In that case let's go off the record.
119
i2o
moving
party,
statement.
taken
Last chance.
REPORTER:
statements
I have
having
No sir.
T'H_
22
history.
to hazard
356
Ms. Postma?
18
21
or Alaskan
the jobs are physically
Greg Ely is the classic example
in in the
age,
-- entry age and
to which the exposure
21
got stuck
his actually
great.
me, whether
and the degree
retirement
retirement
question,
that.
No, I just commend
age, excuse
maximum
factors
Dodd tells us to look
an early mandatory
a youthful
On those first two, the early mandatory
Mr. James?
8
i8
the
and the most probative
in Dodd.
the youth fuI maximum
Sorry.
COURT:
demanding
and
of
the Watson
So that essentially
20
from
late for me to go to the museum
lifted wholesale
modified
or not there's
there's
retirement
is a
Circuit
what was the basic reason for each of the
in Watson,
t7
by the Federal
arena.
held by Mr. Weatherby
t6
The law. as I
of it in Dodd v. Depam'nent
into the firefighter
whether
with
Retirement
ever more pointedly,
19
the .....
I didn't
I 1.5
And let
service
and FERS rules.
decision
357
"?he overall
Law Enforcement
to appreciate
Interqor where they cffectively
13
Page
1
the Board's supplementation
with
That's
Cook
8
tie the
iron
coming
of the Watson
issues become
angle
that comes
[ had to ask.
suspect you're
combinagon
1t
in order
of CgRS
7
9
gyri's.
for Firefighter
6
rationale
the ground
An oppormniD'
the combinat'ion
l0
poles
the only
of water
Sorry,
Cook
into
do is
a system
in and
the three
a stake
up completely.
you
got
it up and then
it up with
mull,
taped
what
they've
the three
then lean
15
16
one that
-
Page
1
period
I assume
together
12
you
in a short
10
! 3
355
Dodd
thought,
In
if
met by the proof
355
to
AK
358)
99503
276-3554
601bo4f4.7e88-432b-Scb6-f52d7813af4f
4d'_
United
States Department
OFFICE
OF THE
Washington,
CERTIFIED
of" the Interior
SECRETARY
DC
20240
TAKE PRIDE"
INAMERICA
Iv[AlL
Thor Wcatherby lIl
P.O. Box 58709
Fairbanks,
AK 99711-0209
D_r
DOB:
SSN:
0
Mr. Wta[herby:
This is in response
to your request
for nu enhanced
annuity
under the firelighter
and law enforcement
officer(FFILEO) retirement
provisionsforserviceperformed with tileDepnttmcnt of theInterior
(the
Department).
Your claim was accepted ns timely filed nnd was evnlunted on the merits.
This letter is divided into three pads to represent our findings. B_ed on the provisions
of_o Feddral
Employees Retirement System ('FER$), 5 C.F.R. § 842 Sabpan [.1, the service discussed in Parl I is
denied under rules in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), 5 C.F.R.. § 831 Subpan I. The scrvice
discussed in Part 11 is denied under FERS rules. _m service discossc'd in Part 111 is net eligible m_der
FERS rules.
Part
I
This part discuses
the service for which you requested
bc}o:v, your claim for this service is dealed.
primary
coverage,
For |he reasons
An applicant wire requests serv[ee credit for fireflghter retirement under 5 C.F.R. § 831
the burden of proving entitlement by a preponderance
of the evidence, and must provide
agency With all pertinent information regarding duties performed.
Individual claims are
definilions in 5 U.S.C. § 8331 and 5 C.F.R. § 831.902 for: lirefighler,
l_rimary darien,
positions
coverage
occupied
In WRtson
discussed
Snbpart I bears
tile employing
subject to
primary
and secondary
positions.
Pursuanl to 5 C,F.R. § 831.906(a), an employee glahning _
should submit the number of fires fot,ght, names of fires foug/tt, dates of[ires,
and position(s)
while on fi.refighling duW.
et.nL v.. Depodment
o[111o Navy,
262 F.3d 1292 (Fed. Cir. 2001), the Court
held that the
position-oriented
approach used by the Merit Systems Protection Board (the Board) is consistent wilh tim
statutes and regulation'_ ofthe FF/LEO retirement coverage program.
The Oflqce nfPersonnel
Management
regulations require assessment of th_ "bast;" reasnns for the existence oflhe position".
Individuals
seeking IT/LEO retirement coverage bear the burden at" proving entitlement
by preponderant
evidence.
In asses._iag why the _osition exists, factors snub as an early mandatory
retirement age nnd
maximum entry nee should be eonsklered
in determining whether the "basic reasons for tim existence of
the position" consistsof duties that will make the employee FF/LEO eligible. Tile most probative
factors,
tile Court holds, "are ... (2) whether there is an early mandatory
retirmnent ate; (3) whether there is a
1
youthfid maximum entry age; (4) whether the job is physically demanding
so as to require n youthful
workforee; and (5) whether the o/fleer is exposed to hazard or danger."
See a}sn: Bingnman et hi. v.
Department
of the Treasnry, 127 F.3d 1431 (1997); I.ntt.& Rohillnrd v. General Scrviees Administration,
84 M.S.P.[L 324 {t999); trod Ayres v. Department n£Defense,
86 M.S.P.R. 593 (2000).
and law caforet:ment officers are evaluated under the same statutory provisions, similar
d
can be npplied.
4
114
Since firefighter
faclors/stmldnrds
e
Thor Weatherby l lI
Page 2
The primarypurpose oftheposilion
was not toprhnarily
"ben fimfightcr
,'is
describedin5 C.F.R. 831
Subpart i'. From ..ruly 19_4 to December 31, 19ff6, your records iadicote that you worked at a
Commu16c:llions
Technician on five fires (four in .luno 1986 and one in August
1986). Yes/have not
clearlyshown thatyou m,_iutnincd
nnd used firefighting
npparnt(_s
nod equipment asdiscussedh_
OPM 930 F.:2d 898 [1991).
_3ecnateJl]e
uvid_neodoes notprove that11_ebnsJcrcusonforlhe'_xislcnce
ofeach ofthe followiz_g
positionsw_ tobe n firofighter,
your requestforcrcdiiCurfl_e
foIlmvingserviceufidcr5 C.[7.R,§ 831
SiIbpar_
l itdenied as sho_vll
beJow:
Bureau
Position
BLM
£1cetronie
Mcehanio
BLM
Electronic
Mechanic
Part
Title
Helper
ScrieWG_de
Dates 0r SeW ee
__3!_o_
WG-2604-0_i
07126184 - 07120185
Not Covered
WD-2604-11
07/21185 - 12/31186
Not Covered
II
Fede_! service after January 1, 1987, is evaluated using rules under }:ERS. This part discusses the
service for which :you requested primary/rigorcms
coverage. This service was ava[uated to determine if
you ever worked ia a position covered by file provisions of 5 C.F.R. § 8-'12 S ubpart H. It was found flint
you did not occupy a position approved for COVErage, nor did you pay ihc extra one-half percent
retireme_lt contributions.
For tile reasons dlsot_ssed below, your claim for this service is denied.
An applicant who requestt service credit for ,qrefighter coverage under 5 C.F.R.. § 842.804 must provide
the employing agency head with tl_e official position description(s)
in queslion and any other official
description
ofduties and qualifications.
Individuals claiming re_
coverage should subnlit the
number o1"fires fought, tmmes ofti_e fire fought,
f_re/ighting duty.
The primary
purpose
of these positions
dates of the fires, anti tile positlon(s)
w,ns not re primarily
be a fircfighter
occupied
as described
_vitile on
ill .5 C,F'.R. 842
Subpart H. Tt_at is, under FERS na[es a rigorous position is one whose primary duties are to perform
w_rk directly connected wilh the control nod extinguishmcnt
of fires. Tile documentation
that you
provided suggested that over 90% of your duties involved maintaining eommuaientions
equipment/
systems.
Ti_is is not primary duties under FERS rules.
Becausa the evidence doctrine prove that the b_ie reason for the existenCE of each of the re)lowing
positinns won to be a firefighter, your request for eredil far the following service under 5 C.F.R. § 842
Subpart
H is tlenle,l
as shown below:
Bur_u
Po_Kiqn'T'ide
_
DntesofSeryiee
BLM
EIcctronle
Mechanic
WG-2604-11
0 I/0i/87
- 11119188
Not Covered
BLM
Eleclroaie
Mechanic
WG-2604-t0
} 1/'20/88 - 10105/91
Not Covered
BLM
Electronic
Mechanic
WG-2604-]
10106191 - 07120197
Not Covered
Part
I
III
In order to be eligible
for secondary" coverage an individual must meet three critQrkt:
i) the employee,
while coveted under the pruvislons of 5 U.S.C, 8412 (d), moves directly (that is, w.iihont a break
service exceeding 3 days} from a rigorous positiol_ to a si:eondary position; it) the employe,_ has
completed
3 years of service
in a rigorous
position,
including
115
any such service
in
during whie}_ no FERS
Thor Weatherby Ill
"Page 3
deduetiol_s were withheld; and iii) the employee has been continuously
employed in a secondary
position
or positions since moving without a break in scrvlee exoeeding 3 days, except that a brc.,'Ik in employment
in secondary positions that begins with an involuntary
sepnrntion'0mt
for calase), within the meaning of 5
U.S.C. 8414(b)(l)(A).
You did nat meet one or roorc of file prcvlcus criteria. For further clarLqcaiio_} ,see
5 C.F.R. § 842.803.
The followingserviceitdenied forspecialretiremcnt
becausethedocumentationprovided did not
suppoffprimaryeovcrageor eligibility
forsecondarycovcragc inaccordance;vith
5 C.F.R. § 842 Subpnn
H.
Bureau
Position
Title
_
BLM
Telecommunications
GS-0391-I
Dales
[
nf Service
_r'd
0"//21/97 - 09/07/02
Not Covered/Not
Eligible
GS-22 I0-Il
09108/02- 06/28103
Not Covered/Not
Eligible
Not Covered/Not
Eligible
Not Covered/Not
Eligible
Speeialist
BLM'
InformationTechnology
Sp_inlist
(Network)
BLM
IT Spceinlist (System
Administration)
GS-2210-11
06/29103
ELM
1T Specialist
GS-2210-12
[ 1/02/03 - I
(System
- I 1/01/03
Administration)
APPEAL
INFORMATION:
This it the Department's
final decision. I:[mvcvcr, i! is not an adverse action. INn hencfits are bcing
taken mvoy from yon. Although the service was denied for special rctiremcnt coverage, it may count
toward rcRular retirement hcnefits. You have a fight Io appeal this decision to the Merit Systems
ProtectionBoard. A copy ofthislettermast aeeomlmny your a.ppcoL A copy of the Mcrit Systems
ProtectionBoard rcgulations
itattachedand can bc found nt5 C.F,R.§ 1201. Inorder In be considcrcd
timely, an appeal must be filed wilhin 30 days of the date of receipt orthis Ietler (see 5 C.F.R.
§ 1201.22(b)).
Should you wish to initlate an appeal of this decision, you must file your appeal by
personal
delivery,
by facsimile,
by mail or by eonunercial
overnight
delivery
directly
to:
Regional Director and Chief
Administrative
Judge
Merit Systems Protection Board
250 Montgomery Street, Suite 400, 4 _='Floor
San Franelsco,
CA 94104
(415) 705-2935
FAX (415) 705-2945
sanfrnneisco@msp_
t Contiriu:s ns Longas you remain in this positionwith no chnngc:_in lille, scriex, grade, duties, Qrposition cln_i fication.
116
Pale4
Thor We_fllcrby IlI
OTHER
NOTLFICATION:
The ,address
of the agency representative
Department
afthc
in lh/s minter _s:
[nt,'rior
Office of the Secretary', FLEP, T
300 E. Mallard Drive, Suite l?0
I_oisc, ID 83706-6648
Phon_: (201]) 334-155t
Fax: (208) 334-1565
Please _ote if you have received "or cver receive a refund of ),our retirement
service, this service IS NOT CREDITABLE
towards your retirement.
A copy of I11is decision
(ODF)..
Ictter will be sent to your bureau for placement
conlrlbutions
in your Official
for your TREKS
Personnel
Folder
We urge you Io rerain Ihe orlglnnl for your records.
Deputy Assislaot Secretary.
Performance,
Accountability
Attachments:
and Human F',esources
Work [-[istory Summary
Merit Systems Protection Board Appeal form and rcgulaliotls
5 U.S,C, § 8336(e); 5 U.S.C, § 1331{20); 5 U,S.C, § 8331(2 I); 5 C'.F.R. § 83I Subpart 1
5 U.S.C. § 8,112(d); 5 U.S.C. § 8401(t4); 5 U.S.C, § 8,t01(17); 5 C.F.R. § 842 S ttbp,',,n" l-I
co: OPF, FF/LEO
RF, Case File
117
@
@
ATTACHMENT
CLAIlVl
Nan.:
"Thor Weatherby
Addre.._:PO
Box 58209
Fairbanks,
Ill
FOR
DOZ
SERVICE
SaeiaISe=urityNumbe
- Present
06/7.9/03
Position
Number:
Organization
Duty Station:
ass'igned to: DO| IILM Alaska Fire Service
Alaska Fire Service .42<.332 (Branch of Technioa]
Title,
and Grade:
Information
Te¢lmolngy
Specialist
Dnscription
o f Duties {Is this section deacrihc your
Tile following
information supplements the attached
90*/, of the time in poailions
computer,
COVERAGE
AK 9971 I
"Period of Employment:
Series,
A
Iighming
A4732
detection
and A4768
A4732
Sysletra)
GS 2210-11112
primary
duties, Percentage
position descriptions.
was spent instatlh'ag,
and data eommtmicatiorm
and A4768
aystema
repairing,
used
in _pport
of time for each
maintaining,
of.fire
rnujor dory.):
upgrading
snppression
and using;
aetivitiea.
90%
oft.he fonding for positions
A4732 and A4768 was from fire suppression
orpre suppr_sien
funds.
90% of din
equipment
I worked
an was pumh_ed
with fire funding
exclusively
for support of fire suppression
activity.
"No
more than 10% of the time in pnsitlons A4732 und A4768
w_s used in support orB LM Resau.ree Management
or
other
non fire ec31ipmenL
The t.rausition of.my eare_ from communications
to networking and dmn computer
r_resented
an evolution
of tha majority of my duties which followed the developing
communications
and eampmcz
detection,
data enmmnnleotiorm,
systems administration
technologies
of
a_te:rm.
Positions
A4732 and A4768 required lmnwiedge
and skffl in lightning
and computer
systems in fire incident operations.
Computer
system design,
interpzeting,
flow oh.arm and schematic diagrams, microprocessors
electronic
tat equipment
were also skills and knowledge
required
operations and applicatim_s,
and ppemtion
by positi0m A4732 and A4768 to support
of
the
dispatch
functions,
fire administrations
functinns
and fire ineldent operations
at Alaska Fire Service.
Tnnsc
mandatory
prerequisites were required
to design new data ¢omnranica¢ions
and ¢ornputer_ m/stems for use in ftre
operations,
l g"aiaed these skills whi|¢ working
as an electronic
mechanic
in dJ¢/]ranch afRadln
ilepair and
Installation
at Al_ks
Fire Service
(position
deacriptinns
04226A
and 03972).
While in Tcetmical
Sy_term, [ remained
invoP,-ed with the integration,
de_ig_ and deployment
o f eammun_catiom
and computer systems for l'ire suppression.
:/continued
to receive Cue assignments
on a recurring
basis in Alask"a and
the we.stem United States. While in this position from May t 998 to June 2003 I was aasig, n¢d to eight incidents
for a
total of over seventeen
hundred
York City for the World Trade
supported
Positions
but wasn't
A4732
take a physical
half hour
directly
and A4768
hours. The seventeen
hundred
Center Incident. The seventeen
as._igned
requited
test and provide
to.
me to be on call for fire inciden'i_,
telecomnmnications
of duty tirrm per day to maintain
teleplT.oae..s and computers
hours included 637 hours I was asaigned
to New
hundred ham's didn't include
fire incidents
]
the physical
and computer
fimess
carry a red card with my fife qualifications,
support
required
on fire assignments.
for thLs position.
I ",:."asallowed
I snpponed
one
radios,
on fire incidents.
TW000006
1t8
@
Employee
Ccrtlfiention:
To Ihc best of my knowledge,
time.
Employee
Flrst
@
I certify
Signature
Level
that this in[orrnntlon
is correct
and refleols
the duties
of the position
at that
Date.
Supervisor:
I have reviewed the above statemenis.nnd
tire following
inform.'_fion:
agree
with
the position
information.
In addition,
I '.v,m:kl ]ik_ to provide
tim above slntc_-ncnt.s and agTCc with tim position
infon'_,ation.
In addition,
[ would
Chief,Branch of Technical Systc_m ,
Titleat time ser'¢iccv,_s performed
Second
Level
I Ila'vc reviewed
the following
_p_c_rv[_J_
Chief,
Supervisor:
like
to pmvids
information:
Signature
Division
oflnforrnation
Date
S>,stem.s
Tide at time serviccvz-a_
pcrformcd.
TWO00007
119
CERTIFICATE
I hereby
the
foregoing
addressed
certify
that
Joint
OF FILING
on this
Appendix
25th
were
AND
SERVICE
day of May,
2006,
two
served,
LIPS
Ground
via
(2) bound
copies
of
Transportation,
to the following:
Roger
David
Hipp
M. Cohen
Deborah
A. Bynum
DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE
1100 L Street,
Room 12072
Washington,
(202)
(11)
United
copies
States
The
instructions
certify
of the
Court
DC
20530
305-0277
Counsel
I further
N.W.
for
Respondent
that
Joint
on this
Appendix
of Appeals
25th
day
were
of May,
hand-filed
for the Federal
necessary
filing
and
given
me by counsel
service
2006,
the original
at the
Office
and
eleven
of the
Clerk,
Circuit.
were
performed
in accordance
in this case.
with
"
Justin 1V_c_
.................
THE I_gX GROUP Dc
1750
Suite
K Street,
475
Washington,
(202)
955-0001
N.W.
DC
20006
the