Novato Fire Protection District
Cedar Fire Incident Recovery Report
May 26, 2004 Page 1 of 90
Cedar Fire 32003
NOVATO
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Investigation Analysis
of the
Cedar Fire Incident
Engine 6162 Crew Entrapment,
Fatality, and Burn Injuries
October 29, 2003
Novato Fire Protection District
Cedar Fire Incident Recovery Report
May 26, 2004 Page 2 of 90
Cedar Fire 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue
CDF Green Sheet
Overview
Summary
Report Procedures
The Novato Fire District
The Cedar Fire
NFD Resource Commitments to Southern California
Engine 6162 - Dispatch and Travel to the Incident
Engine 6162 – October 28, 2003 Assignments
Engine 6162 – October 29, 2003 Assignments
Engine 6162 – Burnover
Engine 6162 – Post Burnover Actions
Lessons Learned
ALS Equipment
Apparatus
Communications
Equipment
Fire Behavior
Personal Protective Equipment
Training and Experience
Policy and Tactics
Human Factors
Draft Standard Operating Procedures
Wildland Structure Protection
Refusal of Risk
Wildland Firing Operations
Inaja Fire Tragedy
Acknowledgements
Novato Fire Protection District
Cedar Fire Incident Recovery Report
May 26, 2004 Page 3 of 90
Cedar Fire 2003
In Memory Of
Engineer Steven Rucker
and dedicated to the surviving crewmembers of Engine 6162
and to all firefighters who risk their lives for those they serve.
The Novato Fire District produced this report with hope that the reader will find within
it information worthy of consideration in the ongoing effort to improve firefighter safety
and survival in the wildland interface environment.
The contents of this report relate solely to the operations of Novato Fire District Engine
6162 from the time of dispatch on October 27, 2003 until the burn over occurred on the
Cedar Fire on October 29, 2003. A careful review of the District equipment, training
procedures and policies that may have played a rol