![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.125in" height="2.125in"}**PRINEVILLE
INTERAGENCY HOTSHOTS**

3160 NE 3^rd^ Street

Prineville, OR 97754

Phone 541.416.6614

Fax 541.416.6668

[**http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/hotshots/prineville/index.html**](http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/hotshots/prineville/index.html)

**Sand Table Kit**

Tables can be constructed in various sizes and with a variety of lumber
grades depending on the transport and storage needs. The simplest is a
four by eight plywood base with 2X6 side walls. This can be too large
and difficult to transport due to weight, however. Three by five with
lighter side walls works well if the table will be moved often. Wood
brackets can be attached to the base of the sand table to fit on top of
an existing table or saw horses can be used as legs. It is convenient to
paint the base of the table blue to use for lakes and streams.

Pumice works better than sand or cat litter for topography as it is
lighter, dries faster, and holds its shape well. Pumice can be obtained
from cement companies or construction suppliers. A dustpan works well as
a scoop for moving the pumice. The pump spray bottle is helpful to wet
the pumice to hold steeper slopes or to spray watered-down tempera paint
(children's finger paint) if desired. The tempura paint is easily
cleaned from floors and people with water if spilled, but is not needed
for most table exercises.

Yarn in various colors can be used for roads, fire perimeter, small
streams, fences, property boundaries, rail lines, and completed hand and
dozer lines. At a minimum, red and black yarn is needed, although having
several additional colors is very helpful. Smoke columns can be made
with synthetic stuffing material in white and black. Wire or pipe
cleaners can be used to hold up the smoke column in the direction of the
wind.

N scale model railroad accessories are sized well for most uses. The
evergreen trees can be purchased in a package of 100. Telephone poles
are available in packages of 25. Wood blocks can be painted for houses,
and spare wooden blocks can be used as needed.

For complex scenarios, four radios per table with multiple channels are
helpful. This allows role players or the student to be away from the
table, and forces good radio communication skills. Flip chart paper on
easels, or dry erase boards are also helpful. Three by five cards for
scripted notes to role players and unit designators are also helpful.
Masking tape, construction paper, and markers can be used to label
engines or create additional table symbols.

Table symbols can be anything from scraps of paper, poker chips, to
detailed expensive models for HO or N scale model railroad. The Boley
Corporation makes many emergency and rescue vehicles in HO (1/87 scale)
including ones colored Green for USFS, Yellow for BLM and Red for
structure engines (available online
<http://www.internettrains.com/bolemhoscal.html> or
<http://www.westchestercollectibles.com/store/customer/home.php> ).
Below is a list of recommended contents, but the options are limited
only by budget and creativity.

**Sand Table Kit (per table)**

+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| **Item**             | * | ** | *  | **T | **Supplier**             |
|                      | * | Un | *P | ota |                          |
|                      | \ | it | ri | l** |                          |
|                      | # | ** | ce |     |                          |
|                      | * |    | ** |     |                          |
|                      | * |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Pumice (For 4X8"     | 1 | ya | 2  | 25  | Cement Products Mfg. Co. |
| Table approx. ¼ yard |   | rd | 5. | .00 | PO Box 733 1945 S 1^st^  |
| of pumice or approx. |   |    | 00 |     | St. Redmond Oregon       |
| 25 gallons/ 3X5 = 15 |   |    |    |     | 97756. 548-5910          |
| gal.)                |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| 5 gallon buckets w/  | 5 | E  | 9. | 49  | Walmart or similar       |
| lids (to hold pumice |   | a. | 99 | .95 |                          |
| for transport)       |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| 1 gallon pump-up     | 1 | E  | 1  | 19  | Walmart or similar       |
| agricultural sprayer |   | a. | 9. | .95 |                          |
| (for wetting pumice) |   |    | 95 |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Matchbox style       | 6 | E  | 5. | 30  | Walmart or similar as    |
| vehicles,            |   | a. | 00 | .00 | desired                  |
| helicopters, air     |   |    |    |     |                          |
| tanker               |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Plastic fireman      | 1 | Pk | 2. | 2   | Walmart or similar       |
| (like army guys)     |   | g. | 99 | .99 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Poker chips          | 1 | Pk | 4. | 4   | Walmart or similar       |
|                      |   | g. | 99 | .99 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Boley Crew Cab Brush | 3 | E  | 1  | 32  | <http://www.west         |
| Unit 1/87 Scale      |   | a. | 0. | .97 | chestercollectibles.com/ |
| (red, yellow or      |   |    | 99 |     | store/customer/home.php> |
| green)               |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Boley USFS Crew Bus  | 4 | E  | 9. | 39  | Westchester (914)        |
| 1/87 Scale (Hotshot  |   | a. | 99 | .96 | 684-6951                 |
| crew)                |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Boley International  | 1 | E  | 1  | 10  | Westchester              |
| 2 door tanker (red,  |   | a. | 0. | .99 |                          |
| yellow or green)     |   |    | 99 |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Boley HO Scale Dozer | 2 | E  | 2. | 5   | Westchester              |
|                      |   | a. | 99 | .98 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Pine Trees \#        | 1 | P  | 3  | 32  | Model numbers from       |
| 189-6499             |   | kg | 2. | .99 | Walther's website        |
|                      |   |    | 99 |     |                          |
| (100 assorted)       |   |    |    |     | <h                       |
|                      |   |    |    |     | ttp://www.walthers.com/> |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Telephone poles \#   | 1 | P  | 5. | 5   | Walther's 1-800-4-TRAINS |
| 322-701              |   | kg | 98 | .98 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Hunting Tower \#     | 1 | Ea | 1  | 10  | Walther's                |
| 770-7749             |   |    | 0. | .99 |                          |
|                      |   |    | 99 |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Yarn (red, black,    | 4 | Ba | 4. | 16  | Craft Store              |
| blue, gray, etc.)    | + | ll | 00 | .00 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Synthetic Stuffing   | 2 | P  | 5. | 10  | Craft Store              |
| (white, black)       |   | kg | 00 | .00 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Wooden blocks for    | 1 | ?  | 1  | 10  | Hobby Shop for balsa     |
| houses               | 0 |    | 0. | .00 | wood or lumber store     |
|                      |   |    | 00 |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Spare wooden blocks  |   |    |    |     | Hobby Shop for balsa     |
| (can be labeled for  |   |    |    |     | wood or lumber store     |
| anything else)       |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| **Estimated Total    |   |    |    | 300 |                          |
| Cost**               |   |    |    | .00 |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| **Optional Items**   |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Tempura Paint (if    |   |    |    |     | Craft Store              |
| desired)             |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Black pipe cleaner   |   |    |    |     | Craft Store              |
| or wire (to make     |   |    |    |     |                          |
| smoke column stand   |   |    |    |     |                          |
| up)                  |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Red construction     |   |    |    |     | Craft Store              |
| paper (spots)        |   |    |    |     |                          |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Boats                |   |    |    |     | Hobby Shop               |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Cows                 |   |    |    |     | Hobby Shop               |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+
| Ambulance            |   |    |    |     | Walmart                  |
+----------------------+---+----+----+-----+--------------------------+

**Sand Table Accessories**

(labels can be cut out and laminated)