As airtanker/retardant bases open for the season to aid in the firefighting efforts, we need to remember that quality retardant is one key to safe and effective firefighting.  With this in mind, I would like to remind every Airtanker Base Manager, regardless of agency affiliation, of the critical role they play as the primary person to assure that retardant arriving at a fire meets our standards.  

Every airtanker base needs to send in a base opening sample and base closing sample from each retardant storage tank.  All bases are also required to send in samples of each truckload shipment that arrives on the base.  Participation in this program is essential, regardless of which federal or state agency you work for, and includes portable and SEAT bases as well. It is also important to understand that sampling is the responsibility of the agency representative, not the contractor.  

This program consists of EVERY BASE sending the following retardant samples:

· **Base Opening sample:**When your base opens in the spring or early summer and the retardant is thoroughly recirculated, take a one quart sample *from each tank* for lot acceptance testing (we strongly suggest using the firefighting 1 qt. plastic water canteens). You may need to bleed some retardant from the sampling port to be sure you’re actually sampling the contents of the tank.  Label this sample “base opening” or “overwinter,” include the date the sample was taken and tank identification, and send to WFCS.   

· **Truckload sample:**Every shipment of retardant that your base receives during the season, whether it’s a tanker load of liquid or a truckload of bags, needs to be sampled and tested at your base and a one quart sample sent to WFCS for corroborative tests.  Please include the shipper number and bag tag or batch number, in addition to the date and base information.

· **Base Closing sample:**Just before closing for the winter, recirculate the contents of each tank thoroughly (we recommend 4-8 hours), take a one quart sample from each tank, label it as the “base closing” sample, include the date the sample was taken and tank identification and send to WFCS. As with the Base Opening sample, you may need to bleed some retardant from the sampling port to be sure you’re actually sampling the contents of the tank.  

· **Troubleshooting samples:**Any sample that is sent to WFCS will be tested.  If your retardant doesn’t look or seem quite right, feel free to send a sample to WFCS and we will test it for you.  This sample must be adequately identified and a description of the problem should be included.

In the past, several sets of samples were sent to some of our old addresses (usually by bases that use other office administrators to do the mailing).  If you are not addressing the packages yourself, please be sure that whoever mails the samples knows our current address.  All samples for 2012 should be sent to:

**Wildland Fire Chemical Systems  (WFCS)**

**U.S. Forest Service  -  MTDC**

**5785 Hwy. 10 West**

**Missoula, MT.  59808(406) 829-6717**

Self-adhesive sample labels can also be obtained (upon request) from this address.  On each sample, please include the name of the person who actually took the sample, a phone number, sample identification (type of retardant, bag/shipper #, individual base ID, etc.), date the sample was taken, and fax or email address.  Portable and SEAT bases are also responsible for submitting LAQA samples.  If you are assigned to a portable or SEAT base please include the above information, your name, as well as the name and phone number of a local contact person, on each sample.  Results of all tests are sent back to the base within 24 hours of receipt at the lab, and timely submissions are important for the accuracy of the results. 

A Fire Chemical Use Report (RUR) is also included with this letter. Please take a look at the information required before the season begins.  The report form can also be found on the Wildland Fire Chemicals website (www.fs.fed.us/rm/fire). I will be gathering the Retardant Use Reports at the end of each season, while Shirley Zylstra will continue with the EPA environmental reporting.  It is the responsibility of each manager (at both permanent and portable bases) to fill out this report and send it back to her. The correct mailing address is the same as that for samples and is repeated at the bottom of the RUR form. The information she obtains is used to fill out the EPA Form R, which is a component of the Toxic Release Inventory, and is required from certain bases by the EPA.  Please return this form to WFCS as soon as possible after your season ends.  

I want to emphasize that the LAQA program is not only a cooperative program between all of the people involved but is also a requirement of the retardant contract to assure that we are getting the qualified product and are preparing it properly.  Your help and support are essential to making this program work.  If you have any questions concerning the results of the tests or the LA/QA program in general, please contact me (phone 406-829-6717 or email bpfouts@fs.fed.us) or Shirley Zylstra (phone 406-329-4859 or email szylstra@fs.fed.us ).

BOB PFOUTS

Physical Scientist

Wildland Fire Chemical Systems

Cc:S. Zylstra

C.Johnson

J.Curd 

D.Reese

J.Kerley

**Fire Chemical Use Report – 2012**

**Tanker base**: __________________________________________________________________________

**Agency: _________________________________________________**

**Mgr name and phone number:** ___________________________________________________________

**If base manager is not a year-round employee, please identify next higher level management for the base (name, phone):**  ____________________________________________________________________________

**Base mailing address (including county):** ___________________________________________________

**Base physical address (if different from mailing address):**______________________________________

**Full time equivalent staff (estimate including other firefighting services at the same location, i.e., fire crew, dispatch, cache):** ___________________________________________________________________

**Name of retardant used:** ______________________   **Gallons (retardant) pumped onto aircraft**: ________

**Name of water enhancer (gel) used:** ________________   **Gallons (gel) pumped onto aircraft**: ___________

**Number of retardant loads flown off the base during the season:** ______________

**Number of water enhancer loads flown off the base during the season:** ______________

**Daily Peak Demand (this season only): Retardant_________________    Gel__________________**

**Maximum retardant storage this season – Wet:** _______________ **gallons      Dry:** ________________ **tons**

**Estimate total volume of retardant spills on site (broken hose, leaking door, etc.) and brief description:** _____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

___________

**How do you dispose of wash down water and spilled retardant (evaporation, municipal sanitary system, sand separator and sanitary system, etc.):**  _____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

___________

****We’re trying to keep our website current!  Please visit www.fs.fed.us/rm/fire/wfcs/index.htm  and click on *Retardant Base Information*(about half-way down the page).  Let me know if there are base corrections that need to be made (or if any changes occur during the season): ________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________**

** Return completed form to Bob Pfouts, or Shirley Zylstra; WFCS-MTDC, 5785 Highway 10 West, Missoula, MT  59808

     I can be reached by phone at 406-829-6717, email at bpfouts@fs.fed.us  or fax at 406-329-4763.