Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-08
LADS FROM MANY
STATES DRILLED
TO FIGHT FIRES
STUDENTS COME TO NINE MILE,
THOMPSON FALLS CAMPS TO
LEARN TECHNIQUE

LEARN TECHNIQUE
Smoke, sweat and tears are some
of the surprising elements that stu
dents from some of Americas leading
colleges and universities are finding in
varied curriculum of study sponsored
by the United States Press service at
Nine Mile camp. 30 miles from Mis-
soula, in the Lolo national forest, and
at the Thompson Falls camp, 100
miles west of Missoula in the Cabinet
national forest.
Begun last year as an experiment
in giving field experience to under
graduates, there are now more than
200 young men in these two camps
getting tanned and toughened in the
technique of corraling forest fires.
Realizing that the forest fire season
of 1913 holds danger potentialities
more menacing than the thunderbolts
loosened from the worst, dry lightning
storm, government firefighters will
enlist a determined crew of assist
ants.
From Al colleges and universities
throughout the entire nation they are
now being trained as emergency min
ute men to calm down forest fires
of whatever source.
Melting Pot of Training
Camps at Nine Mile and Thompson
Falls are a melting pot of ideas, train
ing and background for these young
men from 16 to Is years of age. They
come from the country of the Pacific,
the prairies, the deep south, the lake
states, and from New England All
together these men from 20 states and
the District of Columbia have a chance
to rub elbows with host of new ac-
quaintances, as Massachusetts, State
college first-year men meet with year.
lings at Montana State university and
men from Syracuse university discover
bunch of good fellows from univer-
sites of Idaho, Iowa, Colorado and
Michigan.
High school and college men from
more than 60 different educational in
situations are working on the forest
fire line under guidance of experienced
government foresters and uniting to
fight a common enemy, the red demon
of the tree lands of America.
When fully trained, firefighters are
assigned to forest road, trail and tele-
phone work and blister rust control
Always they are kept in constant COM
munication with the forest fire dis
patcher by radio or roadside telephone.
Although 127 foreSterS are included
in the two student camps at Nine Mile
and Thompson Falls, all men enrolled
at these outdoor forest schools are
first given instruction in the use OF
an ak, saw and Pulaski, to reduce
| possibilities of injury when construct
ing trails, telephone lines and during
the fighting of forest fires.
We visit Nine Mile camp: The head
at Nine Mile is big, efficient, good
natured Henry j. Viche, officially
listed as camp superintendent. Hank,
as he is known to his foremen, has
| worked IA years for the forest service
He has been training boys ever since
the CCC started in 1888. Hank" has
an insight of the needs of his nvewire
crowd, not only for good food well.
planned work program, but also fol
relaxation and fun.
Learn to Use An Ak
After breakfast at o'clock in thu
morning students are detailed to GU
down trees and make wood. Young
men are given practical lessons in thu
use Of an ak and saw, something use.
Iul WQeu q Tree OF log Needs 10 Ok
cut on the fire line later.
There Is trail construction and trai
maintenance, and maintenance o.
telephone lines. The boys have foune
the nearby Remount hay meadow &.
place where muscles get toughenet
and blisters can develop Unexpectedly
It is afternoon and an importan
lesson in up to date firefighting tech
nique is scheduled for one part of thu
student body to master. Fifty-eigh
men line up for tools, each man wear
ing a hard hat, light brown helme
lined with steel, overlayed with canva!
and slicked over with plastic.
Cool top pieces are a protection
against falling limbs and fire brands
the foreman explains. As he speak
he points out half mile away tn
smoke OF an actual forest fire running