Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1943-01-02
LADS FROM MANY
STATES DRILLED
TO FIGHT FIRES
STUDENTS COME TO NINE MILE,
THOMPSON FALLS CAMPS TO
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
a varied curriculum of study sponsored
by the United States Press service at
Nine Mile camp, 80 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 Is 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
,he District of Columbia have chance
20 rub elbows with host Of new ac-
IuaintanceS, as Massachusetts, State
college first-year men meet with year
ings at Montana State university and
men from Syracuse university discover
! bunch OF good fellows from univer-
tiles OF Idaho, Iowa, Colorado and
dichigan.
High school and college men from
more than so different educational in
tttutions are working on the forest
ire line under guidance of experienced
overnment foresters and uniting to
light common enemy, the red demon
the tree lands Of America
When fully trained. firefighters are
ssigned to forest road, trail and tele- ,
hone work and blister rust control. ..
1ways they are kept in constant COM
lunication with the forest fire dis !
atcher by radio or roadside telephone.
Although 127 foresters are included
/ the two student camps at Nine Mile
nd Thompson Falls, all men enrolled
t these outdoor forest schools are ,
rst given instruction in the use of 4
4 ak, saw and Pulaski, to reduce :
disabilities of injury when construct
e trails, telephone lines and during :.
lie fighting of forest fires.
We visit Nine Mile camp: The head n
Nine Mile is big, efficient, good =
atured Henry j. Viche, officially +,
tied as camp superintendent. Hank"
he is known to his foremen, has >,
0rked IA years for the forest service. n
e has been training boys ever since :,
e CCC started in 1888. Hank" has =,
insight of the needs of his livewire =,
ovid, not only for good food, a we'll
AIMED work program, but also for
taxation and fun. IN
arm TO Use An Ak Of
After breakfast at 7 O'Clock in the it
orning students are detailed to cut
wn trees and make wood Young m
N are given practical lessons in the al
2 of an ak and saw, something use ar
when tree or log needs to be pa
+ on the fire line later. sli
There is trail construction and trail
and maintenance of TO
ephone lines. The boys have found 10
! nearby Remount hay meadow q sh
ce where muscles get toughened M
i blisters can develop unexpectedly pa
t Is afternoon and an important
son In up to date firefighting tech CHI
ue is scheduled for one part Of the ru
dent body to master Fifty-eight wi
q line up for teols, each man wear ms
a hard hat, a light brown helmet
ID with steel, overlayed with canvas thu
/ slicked over with plastic. fig
lool top pieces are protection car
inst falling limbs and fire brands, eve
foreman explains AS he speaks fer
points out half a mile away the WI
Ike Of an actual forest fire running /