FireDawgs
The AAMU FireDawgs are a student-led wildfire fighting squad that focuses on wildfire prevention. They receive hands-on, live wildfire experience. To become a FireDawg and help fight wildfires, each member has to pass an intense agility test that includes carrying a 45 lb. pack across 3 miles in 45 minutes. The idea of the FireDawgs formed when Alabama A&M forestry students were on a field trip when they noticed a roadside fire. The students jumped out of the van to stuff out the fire. The FireDawgs were officially formed in 2002 and are trained by the Alabama Forestry Commission to fight wildfires, manage controlled burns, and educate the public on fire prevention. The organization has been funded by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Southern Research Station and Southern Region since 2009.
The FireDawgs are the first nationally recognized student fire crew from an HBCU. The FireDawgs are supported by the 1890 Land Grant Institution Wildland Fire Consortium, whose goal is to increase diversity in forestry, ecology, agriculture, and firefighting. The consortium includes Alabama A&M University (AAMU), Florida A&M University (FAMU), Southern University in Louisiana, and Tuskegee University in Alabama. Diversity among the Forest Service's wildland firefighters has increased over the past decade, but Black fire personnel have remained mostly around 1.3%. AAMU forestry alumni add to the demographic diversity of the forestry workforce and broaden public support for forest management.
- Partners and Supporters
- U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
- Alabama Forestry Commission
- Natural Resources Convservation Service (NRCS)
- Birmingham Water Works Board
- Alabama State Parks
- Alabama Prescribed Fire Council
- Southern Region (8) Fire and Aviation
- Bankhead National Forest
- National Forest in Alabama
- Southern Research Station (Asheville, North Carolina)
- Accomplishments
- In 2010, the FireDawgs became a State of Alabama First Responder Unit, and in April 2011 they were activated during the tornado outbreak to use chainsaws and other forestry-cutting tools to clear roads and rescue campers trapped at Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville.
- From 2014-2016, AAMU was selected to host the 1890 Wildland Fire Academy, an intensive two-week basic firefighter "red card" certification training course.
- In 2015, the FireDawgs signed a 5-year MOU with the Alabama State Park system to implement prescribed burning on state lands.
- In 2017 and 2019, the FireDawgs were mobilized to fight wildfires in northern Alabama.
- In 2018, the FireDawgs conducted numerous burns including one in conjunction with a new partner, the Tennessee Valley Authority.
- What is a prescribed burn?
A prescribed burn is a controlled application of fire by a team of fire experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire. In other words, the right fire at the right place at the right time.
Benefits of a Prescribed Burn
- Reduces hazardous fuels, protecting human communitiees from extreme fires
- Minimizes the spread of pest insects and disease
- Removes unwanted species that threaten species native to an ecosystem
- Provides forage for game
- Improves habitat for threatened and endangered species
- Recycles nutrients back to the soil
- Promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants
- What is a burn plan?Burn plans identify- or prescribe- the best conditions under which trees and other plants will burn to get the best results safely. Burn plans consider temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke.Back to Top
- How to help prevent wildfires
- Check weather and drought conditions
- Build your campfire in an open location and far from flammable objects
- Douse your campfire until it's cold
- Keep vehicles off dry grass
- Regularly maintain your equipment and vehicle
- Practice vehicle safety
- Check your tires, bearings, and axles on your trailer
- Keep sparks away from dry vegetation
- Check conditions and regulations before you use fireworks or consider safe alternatives
- Cautiously burn debris and never when it's windy or restricted
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