“Preserving the Land and the People”
Established 2002
Contact Information:
Sycuan Fire Department
Wildland Division
GOLDEN EAGLES IHC
5449 Sycuan Way El Cajon, California 92019
TEL: 619.445.0117
Golden Eagles Website
The GOLDEN
EAGLES HOTSHOTS started as a request from the USDI Bureau of Indian
Affairs Pacific Region. The region had sent out a letter to all
reservation tribes expressing an interest in starting three Native
American crews in the state of California. These crews were to be
located regionally in California, one in the south, one central and one
in the north.
The Sycuan
Fire Department of the Kumeyaay Nation took this challenge and
opportunity to bring together a diverse group of people, from many
nations and many walks of life and proceeded to develop, shape and mold
these individuals into an elite team of wildland firefighters. These
courageous young men and women are destined to become our future
leaders, role models and heroes in Indian Country and our communities
across our great nation.
The
Sycuan Fire Department / BIA GOLDEN EAGLES HOTSHOTS organization was
established in June 15, 2000, under the Golden Eagles Handcrew name. The
crew was to be a Type II organized crew working towards IHC
certification. The crew was funded through a cooperative effort between
The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and USDI Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Southern California Agency. During this initial period the crew
was assigned and dispatch by the San Bernardino National Forest.
In August
2001, the GOLDEN EAGLES HANDCREW received recognition and status as a
Type II “IA” Initial Attack Crew by the San Bernardino National Forest.
This certification allowed the crew the opportunity to take on Type I
assignments, these assignments helped in the shaping, molding and
preparation of the crew for Type I certification.
The crew
was recognized by BIA NIFC as a Type I IHC crew in training status on
January of 2003, this status also provided the crew with partial funding
from BIA NIFC hotshot program for fiscal year 2003. The BIA and the
Sycuan Tribe meet in February 2003 to discuss how the program would be
operated. The main discussion point was whether the crew would be
directly supervised by the BIA or the Sycuan Tribe would contract the
BIA's program under Public Law 93-638 contract guidelines. Based on this
meeting, the Tribe elected to have the crew be hired by the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. Crew carriers were ordered utilizing additional funding
provided by the national office. After many months of work within the
federal hiring process, selections were made for the GOLDEN EAGLES
HOTSHOTS “T” in August and September.
In
February 2004, the Sycuan Tribe and the BIA meet to review the progress
of the crew. The advantages and disadvantages of the crew being operated
by the BIA or contracted by the Tribe. At that time, the Sycuan Tribe
decided that the benefits of being able to hire and fire employees
utilizing the Tribal personnel system in a short time period was
critical to the GOLDEN EAGLES IHC “T”, especially during the fire
season. The BIA initiated the 638 contracting process and the BIA funds
were transferred to the Tribe to manage the federal fire program. Within
a month, the Tribe was able to hire the crew. The Crew is funded
utilizing BIA federal funds, and are required to meet all federal IHC
requirements and are considered a Federal Fire Crew.
The 2004
fire season resulted in a few dispatches, however, the crew worked
diligently on meeting all of the required training and qualification
standards established for Interagency Hotshot Crews.
In June
2005, an Interregional review team traveled to the Sycuan Reservation
and spent several days observing the crew, reviewing all of their
training and experience listed under the Incident Qualifications and
Certification System. Overall the Crew received a very favorable review.
However, a few of the required factors for certification as a
Interagency Hotshot Crew needed to be strengthened and documented.
The Crew
was dispatched to numerous fires in California and out of Region during
the fire season. In September 2005, a follow up review was made to
determine if the crew had been successful in completing the last few
items that had been identified in the earlier review.
The review
team found that all requirements had been met by the
GOLDEN EAGLES IHC “T” to
be certified, and in October 2005, the BIA Pacific Regional Office
certified the GOLDEN EAGLES as a fully qualified Interagency Hotshot
Crew. The BIA, National Interagency Fire Center concurred with the
certification that same month.
