Heavy Fire Equipment Operator

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

8/10/1990

Special Act Award (Gold)

On August 10, 1990, Heavy Fire Equipment Operator, Don L. Norris, performed an extraordinary act of heroism at great risk to his personal safety and life in his rescue of two private dozer operators who were trapped on top of a hill by an oncoming fire near Bear Mountain in Shasta County. On the above date at approximately 1335 hours, Operator Norris and two private dozer operators were clearing a fire line; enroute to an access road when a backfire fanned by increasing winds unexpectedly jumped the fire line. Operator Norris and the two other men headed for the access road, but were cut off at the top of a hill as the backfire from the south and the main fire from the east rapidly approached them. As the other operators started to panic, Operator Norris knew he had to talk fast and to get them to listen. With the fires rapidly closing in on them, he instructed them to clear a 125’ island on top of the hill, and in the center create a dirt barricade 7’ high facing the fire coming from the south. Operator Norris placed his dozer in the center of the barricade and positioned the other two dozer on either side, instructing the operators to leave the dozers running at half throttle, to move the air under and around them. Then, without regard for his own safety and life, Operator Norris positioned the men under the dozers and handed each one the only standard wildland fire shelters he had and instructed them to stay in radio communications under the shelters until he told them to come out. With only a fire blanket for protection, Operator Norris crawled under his dozer pulling the fire blanket on top of himself and laying face down waiting for the fire to hit. They could hear the fire raging around them as the burning embers blew over and under the dozers. Forty-five minutes later, they emerged from their shelters to find that it was still too hot. Operator Norris directed them to move their shelters to the east side of their dozers where they remained until it was safe to go back to work. Without the decisive action of Operator Norris, the two private dozer operators may well have perished in the fire.