forestry firegeezer on 24 Aug 2007 02:23 pm
Private Fire Engines Sent To Protect Mansions
NEAR KETCHUM, IDAHO THE CASTLE ROCK WILDFIRE has caused the evacuation of hundreds of high-value mansions. But the owners of 22 of them can rest easier. Their insurance company, AIG Private Client Group, has sent one of their seven fire engines into the center of the fire to spray their clients houses with Phos-Chek, the flame retardent that the air tankers drop on the woodland.
“We’re not going out there to fight the fire,” said Dorothy Sarna, vice president and national director of risk-management services and loss prevention for the New York-based company. “We’re out there to protect our clients.”
AIG Client Group image
Many of the forest fire crews were bewildered as the saw the private fire engine weaving its way through the fire lines. Veteran fire managers now working the Castle Rock fire say they’ve never heard of a private fire crew protecting individual homes in the midst of a wildfire, said Dave Olson, a spokesman for the Forest Service.
Read the full story in the Twin Falls Times-News HERE.
AIG Private Client Group Wildfire Protection Service website HERE.
on 24 Aug 2007 at 5:05 pm 1.FireBoss said …
Hmmmmmm, interesting, cost of the crew and vehicle versus cost of replacement of the trophy home.
New concept, smart business practice?
on 24 Aug 2007 at 8:38 pm 2.Jim Owens said …
I think the local guys should be grateful for the help. As long as the private crew operates under the incident commander, it’s fine. As soon as thier actions conflict with or interfere with the incident action plan, they have to go. As far as the systems to protect the homes, great that the insurance co can get them to do it. If we asked them we be told to stick it.
on 25 Aug 2007 at 7:22 am 3.Firegeezer » Morning Lineup - August 25 said …
[...] had a posting yesterday (HERE) about the high-end insurance company that has its own fleet of “fire engines” for its [...]