The FS network (wired and Wifi) has been inoperable for over at least a month and a half at the Powell work center. When the Post fire was reported as a rapidly growing fire on the district, the FMO and Powell Fire leaders quickly mobilized to engage the fire. It was quickly apparent that due to complexity, that a CIMT would be needed to manage the fire.
The WFA2 arrived in Powell late morning on the second day of the incident (6/11) to find that all network connections in the workcenter were inoperable, resulting in a need to utilize the limited bandwidth and less reliable satellite internet. This affected network communications as myself and my trainee attempted to coordinate the mobilization of the CIMT and establish communications with fire and forest leadership. On 6/12, I submitted a ticket to the helpdesk which was re-routed on 6/13 and elevated to the highest priority due to the ongoing wildfire incident to the network team. Despite elevation, OCIO staffer XXXX XXXX first established contact with me on 6/18.
Between the 13th and 18th, we inbriefed the CIMT and for the first day and a half, relied upon the satellite for team functions for operations, finance, Public Information, safety (two IWIs within the first hours of operations after transfer of command), and normal office work. Luckily, the system did not crash, but was substantially delayed (emails would not load, teams meetings were dropped, and as soon as the CIMT placed a cell service trailer, employees switched to hotspots as a workaround. Team members, local fire personnel, and non-fire employees have had to physically walk thumb drives between their offices and the printers because the network is non-functional.
In anticipation of a very active fire season, it is highly likely we will have additional wildfire responses in the Powell workcenter area and the lack of network capability poses a substantial risk to operations, personnel and the ability to respond to hazards from this remote workcenter. |
