For those that don't know what that is, this is the most important piece of equipment in any fire lookout other than a radio or a landline. This, dear family, is the Fire Finder (AKA Azimuth). You sight the smoke, align it to this, and use it to help determine the coordinates of where the fire is. Two lookouts will give their Azimuth reading and help pinpoint it more exactly, and then the responders know where to go based on what Dispatch tells them.
This, I should add, is mom's... not mine... though I get to touch it and probably even eventually use it when we get the next step finished.
~Teresa
It is actually called a Kresek Alidade. The cheaper version of the Osborne Fire Finder. They cost $4,000.00. This one was $300.00. The plan is to put a platform on the roof to house this device as we have such a good view of the valley and the surrounding mountains. We are Officially known as the Illa Garcia Lookout by the Fire Finder Lookout Museum of Spokane, Wa. which is where I purchased it.
Illa
12 comments:
very cool Teresa. is that map for your district?
Dick
Is this going to be used as decorating, or is it going to be set up and used to site fires? It would be a nice piece of memorabilia.
It is the map for our immediate area for 23 miles out. Our house is the center. It will be set up to use for siting fires. I usually use just a map and a wire but 2-3 weeks ago there was a slight bend in the wire and so my azsmith was off by a degree or so but all together I was off only by approx. a half mile. The hard part is to judge the terrain and try to place it in a certain area. The disk part is light enough to cart around from window to window or outside until it is permanently set on a tower base.
That's pretty neat. The process sounds a lot like triangulating where an earthquake takes place.
Jim
Probably the same principle. It is how Cellular towers triangulate for the 911 calls.
Illa
Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! I always thought they just looked for smoke! Huhn. This is a wonder marvel. And the Illa Garcia Lookout is quite a distinction on this planet. Think about that: a place designated by your fellow humans to be a great significance in helping mankind.
Very cool.
Aunt Sandi, lol! That is what I thought too. I thought Uncle Ben and Aunt Illa looked out and told them where it is. wow impressed. Love it. hugs
Wow, that is really kool! That gazebo you had mentioned way earlier in the blog might be a great place for this. I will never forget the beautiful view of the valley and mountains when we were up to your place for the family reunion. Hopefully I will be able to see this device in "real time" someday! Love, ya.
Wow and I'll be a monkeys !!! I wonder if they use the same thing for the San Bernadino fires. Rick just went through a area he said all was standing was iron rails and chimneys.
Lueria, thanks for the call and nice thoughts, sorry I missed you. Mothers Day is very hard for me. You have no idea how special you are to me.
Happy Mothers Days to all you other beautiful women and especially you Claudia for giving all of us a very special little gift. I hope you have a very special first Mothers Day.
Wow! All of these monkey's uncles from the female side of the family! What's going on here? Where are all the monkey's aunts?
I guess it doesn't roll off the tongue as smooth as 'monkeys's uncle.'
Jim
As far as I know, all the lookouts through the country have similar fire finders, just built by different companies.
Oh, that would be a good family trip idea, pick out several lookouts from several states and take the kids to go see those and to talk to the lookouts themselves (the people, not the buildings, since hopefully no one will run into walls or rails) for stories about the area and local wildlife also. Could make a several year project and visit a few states a year. Now to secure the income to cover doing that and the day to day necessities too.
I once met a man in 1999 when I was working Blue Mountain Lookout who was from Germany. He was a retired Lookout there. He said that it was so damp there that they didn't need very many. He was traveling around the United States and visiting every manned Lookout that he could find. I thought that was pretty cool. He had to have seen some awesome country.
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