406 Fire History
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We have responded to many wildland fires in Montana, Idaho, and Oregon for the past four years. Each year we see old friends and meet new ones on every incident.
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Early 2016 |
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After attending an Interagency Incident Business Management class, the idea for 406 Fire Logistics was crea
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May of 2016 |
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We purchased our first trailer at an online auction from Dixie State University in Utah. After towing the trailer to Missoula, the work began, retrofitting the production trailer into the first Clerical Support Unit in Forest Service Region One.
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2016 Summer |
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We stood ready to respond, but no area Incident Management Teams (IMT) called for support.
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2017 Wildland Season |
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This season was predicted by weather experts and fire managers to be an above-average wildland season; July passed with still no call.
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August 6, 2017 |
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406 Fire Logistics responded to its first wildland fire. It was the first fire where we met Dave Lattimore, the Plans Section Chief for the Mike Almas Incident Management Team. The resource order given was to report to the Meyer Fire Incident Command Post (ICP) located just outside of Philipsburg Montana. In a large field tuned into a fire camp, we spent 44 days supporting the incident with print, copy, and wide-format printing services.
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Today |
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406 Fire Logistics has grown to four trailers. Our company has expanded to add GIS trailers, iPads rentals with Collector, Survey 123, and Avanza Maps. We have also added a Mobile Video Broadcast Unit due to the 2020 pandemic year and electrostatic disinfecting!
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Mel Holtz
Who is Mel Holtz?
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Mel Holtz grew up in Billings, Montana, and moved to the Missoula area in 1998 to attend the University of Montana. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Information Systems, but he soon realized his real interests lied in emergency services.
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Growing Interest:
He fell in love with Western Montana and choose to remain in the area after graduating. Mel has been a volunteer firefighter since 2004 at East Missoula Volunteer Fire Department. He gained EMS experience working as an EMT at Missoula Emergency Services ambulance and Saint Patrick's' Hospital in Missoula.
Work Experience:
In 2012, he became a full-time firefighter at Frenchtown Rural Fire District, and in 2013 finished Paramedic School. Mel has been contracting equipment to Montana DNRC and the Forest Service since 2013. The company started contracting rental pickups with its first State of Montana contract. This experience helped Mel gain the groundwork for navigating State and Federal contracts, creating 406 Fire Logistics. Over the years, Mel has gained wildland qualifications becoming a Public Information Officer (PIOF), Base Camp Manager (BCMG), and he is working on his Facilities Unit Lead (FACL) task book.
