Hi guys.
I'm working on a story in a fantasy setting (so there's some leeway with realism) where a group of college-aged students in a search and rescue training program are going to assist professional firefighters with an out of control forest fire. I'm doing some reading but one thing that complicates my research is that the tech level needs to not exceed 1959, which is hard to filter for. I also am having trouble finding out what sorts of jobs these students would likely do. They aren't professionals and have only trained in firefighting maybe for like, a week, so they wouldn't be expected to do the main firefighting at all. The idea is that they have been sent to help and observe, to learn on the ground. Of course things are going to go wrong and they're going to end up in dangerous situations eventually.
The fantasy culture in the world I'm building tends to put people into more dangerous situations than we would see in the real world as part of their training, so I can push it a little with the kinds of jobs these students might do.
This nation of the fantasy world is full of a variety of shapeshifters. There are magic users but they aren't really present in this setting, although there could be some minor magical aspects to the tech.
So, to sum this up into questions:
ETA: I'm reading about fire breaks. I was thinking maybe the students can be set to the task of making more, or widening existing ones. Thoughts? Also, how do firefighters create escape routes?
I'm working on a story in a fantasy setting (so there's some leeway with realism) where a group of college-aged students in a search and rescue training program are going to assist professional firefighters with an out of control forest fire. I'm doing some reading but one thing that complicates my research is that the tech level needs to not exceed 1959, which is hard to filter for. I also am having trouble finding out what sorts of jobs these students would likely do. They aren't professionals and have only trained in firefighting maybe for like, a week, so they wouldn't be expected to do the main firefighting at all. The idea is that they have been sent to help and observe, to learn on the ground. Of course things are going to go wrong and they're going to end up in dangerous situations eventually.
The fantasy culture in the world I'm building tends to put people into more dangerous situations than we would see in the real world as part of their training, so I can push it a little with the kinds of jobs these students might do.
This nation of the fantasy world is full of a variety of shapeshifters. There are magic users but they aren't really present in this setting, although there could be some minor magical aspects to the tech.
So, to sum this up into questions:
- Does anyone know of ways that forest firefighting has significantly changed since 1959?
- What kinds of jobs would students sent to assist professional firefighters do, that might bring them a little closer to danger than, say, just cooking and cleaning for them?
- Any other ideas and thoughts? You guys always give me such great advice.
ETA: I'm reading about fire breaks. I was thinking maybe the students can be set to the task of making more, or widening existing ones. Thoughts? Also, how do firefighters create escape routes?
Last edited: