Welcome to my CDF/Cal Fire Registry History Page. My name is Carl Vogt , and this is a short Historical perspective of my time with the organization. My Training, Assignments, Calls, Incidents and Adventures that I recall as vivid memories. My co-workers and friends often called me .
My First Assignment with CDF began in : 1959. I Retired in : 1990
Assigned Work Locations : Firefighter 1 Seasonal – 4. Forest Fire Truck Driver -1961 – 1964- Los Posadas FFS, Schedule B, and Schedule A – Napa RangeUnit durring this time I attended the FFTD Academy Class #17 at Sutter Hill (precurser to lone) Forestry Foreman 2 (Fire Crew Supervisor) State Forest Ranger 1 Retired 1990
1959 – Julian FFS- San Diego Ranger Unit
1960 – Cuyamaca FFS- San Diego Ranger Unit
1961 – Saint Helena FFS – Napa Ranger Unit
1964 – 1966 – Mt Helix FPD, Schedule C, Ramona FFS Schedule B – San Diego Ranger Unit
Forestry Foreman 1 (Fire Captain ) 1966 -Hired by SFR 1 Emmit Donahue
1966 – 1975 – Schedule B Captain in numerous Fire Stations in San Diego 1980- 1982 – Schedule B Captain Corona FFS , Riverside Ranger Unit
1975 – 1980 – Assigned to Growlersburg CC in Amador -El Dorado Ranger Unit
1982- 1985 – Assigned to Growslersburg CC in Amador-El Dorado Ranger Unit
1985 – 1990 – Eel River CC and Alder Point Battalion Schedule B in Humboldt- Del Norte Ranger Unit
Favorite Assignments : On a humerous note, there was the incident when Jan Newman let me into the Region 6 Warehouse and I was in the Fire Prevention area “obtaining” Fire Prevention material for San Diego. At the time the Fire Prevention Manager was Rex Griggs. Rex found me and proceed to chew my ass for taking “his” prevention material.
Most Interesting Calls : 2.1 got started in CDF (California Division of Forestry) while I was a senior attending Julian Union High School in 1959. I walked across the street from Julian High to Julian Forest Fire Station First day on the job as a Forest Firefighter 1 -FF1, seasonal was June 5, 1959. Went to a 400 acre fire in Coyote Canyon. I was riding with SFR1 Emmit Donahue and we hiked the fire. Most frightening incident – Boulder Fire (near Julian) 1970, San Diego
and asked for a job. SFR 1 Emmit Donahue sent me to headquarters in La Mesa to apply.
The fire was controlled, and SFR 1 Donahue wanted to make sure the fire was out. So we tooled up and hiked the fire perimeter. As a young firefighter on my first fire, I was very impressed with
how well he could hike . I remember thinking ” I wish I could hike like that”.
Unit. We responded to the Boulder Fire and was assigned structure protection on
Engineers Road. The fire was burning in timber and was 10,000 acres plus. Our assignment was to move to a structure after the fire had burned through. As we waited, the Dozer emerged through the smoke. Seeing this, I thought the road was clear to travel. As we proceded to the structure, timber began to fall across the road both ahead
and behind us. I realized then the dozer was pushing the trees out of his way and we didn’t have that ability. I remember thinking, I have made a tactical error and endangered my crew. Luckily a second dozer came through and cleared the road.
My thoughts about my time with CDF and some Comments for those considering joining CDF/Cal Fire : Most difficult day was the day I made the fire strategy mistake on the Boulder Fire
(see above)
1 would never want to do that again. SEE Boulder Fire above, being trapped
A Recent Picture
