Caddo Nation Emergency Management Expands Wildland Firefighting Program Expands: Building Safety Through Fire Service and K9 Programs
- Leslie Halfmoon
- Jul 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 7
The Caddo Nation's Emergency Management Office (EMO) has been significantly expanding its capabilities to serve tribal members and surrounding communities through its fire service and specialized K9 programs. In a recent interview, Emergency Management Deputy Director Jerome McCalvin and Emergency Response Officer Scott Anderson shared details on these growing initiatives.
Strategic Fire Response Planning
The Emergency Management Team is evolving its approach to fire protection by distributing resources strategically throughout the region while they work to procure funding to centralize them in a single station.
"Rather than build one station at Chickasha Lake Road, we plan to put a truck in Gracemont, two trucks at the complex, and another truck either at Bison Ridge or Hidden Valley," explained McCalvin. "Our fire response district runs from Gracemont all the way to Highway 152, with two miles on either side of the highway."
This approach aims to provide faster response times to areas where tribal members live and work. The team has identified buildings north of Binger to create 14x24 structures at each location to house the trucks.
"Having equipment positioned closer means quicker response," McCalvin said. "Some of our firefighters live in these areas and can get to those trucks within minutes while we bring additional support from the complex."
Caddo Nation Firefighters Programs: Building Regional Partnerships
The Caddo Nation Emergency Management Wildland Firefighters program has forged important partnerships with the Caddo County Firefighters Association and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). These relationships expand the tribe's capabilities while helping surrounding communities.
"We're connected with firefighting groups across the western part of the state from Kansas to Texas, and from I-35 west," noted McCalvin. "If we help BIA and they utilize our equipment, they'll financially reimburse us for costs."
This regional cooperation extends to emergency declarations. At a recent tribal summit, the Caddo Nation secured approval that allows communities surrounding tribal land to be included in tribal FEMA declarations.
"If the state doesn't reach their threshold for a federal declaration but we can get ours, the surrounding community can come under our declaration to receive federal assistance," McCalvin explained. "This helps all 574 tribes across the United States. Our goal is taking care of everyone impacted by emergencies, not just tribal members."
Training and Equipment
Currently, the Emergency Management Wildland Firefighters Program has 16 firefighters on staff, with 11 having completed wildland certification training through the Forestry Division. The Oklahoma Forestry Service has provided each firefighter with protective equipment including helmets, gloves, boots, pants, and shirts. So everyone is outfitted head to toe.
Practical Training Through Controlled Burns
The team recently conducted a controlled burn training exercise that accomplished seven different objectives: checking equipment, donning protective gear, establishing communications, building control lines, operating pumping units, practicing water attack methods, and coordinating between trucks.
"The training day was valuable in applying classroom knowledge to practical situations," said McCalvin. "Many realized the importance of physical fitness and proper equipment after feeling the heat during the exercise."
Anderson added that controlled burns serve multiple purposes - training firefighters, creating firebreaks to protect tribal property, and removing invasive species like red cedars.
"Our goal is eventually to clear that whole acreage out behind the complex," Anderson explained. "That way we have a fire break to protect the tribe if something happens on Highway 152 and spreads this way."
The Caddo Nation Emergency Management Wildland Firefighter Program is working with BIA to organize a chainsaw certification class that will serve the dual purpose of training volunteers and reducing cedar growth south of the complex.
Volunteer Recruitment
Prior to COVID, the Caddo Nation had 80 firefighters who were part of BIA and other partnerships, including specialized chainsaw crews deployed nationwide. The EMO aims to rebuild these numbers through volunteer recruitment.
"To become a volunteer firefighter, interested individuals should come to the Caddo Nation Tribal Complex and ask for myself or Scott," McCalvin said. "They can also go to mycaddonation.com and fill out the form there."
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. While positions are unpaid, the tribe covers training costs and may provide fuel reimbursement for calls.
"We have our volunteer side, but we're also developing a group specifically to work with BIA," Anderson added. "We want to create specialized BIA teams for firefighting and chainsaw operations."
Looking Forward: Medical Response
The EMO is also expanding into emergency medical response capabilities. The tribe's Community Health Representatives (CHR) are currently taking Emergency Medical Responder classes at the Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center.
"We're 18 minutes from ambulance service in many areas, so having people trained in life-saving techniques until an ambulance arrives is crucial," McCalvin explained.
The team has also purchased 12 automated external defibrillators for tribal facilities at a significant discount.
"As a sovereign nation, we want our citizens to have the same services available in any community," said McCalvin.
Specialized K9 Program
One of the most unique aspects of the Caddo Nation's emergency response capabilities is its specialized K9 program, which has gained recognition throughout the region.
"West of I-35, we are the only tribe with a Canine Program," McCalvin noted.
The program features three specialized dogs: Gretel, a search and rescue dog trained to find living people; Hedy, a Human Remains Detection dog (also known as a cadaver dog); and Bella, a patrol dog with attack training.
Scott Anderson, who serves as the program's canine handler, has been conducting extensive training with the dogs. Gretel has made significant progress with blind searches at Fort Cobb State Park and with tribal employees.
"She does blind searches using an article of clothing," Anderson explained. "My trainer will give us an article, take off walking, and either go somewhere along the fence row or in the park. Gretel smells the article and takes off running to find them."
In one recent training exercise, Gretel demonstrated her problem-solving abilities when searching for someone hiding on a playground slide.
"She ran along the fence row, got past him, came back, and started smelling around the slide because his scent collected from the wind," Anderson recalled. "She jumped on the slide, looked up, and found him."
While Gretel is close to receiving her official certification, Anderson has already established working relationships with local law enforcement agencies.
"I've reached out to Anadarko Police Department, Caddo County Sheriff's Office, and Fort Cobb State Park so Gretel can demonstrate her abilities," he said. "Even though she's not technically certified yet, having officers witness her capabilities provides validity if a case goes to court."
The program has established formal deployment protocols for emergency situations.
"Scott has created official procedures that were provided to the sheriff's office, BIA, and dispatch center," McCalvin explained. "They know the notification process and what information is needed."
The K9 program may soon expand its reach even further. The Cherokee Nation recently received a five-year, $12 million grant to create a supplemental response team for tribal nations, similar to FEMA response teams but exclusively for tribes.
"We've been invited to participate, likely because of our work with Southwest District 14 and our canine program," McCalvin said. "That means our program could be deployed wherever a request comes in from any of the 10 FEMA regions."
Community Focus
Whether through distributed fire response units, emergency medical capabilities, or specialized K9 teams, the Caddo Nation's Emergency Management Office maintains a clear focus on service to both tribal members and the broader community.
"It's all about people and what we can do for them," McCalvin summarized. "We know emergencies are going to happen, and our goal is to be ready to meet those needs."
For more information about the Caddo Nation's Emergency Management programs or to volunteer:
Visit mycaddonation.com
contact the Caddo Nation Tribal Complex
(405) 656-2344 and ask for Jerome McCalvin or Scott Anderson.
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