The dozer operators’ best line of defense is their swampers. Not all agencies deploy them, but the Orange County Fire Authority does. Eric Tindle is Mader’s swamper – a sworn firefighter who ...

Varney and his swamper -- a certified heavy-equipment supervisor acting as a helper and lookout -- unloaded the dozer from a transport in a remote area of Sierra National Forest about 10 p.m. on the ...

but the two lost communication after the swamper went to retrieve a replacement part. It wasn't until about four hours later that Incident Command asked aircraft to look for him. Veteran dozer ...