Missoula Smokejumpers...

Weather is still a little chilly in Montana. Spring doesn't really arrive to this area until May/June. So we are off to another adventure today. We stopped in at the Smokejumpers Base in Missoula. It is the largest in the country. This is the Region 1 U.S. Forest Service Base. The National Weather service is based there too. There is a great looking information center/gift store we looked at thru the window. Unfortunately for us, they are not open for tours until May...Memorial Day to Labor Day. So we wandered around and met a nice young man, Sam. Jack told him he was a retired fireman from Orange County. Sam offered us a tour thru their facility. So we had a private tour of their loft and manufacturing area, etc.

This contraption is for training. Jumpers hang from it and look up at monitor. The monitor shows different problems with their canopy (parachute) and they have to resolve the issue.

Sewing room. This is where they make personal bags, etc.

Their turnout jumping pants. I am sure they have another name for them..

Jumpers lockers. They have about 60 jumpers at this location.

They were packing chutes in the loft.

Here is a jumper ready to go.

All the necessities are packed in cardboard boxes and dropped with them. This is what is inside those boxes.

This is their EMS bag. Dropped to them too. 

This was a nice facility and would be well worth stopping at if you were in the area.

My Dad was a parachute rigger in the Marine Corps. So Mom and I enjoyed seeing the sewing machines and packing tables.

Sam explained how many jumpers, the types of planes and places they have gone to or will go. Quite interesting.