Five UC Davis firefighters are still at work on the Rim fire, which as of this morning (Aug. 26) had burned nearly 150,000 acres in and around Yosemite National Park.

A four-person crew — Capt. Steve Dunn, engineer Cess Mercado and firefighters Derek Carthy and Erich Schultz — set out for the fire on Aug. 21, riding in Cal EMA fire engine 364.

“Cal EMA” stands for California Emergency Management Agency. UC Davis houses the state-owned engine and uses it in routine operations — until the state needs it. When that happens, UC Davis provides the crew.

UC Davis Fire Chief Nate Trauernicht said the crew has been assigned to structure protection and airport duty, standing by at Pine Mountain Lake Airport (Tuolumne County) in case of emergency involving aircraft that are being used in the firefighting effort.

Another UC Davis fire captain, Dave Stiles, has been working the fire since Aug. 22, assigned as a strike team leader, comprising engine units like Cal EMA 364.

UC Davis experts on wildfires

UC Davis among top recipients of NIH funds

UC Davis ranked 21st among 50 universities in a recent tally of how much each had received in grants and awards from the National Institutes of Health during the federal fiscal year that began Oct. 1, 2012.

Drawing on the NIH online database, the trade publication Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News reported that UC Davis had received $134 million as of Aug. 5.

UC Davis ranked 23rd in a similar ranking last year, having received $128 million toward 312 awards from Oct. 1, 2011, through July 30, 2012.

In the academic year up to June 30, 2012, UC Davis received almost $750 million in external funding for research.

Pavement work next week on Arboretum Drive

Maintenance work is planned Monday through Wednesday (Aug. 26-28) on a section of the “old” Old Davis Road, east of Mrak Hall Drive.

The old road, now called Arboretum Drive, is primarily for pedestrians and bicyclists. They are being asked to take alternate routes, such as the “new” Old Davis Road, or the path through the arboretum, while campus personnel apply a seal coat to the pavement.

Vehicle access, already restricted to the westernmost portion of the path, will be restricted even further during the project: no access at all between Mrak Hall Drive and the parking lot at Environmental Horticulture (the parking lot will be closed).

Service vehicles can come in via the “new” Old Davis Road, at the east end of Arboretum Drive.

OE-Shared Services brown bag canceled

Organizational Excellence announced the cancellation of the second of two OE-Shared Services Center brown bags that had been planned this summer.

The brown bag had been scheduled for Wednesday (Aug. 28).

“Look for a fall brown bag schedule coming your way soon,” OE announced.

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