Hotshots -- Inter-Agency firefighting

[BrandonTN]

If you go on details as an FFT2 for acouple of seasons and get your FFT1 book signed off you should have no problem landing a spot on a shot crew.

--sounds like a good plan to me. thanks.

U.S. Forest Service to fill hundreds of vacancies

May 27th- The U.S. Forest Service wants to fill more than 500 positions in California in its next round of hiring. Forest Service officials say they will be ready for this year's fire season.

Earlier this month, Mark Rey, undersecretary of Agriculture, wrote in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, that there were 363 firefighter vacancies in California.

According to the new report, the California region of the Forest Service wants to fill 80 hot-shot leadership positions, 20 engine captain positions, 44 engineer positions and 322 assistant engineer positions, as well as various other positions.

At a Senate hearing April 1, Rey told Feinstein that every position will be filled by the start of fire season - a goal he did not commit to in his May letter to Feinstein that said there were 363 vacancies.

Any new firefighters hired in July won't be trained in time for this year's fire season, but the Forest Service is trying to fill many of the vacancies from within.

     SAF Policy Update

Wow.  Thanks, Ron.  I guess it's not a bad time to be looking for a fire job.

I appreciate all the info.  I actually got offered a student summer job w/ the F.S. in Cherokee National Forest in TN this summer, by applying online back in the early spring. But my plans changed--had to take a summer class. But right now I'm living near Nashville and working for a friend who owns his own little operation restoring native TN plants.  Tuesday we were out in a cedar-glade(supposedly a type that is unique to middle-TN), owned by some government preserve, bushwhacking thru the underbrush chopping privet and treating the stumps w/ round-up in 90+ degree weather, and TN humidity....phew!    Glad I don't do that everyday.  My friend, or boss', website is www.nashvillenatives.com. Check it out. 
...But next summer, for sure I'm gonna devote my time to getting a fire job. Preferably, out west.

[Ron Scott]

Former Gang Member and Ex-Convict Becomes Firefighter

On November 24, 2008, The Los Angeles Times featured a story on firefighter Ramon Maestas, a former gang member and ex-convict from Los Angeles. After becoming a member of the San Bernardino National Forest’s Front Country Crew 6 (a Type II hand crew) and fighting three fires, Maestas was promoted to squad leader. During the summer, Maestas and his crew helped fight the Lime Complex Fire on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the recent fires sparked by Santa Ana winds in Southern California. He’s excited about the new opportunities in his life and hopes to find a permanent job with the Forest Service. In 2007, he heard about a gang-intervention program called Aztecs Rising. The program’s director, also a former gang member, began his career as a firefighter for the Forest Service and fought fires throughout the nation.

In 1994, he started a training program to help people, often gang members, to be successful and find careers to support themselves and their families. Since the program’s inception, nearly 2,000 men and women have graduated, moved off the streets and found steady jobs, some with the Forest Service.

Chief's Newletter

[BrandonTN]

Nice story, Ron.  Nothing like working in the great outdoors to give people new inspiration. 


At the SAF convention in Reno, I talked to a crew chief for the Nevada State department of forestry, and she said they use crews of inmates. She said the inmates behave greatly because they are grateful to be working out of doors. Of course, they aren't the ones serving hard-time. But still says somethin' about working w/ forests.

[timberfaller390]

Hayes state penitentiary has a rake crew that are guys doing hard time but every time they go out there are 4 guards with shotguns that go to

[VT_Forestry]

Here at Virginia Tech, we have a fire class that gets you the S130/S190 training, gets you the opportunity to take the pack test, and ultimately leads you to getting your red card.  Not a hard class by any stretch.  Brandon, I saw an announcement for a hotshots opening in Augusta Springs, VA, I'll try and find the announcement number for you.  At least that would keep you on the east coast if you were interested in that.  Good Luck!

James

PS - I don't know about you but I had a great time out in Reno   

[BrandonTN]

James - I said hello to someone from VA Tech at one point, wonder if that was you?  The first night we were there I saw a group of VA Tech'ers walking in the lobby. Ya'll had a good crowd...we only had a few from TN able to make it.
I had a great time, too...even though I had a bad cold at the time. 

Thanks for the announcement tip.

[VT_Forestry]

Yeah, we were walking through the lobby and a few of you guys from TN were sitting there, I remember talking about conclave...haha it's a small world

[Ron Scott]

During my USFS firefighting days, I had inmate, logger, sawmill, and hotshot crews all working under my sector supervision. All did a good job on the firelines. I was particularly impressed by the professional tree fallers falling the hot ponderosa pine snags on extremely steep slopes.

[BrandonTN]

I was particularly impressed by the professional tree fallers falling the hot ponderosa pine snags on extremely steep slopes.

They need to incorporate that as a new event at Conclave. (not that I would be good at it, but would be fun to watch.) 


On a more serious note though, I've been concerned lately about the reality of me being on a hotshot crew. A couple of months ago I was running about every day, and ran for the first time in the morning. (usually run in the evening). After that run, I hurt my back.But becoming active over the past several years actually helped it. It may not be good for me to be on a hotshot crew w/ that. .

Bottom line: If I don't do situps seriously to strengthen my "core", firefighting is probably not an option. 

[Ron Scott]

One needs to be in extremely good and maintained physical condition to be on the Hot shot crews. Also any fireline crews for that matter. I would not recommend fireline assignments with a back problem that might hinder the safety of you or your crew in any way.