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Wildland Firefighters
WHAT TO EXPECT – THE SEASONAL WILDLAND
FIREFIGHTER
Many applicants are curious and wonder what exactly is expected of a seasonal
wildland firefighter. A few questions to ask yourself BEFORE applying for
a wildland firefighter position are:
Do I enjoy the outdoors?
Do I enjoy strenuous physical activities?
Am I physically fit?
Do I work well with others?
Am I willing to travel?
Am I willing to work long unusual hours?
Do I have any special outdoor skills?
Am I willing to sleep in a tent for 14 days?
If you answered yes to the questions above, then a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) seasonal wildland firefighter position may be right for you.
DUTIES
The majority of the duties performed by a wildland firefighter
are outdoors. Experiencing elements of all four seasons
is not uncommon. Depending upon where you are stationed you
may experience all four seasons with in a few days. Most
duties are related to prescribed burning, wildfire suppression,
and fire preparedness. These duties include serving as
a firefighter or engine operator during prescribed burning
and wildfire suppression activities; conducting regular
maintenance and repairs on various equipment such as fire engines,
tractors, mowers, chain saws, and hand tools; serving as a crew member
during fire break preparation which involves rock removal,
mowing, trimming, tree and brush removal. You may have
the potential to assist other refuges as well as other federal
or state agencies throughout the nation with prescribed
burning and wildfire suppression. When not involved with fire-related
activities, you may provide assistance in conducting natural
resource related project work on behalf of the Service.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Each position is classed as an arduous fire position under
the Interagency Wildfire Qualifications Standards adopted by
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service. As a condition of employment, you must pass a pre-employment medical
examination (which the U.S. Fish & ildlife Service will pay for). You
will be required to achieve an arduous rating on the “Pack Test,” which
requires you to walk 3 miles with a 45 pound backpack in 45
minutes or less. The Pack Test is correlated to measures of
aerobic and muscular fitness as well as performance in field tasks such
as working with hand tools or carrying loads over rough terrain. The Pack
Test will be administered when you first report for duty. If you cannot
meet the required fitness score for the Pack Test when it is initially
administered, you must retake the test within a two-week period. In the
event you are unable to meet and maintain the fitness requirements you
may be terminated in accordance with applicable personnel regulations.
Most positions require working on an engine or hand crew. This
will entail working with as few as two individuals to as many
as 20 individuals. Whether it is two or 20 it is imperative
that you can work well with others. Communication with others is a vital
part of the success of the job. Primary contacts are generally other crew
members, crew supervisors, and others in the wildland fire management organization.
Most seasonal positions run 40 hours per week, but part-time
and "intermittent" openings may be an option occasionally. Some
positions require non-standard work schedules such as four
10-hour days, ten days on and four days off, or other variations.
Early and late season employment is on an as-needed basis,
depending on weather, fire season, and budgets. A 40-hour week is not guaranteed
during pre or post-season work.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
If selected for a fire position you will be expected to wear
protective and safety equipment. The government will supply
most items - hard hat, leather gloves, fire resistant clothing,
backpack, tent, etc. However, you will need to purchase a
GOOD pair of firefighting boots. You will be reimbursed
up to a certain amount for the boots. It is a very good idea
to break the boots in BEFORE the first day of work. Other than boots,
you will only need to furnish your personal belongings.
OUTDOOR
SKILLS
Can you drive a truck with a manual transmission? Can you
change a tire? Can you run a chainsaw? Can you pitch a tent? Can
you tie half a dozen knots and sharpen a knife? Can you read
a topographic map? Can you use a compass? Learning how to get
by and make do in the outdoors comes in handy. If you don’t currently have any outdoor skills – ARE
YOU WILLING TO LEARN? If you are willing to learn the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service is willing to train you. Any outdoor skills that
you currently possess will be to your benefit.
HOUSING
Many of the refuges in Regions 1 and 8 provide housing for their
seasonal fire crews for a nominal fee. In some cases the
location of the position may be remote and refuge housing
may be the only option. On the other hand some refuges are located
near small towns that have properties available to rent. Almost all
National Wildlife Refuges in this region are located in rural settings.
More information on each refuge can be found at the following website:
http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/
CAREERS
Experience on a fire crew can be just a memorable summer
job, or it can lead to a career in wildland fire management.
Wildland fire experience is very beneficial to anyone interested in pursuing
a career in wildlife management, field biology, ecology, forestry,
or range management. Hopefully you now know “what to expect” when
applying for a USFWS wildland firefighter position. If the information
you were provided with sounds interesting then this may be an adventure
you will want to take.