Tired of working in the office from 9 to 5? Do you want to get paid to work outdoors and exercise for at least one hour a day? Getting a federal-level job as a forest firefighter will provide you with plenty of training and travel opportunities, and will enable you to earn substantial income by fighting forest fires and responding to public emergencies.
This article explains the requirements to become a forest firefighter and will give you information on how to apply.
Steps
Step 1. Meet the basic requirements
You must be a citizen of the United States and be at least 18 years old in order to work as a firefighter for federal agencies or bureaus.
Step 2. You must be in excellent physical shape
Every forest firefighter should meet certain physical requirements when starting work and at the start of each season. Your physical capacity will be tested using the "Work Capacity Test" (WCT). Each agency or bureau requires you to complete this exam before becoming a forest firefighter:
- The main element of the WCT is known as the "pack test". Every forest firefighter faces this difficult test. It consists of a walk of about 5 km carrying a package of approximately 20 kg. You must be able to complete it in 45 minutes or less without running at a moderate or high speed. There may be additional physical requirements, depending on the type of team you join.
- The test is performed when you are called to report for the first time; if you fail to meet the exam requirements at the start, you have two weeks to retake it; if not even the second time is successful, you risk losing your job.
- If you are not already in shape, start exercising. Running (especially holding heavy weights uphill and downhill) and hiking are two excellent ways to exercise. For most organizations, the fire season starts around May, so you'll want to give yourself a few early months of hard training.
Step 3. Go to a doctor
The USFS recommends that you consult your physician prior to training or substantially increase your physical activity level. This is essential if you are over 40 and have been inactive for a long time, have had cardiovascular disease or chest pain, or have a joint or bone problem that could get worse with a change in physical activity.
Step 4. Brush up on your outdoor skills
It is very helpful to be familiar with the following:
- Place a tent.
- Use a chainsaw.
- Read a topographic map.
- Use a compass.
- Making knots.
- Sharpening a knife.
- Change a tire.
- Driving a manual transmission vehicle.
- Willingness to learn what you can't do.
Step 5. Improve your odds by taking a course
If you have no experience in this area, there are basic lessons that you may be able to complete locally. Doing so can increase your chances of getting hired. The basic firefighter courses are the S-130 Firefighter Training and the S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior. Better yet, consider getting a Degree in Fire Science. Contact your local State Forestry agency or community college to find out if they offer any of these courses.
Step 6. Try to have a good team spirit
You will be expected to get along well with whoever is on your team - your life and that of other people will depend on cooperative behavior. This profession will require you to work with various types of people, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in teams of 20 people. Your ability to communicate well and to be in tune with team members, supervisors and those involved in the organization of work management is vital.
Step 7. Make new contacts
You will go a long way in your job search by calling the personnel offices and passing through the institutions themselves. Go to the local fire station, which is a National Parks office, a U. S. station. Forest Service or a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) station. Explain to the front desk clerk that you are interested in becoming a forest firefighter and ask:
- If there are any job positions in the fire brigade that might be available;
- If you can talk to someone who can help you achieve this;
- Ask questions like "Which stations are they hiring?", "With my experience, which position would I qualify for?" and “Is there anyone able to help me with the application process?”.
Step 8. Be determined
If you find a station where you want to work, go and visit it. Get to know the captain and others who work there, ask questions about their careers and how you can become a part of them, and ask them to tell you what it really means to be a forest firefighter. By finding out their personal impressions of the profession, you may have a chance to get a better idea of whether this is a good career option for you.
Step 9. Apply
Once you've made contacts and started your process of getting fit, it's time to apply. These are the main current ways to do this (the links to the sites are indicated under the "Sources and Citations" section):
- Jobs of the U. S. Forest Service, through Avue Digital Services;
- BLM, BIA or National Park Service (all under the Department of the Interior). Apply through USA Jobs;
- Fire Integrated Recruitment Employment Systems (FIRES): Through this hiring process, you can select up to seven different locations in the Department of the Interior using an application.
- Look for vacancies on these suggested pages. Type "Firefighter", "Forestry Aid" or "Forestry Technician" in the search box and the jobs should appear on the screen for you to see.
- Fill out the application forms. Remember that filling out applications on these sites can be a bit tricky due to the way the questions are formulated and set up. If you have any doubts or difficulties completing applications, ask a human resources person at the district office of your local federal agency for help.
Step 10. Once you have completed your application and before you start working, continue to train as illustrated above
Also, find out if there is any specific training you can take before starting work. Other things to consider include:
- Get used to wearing boots. You will be provided with most of the necessary items (helmet, leather gloves, fire resistant clothing, backpack, tent, etc.), but you must buy your own boots, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service recommends that you soften them before show up at work!
- Find out about accommodation alternatives. Ask if accommodation is provided, if there are any rental properties nearby, etc. before entering service.
- Make sure your will, power of attorney, etc. are up to date.
Advice
- Look for websites dedicated to forest firefighters and inform yourself as much as possible to get the knowledge to do the job and to understand what it entails.
- In the early days, you will probably be hired on a temporary basis, but once one foot has walked through the door, you can hope to be chosen for a permanent position.
- The work involves a lot of trekking. This is how you get to most forest fires. Some days you will walk 11km to get to a fire that you cannot drive to, but most of the time you will trek, on average, 3-5km per day as you work. To get fit and do this job, the best thing you can do is go trekking. Put a light backpack on your shoulder and gradually increase the weight; carrying weights is another good activity for exercising.
- There are also government jobs to become a forest firefighter; search online to find open positions in your state.
- Try to have a good attitude and a willingness to work hard.
- Knowing how to use the chainsaw is very important, having experience with a saw will help a lot.
