There are many different types of So you want to be a …. wildland firefighters. Most firefighters begin as handcrews, hotshots, or How Hard Can It Be? engines. Once a summer of experience Wildland is earned, then firefighters can choose to If you like hiking without trails; explore helitack, smokejumping, or Wildlandfire.com packing between 40 and 120 pounds of dispatch positions. food, water, and supplies on your back; There are wildland firefighters Firefighter eating and sleeping in the dirt for days for many other agencies and Every position in firefighting has on end; and not having consistent organizations. Here are a few specialized tasks that are key to fire showers, then you may be interested in other federal partners: suppression. However, with the becoming a wildland firefighter. exception of dispatch, all firefighters Bureau of Land Management breathe smoke and play in the dirt with Wildland firefighters are often away http://www.blm.gov/nifc/st/en/p the end result of putting a fire out. from home, without days off, for 14+ rog/fire.1.html days at a time. Wildland firefighters do

There is specific information about each not work regular schedules of 8 hour US Fish and Wildlife position available on the web. You are days but are often asked to work 16+ http://www.fws.gov/fire/ also encouraged to call your local hours a day when on a fire or an

Forest Service office and ask to speak to assignment. Wildland firefighters do not National Park Service someone in Fire; they can help answer get normal summer vacations but spend http://www.nps.gov/fire//emplo any questions you may have. all summer working on their districts or yment/employment.cfm traveling about the North American

HANDCREWS/HOTSHOTS continent responding to fire in a variety Bureau of Indian Affairs of conditions. http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/handcr There are also many state and ews/about_handcrews.html If any of this sounds interesting to you private organizations that then read on….. contribute to the effort of ENGINE CREWS fighting wildland fire. http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/enginecr ews/index.html QUESTIONS? Persephone Thompson SMOKEJUMPERS Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest 4701 N Torrey Pines http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/smokeju Las Vegas, NV 89130 Wildlandfire.com mpers/index.html [email protected] Phone (702) 525-2188 THE PROFESSION AND HOW YOU HELITACK CAN APPLY FOR THE US FOREST H-T Engine 7533 Photos reprinted with permission SERVICE http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/aviation/helico from Wildlandfire.com pters/index.html

How Do I Apply? buy? This will ensure your personality application has spelling errors it leads

and name will stick in their minds when people to think otherwise. Along the Applying for a job with the Forest it comes to selecting someone. same line, make sure you have someone Service involves many different steps. else proofread your application. Another To begin, go to www.usajobs.opm.gov GRANT PERMISSION TO CONTACT set of eyes is always helpful. to locate Forest Service vacancy YOUR CURRENT SUPERVISOR announcements. DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECK It is amazing how many people do not Beginning firefighters with no college check this box on their applications in Make sure you go back over the entire or technical expertise usually qualify for AVUE. Often when someone is looking at application and check for errors. If there is the slightest question as to whether you GS 3 positions, and those with some Wildlandfire.com a resume and notices that permission is college or technical training can apply not granted – the application goes to the needed to check a box or not, ASK! for GS 4 positions. Most GS3/4 Tips for Success Using back of the list. positions are listed as nation wide announcements. In the application AVUE JOB HISTORY process you will be asked to designate Take the time and describe your past specific locations where you are AVUE is complex software that may be interested in working. Once you locate work history. Do not write, “I worked at confusing to some. There are resources a restaurant,” as this does not give a the job announcement number you are available to help you navigate the system. interested in, then you will access the good impression of your skills and This can be located at: AVUE system. abilities. Talk yourself up and in detail. Write, “Demonstrated ability to multi http://www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs/employ/asap/ task by washing dishes, busing tables H-T Engine 7533 User_Guide_applicant.doc and running errands when expected.”

There are many other “tricks of the trade” SPELL CHECK to be aware of. The following are tips to Helpful Websites help you get a job. You can be the smartest and most qualified person for the job, but if your Forest Service Fire MAKE A PHONE CALL http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/links/index.html Call the locations you are interested in working for, and give them your name. Firefighter Fitness Prepare a few questions to ask the local http://www.nifc.gov/FireFit/index.htm firefighters. Questions like: do you have housing? When do you think you will be General Information/Questions hiring? What kind of gear do I need to Wildlandfire.com http://www.wildlandfire.com Wildlandfire.com