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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on February 8, 2008 at 7:50pm

Wildland is a whole other aspect of the fire service. The last time I checked they made you wear a 45 pound pack and hike 5 miles in a certain time limit, in addition to practicals, and educational classroom sessions. Wildland firefighting is a necessity in America and across the globe, however their pay does not reflect it. go to jobs.gov and look at the pathetic compensation rates available for wildland firefighters. ($9 an hour) It is always important to learn more, if the classes are their take them, but I wouldn't bankroll my career choice on wildland until you have exhausted any opportunity to go paid as a interior ff/EMS

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Permalink Reply by Ironhorse on February 8, 2008 at 8:55pm

First 34 isn't necessarily to old, if your in good shape. The pack test you have to do every year to recert is 3 miles with 45 pound in 45 minutes, pass/fail. In the last couple years some outfits have started using the weight vests, depends on whos giving the test. If you are anywhere west of the Mississippi the classes you need are fairly easy to pick up on a week end. The first classes you will need to get are S-130 & S-190 these are the basics to get you to crewmember status. A good place to look for a job is either the BLM or Forest Service websites. These jobs are usually just seasonal work not full time. If youre looking for full time alot of departments in Montana Wyoming Colorado and west have career ffs that are structural during the off season but dispatch out during wildland season as either engine companys or single resources depending on quals and what is needed. If you get on with the right department depending on the contract they have with the government the may pay portal to portal (from the time you are dispatched until your back) = Big Bank. Straight government jobs dont pay as well but if your busy you could still make some good money and get to see a lot of country.

Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by ILDisasterEMT on February 8, 2008 at 10:40pm

It helps quite a bit, thanks. Im working to get back into shape after an auto accident. My body finally says it will take some punishment again, so I slowly working my way back. Actually one of the things that I do during the warmer months here (Midwest) is to walk/hike or bike with a weighted pack. When I was down in NM where I lived for some time, my cardio-vascular system was in great shape from do this at 5,800 feet. There I could bike virtually year round and I remember biking along some of the lower trails and watching the fire lines in the Sandias, Jemes and the Sangre de Christos. Its sort of a strange feeling: you see the smoke and the flame-out there usually caused by lightening strikes-and you know its causing destruction but the smell of burning jack pine and mesquite and pinion is amazing. And of course the trees, like the jack pine, that won't drop new seeds without the fires. I plan on moving back down there as soon as I can. I was also trying to find a list of some fire lookout tower jobs, but havent had much luck. I think I like the idea if living in a tower by myself for a couple of months.

Anyway, totally off topic.

Thanks for the advice.

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