Anybody (preferably Cdns) know how you get into (wilderness) fire fighting?

My son is seriously interested in pursuing this vocation when he gets out of school this year.

I know some community colleges have fire fighting courses. Does it include wilderness or forest fire fighting?

Who employs forest fire fighters - ministry of the Natural Resources?

What kind of money to they make and what do they do during downtime, like winter?

Thanks,

 

I've often wondered about that...around here during the summer when everything dries out I often see Departmen of Forestry trucks driving around (very nice trucks I might add) they also state on there that they are firefighters or of that division. You might check on the US dept of forestry and see if there is anything on their website.

 

This Hotshot web page is from the US and not Canada but it gives you an idea what they are looking for. Scroll down the page and you can click on their training,pay rates,what qualifcations one needs and how to apply. If you go to a local fire station,they will prob. be able to lead you in the right direction in finding out who can help you with your questions. Good luck.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/w-w/fire/hot...ecruitment.htm

 

If he was a Native Indian he would be in like flint.

Have him start some contact with the Forestry Dept.

BC has more to offer than AB.

 

A couple of my best friends are currently smoke jumpers.

They LOVE it.

Both went to Lethbridge College. They have a pretty extensive forestry program there that is sponsored by Alberta Forestry. I think it's a two or three year technical degree. Once you have the degree AB and BC forestry will look at you, otherwise, it's very tough.

Both started out as fire wardens, stationed somewhere in the middle of nowhere about 100 miles north of Ft. McMurray. They chopper you in in the spring and chopper you out in the fall. Great job if you can live with yourself and you enjoy the outdoors, otherwise, not so much.

The next couple summers they worked as grunts on the ground in basic fire fighting and clean up units. Pretty brutal work from what I understand. You work 20 days in, 20hrs a day, out for a week, and right back in. I guess the pay is pretty decent, and you work enough hours that you can kick back for the winter if you so desire.

From there, they both entered the training academy to become smoke jumpers. It's kind of a ladder from what I understand, you have to do some time at the lower wrungs before you can move up. The smoke jumping training is pretty elite, and VERY physically intense from what I gather. Once you're in though, it's supposed to be an amazing experience. They've jumped on fires everywhere from the BC/Yukon border to Montana and Oregon. They make GOOD money doing this, but it's a pretty elite force.

They both love their jobs. Both drive new trucks. One guy works in the lumber mills during the winter, the other prefers to "live off the taxpayers". Either way, for 6 months of HARD work you get 6 months to do what you please. They both spend October and November "hunting the country".

The downside is, neither has a house, a girlfriend, or a retirement fund. Pretty hard when you live in a forest or mining camp for 6 months a year.

Anyhoo, I think the ticket is to contact Alberta or BC forestry. I know they're the road you have to travel to get to where he wants to go.

Waxy

 

Some of the community colleges offer fire classes and academies.

I would search the web, and find out what the minimun training classes you would need in order to get hired, and try to get on with a department that has volunteers, and work your way up. The dept will pay for all the training, and gear. Its a good starting ground for a carrer in firefighting.

I did a quick search and found these links:
http://www.gov.on.ca/OFM/academic/becomeff.htm
http://www.gov.on.ca/OFM/firecollege/index.htm
http://www.jibc.bc.ca/fire/default.htm

 

ive got a few friends that are my age ( 20-21 ) that are firefighters... from what i can gather they wouldnt do anything else.... i just assume you need to have a strong stomache, and be able to leave the job behind when its time to go home.

 

by the way im sure they can just drive to the firestation and ask, my buddies got paid for training, and learned alot in the process

 

Thanks all for the info (especially the Cdn oriented stuff).

BulitTuffF250 - Here in small town Ontario, fire depts are volunteer. SOMETIMES the chief is paid but not the indians. Gotta go to the big city for a paid gig......

I can't beleive those Hotshots only make $10. +/- an hour for what they do. Up here a drywaller's assist. makes $10. an hour...

Again, thanks all.

 

ferguson777 just telling ya what i know- im just an American


just kidding...

honestly anyways, thats all the adivce i can offer, i know nothing about running into buildings that are on fire and saving lives.

well, one of my uncles is a VOLUNTEER firefighter... im sure all he did was walk into the firestation and ask to help. im sure theyd all be glad to help out a volunteer, AND recieve help from a volunteer. eihter way, good luck to your boy(s) they are stepping into something thatll change their lives for the better

 

Most volunteer companies, you just need to show up to there weekly, or whenever they are drills. Show that your intersted, and want to join on. And if all goes well, you get on with them, and then the training starts.

 

i am using a paid on call fire department for my education and training, because they will pay for it and it helps get you started. wildland firefighting is hard work and most of the time its a part time gig. look into becoming a structural firefighter to make a career out of it. in the summers you can usually fly out west and spend the summer out there.

 

Texan1983,

"look into becoming a structural firefighter to make a career out of it"

What is a "Structural" firefighter ?


Thanks,

 

city, houses, building, cars, basicly a firefighter for a city

oh yea in case i didn't makes sence, the going out west for the summer is what alot of the wilderness firefighters do. he have two guys on our department the spent the summer out there then the rest of the time they live here. there isn't to many wilderness firefighters that do that as a career.

 

Anybody can walk into the US Forest Service and apply to be a wildland firefighter. No experience necessary, you will be trained. They make between $10-68 an hour, for hazard pay.

Its definetly very hard work. Your son should be in tip top physical shape. The physical training is the hardest part. They spend weeks training all day for the summer fire season.
The smoke jumper school in Missoula Montana is by far the best school for training.