Forest Firefighters :: Job Description

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Forest Firefighters

Careers / Forest Firefighters

Summary Description


	Control and suppress fires in forests or vacant public land.

Sample Job Titles

1.	Crew Boss

2.	Engine Boss

3.	Fire Boss

4.	Fire Crew Specialist

5.	Fire Fighter

6.	Fire Technician

7.	Firefighter

8.	Forest Fire Warden

9.	Forest Firefighter

10.	Forest Ranger

11.	Forest Ranger Technician

12.	Forestry Crew Chief

13.	Forestry Fire Aid

14.	Forestry Technician (Fire)

15.	Handcrew Foreman

16.	Hot Shot

17.	Ranger

18.	Rescue Worker

19.	Smoke Chaser

20.	Smoke Eater

21.	Smoke Jumper

22.	Squad Boss

23.	Water and Fire Technician

24.	Wildland Fire Fighter

25.	Wildland Fire Fighter Specialist

26.	Wildland Firefighter

Job Tasks

	Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew.

	Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps. Operate firefighting equipment.

	Test and maintain tools, equipment, jump gear, and parachutes to ensure readiness for fire suppression activities. Inspect equipment to ensure safety or proper functioning. Maintain fire fighting tools or equipment.

	Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered. Request emergency personnel.

	Rescue fire victims, and administer emergency medical aid. Rescue people from hazardous situations. Administer first aid.

	Establish water supplies, connect hoses, and direct water onto fires. Prepare hoses or water supplies to fight fires.

	Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires. Locate fires or fire danger areas. Patrol natural areas to ensure safety or enforce regulations.

	Inform and educate the public about fire prevention. Educate the public about fire safety or prevention.

	Participate in physical training to maintain high levels of physical fitness. Participate in physical training to maintain fitness.

	Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute. Locate fires or fire danger areas.

	Fell trees, cut and clear brush, and dig trenches to create firelines, using axes, chainsaws or shovels. Operate firefighting equipment.

	Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences. Attend training to learn new skills or update knowledge. Maintain professional knowledge or certifications.

	Maintain fire equipment and firehouse living quarters. Maintain fire fighting tools or equipment.

	Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses. Operate firefighting equipment.

	Serve as fully trained lead helicopter crewmember and as helispot manager. Operate firefighting equipment. Direct fire fighting or prevention activities.

	Transport personnel and cargo to and from fire areas. Drive vehicles to transport individuals or equipment.

	Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill. Protect property from fire or water damage.

	Organize fire caches, positioning equipment for the most effective response. Operate firefighting equipment.

	Participate in fire prevention and inspection programs. Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with fire regulations.

	Observe forest areas from fire lookout towers to spot potential problems. Monitor environmental conditions to detect hazards.

	Perform forest maintenance and improvement tasks such as cutting brush, planting trees, building trails and marking timber.

	Drop weighted paper streamers from aircraft to determine the speed and direction of the wind at fire sites. Record information about environmental conditions.

Work Activities

Importance	Work Activity

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Staffing Organizational Units — Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment — Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Nature of the Work


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Firefighters
	Firefighters control and put out fires, and respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk.

	Read More >>

Working Conditions


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Firefighters
	When on the scenes of fires and other emergencies, the work can be very dangerous. When not on the scene of an emergency, firefighters spend their time at fire stations, where they sleep, eat, and remain on call during shifts that often last 24 hours. Many work more than 40 hours per week.

	Read More >>

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Interesting Fact

The state with the largest agricultural industry is California, which has a production more than double the second-place state.

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