17 year old Wildland Firefighter?

[Mangino13]

My name is Marc Mangino and I have wanted to become a firefighter for some time now. I live in California where the big problems are the wildland fires. Even though iam only 17 i was wondering if there is anyway i can vollunteer to help fight the fires. I would work my *** off and do exactly what iam told. I just want to be a part of fighting fires in some way. There is no explorer or junior firefighting programs out where i live and to vollunteer for the fire department you must be 18 but i was wondering if fighting the wildland fires would be any different? If someone could contact me through this forum or e-mail of any job oppurtinities anywhere in the states that would be great.


-Marc Mangino

[UTFFEMT]

You could contact the BSA and see if they have any Fire exploer scout programs in your area.

Also I think at the the United States Forest Service use to have a summer work program where you could work in the Fire Cache in Alhambra I think the location is.

Pretty much 18 is the minimum as liability is a major issue for any agency, when you turn 18 you are responsible for your self legally, Good luck and you are close, I put in for jobs when I was a senior in High School and two weeks out got hired and have not looked back for almost 19 years now.

:eek:

[District_821]

The bad news about BSA Explorer Post is that they are not forming any new units and many of the existing units are starting to die out.



BSA decided to drop the explorer program for 2 reasons 1) the interest had fallen of in most areas and most importantly 2) the afore mentioned liability.

[smketer]

Well 17 is a year too young, but what you can do it work for CDF as a volly, and then you can respond to brush fires and work in fire camp in communications or in planning or demob.

Once you do turn 18 if you want to do wildland fire, take some wildland classes with the forest service like your s-130/s-190.
Make sure you want to do wildland fire, its not as easy as come people think.

A good web page isSpot Fire Images (http://www.spotfireimages.com) check it out, look at the hotshots area and the engine area. Once you get a few years under your belt and you want to do hotshot work, keep at it and learn all you can.

Stay Safe,

[petar]

:) hey well if ya want to be wildland fire fighter come to AUSTRALIA and join the RFS you'll be trained for 1 year and get to do alot in training and then become a full fire fighter :)

gota be 16 to fight fires :)