Wildland firefighting experience

[fireswearden]

Recently I have been looking for a job in wilderness fire suppression. All the jobs that I have found have required at least 90 days of prior firefighting experience. I have very limited experience. Are there any jobs out there that don't require precious experience to apply? Thank-you.

[scfriedle]

Where are you located? (I don't need city, just state). As the saying goes, "there are jobs out there, but will you go there?". If I can get a better location, I can point you in a more-defined direction. For now, all I can tell you is to check out your local state Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources, ect. Most states have dedicated teams. Also, if you go to www.usajobs.com, you can see the federal jobs available, from the U.S. Forest Service to the Department of the Interior. Although initial pay isn’t that great, once you have your foot in the door holding a GS position, you are set. Good benefits too, especially with this economy. Also, consider joining a volunteer department. That is great experience. Our department runs on many, many wild land fires. Also, try to get as much training as possible, especially in the topic of wild land-urban interface.