Wildland Firefighter

Senior Firefighter Duties

Serves as a senior firefighter on a hand crew. May perform the duties of a qualified faller, saw repair technician, or certified in the use of long line. May on occasion serve as driver of crew carrier. All drivers of crew carriers are required to meet state Department of Transportation licensing requirements. This license must be obtained prior to being assigned driver duties. Driver is subject to the requirements of the Department of Transportation drug and alcohol testing program. Serves as a senior firefighter on a Fire Engine. Serves as alternate to the Assistant Fire Engine Operator. May assist in performing work of starting pump engine, priming pump, adjusting engine speed and pump valves, laying hose, and using appropriate nozzles and nozzle adjustment in effective use of water and additives. Firefighter may have specialized duties such as water handling specialist, fully qualified faller, or responsible for maintenance of specialized equipment used to respond to wildland urban interface/intermix situations. Serves as a senior firefighter on a helitack crew. Loads helicopter cargo considering methods, weight distribution, necessity for securing, total weight, etc., and completes manifests of personnel and equipment being transported to the fire or other work site. May exit helicopter in remote areas to construct helispots, or to attack small fires, hot spots and spot fires. Specialized firefighter may serve as certified rappeler or specialist in the operation and maintenance of accessory equipment. May serve as part of a short haul crew. While on the fireline, employee will suppress the fire by moving dirt, chopping brush, felling trees. Build fire line using hand tools such as axe, Pulaski, shovel and McLeod, and power saws, to control spreading wildland fire until relieved or fire is suppressed. May perform various aviation and ground support activities, such as servicing and operating batch mixers, tanks, and related components including pumps, valves, and hoses. Conducts operations in the urban interface and/or point protection in remote settings as directed. May fill-in for other work leaders on established crews who are absent. May lead a squad (3-5) firefighters on a module in performing suppression duties on small or large fires. As work leader is responsible for showing new employees how the work is performed, for implementing quantity and quality goals on-the-job, for assuring that equipment and tools are available, and that work is performed in a safe manner. May inventory fuel beds, prepare associated reports, monitor burning conditions, pile logging debris and act in assigned positions during fuel reduction efforts by prescribed fire. May perform project work and lead other workers in the same type of work which may include but is not limited to cleaning outdoor recreational facilities. Mows grass and trims shrubs; perform trail maintenance and building maintenance duties; marks trees for timber harvesting in accordance with designated plan, checks seedling survival, and so forth.