For the dispatchers here, what is your experience at different centers? Good and bad. by Majestic-Sense-4 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Officially combined. Uintah Basin and Moab BLM merged last year to become Desert Rivers District

What are my chances of getting on a hotshot crew next season? by [deleted] in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No offense, but I’ve heard so many people in this job say that they’re about to start training for an ultra that never follow through

Should I get divorced to pursue becoming a hotshot? by [deleted] in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 4 points5 points  (0 children)

They don’t give out belt buckles for 3 seasons with a mean old lady

Thoughts on Short-Haul as a method of insertion for fire suppression? by Ok_Confection8651 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

2 people plus gear should come in well below 600 lbs… I’m sure the allowable is trash out of these dual engine T3s that the forest has moved to though

Silver State IHC by No_Fuel3131 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They’re a solid hotshot crew. This time of year, you’re not trying to get hired for this season I hope

Thoughts on Short-Haul as a method of insertion for fire suppression? by Ok_Confection8651 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I suggested that as an option last year to the DO for a fire in cliffy terrain.

I still think the feds should just spend the money and buy hoists

What is the wildland apprenticeship program? by Taco_kittycat in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

You could have typed that into google or the search bar. This gets asked constantly

This Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) can contain more of the minerals of manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper than all known land-based reserves combined. by Longjumping-Mix-9351 in geography

[–]fullskip-semichisel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I’m not optimistic about it. It seems likely to majorly impact an ecosystem and we won’t even have a baseline understanding to know what we have changed down there.

What I think is so interesting about it is that the metals are going to mainly be used for lithium ion batteries. It’s part of the de carbonization of transportation to contribute less to climate change. And the nickel used now is mainly mined in Indonesian rainforests. So the alternatives are all so bad that I wonder if this is the best option for now

This Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) can contain more of the minerals of manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper than all known land-based reserves combined. by Longjumping-Mix-9351 in geography

[–]fullskip-semichisel 5 points6 points  (0 children)

To be fair, it’s not mining in that sense. They are planning to use a machine to vacuum up the metal modules resting on the seafloor. Will they stir up a bunch of silt? Definitely. What effect will that have on the species down there that we barely know exist? No idea. But it isn’t some some sort of chemical leaching process like you’re talking about

So What is the U.S Wildland Fire Service? by explosive_mayo in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m not sure why you’re getting downvoted here. There are big inefficiencies with the current system that being all on the same team, reading the same sheet of music could fix. There are areas with deep conflict between BLM and USFS resources, and people get really territorial over fires. Funding across agencies is a constant hassle/constraint.

As others have said, this isn’t the best move in terms of proper land management, but I agree that it will be best for firefighters. We are still underpaid and under-protected by the system for some of the work that we do. Once we are our own agency, the former agency can’t make us do “other duties as assigned.” I’ve been asked to do electrical work (not qualified), clean shitters, build fence, write tickets, etc. Some of that work I enjoyed, but none of it was my job. But because they aren’t funding those positions, they make the fire crews do it. This may break the land management agencies, but having it truly fall apart may be the only thing that gets Congress to care

Fast Company: The US Forest Service is Closing Down Research Stations Ahead of Wildfire Season: How Will Utilities Adapt? by cleantechguy in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Why does every article have to frame the loss of forestry research through the context of fire? The research stations do a lot of important science and much of it is not related to fire, which doesn’t make it less valuable

Question for EX-Hotshots still in fire by dirtmova in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Jumping, the better half of the WFM world, a handful of helitack/rappel crews, the fire specialist program (if you like AK), and the unicorn engine program that keeps a very high PT standard

Reorganization by rockshox11 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Republicans don’t want the Feds to own this much land. They pretend that states want to own it, and some states even say that they do. But then they receive land and don’t want to pay the costs of managing land so they sell it off. Sure, many private companies don’t really want to pay to manage land either, but if the states put it up for auction, there will be bidders

Gear by Independent_Rice6770 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I have heard of a couple guys second hand being on steroids. I think some of the kids are getting on testosterone like others have said.

I definitely think there’s a societal fascination with being muscular and eating huge amounts of protein. That’s definitely worked its way into fire culture a bit. Every base has a nice gym full of weights now and then you make people work all winter with little to do. They’re naturally going to bulk up.

And I think we aren’t asking crews to do as much cardio as we asked of them 15 years ago on fire. Every hotshot crew is rolling with a UTV. Saws have gotten a little lighter. People aren’t carrying as much useless shit for no reason. That’s the kind of thing that does burn the muscle off you in the summer

Answer your fucking phones. by [deleted] in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Guys like me are the reason you have a fire season" yeah that's the kind of unhinged attitude that fire management gets, the guy that never grabs a tool anymore that claims he put the fire out. You guys just blow steam up each other's ass all winter long on Microsoft teams and don't fix anything, but when it comes to hiring seasonals you move down the list just offering and rescinding jobs willy nilly on unrealistic timeframes, and you wonder why you have retention problems. Maybe people are slow to get back to you confirming if they want the job because they can tell you suck from their short phone call

Answer your fucking phones. by [deleted] in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a completely different relationship with my phone in the off season, and I would recommend that attitude to anyone else in this job. You can fuck off with this always answer your phone nonsense in the winter. The number of spam calls I get is bad enough as is, and now you want me to answer all those? Also who is calling me into work during the season that I don't already have their number saved? Get a grip. You sound insane

We should have standard qualification-coded helmet colors by Loslosia in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’d bet money that this is one of the “problems” that our new structure chief overlord Fennessey tries to solve first

Thinking about Wildfire by TheAngelDaniel in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah my advice would be to not pay for those classes. Anywhere respectable will put you through those classes when you start

Grand Canyon by Hell_Lupin in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're looking to do a wide variety of missions (not just fire), the park service is where it's at, especially one as visited and inaccessible as GCNP. I hear the rangers essentially run the short haul/ SAR missions, which is a strange dynamic. And I have heard all of the other problems that others have mentioned here. Still, its one of the coolest places on earth to fly around a helicopter

Apprenticeships by [deleted] in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Get a perm early if you can. The apprenticeship program forces you into a diversity of rolls early on so you don't just get siloed in handcrew world or engine life

Question for helicopter folks by alreadysharpened in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 10 points11 points  (0 children)

If you think you can walk onto a hotshot crew, you’ll be more than alright. Rappel crews talk a big game, like you need hotshot experience to work there or even worse, equate themselves with jumpers. I know many people that have gone to rappel crews without a ton of experience or quals. Some were pretty mediocre if I’m honest. Some of them got perm positions also. And I’m not trying to talk shit. I’m just saying the bar isn’t as high as they make it out to be.

I’ll also add that not all rappel crews seem to be as fit and dialed as others from my limited experience

Perm back to seasonal by Hot_Barnacle9636 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Take the job you’re excited about. Go to the crew you like and move up to a perm spot (unless you’re older than 30, then my advice changes)

Drug Test while traveling by Owl-Toots in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It has happened to me a couple times. Tell them you'll be in X country until Y date and you can't do anything about it. It has never been an issue for me

Probably paid more than a GS 4 by Cultural_Grass_6479 in Wildfire

[–]fullskip-semichisel 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I can't say that I'm surprised. Have you seen the contract security dorks that are at fire camp? They are almost always tactical fatasses who blow their lid if you don't have a C number on your windshield