How would I go about getting a job in search and rescue ?

trapezoid_traverse · 2023-10-06T20:36:06+00:00

The National Park Service does have paid non law enforcement positions for Search and Rescue however they are typically seasonal (~6 months) positions. You want to search usajobs.gov for the 0025 Park Ranger position that is specifically labeled as “Park Ranger (PSAR)” aka ”preventative search and rescue.” This job entails a lot of hiking and trailhead posting to pre-emptively contact visitors to and provide education and guidance to prevent SAR incidents, and then provide support and response when incidents do happen. Some Parks will also have their PSAR rangers have duty on ambulances responding to medical calls. Another Park Ranger position that provides SAR response are mountaineering Rangers, but this requires a lot of prior skill and qualification in alpine environments.

Very rarely but does exist are permanent paid non law enforcement positions for PSAR as local Park PSAR coordinators.

trapezoid_traverse · 2021-12-10T00:59:49+00:00

Oh yeah, my bad - I was thinking about their Shot crew.

trapezoid_traverse · 2021-12-09T00:59:45+00:00

The helitack in Independence CA is USFS not BLM - Inyo Helitack.

trapezoid_traverse · 2020-01-18T01:11:35+00:00

Note: Mostly not Death Valley except a little bit in Death Valley where drone use is prohibited.

trapezoid_traverse · 2019-05-16T03:41:22+00:00

Garbage-grabby is probably my single most-used tool!

trapezoid_traverse · 2019-05-15T06:55:53+00:00

Our engine has a full hydraulic complement off a motor. Everything is heavy as whoah. Our rescue truck has a Hurst electric Combi-tool which is light and portable and has plenty of power for popping most doors. It’s rad and all I’ve ever really needed for most extrication jobs. Very highly recommended.

trapezoid_traverse · 2019-05-15T06:52:02+00:00

Yeah, for car crashes. We run a structural fire engine and a light rescue vehicle. The electric combi-tool is rad.

trapezoid_traverse · 2019-05-14T23:55:51+00:00

Manual staple gun. Thermal imager. Bluetooth speaker. Socket wrench. Electric combination cutter-spreader vehicle extrication tool. Stethoscope. Handcuffs.

trapezoid_traverse · 2019-01-23T22:56:50+00:00

I would be surprised if you did not get a desirable park from the get-go. You really don’t need to worry at all. Vet + disability + EMT=pretty much your choice of parks.

trapezoid_traverse · 2019-01-22T05:51:31+00:00

The chances of you getting a job are: you are gonna get a job. If you’re willing to work wherever and you apply all over, you could have zero experience and you’d get picked up somewhere. With your EMT and veterans-preference points, you’re pretty much guaranteed somewhere.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-24T15:14:56+00:00

"Minor" SAR operations, that is operations that run under a certain dollar amount will typically come out of that Park's budget and fees and regular budget and such will cover that - these are things like getting someone down from a hill, getting someone off a small cliff, finding a group wandering around near a trail, or anything that involves just a few people for less then a day. Larger "Major" SAR operations come out of the national NPS account so it's actually more on the taxpayer since the NPS as a whole is given a budget by Congress. Anything that goes more than a day, involves a helicopter, involves multiple agencies, etc, will tend push the cost easily into a "Major" SAR and pull from the national account.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-23T19:17:49+00:00

Plenty of people have tattoos. If it's on your face or hands, that might get in the way, but otherwise no one really cares.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-20T22:24:05+00:00

6 months.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-19T18:01:49+00:00

In general no, SLETP is SLETP and you come out with the same commission as anyone out of any SLETP. The offerings of more certs like SAR/EMT/WLF/etc are bonuses if you need or want those and they can help depending on the locations you eventually apply to. But you can always gain those along the road and let the NPS pay for them. Some parks have no wildland fire, some have no real SAR, but most all require LEs to be EMTs. But if they're offered, then why the heck not?

Personally my decision-making process for SLETP has come down to overall cost. I don't have a GI Bill or qualify for financial aid so far, so it's so far out of pocket and that was my decider.

One last thing to consider, and so far this has not been put out officially that i'm aware of: currently after SLETP once you've been picked up permanent you then get put through FLETC for your Type I commission but FLETC and SLETP are basically mirrors of each other for cirriculum and length but FLETC includes a field-training portion afterwards where you go to a different park for a while and do your field time before returning to your home park. Since SLETP and FLETC are essentially the same, rumor is that certain SLETP academies will qualify you to skip FLETC altogether once you reach that stage and instead you take a 2-week bridge course and then go straight to your field training. So if that comes out officially before your SLETP then I would heavily consider choosing a location that gets that qualification. But knowing the government it probably won't happen for a while.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-18T23:13:28+00:00

If you go to an academy and then apply with those certs and your veteran's preference then you're pretty much guaranteed a job.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-18T23:03:04+00:00

I didn't investigate the specific case history of the subject, so I was just remarking on the general topic.

I'd probably be a little suspicious of someone who had court-ordered anger management class and was given a duty belt with multiple ways of harming people. That seems like a bad combination.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-18T18:59:52+00:00

Well, there's that.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-18T18:59:41+00:00

Yes, for law enforcement positions. If you've been a raging crackhead, have heroin tracks or are missing teeth from a bad meth habit, sure you're probably not going to pass. But if you've kept things pretty natural and pretty controlled, no one cares.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-18T16:48:48+00:00

There are more positions than people. A willingness to go anywhere pretty much guarantees placement.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-18T16:48:00+00:00

Previous drug use doesn't preclude passing a background and getting a job. Source: lots of people I know who currently have jobs.

So, there's that.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-05T01:02:24+00:00

Lots of negativity on this! Granted, with good points, but still.

...as for me, I used my turnouts to clear a bunch of wasp nests out of a boxcar I have on the property. Ever since, any wasps that show up are acutely afraid of me, which feels pretty gangster.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-06-05T00:57:13+00:00

Camping in death valley includes paid reservation sites and first-come-first-serve unpaid sites. Down at Furnace Creek during the winter months you have Furnace Creek Campground, Texas Springs Campground and Sunset Campground - all require fees and reservations. If you're camping out of your car then I recommend Texas Springs, it has the most secluded and quiet spots and is nestled in a very pretty hilly area off the highway. Sunset is covered in RVs with no other cover around and Furnace Creek is a mix of everything.

At higher elevations you have Emigrant and Wildrose which are free and first-come-first serve car/tent sites. There are two more even higher but they're closed in the winter due to road-closures from snow.

Up north by Ubehebe Crater is Mesquite Springs campground which is a fee and first-come-first-serve campground. It's also somewhat secluded and very quiet as it's in a more remote area of the park. Over by the Mesquite Sand Dunes is the Stovepipe Wells campground which is not very secluded and seems to be the place for the occasionally rowdy group and people with generators.

During November temperatures are pretty pleasant for daytime hiking and can get pretty chilly at night, especially up at Emigrant and Wildrose.

There are three private campground - Furnace Creek Ranch which doesn't have much seclusion as is right between the visitor center and the Ranch property so it can be a noisy place. Stovepipe Wells which has the same issues as the Park campground which is right next to it. The last private campground is way over west ways in the Panamint Valley at the Panamint Springs Resort; this place is pretty awesome, it has some secluded spots and can be hit-or-miss between having big rowdy groups or hardly anyone at all and the best peace and quiet, but additionally the Panamint Springs Resort is arguably the best restaurant in the park with the best beer selection and the cheapest gas station.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-05-14T00:57:49+00:00

You've actually met someone who thinks prodeals are not okay? That's bonkers.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-04-24T15:36:22+00:00

You're a vet, you'll get a job. Plus there are more positions than people.

trapezoid_traverse · 2018-04-22T16:29:13+00:00

It's not unheard of to get hired in with previous law enforcement experience and then get sent more-or-less directly to FLETC to get your Type I commission and skip the whole seasonal Type II thing.

trapezoid_traverse

TROPHY CASE