Hey everyone. Does anyone have more information on the CAL FIRE Forestry Technician position. I heard you go to FFA? Part of CNR/CSR Fuels Crews? Looking to get as much information as I can. Shifts 72’s? Availability for OT? Respond to incidents, in ECT’s? . Locations of sights? Things like that. Also heard the are letting members of the crew leave as LT’s or FF1’s back to units for the summer (LT FF1 Kinda) in sense.
Really appreciate it!
Permanent CAL FIRE employees, 4 10 hour days, no OT or very little. Goal is each CAL FIRE unit will have one. Work for Region now, but January 2020 assigned to the Units. Will be in a VNC style crew transport that holds 10. Not supposed to be going to incidents. Hired to do fuel reduction year round that’s it. As a perm employee they can take LT assignments. Some have left to go to FF1 jobs as the pay and working conditions aren’t whst they expected.
Curious. Whats the salary?
Do LT’s get the FFA?
Yes
All Calfire FAE LT & Perm get FFA & COA
I’m sorry I wasn’t specific, I meant do LT Forestry Tech’s go to FFA
Cannot be considered Permanent until you attend and pass FFA. So unless you are hired and sent immediately to FFA you will be LT.
That answers my question! Thank you! I received a call and it stated it was for a perm… pause… then said LT position. I just want to make sure I am making the right decision for my family.
There aren’t LT forestry techs. They cycle through FFA as slots become available.
Did you just get the call? When did you interview?
I did just receive a call, I was already on the previous list.
Any updates from boots on the ground as to how the Fuels crews are doing? Ive heard reviews from the field that its a perm job and that’s about it. Have they hired any CalTrans operator IIs from the list and put them too work? Any info would be nice. I met a crew in MMU from Ventura and the consensus was they all wanted out. I can appreciate perm jobs and im sure many people are grateful for the work. Thanks
HEO’s working, no Fuels crew in Ventura. That may be the Ventura Training Center Crew comprised of participants who recently paroled from CDCR. The second Ventura Crew just graduated and the ST is currently committed. They are perm employees of CCC and getting paid a stipend unless on an incident. Fuels Crew Forestry Techs are perm CAL FIRE employees.
Hey thank you, that makes more sense! Appreciate you putting that together for me
4, 10 hour shifts 7-1730hrs, unpaid 30 minute lunch, VERY little OT, and when you are in travel status you got to go out of pocket for food and lodging (get your CALATERS on!). ALSO, not portal-to-portal. There is no housing, so you have to live somewhat close to the work center.
The work is arduous. Cutting and chipping all day. FFA for Forestry techs. FFA and COA for forestry assistant II’s. Engineers so far are non JAC and work a crew captain’s schedule. Captains do not get 10% extra for running a crew.
I heard crew 361 out of Riverside went to the 46 fire and worked hotline. I think once the crews transition from region to unit you will be seeing them on more fires.
I saw them there with my own eyes. I personally think the long term goal is to get them typed out in order to supplement the CDCR crews that are having a hard time with staffing.
How’d they look? Any good?
Affirm. Good tool out, looked professional and good to go. I didn’t get to see them work as I was moving to another area at that point but they looked ready to get after it.
The FAEs are on JAC… retro’d to their hire dates. It has been fixed.
Also… word is that come January the fuels crews WILL become unit resources.