Use this thread for all chatter related to COA/FFA discussion and FF1, FF2, FAE, CPT hiring discussion
1 Like
has anyone hear anything about ff2 hiring, new round starts Monday
Bump. Units staffing up to first level of fire season, prepping for single engine per battalion this week.
1 Like
CNR- 1 engine per battalion
CSR- All stations 1 engine
3 Likes
Augmented staffing 3/28-6/30 an additional 1,000 FF1 to be hired for 16 additional FF1 Crews, Rattlesnake Sawyers, and Augmented engine staffing. CSR units of BDU, MVU peak staffing 5/16. Remaining units in the state will go peak 5/30.
4 Likes
I took a perm FAE in RRU and haven’t heard anything about my start date for FFA. Took my job offer in January
1 Like
Heard of multiple FAE offers accepted in CNR also with no academy start. Must be backlogged at both academies.
Weird thing is some guys that I know that also took the job, are getting start dates for the 25th of April.
There is a backlog of available spots in academies and it’s a statewide issue. They are working on finding solutions to get more people in, but that process is yet to be implemented. As far as candidates getting academy dates over others, it could be a multitude of things. They got their paperwork, certificates, etc. turned in faster, didn’t have to wait on certain pre-requisites, gone in order of how phone calls went out, a specific method each unit may have, or it could have been last minute notifications after someone else originally slated dropped out. Either way, I promise you’re not the only person in this situation. It’s actually a blessing to come back as a seasonal, especially at top step, since you’d go into a mid-step engineer, as opposed to being unemployed and going in as a bottom step engineer.
Like I said before, they are working on expanding capacity or frequency, but it’s going to take time. Be patient, your time will be here before you know it.
7 Likes
NAILED IT!
There are 7 additional Academies between April 25 and Thanksgiving.
3 COA (total of 11 in 2022)
4 FFA (Total of 14 in 2022)
Have 100% of your 306 competed and uploaded to Vector Solutions. Including your CPAT & Deivers licenses.
The week of May 9th there are a total of 5 academies
2 COA Ione
2 FFA Ione
1 HFEO Ione
1 FFA Clark
Accept the offers and be prepared 100%.
In my opinion, if you are going to be an FAE, Bite the bullet and get a full Commercial Class B with Haz-Mat & Passenger and a Interstate not INTRAstate license.
8 Likes
2 things Hoss… I bet we will see a lot more FF driver endorsement’s, now especially with the new CDL application and test requirements (don’t you have to go to school now?), second… what’s a Rattlesnake Sawyer? 
2 Likes
Task force Rattlesnake is a cooperation between the National Guard and Cal Fire to provide type 2 crews to the state. Cal Fire FFI’s are used as Sawyers and pullers on these crews.
4 Likes
Correction task force rattlesnake crews are spread through out the state , type 1 hand crews , there supposed to
Go through ishi readiness soon
2 Likes
There will no be solo academies at Ione anymore. Starting April 25th on. Meaning 2 FFA’s and 2 COAS going on at the same time. With staggered starts.
All other classes besides LE and ECC are all moving to Castle. For housing reasons.
Clark will continue the FFAS’s as well.
Also FFA will be shorted to 4 weeks. Stay tuned.
1 Like
I spoke to soon, got my start date for FFA May 9th in ione!
1 Like
good luck all you guys going to FFA, I remember those days in Ione long ago. 
1 Like
The FF endorsement and CDL issue hasn’t even begun to rear its ugly head.
Yes, if you didn’t have a Permit before March 7, 2022. ALL CDL APPLICATIONS IN THE US now require 16hr of behind the wheel driver training from a federal approved truck driving school.
The Rattlesnake crews are 20-40 person California National Guard Type 1 crews with 2 CF FF1 assigned as the Sawyers.
3 Likes
Any word when that shortening of FFA to four weeks will take effect?? Should make it easier to crank out more academies especially if they run multiple simultaneously.
No idea when. However is you have your CSFM FF1 and some other CERT’s you will by pass 3 of the 4 weeks. No idea when, but from my source who is involved with the curriculum, said this year most likely.
1 Like
Most departments have done some type of “lateral transfer” academy. Talking with peers at different depts, the success/fail Rate seems to vary, bit remains around 70% success, 30% fail.
Talking with folks “In The Know” there are still 25% of the accredited academy not teaching the current CSFM FF1 curriculum (2020).
The theory is the student has a baseline of knowledge and only needs to learn the DEPT specific trainings.
To my understanding the training center has all but adopted this revision to training and is in the process of changing the curriculum to reflect it.
Put another way, why send a lateral/open list FF/FAE/FC with
5-10-15yr of experience through 7-21 weeks of trainings. When they person already has CSFM/NFPA FF, Engineer, Company Officer Certifications.
I personally know 6 people who have come from other agencies, both inside & outside of California who have had to attend 21 weeks of training to become a FC-B assigned to a fire camp.
This new, updated training/thought process is to teach the CF specific items and shorten the training period to get more folks to the floor and provide relief for exhausted coworkers.
2 Likes