Having FC-B’s and having QUALIFIED FC-B’s are very different things. The experience level of the entire CALFIRE workforce is 7.0yr as of July 5th, 2023. OV Camp has always been a very Transitory camp due to its location. I believe the longest tenured FC at OV is 5yr with multiple Type 2 FC requiring a 2nd FC as safety till the 214 process has been completed and the FC typed out.
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Not to mention qualified FC-Bs that are also qualified STCRs
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I’d love to know where there is a CAMP that still has 9 FCB working at that location.
Many have been loaned out to upstaff CENTERS etc.
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CCC Fire generated 30-some-odd Type I Crews with IA Strike engine support last time. With a nod from Cal Fire, I think that would be a good number to hit this year. In principle these Type I Crews stiffen up Region V’s understaff. Might free up some air mobile Hotshots to support NF Operations. They do a lot more hose work than I ever saw in 91-92. IIRC, the Butte Fire Center CLT graduating class hadn’t done a lot of Type 3 Engine training as commonly as the start of the Cal Fire era.
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Not sure what IA strike engines, or air mobile hotshots are, but the CF/CCC Crew model has nothing to do with R5 or NF. They were stood up to supplement the loss from 212 CDCR crews to the current 141 or 142 crews in the CF system, too include CDCR, DJJ, CCC and FF.
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I feel like resource requirements for state and local commitments adding up to staying the course in a Nina fire season scenario makes sense. CCC usually step up in the budget crunches because its a 3 year commitment at max. You can sidestep a lot of immediate federal problems. I could be wrong. This is one of the things CCC raised the flag for, in the first place.
Never mind the fact that CALFIRE crews, of whatever signia, aren’t filled with type 1 quals. Where are the squad bosses? They can’t be split, unless in ST configuration. They still aren’t type 1 by any other agency standards.
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The advantage of a Type 2 crew, or even Type 2IA, is cross training. The same crew fills sandbags, digs snow, makes trail and cuts line, maybe a few ride in engines. It’s like, when you’ve run out of CCC, in CA, well, the next line is Cal Guard, whole another kettle of fish. But Cal Guard rolls to Federal incidents, all the same. Nothing to lose, really, if the Cs still hit 1.3 dollar redeemed for dollars spent budget touchdowns.
All of the CCC, CMD and CF FF1 crews can be broke up.
Each crew has a T1 FC that has attended the CF Crew Mod A & B classes. Additionally, they each have a FAE that is working towards their CRWB qualifications and also attended the CF Mod A & Mod B classes. Finally, those FC & FAE get priority training assignments for S-234, S-330, S-339. Most of the STCR leaders come from the camp/crew program and are fully qualified CRWB with no restrictions.
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Hehe… Now called the FCCA.
Fire Crew Captain Academy. (FAE as well)
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A Type 2 Crew composed of 2 CCC Unit crews of 8 each is, effectively, pre-broke and can operate as squads with a C1 CRWB, CRWB. Even unto ICT5 FF1 led parties filling squad orders.
This is a discussion we’ve had every year for years. The specs were written and then modified because of jealousy. And when it was discovered the IHC couldn’t meet the specs there was a new invention T2IA. At this time of year in California when CF, CCC and LG are fielding T1 fire the naysayers come out.
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The Staffing on the CCC crews at the CF operated facilities
1 C1
1 FC
1 FAE
15 CCC members
All of the CCC members (C1 & Corp members) have SFT 1C(wildland) the FC & FAE have been to FCCA (
4711).
The FAE’s are working on their CRWB taskbook, or have completed it. Additionally, the FAE are considered apprentices and have the same SUB-JAC requirements that all FAE’s graduating COA have to compete in 3yr.
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Considering the number of Federal Employees that have made the switch to CF and LG the last few years. The number of fully staffed and qualified IHC in R5 in 2024 will NOT be what there was in years past, even 2023. On 3/25/23 an academy of at least 40 and potentially as many as 50 will start a SFT/IFSAC FF1 Academy at Castle Training Center. All have accepted permanent jobs with CF.
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That pretty much sums it up!
“Nobody seemed to care about additional quals when we showed up in the early season or late season. They were just glad we were there and ready to go to work”. Quote from Capt4711
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LOL thank you
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Helicopters can transport anybody, but dropping a crew into the green is more complicated than passing buckets. LACoFD crew step off the skids onto the fireline, on top of spotfires and off cliffs. Hotshots in ANF are all that, and a bag of chips. In the abstract, its possible Initial Attack, is really about the state of the incident, than the crew. Also, T2s can ride in helicopters like anybody else. We all know there is a ton of ‘off-season’ work that must be done to even meet established goals for veg management and readiness for the season.
When your at 2/3 cap, theres a lot of line you aren’t cutting. Just plain line and break. You don’t really need T1 for that, but if you DONT do it, your gonna need them T1 later.
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Random sample of calls in the last week. How many will be T1s or T2s? Thats more applications than any one academy can fill. How many would travel? Most IHC are in the SoCal Transverse Ranges, where the biggest hiring problem for T1s seems to be. So, maybe T2IA it isn’t such a big deal that T2 wouldn’t do for a small number of State and LG, that a T2 with a season would consider going to FS/BLM anyways, even if it was a T2 or T2IA, not a T1 crew.
This rules, though.
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The double edge sword that is the SoCal Forests. Over half of California’s population reside in the 7 southern counties. Yet over half & close to 2/3rds of the jobs for CF & BLM/FS are outside of that area. Even with all that population jobs still go unfilled. It’s just not CF & The Federal agencies that have this problem.
Why is that the case?
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