I believe the feds have a age requirement. max age of 37 in and 57 out.
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Those pesky forestry techs who risk there lives for the work they do in the Dept of Agriculture are pushing the pay curve lower making the agency one of the lowest paid in federal service.
Wonder when Entry level Wildland firefighters will be paid more than just minimum wage workers.
https://www.fedsmith.com/2019/08/06/agencies-highest-lowest-average-salary/
Afirm. Front line boots have to not have reached 37th birthday to be hired due to retirement off frontline at 57. But, if any previous fed/military time, can be used to lower age. Have to put in 20 years to get retirement. Desk jobs and other positions are different retirement calcs. Kinda BS. But, Fed can do 20 years then go to Cal Fire/local gov and double dip.
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A lot goes into your questions. Short answer is yes you can If you meet the position requirements. I’ve seen LG and other non feds move into Gs-11,12 and 13 positions.
Typically, but not always a GS-11 is a Division Chief (manages a Ranger District). A GS-12 is usually a Dep Forest Fire Chief on a NF. A GS-13 is usually a Forest Fire Chief.
All those positions are secondary Firefighter retirement. Meaning you can work past 57 if you never had at least 3 years as a primary firefighter. 3 years of primary are required to be firefighter retirement eligible, plus you need 17 years of secondary to be firefighter retirement eligible.
The positions do have opm and other qualification requirements. The GS-11 requires you to be currently DIVS and RXB2 or ICT3 qualified and completed the class M581.
The GS-12 and GS-13 positions shown above require you to have been once qualified as that, currency not required, plus M-581.
The answer is yes. Some can. Depends mostly on your qualifications, job history and how you write your application.
Do a search through usajobs. Here is the position requirements.
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Yes I would love to hear what the overhead have to say on this thread! When I haven’t seen my husband in a flippin month! Oh but you bet the feds bottom dollar that they actually expect to be able to get ahold of my forestry technician even on his only two days of RR after being gone with zero contact for 29 days… can’t stand for the injustice of it all. Disgusting.
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@milehighbar…I am responding to your post, CAL FIRE Forestry Technician? Fuels Crew? here because my response is better suited for this thread.
Similar to something we discussed earlier this year, until the FS leadership begins to view their personnel as true wildland fire personnel are things going to improve in the pay and retention arena. This is not just a Vallejo issue, although they certainly do deserve a major head knocking, but Washington needs to change their thinking, if they do, as well.
While I by no means understand the full scope within the Federal ranks of job satisfaction and correspondingly retention, pay and recognition certainly plays into the mix. It is high time, our brothers and sisters in the Federal ranks be treated as the wildland professionals that they are!
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Thanks. Washington needs to be educated by Vallejoians.
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Forests laying off Apprentices while still in fire season reminds me of a couple years ago during the Thomas Fire when FS Vallejo was upset people were laid off, asked to come back as a AD and mad because people had to take a vacation or going to lose the leave. Get your act together Vallejo. You’re managing as if it’s 1910 or 1950. Know your organization, understand the issues, support your firefighters or move along.
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I wonder the reaction of young men and women when they see an article about becoming a Wildland Firefighter and read that starting pay is $11-13 dollars an hour? How many potential applicants do we lose before they even begin to apply?
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Apply with CAL-Fire is what I tell everyone. Top step seasonal FF1 brings in 6k a month before taxes. Thats working 3 days a week. The state is making long strides in improving benefits for their firefighters, albeit there are still staffing problems. When it comes to the feds, im at a loss, but they should look at what california is doing. Such potential for an awesome career but really not worth the risk and time/money. I wanted to be a hot shot but could not justify the career choice. You can get similar experience on Helitack with CAL-Fire and get paid twice as much.
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I do the same and encourage all to test for LG departments as well.
If Feds are not going to step up and get wages considerably above minimum wage, they will ultimately pay the price.
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Tomorrow is Monday December 2, 2019. I wonder what federal leadership will do tomorrow in support of federal wildland firefighters?
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Forest Service FAM BOD and FAM Committees are meeting this week in Sacramento. I wonder if anything will be announced by Vallejo and the Chiefs in support of Federal Wildland Firefighters?
If no progress this week, next week should be the week to identify individuals who are providing barriers to progressing forward on these issues and establish a no confidence petition and send it to USDA Under Secretary for NRE.
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Today’s discussion at the FAM meeting in Sac was about yesterday’s post on the OPM article and minimum wages. Not too much progress I take it was made so far if the focus today by FS leadership was minimum wage in states that would help Federal Wildland Firefighters get to, minimum wage.
Anyone at the meetings have anything to report?
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sometimes the work you do as a hotshot is done because of the hard work, the low pay and the miserable conditions…and i beg to differ on the experience can be grabbed on a helitack crew, some things are worth doin’ that money can’t buy, a passion for the work will leave you content after its all done and said if you choose the right path for yourself
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None of that feeds people’s kids. Sorry to be harsh but that’s also a fact.
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House Dems hold the line and negotiate for 12 weeks of paid parental leave in return agree to officially create the Space Force (or whatever it’s called) under the US Air Force. Current federal law allows for what is commonly know as family leave, however vacation or sick leave must be used. With this new law administrative leave or some equivalent to that will be used.
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Most fed wildland firefighters have the passion for the job! However that’s why the government loves us, they think we’re cheap “anything below a GS 11 is cheap and low skilled labor.” Do not believe a line officer has the same “shared risk” as a fireline supervisor, IC or a burnboss. Watch your back! Just Saying
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Good observation. I’ve had two GS-11’s tell me over the past month they’re strongly considering accepting an anticipated offer coming soon to leave the feds. One of the two is not eligible for fed retirement. The other would get a minimal fed retirement.
Although we had a lot of help along the way from the non fire types for this downfall, it’s time to take a look in the mirror and come to the reality that; we did this to ourselves.
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