Smoker Jumper - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Elixir · 04-14-2005, 08:17 AM

this sounds like the job for me, i would love to do what they do. i hear you have to have experience fighting forest fires before you can apply, but how do i get that? i looked around the web and cant find much so i figured id ask here.

anyone have any info or experience on requirements?

Elixir · 04-14-2005, 08:21 AM

haha i spelled htat wrong.

instead of Smoker make it Smoke

**space virgin** · 04-14-2005, 09:32 AM

Eh, I don't know how you go about applying, but one of the biggest Smoke Jumper training facilities is just outside of Missoula, Montana. The reason I know this is that I used to live right by there.

**mowark** · 04-14-2005, 10:48 AM

I don't know either but I have a sweet tshirt from a West Yellowstone Montana brewery called Wolf Pack that has a sweet smoker jumper graphic on it. I know this is in no way useful, but it is kinda topical.

**omisan** · 04-14-2005, 11:11 AM

I hate to endorse a Howie Long flick, and I know it won't help you get the job, but I really enjoyed the movie he was in about smoke jumpers - good action, and just showed off one of the fascinating jobs I'd previously never heard about.

Firestorm (1998)

**TheJake** · 04-14-2005, 11:43 AM

check out ActionJobs.com

it is like coolworks but with better jobs. Yes it costs money but if you are serious about finding a sweet job then that's the place for it. I've had my membership there a long long time.

**blinkchick2134** · 04-14-2005, 11:48 AM

What the heck is a smoke jumper??

**TheJake** · 04-14-2005, 11:52 AM

a "behind enemy lines" fire fighter

they skydive into the fire....

**Tadpole** · 04-14-2005, 12:50 PM

then they do what?

**TheJake** · 04-14-2005, 12:59 PM

burn alive...

no but seriously they drop a bunch of supplies down then jump after them and fight the fire from the inside out. pretty awesome stuff.

I think actionjobs.com has some stories from smoke jumpers.

**mowark** · 04-14-2005, 03:50 PM

It helps to understand if you know that forest fires aren't fought like a house fire. Not as much water is in play. It mostly consists of cutting fire lines (bare spots) and setting counter fires when the wind is right (then you sit tight and hope the wind doesn't shift).

**TimmyJames1976** · 04-14-2005, 04:17 PM

probably any local fire department would have information on that ype of position as well...local to heavily forrested regions that is

**LostFarmboy** · 04-14-2005, 05:33 PM

join a volunteer bush fire brigade to get some experience fighting fires. Dunno if they have them in the cities, but rural areas certainly have them.

**verstehen** · 04-15-2005, 06:02 PM

Farmboy is right, the first step in becoming a smoke jumper is to join a local volunteer fire corps. These come in many varieties with different kinds of work (brush-fires, clearing fire-lines, doing controlled fires/backlighting, etc). They typically require no previous experience and will offer a short training course. Inquire about your local Volunteer Fire Department, they should have the information on basic admissions.

Then, when you've worked enough days in 100 degree heat digging fire trenches, being covered in a blizzard of sawdust by your buddy with the 4ft chainsaw, then riding home at night in a panel van with 15 other stinky, cranky, and absolutely exhausted crew, you might accumulate enough days in the field to qualify you to become a smoke jumper. Different states and different brigades have different rules about how much prior experience you have to have to be eligible. I've never heard of anything shorter than 6th months.

Once you're eligible to apply as a jumper, you have to begin a fairly intense training stint after which it's decided if you're cut out for the deal.

Again, it changes from state to state and county to county, but that's a rough outline. As I said in the beginning, go to your nearest volunteer fire station and start asking questions. They'll point you to where you need to go in your specific community.

A word of warning though, smoke jumping can be a glorious adventure, but it's also back-breaking work even when you're not being dropped into the heart of a fire. When that happens, far to often it's no longer so much about doing a job, but rather finding a way to get out alive.

There is certainly glory to be had, but the price is often far too high.

Good luck and don't make this decision lightly.

**LostFarmboy** · 04-15-2005, 11:40 PM

Quote:

There is certainly glory to be had, but the price is often far too high.

Good luck and don't make this decision lightly.

very wise words