Fire/Fuels Technician 1-2

Job Title: Fire/Fuels Technician 1-2 (FFT2)
Department: NR/Fire-Fuels Program
Reports To: Fire/Fuels AFMO Operation/Crew Lead

INTRODUCTION:
The incumbent helps with a variety of fire/fuels management activities; such as, fire suppression, prescribed fire, mechanical fuel treatments, project monitoring, and data collection (forestry or fuels) on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. Incumbent functions as a fire/fuels technician, performing duties with more experienced co-workers and under the supervision of the crew lead or Supervisory Technician. This position is subject to medical screening and annual physical fitness testing at the arduous level as a condition of employment.

MAJOR DUTIES:

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Fire/Fuels Technician III, the designated project leader or Supervisory Technician. Other supervision may be designated on wildfire assignments of specific project. The supervisor specifies the immediate objectives, scope of the assignment, deadlines to be met, resources available, and works closely with employee in unusual situations that lack clear precedents. Work is reviewed by the Fire/Fuels Technician III or designated project leader at appropriate intervals for technical accuracy, accomplishment of objectives and coordinating with other natural resource activities. The incumbent will work with other seasonal personnel to ensure projects are performed in a timely manner. No supervisory responsibilities.

GUIDELINES:
Procedures for doing the work have been established and a number of specific guidelines exists such as oral instructions, standing operating procedures, maps, equipment manuals, health and safety codes, Wildland Fire and Aviation Program Management and Operations Guide (Red Book), field operations guides, and training prior to actual fire suppression, prescribed fire and fuels management activities; referring needed deviations or questions to the supervisor or higher graded employee who is available while performing activities. Specific tasks, use of tools and methods and sequence in which tasks are to be done are determined by evaluation of the situation and issue involved. This work requires the employee to recognize which of several techniques and procedures is best suited to the specific situation encountered. Actions taken vary dependent upon the terrain, intensity of fire, fuel availability, wind velocity and resource values.

SCOPE AND EFFECT:

Contacts are primarily with other members of the fire/fuels staff, the supervisor and others in the forestry organization. Contacts are made to exchange information about the immediate work situation in which crewmembers are to receive instructions and to clarify how the work is to be done.

Arduous: Duties include rigorous fieldwork requiring above average physical performance, endurance and superior conditioning. Work requires prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items and similar strenuous activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity. Duties include some strenuous activities in emergencies under adverse environmental conditions and over extended periods of time. Operation of some specialized fire equipment can place extended physical stress. Incumbent is subject to a medical examination and must annually pass the work capacity test for arduous positions.

The work is primarily performed outdoors in forest environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky or covered by vegetation. Temperatures may exceed 100 degrees F and fall well below freezing. Risks include dust, smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise and falling and rolling material. Personnel must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor work situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. The hazardous nature of certain jobs requires that protective clothing be worn (hard hat, gloves, leather boots, flame resistant clothing and other personal protective equipment). Work requires travel by vehicle and/or foot.

Work to improve knowledge of fire behavior, fire suppression, and hazard fuel reduction in wildland and urban settings. Initiate internal position task book and wildfire position task books. Evaluations will determine if the incumbent has successfully completed all the duties and requirements specified in this position description.