There are many types of wildland firefighting crews, including engine crews, hand crews, helitack crews and smokejumpers. The hotshot crew is one of the most elite crews to join, which means you’ll have to work your way up to this position. These positions are few and you will most likely be employed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Here’s how to get a job on a hotshot crew.
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Training
During the off season consider taking a class or getting your firefighter certification Texas. Showing your dedication to the profession through acquiring skills will help you stand out when you do fill out an application. You may also want to consider getting an EMT certification to help you stand out from other applicants. With hundreds of applications to sort through, you want to make yourself shine as much as possible.
Experience
Getting a position on a hotshot crew takes time and experience on other crews before they will consider you. There are other wildland firefighting crews you can work on to prepare you for a spot on a hotshot crew. One of the best crews to join first is the hand crew. Your physical fitness must stand out to help you gain traction in your firefighting career. You may also decide to start out on an engine crew. Although the hand crew techniques are more similar to the hotshot crew, it doesn’t hurt to have a well rounded background in firefighting.
Get Personal
If you know what hotshot wIldland crew you want to work on, find out who the superintendent is and talk to them. You can attempt to contact them by phone or by walking in to greet them in person. Do you think your physical fitness is as high as it should be? Consider asking them if you can join a training run. This will show them your dedication to the career and give you a chance to impress your potential future crew members.
Apply
Job applications can be filled out online. The most important thing is to take your time and personalize each application. Why do you want to work for a specific crew? Tell them in the application. List all of your certifications and previous firefighting experience to give yourself the best shot at landing a position.
If a hotshot crew is your dream career, you can make it happen by following the steps above.
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