#99, What If You Call For Help And No One Comes?
Bobbie Scopa
If you’re reading this, I hope you know that our society is at a crossroads. We’re at a point that the largest wildland firefighting force… the US Forest Service is hemorrhaging firefighters right now. And they may be about to lose many more. Did you know that our federal firefighters are some of the lowest paid firefighters in the country. Yes, that’s right. The firefighters on those federal fire engines and hotshots crews and smokejumpers and rappellers… yea they normally make less than most of the other personnel assigned to a wildfire. And that includes everyone in a support role back in camp. Listen in to this episode and do what you can to support your federal wildland firefighters. Join Grassroots Wildland Fire Fighters and be an advocate. Or if you’re an employee, also join the union. It’s going to be a rough ride ahead.
Agency attrition has actually been lower than average the last couple of years. Not sure if the subset of fire employees is much different than for the agency overall. Are lower-graded employees finding it more difficult to live in high-cost areas, especially So. Cal.? Absolutely. Does CalFire compete with the FS for employees? Of course, as they always have. There are many issues with how the federal pay scale has not kept up with the cost of living, which affects all employees but especially the entry level/lower pay grade employees. You make a comment about how many of the firefighters make less than the other personnel assigned to a fire incident, which is true when a GS-11 or GS-12 is used for a job that would be significantly below their pay level, like a check-in recorder, a supply unit person, or maybe as a pick-up truck driver in the transportation unit. Unfortunately, this is where you will find our “militia” now, as most non-fire employees are not trained or allowed to participate as actual firefighters, and it’s been that way for a number of years now, in my opinion. Once Congress decides to provide adequate funding, many of these issues can be addressed. Many of these issues you bring up have evolved over many years, and as is often the case, will get addressed only under some version of a crisis. Again, just my humble opinion.
Gene, Appreciate your thoughful comment. It’s not just the GS 11s working in plans that are making more than our firefighters. Contractors on engines, driving WTs, working in the kitchen, cleaning the wash stations, etc etc. Contractors are making way more than our GS 5 and 6s. The differences are stark. And housing is a huge issue nationwide for all our employees. As for the non-fire employees working in fire, that ship sailed years ago. Everyone’s concerned about meeting their targets. Competing targets are killing the agency. I think fire is the biggest threat to the agency. Again, thanks for commenting.