![[Banner] US Forest Service, Fire & Aviation Management, Redmond Interagency Hotshots.](images/ihc_redmond_content.jpg)
Training Concepts and Goals
The program's goal is to present fire suppression and fuels management subjects in the classroom, on the fireline, and in the field - through direct experience. The goal of this employee development program is to structure a high quality learning experience for motivating career employees, who are recruited from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Natural Resource, Oregon Department of Forestry, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and other wildland agencies to handle supervisory positions in fire management. The crew is headquartered at the Pacific Northwest Training Center, which includes three 13-person dormitories and two fully-equipped classrooms.
Physical Conditioning
All selected candidates will be expected to report to duty capable of performing the following:- Pack test (45 lbs., 3 miles, 45 min.)
- The 11/2-mile run in less than 11 minutes 40 seconds
- Pull-ups to fitness and work capacity standards
- 25 push-ups
- 45 sit-ups
Emphasis is placed on a daily 
exercise
routine, including warming up, stretching, and running. Aerobic fitness
is stressed, and all crewmembers will make a three to five mile run. This
fitness program will begin the first day of work and continue every day
- unless assigned to a fire - until the crew is released from duty.
Formal Training
The intention of the training program is to develop employee skills for supervisory and fireline positions. Individual training plans will be prepared for each crewmember to determine actual training needs. Targeted training will include those courses leading to the Single Resource Boss, Crew Boss position and other specialty positions in the ICS organization, dependent on the crewmember's background and career objectives.
The recommended time required
to conduct each course will be used as a guide,
but will vary by the knowledge level of the trainees. Instruction is designed
for complete subject coverage, but course content will be geared to the
individual trainee. The hotshot program is committed to both the trainee
and the sending unit, to provide a basic training curriculum regardless
of fire season severity. The trainee can expect to complete a majority
of the scheduled courses.
In addition to formal instruction, on-the-job training is given first priority by crew supervisors during fire suppression and prescribed burning assignments.
For more information
on the Redmond IHC,
e-mail Michael Muehlbauer