Employment Information

Sawtooth National Forest
Sawtooth Interagency Hotshot Crew
2647 Kimberly Rd. E.
Twin Falls, Id. 83301
Superintendent: 208-737-3265 or email - tbates@fs.fed.us
Assistant Superintendent: 208-737-3281/3282 or email - kbell@fs.fed.us
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sawtooth/hotshotsindex.htm

• The Job
• Selection Requirements
• Training
• Accommodations
• What Applicants Should Know
• Employment/Application Information

The interagency hotshot crew is a fully equipped, response ready, twenty-person team with a primary purpose of wild land fire suppression.  Hotshot crews are also available for other disaster assistance work if required.  Regardless of the specific assignment, work consists of extended periods of physically demanding labor under difficult environmental conditions.  Because of their high level organization, training and capabilities, hotshot crews find themselves assigned to the most demanding tasks.  Assignment to emergency incidents requires extensive travel.  Hotshot crews can and do travel to all regions of the U.S.  and are available for international requests for assistance.  Living conditions while on assignments are primitive.  Hot meals, soft beds and bathing are not high priorities.  Field assignments away from home base can extend beyond a month.  Daily work shifts can be 16 hours in length and in some instances much longer.  Routine sleep deprivation is probable.  When not assigned to an emergency incident, the crew will undertake various work projects in support of natural resource management programs.  Unassigned time may be dedicated to training.

Selection Requirements

Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of hire and provide proof of U.S. citizenship.

Physical Fitness - The Sawtooth Hotshots place a great deal of emphasis on physical conditioning; the job will demand it.  Personal safety may depend on an ability to effectively respond to rapidly changing situations while under extreme physical and emotional stress.  The successful applicant will be able to describe in detail his/her personal conditioning program and may want to provide test results or any other quantitative evidence of fitness levels.  A high level of physical fitness is required before the start of fire season.  A medical examination may be required prior to employment.  Physical fitness assessment will take place on the first day of hotshot training.  Expectations are as follows:
 

• 1.5 Mile run in 10:35 min. or less
• Chin-ups, minimum or 7.  Situps, 40 in one minute. Pushups, 25 in one minute.
• Fire line dig, 1.5 chains (99 feet) of fireline 3 feet wide in light grass in one hour or less.
• Three mile hike with 1,000 feet of elevation gain while carrying a 50 lb. pack in 50 minutes or less.

Experience/Education- 80% of the crew must have previous wild land fire experience.  In past years the Sawtooth IHC has reserved up to two positions for inexperienced candidates.  This option may be exercised for the 2003 season.  Potential to perform is considered closely.  Any individual who considers him/herself ideally suited to the position is encouraged to apply.

Training

The Sawtooth IHC provides 80 hours of training prior to assignment availability.  This initial required training includes classroom and field exercises that ensure safety awareness and effective crew operations.  In addition to what is often refresher or repeat training, the Sawtooth crew usually attempts to provide National Wildfire Coordination Group certified S & I-200 level courses in an effort to build the skills base of the crew and the credentials of individual crewmembers.  The ability to complete this additional training is dependent on the workload of the season.

Physical conditioning is another element of training that the Sawtooth IHC considers essential to safe and effective operations.  Crewmembers can expect from one to two hours of physical conditioning daily.  This training will include aerobic activity in the form of running, hiking, swimming and team competition.  Strength and muscle endurance conditioning will be addressed through weight training, calisthenics, stretching and job specific exercises.

Accommodations

The Sawtooth Hotshots are based in the city of Twin Falls in south central Idaho.  Southern Idaho is comprised mostly of arid high desert sage and grasslands.  Twin Falls and its surroundings are typical of the region.  Terrain is flat to rolling with mountains bordering the north and south.  Most of the suitable land has been developed for agriculture and that industry is the basis for the local economy.  Twin Falls is a full service community of just over 30,000 people and serves as the major center of commerce for the region.

There is no government housing available and crewmembers are responsible for securing their own lodging.  Crew management advertises for rental opportunities prior to the fire season and then provides a list of potential housing to crewmembers.  Many crewmembers choose to share housing arrangements making rental costs very reasonable.  The housing situation has been successfully managed to the satisfaction and approval of crewmembers in the past.

Recreational opportunities abound in southern Idaho for the sportsman, hiker, cyclist, boater, golfer and many others.  The Twin Falls District of the Sawtooth National Forest provides excellent hiking, cycling and equestrian trails.  Three hundred feet below the surrounding terrain and the streets of Twin Falls, the Snake River flows through the majestic Snake River Canyon.  The Snake River provides opportunities for swimming, boating and fishing.  To the north 75 miles is the famous resort of Sun Valley and just beyond that the beautiful Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Applicants should realize that personal travel on days off is restricted by the need to be available for emergency response.  The crew is constantly "on call".  Pagers are commonly carried allowing for more personal freedom.

The Sawtooth Hotshots share storage, training and administrative space with the Twin Falls District Ranger's office and the Sawtooth National Forest Supervisor's office.

What Applicants Should Know
The Inside Story on The Sawtooth IHC

The Sawtooth Interagency Hotshot Crew is a service directed team.  We endeavor to provide the highest quality results with distinctive no-nonsense, independent reliability.  We are looking for a very few good people.  The work is guaranteed to be difficult, exhausting physical labor, day in, day out.  Life experience of crewmembers commonly includes histories of difficult manual labor and/or extensive and intense athletic training.    These backgrounds offer an anchor or reference when the job calls for reserve and resolve. The successful crewmember willingly understands and adheres to the obligations of duty and service.  We are employees of the U.S. taxpayer and will honestly earn those tax dollars.  The Sawtooth Hotshots will routinely volunteer for tasks that other crews avoid.  (All assignments are evaluated for safety).  Like an aggressive private business, we compete to provide the most comprehensive and efficient service. We'll hike the farthest and stay the longest.  We endure discomforts with a smile and a proud proclamation that we would gladly do it again.  We love the dirt, the sun, the rain, the heat, the cold, bad food and big flame.  There are no obstacles,  only opportunities for adventure and solutions.

The Sawtooth IHC strives to build on a reputation and image of competent, professional organization.  While not militarily rigid,  this organization is at times too confining for some individuals.  Conduct, uniform and grooming policies are part of our tradition and success.  The crew is generally a tight-knit group and an atmosphere of honesty and free expression prevails.  Crewmembers are selected from all regions of the country and represent a diverse range of thought, beliefs and background.

Employment/Application Information

The Sawtooth Hotshots will be seeking to fill crew positions for the 2003 fire season.  The fire season for the Sawtooth IHC begins mid-May and extends to early October.  Crewmembers must be able to commit themselves to this full time period.  Those desiring work beyond early October have in the past been placed.  Crewmembers will be compensated at the GS-05 ($12.31/hr) or GS-04 ($11.00/hr) or GS-03 ($9.79/hr) level depending on qualifications.  Overtime (over 8 hours/day), is compensated at base pay +  50%.  Hazard Duty (uncontrolled fire) is compensated at base pay +  25%.  The Sawtooth IHC's most recent 5-year average is 650 hours of overtime for the season.

The application process will begin with formal announcement scheduled for December 1, 2002.  Interested applicants should obtain the announcement and application package by filling out the form.  The announcement will include instructions and information necessary for completion of the application.  Applications not containing the required information may not be considered for employment.  Applicants should include all qualifying experience when completing applications.  Natural resource management and agriculture experience or education can be considered for qualifications and ratings.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to send (mail or email) a separate letter directly to the Sawtooth IHC Asst. Superintendent explaining thier suitablility for a crew position. If desired, copies of recommendation letters and resumes can also be sent directly to the crew.