Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Fire & Aviation - Siskiyou Rappel Crew

Training | Operations | History | Recruitment & Hiring

2002 Rappel Crew

The Siskiyou Rappel Crew is one of five rappel programs sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Region 6. The demands of the job require crewmembers to be highly motivated, physically fit Type I firefighters. This program provides safe and efficient aviation management in support of wildland fire operations.

The Siskiyou Helibase is located in Grants Pass Oregon, which is located in the southwest corner of the state. The Siskiyou National Forest is host to a 16 person Regional Initial Attack Rappel crew.

Rappelling is a fast and efficient way of getting to fires in remote areas. Firefighters rappel from helicopters hovering up to 250 feet above the ground. Typical fires are lightning caused, generally small in size and require two to four people one to two days to suppress. Rappellers remain on the fire until it is declared out and routinely pack out with gear weighing 80 to 110 lbs to the nearest pickup point.

Rappelling is only one aspect of the job. In addition to initial attack duties the crew performs traditional helitack duties on large fire assignments. During periods of low fire activity the crew performs project work at the helibase and on the Forest Districts. There are opportunities for off forest overhead or other assignments depending on local needs and conditions.

TRAINING

Crewmembers receive aviation, fire and physical training. Rookies and veterans report at the beginning of June and receive four weeks of intensive training.

The first week is devoted to general topics including CPR, First Aid, fire safety and initial attack roles. The second week covers S-217 Helicopter Crewmember.

The next two weeks of training involves rappel training. Crewmembers start with ground training, progress to rappel simulator training and complete the training by accomplishing 8 procedurally correct controlled descents from a hovering helicopter.

Even though our primary mission is initial attack the crew is trained to fill large fire support roles from Helicopter Crewmember to Helibase Manager.

Each morning starts with one hour of crew physical training. This training emphasizes running, packing, flexibility, strength and endurance. Physical conditioning is integral to the safe and efficient performance of a very demanding job. The crew can expect a variety of other opportunities for training to include chainsaw and felling, sewing design and fabrication, 100 and 200 level S courses, pump operations, and prescribed fire projects. The goal of our training is to develop physically fit individuals skilled at initial attack, rappelling, large fire helicopter support and prescribed fire. This allows them to perform the various tasks required in wildland fire operations.

OPERATIONS

The Siskiyou receives a moderate number of lightning caused fires. A typical fire is less than half an acre in size with some occasionally becoming larger and requiring extended attack. The length of the assignment on these fires varies from overnight to several days. A typical initial attack mission with the helicopter includes the pilot, rappel spotter and rappellers. Once over the fire the spotter and pilot select an appropriate hover site and alternate emergency site. The spotter then signals the rappellers to throw the ropes, go to the skids and rappel. Once on terra firma the rappellers begin their job as firefighters. Specialized equipment for rappel operations include a flight helmet, flight suit, heater gloves, Sky Genie Descent device a rappel harness and 250-foot rappel rope. Also on the rappeller is a belly bag attached to the harness, which contains a hard hat, water, food and other survival gear. Once on the ground the belly bag converts to a line pack. The spotter lowers a firebox containing fire tools and 36 hours of food and water to the ground on a letdown line. A chainsaw box may also be lowered if needed. After the fire is controlled and mopped up the rappellers will pack out to the nearest trailhead or pickup point.

Initial Attack Fires can include any area within Region 6 and involve boosting other rappel bases or repositioning the aircraft and crew throughout the Pacific Northwest. The booster program allows rappellers to be moved to bases experiencing high fire activity. Typically 4 to 6 rappellers are repositioned to other bases to augment their crew staffing needs.

HISTORY

Dating back to 1975 the Siskiyou hosted the fourth Region 6 helirappelling program, located at the Smokejumper Base in Cave Junction, Oregon.

Between the years of 1978 and 1986 the Siskiyou maintained a helicopter on contract with a basic helitack crew. The rappel program reemerged in 1987 on a limited bases and was then relocated to its present location. Since that time our program has taken on changing roles as the Regional program and local cooperating agencies took new growth. With the changes came more interagency cooperation between Southwest unit of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Siskiyou NF. First with the change over into an Interagency Dispatching Center to now a dispatching Center that is contracted to and operated solely by ODF employees. With this dispatch program came more interagency initial attack agreements. Therefore the rappel helicopter is part of this mutual aid agreement thus we initially respond and aid in fire suppression with and for the Southwest unit of the ODF on their protected land which include Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.

Our area of initial attack response is a 60 minute radius from the Helibase which encompasses six National Forests; Siskiyou, Rogue River, Umpqua, Six Rivers, Klamath, and the Klamath District of the Winema, NF. Also includes lands protected by Medford District of BLM, Southwest unit ODF, Coos County Fire Protection Area plus several other local county type agency protected land.

From 1989 through 1999 total aircraft flight time has averaged 183.1 flight hours per season. We maintain an average of 28 initial attack fires and 40 additional incident responses a season. Our helicopter contract runs from June 15 through September 30 for a total length of 108 days.

The Siskiyou Helibase is located on six acres east of the Grants Pass Airport. Facilities include a helibase office building, a crew building, restroom and shower building, a tool room and a sew room. The Grants Pass Interagency Fire Center is also located on the grounds.

The office building has offices for the Helibase Manager, Assistant Helicopter Manager, Lead Crew and Squad Leaders. Also included are a conference area, full kitchen and laundry facilities. The crew building houses crew lockers, fire cache, pilots den, and a map display board in a converted tree cooler building on the south end of the compound. The tool room has a workshop, tools, hand tools, pumps and chainsaws. The sew room contains three industrial sewing machines, a high-speed bar-tack machine, and a long arm sewing machine.

The newest helicopter pad is located just outside the helibase office. Also included at the base is a rappel simulator tower, a grounds maintenance shed and two additional concrete helipads. There are no housing facilities available at this time, however there are many RV type trailer parks in the area.

As with all the rappel bases in the region we take great pride in our history and the many accomplishments we have strived for over the years. Our goal will be to continue to provide professional, safe and efficient aviation and wildland fire support to our customer's.

RECRUITMENT & HIRING

The crew typically has two to five openings each season, which begins in June and usually ends in early October. The number of positions available generally depends on the number of veterans that return from the previous year. Entry-level positions on the crew are at the GS-4 level with Senior Firefighter positions at the GS-5 level. Positions are fairly competitive so it pays to get your application in early.

The minimum experience requirements for entry-level positions on the crew are one season of initial attack fire experience. The more experience you have the better your chances are for getting on the crew. Interest level, motivation and attitude are equally important attributes in the selection process. The minimum physical requirements are the current test of record at the arduous level. The Work Capacity Test involves a three-mile walk on flat terrain with a 45-pound pack in 45 minutes or less. Twenty push-ups and 25 sit-ups in one minute each, 7 pull-ups, and a mile and one half run in 11 minutes and 40 seconds or less is also recommended.

Crewmembers are expected to arrive on Day 1 in excellent physical condition and maintain or surpass this level throughout the season. The Siskiyou Rappel Crew is a multi-cultural and diverse organization that offers a positive and harassment free workplace.

Due to the variety of work tasks encountered a crewmember needs to be able to function equally well as an individual and a team member. If you are interested in being a part of our Team please contact us. The Siskiyou National Forest is a participant in the new National Employment Program for hiring. We can assist you in this process. Check out the Rogue River-Siskiyou employment opportunities website and the Forest Service Job Openings website, both great sources with lots of links as well as all the information on applying for temporary jobs through the new Avue Digital Services website.

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Siskiyou Rappel Crew657 Flaming Road
Grants Pass, Oregon 97526

USDA Forest Service - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Last Modified: Friday, 22 October 2004 at 15:02:16 EDT