hpycmpr
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ExSmokey and all, thought you might enjoy this.
DOI Wildland Fire Veteran Recruitment - YouTube
Steve
DOI Wildland Fire Veteran Recruitment - YouTube
Steve
"We Are Wildland Fire"
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Thanks for posting this Steve. There is esprit de corps in fire management, but also in all the other resource management functions. I miss it, working with people with dedication to something much larger than themselves, people who committed to a career early in live, and the professionalism. I've had a few jobs since, working for local businesses, and one non-profit, but none could even come remotely close to my career.
Of course the negative aspects of the job have faded some, which were quite overwhelming much of the time. Fire fighting is incredibly difficult, long hours in terrible conditions, trying to sleep in a pasture during the day in 105 degree temperatures and working 14-16 hours per night, eye stinging smoke for hours or at all hours in a fire camp in smoke trapped by inversion, dust, heat, flies, snakes, noise, being incredibly dirty and not being able to bath for several days, being woken up in the middle of the night because the fire blew up, and seemingly endless mop up. The people you met, having nearby residents drive to camp to give the few thousand people in a fire camp home baked goodies, in the case of Yellowstone 1988 driving 70 miles from Bozeman, Montana to fire camp at Madison Junction every day for months, and running into fellow firefighters you only see at fires, but you know about each others kids, parents, spouses, and hobbies. I even got to know a few people who worked for the caterers and would often see some of them listed in the credits of major movie productions. All and all you realize that the three best things about fire is going there, coming home and getting paid.
Of course the negative aspects of the job have faded some, which were quite overwhelming much of the time. Fire fighting is incredibly difficult, long hours in terrible conditions, trying to sleep in a pasture during the day in 105 degree temperatures and working 14-16 hours per night, eye stinging smoke for hours or at all hours in a fire camp in smoke trapped by inversion, dust, heat, flies, snakes, noise, being incredibly dirty and not being able to bath for several days, being woken up in the middle of the night because the fire blew up, and seemingly endless mop up. The people you met, having nearby residents drive to camp to give the few thousand people in a fire camp home baked goodies, in the case of Yellowstone 1988 driving 70 miles from Bozeman, Montana to fire camp at Madison Junction every day for months, and running into fellow firefighters you only see at fires, but you know about each others kids, parents, spouses, and hobbies. I even got to know a few people who worked for the caterers and would often see some of them listed in the credits of major movie productions. All and all you realize that the three best things about fire is going there, coming home and getting paid.
Very cool video! Thanks, Steve!
At 1:07, I thought the guy with the saw on his shoulder was my brother; until the camera moved around and showed his face. Same hair color/style/beard. Heart skipped a beat there for a second. Gave me a glimpse of what he did out there, though.
At 1:07, I thought the guy with the saw on his shoulder was my brother; until the camera moved around and showed his face. Same hair color/style/beard. Heart skipped a beat there for a second. Gave me a glimpse of what he did out there, though.
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