FORESTRY TECHNICIAN (Fire Fighter)

FORESTRY TECHNICIAN (Fire Fighter)

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OUTREACH NOTICE

FORESTRY TECHNICIAN (Fire Fighter)

GS-0462-03, GS-0462-04 or GS-0462-05

USDA FOREST SERVICE-REGION 2

WHITE RIVERNATIONAL FOREST

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December 28, 2012

The White River National Forest plans to fill one or more GS-0462-03, GS-0462-04 or GS-0462-05Forestry Technician (Fire Fighter).This position is atemporary, seasonal (NTE 1039 hours) position with a duty station ofEagle, Minturn, or Silverthorne,Colorado. The incumbent will work within the East Zone of the blended USFS/BLM/NPS Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit. The East Zone is comprised of the Eagle/Holy Cross and Dillon Ranger Districts of the White River NF, along with the eastern half of the BLM-Colorado River Valley Field Office.

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

The vacancy announcement for this position is posted on the U.S. Government's official website for employment opportunities atUSAJobsunder vacancy announcementTEMPOCR-0462-03-FIRE-DT, TEMPOCR-0462-4-ENGINE-DT, orTEMPOCR-0462-05-ENGINE-DT.These are open continuous vacancy announcements with no closing date. Those who wish to be considered for this position must apply to the vacancy announcement by January 28th 2013and indicate Eagle, Minturn or Silverthorne, CO as their desired duty station. The Referral List for this position will be issued to the selecting official onFebruary 1st, 2013. All applicants who have applied to the announcement on or before the listed dates and are found to be qualified and in the quality group will be referred for consideration. This is an arduous position. Prior wildland firefighting experience is a mandatory requirement for the GS-04 and-05 positions.

THE POSITION

The incumbent: Serves as fire fighter on a wildland fire engine. Independently performs engine operation duties in the suppression of wildland fires and prescribed fire. Drives engine to fire locations in consideration of safety of crew and equipment and how the equipment can be best used in control and mop-up operations. Personally performs in starting pump engine, priming pump, adjusting engine speed and pump valves, laying hose, and using appropriate nozzles and nozzle adjustment in effective use of water and additives. Training will be provided to incumbent to be a fully qualified chain saw operator, or responsible for maintenance of specialized equipment used to respond to wildland urban interface/intermix situations. Ensures the engine is kept in a full state of readiness for emergency fire dispatch.

THE PROGRAM

The East Zone is comprised of approximately 1.2 million acres of USFS and BLM lands within Eagle and Summit counties. Zone initial attack resources respond to about 56 wildfire incidents each year, with roughly half of those located within the wildland-urban interface. Initial attack operations are conducted in cooperation with eight fire departments located within the two counties. The Zone also engages in an active prescribed fire program. The Zone staffs a Type 6 engine crew in Eagle, Minturn, and Silverthorne.

The Zone forms the eastern third of the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit (UCR), which totals 4.5 million acres of federal lands located along the Interstate 70 corridor from the Continental Divide (Eisenhower Tunnel) to the Utah border. The UCR staffs nine engines and one helitack crew. An air tanker base is located in Grand Junction, and a SEAT reload base is located in Rifle. The Unit regularly hosts 12 smokejumpers in Grand Junction.

The UCR responds to about 255 wildfires per year. The Unit exercises the total mobility concept; initial attack resources regularly cross zone boundaries as required to conduct IA operations. During periods of low fire activity, the UCR sends resources and overhead off-unit to wherever they are needed.

OUTREACH RESPONSE

Interested applicants, or those desiring further information, should contact Ross Wilmore, East Zone Fire Management Officer, by phone 970-328-5867 or e-mail ; or Justin Conrad, East Zone Assistant Fire Management Officer, at (970)328-5940 or .