Occupation Details
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$36,230.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$53,130.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$79,850.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
16,390
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
18,830
+244 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
1,576
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.2%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- All terrain vehicles ATV
- Backpack pumps
- Base radios
- Brush hooks
- Claw hammers
- Crew transport buses
- Digital anemometers
- Digital hygrometers
- Emergency first aid kits
- Fire finders
- Forestry axes
- Global positioning system GPS devices
- Laptop computers
- Machetes
- Mobile radios
- Navigational compasses
- Passenger vans
- Portable fire extinguishers
- Portable weather stations
- Power saws
- Protective ear muffs
- Protective safety glasses
- Remote reading digital thermometers
- Safety helmets
- Signaling mirrors
- Spotting scopes
- Surveillance binoculars
- Tablet computers
- Tractor mounted mowers
- Very high frequency VHF radios
Technology
- Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Ansible software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Fire incident reporting systems
- Git
- Linux
- Mapping software
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft PowerShell
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft SharePoint
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain records, reports, or files
- requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
- use two-way radio or mobile phone
- use meteorological equipment or instruments
- estimate size or characteristics of fire
- explain government laws or regulations
- give instructions regarding forest regulations to campers
- give directions to crew on fire line during forest fire
- conduct fire hazard inspections
- direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
- use oral or written communication techniques
- use public speaking techniques
- use forest fire protection methods
- use surveillance techniques
- communicate technical information
- cooperate with court personnel or other law enforcement agencies
- inventory stock to ensure adequate supplies
- read maps
- enforce laws, ordinances, or regulations
- move or fit heavy objects
- control and extinguish municipal or forest fires
- patrol or guard area or premises
- monitor atmospheric or meteorological processes
- monitor meteorological conditions
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
- Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
- Conduct wildland firefighting training.
- Direct crews working on firelines during forest fires.
- Locate forest fires on area maps, using azimuth sighters and known landmarks.
- Extinguish smaller fires with portable extinguishers, shovels, and axes.
- Patrol assigned areas, looking for forest fires, hazardous conditions, and weather phenomena.
- Compile and report meteorological data, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and velocity, and types of cloud formations.
- Examine and inventory firefighting equipment, such as axes, fire hoses, shovels, pumps, buckets, and fire extinguishers, to determine amount and condition.
- Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
- Direct maintenance and repair of firefighting equipment, or requisition new equipment.
- Maintain records and logbooks.
- Administer regulations regarding sanitation, fire prevention, violation corrections, and related forest regulations.
- Restrict public access and recreational use of forest lands during critical fire seasons.
- Inspect camp sites to ensure that campers are in compliance with forest use regulations.
- Inspect forest tracts and logging areas for fire hazards such as accumulated wastes or mishandling of combustibles, and recommend appropriate fire prevention measures.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Firefighting occupations
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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