Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
Overview
SaveJob Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
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
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
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.
Examples
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.
Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $86K |
| Median: | $42K |
| Low: | $29K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
- Conduct wildland firefighting training.
- Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
- 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.
- Compile and report meteorological data, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and velocity, and types of cloud formations.
- Patrol assigned areas, looking for forest fires, hazardous conditions, and weather phenomena.
- Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
- Examine and inventory firefighting equipment, such as axes, fire hoses, shovels, pumps, buckets, and fire extinguishers, to determine amount and condition.
- 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.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Administration and Management
81%
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
77%
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
75%
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
75%
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
74%
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
71%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Law and Government
71%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
English Language
70%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Transportation
68%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Administrative
65%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Critical Thinking
80%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination
75%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Speaking
75%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
73%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making
73%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving
70%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring
68%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Instructing
65%
Teaching others how to do something.
Learning Strategies
63%
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Management of Personnel Resources
63%
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension
78%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Deductive Reasoning
73%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Near Vision
73%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Far Vision
70%
The ability to see details at a distance.
Flexibility of Closure
70%
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Inductive Reasoning
70%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Comprehension
70%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Clarity
68%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Top 10 Work Activities
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
90%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
89%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Performing General Physical Activities
89%
Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
88%
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Getting Information
84%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
84%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
84%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
83%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Documenting/Recording Information
82%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
81%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Detailed Work Activities
- Relay information about incidents or emergencies to personnel using phones or two-way radios.
- Train personnel to enhance job skills.
- Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
- Train employees in proper work procedures.
- Assess characteristics of fires.
- Direct fire fighting or prevention activities.
- Locate fires or fire danger areas.
- Operate firefighting equipment.
- Patrol natural areas to ensure safety or enforce regulations.
- Monitor environmental conditions to detect hazards.
- Record information about environmental conditions.
- Inspect equipment to ensure safety or proper functioning.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Provide educational information to the public.
- Educate the public about fire safety or prevention.
- Provide safety training.
- Maintain operational records.
- Block physical access to restricted areas.
- Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with security or safety regulations.
- Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with fire regulations.
- Recommend improvements to increase safety or reduce risks.
Education
Interests
Realistic
89%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Conventional
65%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Investigative
53%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Enterprising
49%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Social
48%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
17%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Work Values
Achievement
77%
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.
Independence
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships
72%
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.
Recognition
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Colleges
SAGE Scholars Member Schools that offer majors leading to this career.
Check out the College Search to see the full list of schools with majors for this career.