Summer 2007 Positions with CDF

[RxFire]

Just got word that the announcement is out for next summer. Application period is Nov 1, 2006 - Jan 31, 2007.

Full announcement - http://www.fire.ca.gov/php/careers_c.../07ff1_bul.pdf

Please pass this on to anyone who may be interested. CDF does more than just wildland..."A Fire Fighter I participates in wildland, rural, and structural fire suppression."

They offer great benefits as well even to the seasonal positions.

[the1141man]

Please pass this on to anyone who may be interested. CDF does more than just wildland..."A Fire Fighter I participates in wildland, rural, and structural fire suppression."

They offer great benefits as well even to the seasonal positions.

All well and good, however the announcement tends to underplay the qualifications--technically one need only be 18, no prior experience or training necessary.

Realistically--You'll need at least CSFM Firefighter I and EMT-1... HAZMAT FRO and/or advanced CSFM/EMS certs (EMT-2/P, Driver-Operator 1A/1B, etc) or an ASFS degree will make the applicant a lot more attractive.

Just a suggestion: try to get on in the mid-state area (Madera-Mariposa or Fresno-Kings units)--these units tend to go on a lot of out-of-county assignments...$$$$$$$.

[RxFire]

the1141man,

This announcement is for SEASONAL postions... if one had all those quals, I imagine they would be looking for a permanent job with a fire dept.

Personally, I'm more partial to the LMU and SHU.

[NonSurfinCaFF]

This year I expect someone with little experience is going to have a tough time, CDF's seasonal now make a similar amount to Fed wildland agency Engineers. I think you may see a rush of experienced Fed seasonals (GS4) and lower level career employees (GS5 & 6) looking to move.

Unfortunate but when you consider a CDF seasonal is looking at a base pay (base + built in OT) around $36,000 / yr and a Fed seasonal (GS4) on base makes about $25,000, a career senior FF makes about 28,000 and a career assistant engineer or Squad boss makes around 31,000 it seems inevitable. I know that is what I am hearing from most of my employees and I know CDF is already looking at our FFs.

[CALFFBOU]

Dont forget- CDF Seasonals earn credit in the CalPERS retirement systems. So?

So? When you do get hired on somewhere, CDF or otherwise, youre in the system and got something to show for it.

Plus CDF seasonals work OVERTIME. I love OT. Trust me, you will too.

Verse working federal, I dont know what you have/get.

[RxFire]

Bou,

Feds love OT also

Feds get straight time, then premium pays on top of that...

OT is the standard base+50% ,
Hazard duty premium pay ("H pay") = 25% of base - applied to all hours worked that day regardless of when earned.
Sunday Premium (or "sunday differential" as some call it) = 25% of base pay during basic 8 hours of work.

If you bust a fire or something to earn H pay, which can be in addition to OT, you can be working for base+75%.

Feds strive to get as much OT as they can, especially with H pay on top of it. But there is no guaranteed hours per month unlike CDF. It's feast or famine.

In the end, they work out pretty much the same, in a busy fire season sometimes the fed comes out with a fatter wallet, and in a slow season, the CDF'er has a better looking wallet.

Fed seasonals have no health insurance other than OWCP, and no retirement.

[the1141man]

the1141man,

This announcement is for SEASONAL postions... if one had all those quals, I imagine they would be looking for a permanent job with a fire dept.

Personally, I'm more partial to the LMU and SHU.

Rx--Negative... I am referring to FF1 aka "SEASONAL" with CDF. Maybe up in the northern areas (BOU's turf) one can get on without any prior experience, but in the Central California (MMU, FKU, TUU, SLU, etc) area, it is impossible to get within a "reachable" rank without at least FF1 and EMT-1.

I've known guys who've had their FF1, EMT-1, and still traveled all over the state interviewing for CDF "SEASONAL" jobs and not been selected.

In addition to prior experience with trying to get on with CDF...I interviewed once with "min qualifications" and was told thanks but no thanks, interviewed again last season with a year of volly time and plenty of training under my belt both FD and EMS including 2.5 yrs as an EMS INSTRUCTOR, and the best I did was rank 2 with no CJO... I have also discussed the issue at very great length with current and former CDF FFs and FAEs, including several new hires in our county, most of whom have several years of State time under their belts.

The FF1-seasonal announcement makes it sound like getting on with CDF is a cakewalk--if you're 18, can read, write, and follow directions, you're golden, by its standards. That's a technicality, not a reality. I'm sure BOU will back me on that one.

[dustinlevengood]

I have to agree with the11411man, I work in the RRU and you wont even get an interview unless you have your CDF basic 67 EMT B FF1 and some volly time period. Some people make a big emphasis on the "seasonal" which up north it's more true because FF1s in shasta trinity, butte, tehama glenn etc. work only 3 or 4 months but down here in RRU we (seasonals) work on average 8 or 9 months and depending on how much OT your willing to work i've heard of guys down here making upwards of 60k a year.

[RxFire]

1141,

Yeah, I guess I only really know the north units, and at that it's pretty dated now... 16 years (doesn't seem so long when you just say 1990). I have worked a bit with some TCU and MMU folks as for the southern units.

There is also the old saying "It's not WHAT you know, but WHO you know" and in some cases a third part "...and how you Bl_w"

I do remember it wasn't a cake walk, and more folks than not did NOT get picked up, but you didn't need all those quals.

Guess CDF is now totally unreachable, so folks looking for a summer job in fire should instead focus on the other members of the alphabet soup - USFS, NPS, BLM, FWS, and even BIA - the Feds.

[BirkenVogt]

Around here there are still plenty of kids about 98 lbs, 18 yoa, in CDF though they tend to appear later in the season when they have to start doing fast hiring to replace those who have picked up jobs with fire departments and such. So if you keep your application in lots of units and are willing to relocate at a moment's notice you might get a foot in the door.

Birken

[the1141man]

1141,

There is also the old saying "It's not WHAT you know, but WHO you know" and in some cases a third part "...and how you Bl_w"

Guess CDF is now totally unreachable, so folks looking for a summer job in fire should instead focus on the other members of the alphabet soup - USFS, NPS, BLM, FWS, and even BIA - the Feds.

Brother, my point wasn't to rain on anyone's parade...just saying that the "listed" minimum qualifications aren't what units are realistically expecting from applicants these days.
I just don't want to see a bunch of 18-21 yr old people with no prior experience get their hopes up, thinking that their 6 mos with a volly dept is going to put them at the "head of the class" because they "far surpass" the minimum listed quals, then get heartbroken when they don't get invited for an interview, or get an interview but place rank 3-4 (at that point doesn't matter WHO ya know or blow, you ain't gettin a job)...

Hell, when I interviewed for TUU this (coming to an end) fire season, there were like 100 people applying per position... when I went to MMU there were something like 400 applicants, and most of the guys I talked to while waiting for my interview board had their FF1, 67 hr wildland, EMT, prior volley/PCF/Seasonal time on them, and they were still sweating whether they'd get on.
Competition's getting really fierce, at least around here.

On the other hand, like you said, Fed jobs seem pretty plentiful...one guy who used to be in my Eng Co, then transferred to another station due to moving out of area (and subsequently became a volly FAE), just recently called and said he got a USFS job--permanent career...his only FF experience thusfar was a couple years PCF/sleeper with FKU, and another year and a half with us (3 mos as V-FAE).

Seems like USFS/BLM/NPS is a lot easier to break into than CDF is. *shrugs* Just my 2¢ though...

[RxFire]

1141

no hard feelings. The feds are easier to get onto, but they have different mission statements on fire suppression (i.e. - you aren't classified as a firefighter, but a Forestry Aid/Tech).

[the1141man]

1141

no hard feelings. The feds are easier to get onto, but they have different mission statements on fire suppression (i.e. - you aren't classified as a firefighter, but a Forestry Aid/Tech).

Yeah...thought about applying for that this coming season, since from what I understand, USFS/NPS guys/gals go nationwide, not just within the state, like CDF. Sounds like a blast.
Sides, I don't have the alphabet soup of certs to even have a decent shot at a CDF position. Though even without the alphabet soup I managed rank 2 at MMU. *LOL*

[corrina]

im a certified firefighter for bear paw montana crew how do i register for morgan hill since i am from the reservation