How to get a Fire/Equipment Watch Job?

[cmabc123]

Hi,

I'm going to be retiring in a few years (currently self-employed) and plan to live in an RV full-time and would like to transition into a firewatch/equipment watch "career" after I sell my business. I worked one summer for my uncle when I was in highschool as his firewatch and loved it. I'm just wondering if anyone has advice, tips - maybe give some first hand experience. I will have a 4x4 pickup and camper.

What are the general job duties of a firewatch? Is it typically required to do extra tasks besides just being present on site when the company is gone (nights, weekends)? Do firewatch and the other staff (the loggers) interact much? What do loggers in general think of the firewatch people? I know when I did it for my uncle I was a teenager so I could have been sheltered from stigma, if there is any.

Do all logging companies typically hire someone to do fire/equipment watch, or are job opportunities far and few between? Is there typically a large pool of available people willing to do this kind of temporary work, or is it hard for logging companies to find dependable people to do fire/equipment watch? Is it actually temporary (say 6 months work 6 months off on average) or can you easily have a firewatch job all year long?

I watch the state job postings and see at least one posting each spring for firewatch and the pay is usually listed as $1200 a month. Is this typical/over/under for pay? What would be the best way to break into this field of work? Do I post on craigslist that I'm looking for this kind of employment, direct mail my resume to logging companies in the region, or do I have to know someone in the industry to get my foot in the door?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

cm

 

[slowp]

Don't brush your teeth, if you still have them. Don't shower. Get a big, scruffy, dog named Bear.
Don't clean you RV out, and work on being eccentric. Oh, don't shave either. I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of stuff here--like the art of the pile of empty beercans beside the trailer. :msp_smile:

 

[lmbrman]

i know of one guy here in WI that did the state DNR firetower thing- he was paid around $9/hour part time, mostly sat in the tower, but also washed equipment occasionally. He worked worked his way up to a desk job with full benefits, mostly marking timber sales and assiting landowners, pay is on par with teachers i think.

 

[Gologit]

Call Columbia Helicopters in Portland. They occasionally hire people for that sort of thing. You'll do a lot of traveling, usually assigned a a helicopter crew that does logging work. You'll need an RV that can travel on logging roads.

 

[2dogs]

There are occasional equipment watching jobs on construction sites. There are also goat watching jobs but I think alcoholism is mandatory.

 

[Gologit]

There are occasional equipment watching jobs on construction sites. There are also goat watching jobs but I think alcoholism is mandatory.

For the watcher or for the goats? I think if I had to spend my days baby sitting goats I might take up the bottle again.


Back on topic...Columbia almost always has a watchman that travels with the helicopter. They have to supply their own RV and it doesn't pay a lot but if a guy likes living in the woods and moving around a lot it might be okay. It's generally a seven day a week job. If you need to get groceries or do laundry you have to do it during your off hours.

Some of them double as water truck drivers, log ticket writers, or grease monkeys and pick up a little extra cash that way. They're not generally looked down on but they're not exactly at the top of the social scale either. Most of them don't seem to care.