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Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Occupation Detailed Description

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

The main tasks and work activities of Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists are to relay information about incidents or emergencies to personnel using phones or two-way radios, direct fire fighting or prevention activities, assess characteristics of fires, operate firefighting equipment. In general, for the Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists, critical Thinking, coordination, speaking, judgment and Decision Making and other 13 skills are required.
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious 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.
Job TrainingEmployees 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.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists jobs. 31.63% of Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 8.92% of Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
31.63%
Post-Secondary Certificate
8.92%
Some College Courses
17.52%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
17.90%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
24.03%

Tasks and Work Activities of Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

  • Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
  • Direct crews working on firelines during forest fires.
  • Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
  • Administer regulations regarding sanitation, fire prevention, violation corrections, and related forest regulations.
  • Extinguish smaller fires with portable extinguishers, shovels, and axes.
  • Locate forest fires on area maps, using azimuth sighters and known landmarks.
  • Maintain records and logbooks.
  • 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.
  • Restrict public access and recreational use of forest lands during critical fire seasons.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Conduct wildland firefighting training.
  • Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Performing General Physical ActivitiesPerforming physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRunning, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Relay information about incidents or emergencies to personnel using phones or two-way radios.
  • Direct fire fighting or prevention activities.
  • Assess characteristics of fires.
  • Operate firefighting equipment.
  • Locate fires or fire danger areas.
  • Maintain operational records.
  • Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
  • Inspect equipment to ensure safety or proper functioning.
  • Block physical access to restricted areas.
  • Monitor environmental conditions to detect hazards.
  • Patrol natural areas to ensure safety or enforce regulations.
  • Record information about environmental conditions.
  • Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with security or safety regulations.
  • Recommend improvements to increase safety or reduce risks.
  • Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with fire regulations.
  • Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
  • Train personnel to enhance job skills.
  • Train employees in proper work procedures.
  • Provide safety training.
  • Educate the public about fire safety or prevention.

Skills and Abilities for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Speed of ClosureThe ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Depth PerceptionThe ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • All terrain vehicles tracked or wheelede.g. All terrain vehicles ATV
  • Fire pump setse.g. Backpack pumps
  • Two way radiose.g. Base radios
  • Brush cuttere.g. Brush hooks
  • Claw hammere.g. Claw hammers
  • Bussese.g. Crew transport buses
  • Anemometerse.g. Digital anemometers
  • Hygrometerse.g. Digital hygrometers
  • Emergency medical services first aid kitse.g. Emergency first aid kits
  • Direction finding compassese.g. Fire finders
  • Axese.g. Forestry axes
  • Global positioning system GPS receivere.g. Global positioning system GPS devices
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Machetese.g. Machetes
  • Two way radiose.g. Mobile radios
  • Direction finding compassese.g. Navigational compasses
  • Minivans or vanse.g. Passenger vans
  • Fire extinguisherse.g. Portable fire extinguishers
  • Weather stationse.g. Portable weather stations
  • Garden chainsawe.g. Power saws
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge 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 ServiceKnowledge 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 TrainingKnowledge 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 ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge 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.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • MechanicalKnowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.