Forest Service Job Corps
Civilian Conservation Center
Wildland Fire Program
2015 Annual Report
Opportunities for Success – Centennial Job Corps Civilian Conservation Fire Program
Bob Shindelar, Fire Chief, Boise National Forest
Forest Service
Job Corps
Fire Program
Statistics

1,054 students redcarded for firefighting
and camp crews

285 fire assignments

$3,676,358.60 salary
paid to students on fire
assignments

3,087 days worked

206,537 hours worked

10,536 hazardous fuels
reduction hours worked
(as of 07/05/16)

5,837 Wildland Urban
Interface (WUI) acres
treated

36 Job Corps
graduates hired as
wildland firefighters by
the U.S. Forest Service
and other federal, state,
and private entities

Two Job Corps students
placed in the U.S. Forest
Service through the Public Lands Corps authority
As of 8/25/2015
The success of a crew depends
on management support, quality
crew leadership, and the teamwork of crewmembers. This year
all were in place. Our vision for
this program was to help provide each student with enhanced character traits that
would give them a gain in personal development.
Management support was outstanding, and crew leadership
was top notch. But, what impressed me the most were the
students. I observed a group of
men and women that were from
different backgrounds, with
different life experiences.
Some had never stepped foot
off of concrete, and others had
spent their lives in the country.
The students were eager to
learn and to prove themselves
in a new environment of firefighting.
The successes that I observed
from the students this fire season were many including the
following:

Development of each student towards learning personal accountability

Team work

Mental and physical
toughness

Encouragement and support one another

Confidence to succeed
(L-R) Centennial Job Corps fire students Quira Horton and Aneesha Serrano, with student Bill Newton
completing field training at the Southwest Idaho Firefighter Training (SWIFT) course Photo courtesy of
Centennial Job Corps.

Stress management under
serious conditions

How to adjust in a changing
environment

Pride in doing the job right
the first time
Each student gained some or all
of these characteristics. Clearly,
they will serve as a road map for
the student’s future success,
not only in Fire Management but
in whatever future career
opportunities they may pursue.
The Centennial Fire program
continues to grow each year,
and its success is noted by the
other students on the Centennial JCCCC campus and in the
national fire organization.
This year the number and days
of assignments increased and
those involved in the program
are proud of the dedication,
success and commitment made
in 2015.
Centennial Job Corps Fire Crew 8 and Centennial Job Corps camp crew. Photo courtesy of Centennial
Job Corps.
Page 2
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
2015 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Fire Assignments by Center
(as of 08/25/16– report numbers reflect multiple assignments of individual students who are red-carded for both wildland firefighting crews and camp crews)
JCCCC
Total # of
Firefighters
Assignments
Days
Deployed
Total # of
Camp Crews
Total # of
Students
Days Deployed
Day Deployed
Total Hours
ANACONDA
9
35
63
30
41
65
104
11844
ANGELL
9
18
52
26
31
44
83
5513
BLACKWELL
3
8
19
5
21
13
40
3038
BOXELDER
11
49
63
15
35
64
98
7575
3
15
39
15
39
2191
24
81
105
158
322
9945
COLLBRAN
5
31
52
31
52
4447
COLUMBIA
BASIN
8
3
203
46
77
49
280
13794
19
56
40
126
198
182
238
36284
FLATWOODS
9
81
37
81
37
3858
FORT SIMCOE
4
3
165
7
169
2225
FRENCHBURG
10
71
39
71
39
1828
0
0
0
5
14
958
CASS
CENTENNIAL
CURLEW
77
4
217
4
GOLCONDA
GREAT ONYX
HARPERS
FERRY
JACOBS CREEK
1
5
14
10
16
64
1
14
17
78
2083
2
6
18
9
11
15
29
2706
0
0
0
3
40
966
0
0
0
8
21
997
LBJ
MINGO
2
3
40
OCONALUFTEE
OUACHITA
2
8
21
PINE KNOT
19
96
68
38
58
134
126
13163
PINE RIDGE
7
26
57
24
36
50
93
10504
SCHENCK
6
40
38
40
38
2510
TIMBER LAKE
30
66
400
40
60
106
460
17601
TRAPPER
CREEK
40
96
177
90
154
186
331
29159
0
0
0
TREASURE
LAKE
WEBER BASIN
42
184
172
6
23
190
195
12440
WOLF CREEK
10
3
48
58
113
61
161
10908
285
1000
1994
595
1093
1595
3087
206537
TOTAL
Page 3
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Forest Service Job Corps Fire Program Financials FY2013 - FY2015
FY2015
Including Davidson River Initial Attack
Crew (Schenck JCCCC)
Excluding Davidson River Initial Attack
Crew (Schenck JCCCC)
Number Of Students Trained
1054
1033
Number Of Fire Assignments
285
279
206,537
204,027
Number Of Hours On Fire Assignments
Salary Paid To Students For Training
(1054 Students x $15.96 x 40 hours)
$
672,873.60
$
659,467.20
$
1,878,000.00
$
1,878,000.00
$
304,000.00
$
304,000.00
Salary Paid To Students On Fire Assign- $
ments (206,537 hours x $17.80/hour)
3,676,358.60
$
3,631,680.60
Fire Program Budget
National Forest Support
FY2015 Forest Service Contributions to $
the Job Corps Fire Program
6,531,232.20
$
6,473,147.80
$
4,349,232.20
$
4,291,147.80
FY2015 Salary To Students
FY2014
Including Davidson River Initial Attack
Crew (Schenck JCCCC)
Excluding Davidson River Initial Attack
Crew (Schenck JCCCC)
Number Of Students Trained
864
847
328
263
Number Of Fire Assignments
Number Of Hours On Fire Assignments
170,060
Salary Paid To Students For Training
(i.e. 864 Students x $15.96 x 40
hours)
153,379
$
551,577.60
$
540,724.80
$
1,878,000.00
$
1,878,000.00
$
266,000.00
$
266,000.00
Salary Paid To Students On Fire Assign- $
ments (170,060 hours x $17.80/hour)
3,027,068.00
Fire Program Budget
National Forest Support
$
2,730,146.20
FY2014 Forest Service Contributions to $
the Job Corps Fire Program
5,722,645.60
$
5,414,871.00
$
3,578,645.60
$
3,270,871.00
FY2014 Salary To Students
(Continued on page 4)
Page 4
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Forest Service Job Corps Fire Program Financials FY2013 - FY2015
FY2013
Including Davidson River Initial Attack
Crew (Schenck JCCCC)
Excluding Davidson River Initial Attack
Crew (Schenck JCCCC)
Number Of Students Trained
*851
*851
Number Of Fire Assignments
177
156
124009
114,649
Number Of Hours On Fire Assignments
Salary Paid To Students For Training
(851 Students x $15.96 x 40 hrs.)
$
543,278.40
$
543,278.40
$
1,800,000.00
$
1,800,000.00
$
152,000.00
$
152,000.00
Salary Paid To Students On Fire Assign- $
ments (i.e. 124,009 hrs. x $17.60/hr.)
2,182,558.40
$
2,017,822.40
Fire Program Budget
National Forest Support
2013 Forest Service Contributions to
the Job Corps Fire Program
$
4,677,836.80
$
4,513,100.80
2013 Salary To Students
Three Year Total Contributions From
The Forest Service To The Job Corps
Fire Program
$
$
2,725,836.80
16,931,714.60
$
$
2,561,100.80
16,401,119.60
*Schenck Job Corps students were not included in 2013 students trained statistics
2013 & 2014 fire assignments included prescribed burns which is now tracked in the FACTS Database.
Photographs of the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers’ 2015 Fire Season
Collbran Job Corps firefighter Don Hawkins uses a chainsaw to cut
down a tree during a S212 class on the Grand Valley Ranger
District, GMUG National Forest. Photo courtesy of Collbran Job
Corps.
Weber Basin Type 2 Initial Attack Crew firefighters perform ignition
and holding operations on the Blacksmiths Fork RX burn on the
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in September 2015. Photo
courtesy of Weber Basin Job Corps.
(L-R) Pine Knot Job Corps firefighters Zachary Mead, Joshua
Horton, Anthony Conner, Dakota Romanos, Bryan King, and Luis
Ruiz clear the Natural Arch Trail on the Daniel Boone National
Forest. Photo courtesy of Jamie Tyson.
Page 5
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Proves Itself Indispensable During the Most Severe Fire Season in
Modern Pacific Northwest History
Alicia D. Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Job Corps National Office
Forest Service Job Corps Centers had a pretty amazing fire
season in 2015, but none more
so than the Curlew Job Corps
Civilian Conservation Center.
Out of a total 206,537 hours
worked, the Center contributed
36,284—the most of all the 27
Job Corps Civilian Conservation
Centers. This accomplishment
was achieved with a lot of hard
work, talent, and commitment
on the part of Curlew students
and staff.
deployments will provide Curlew
students on-the-job learning
opportunities in different elements of fire management—
opening up future, fire management career opportunities.
The Curlew FFT2 crew had an
exceptional season; however,
the season for the Curlew camp
crews was extraordinary. One
hundred and thirty-seven students earned the qualifications
to serve as camp crew members
and were placed in the Incident
Qualifications and Certification
System (IQCS). Curlew Job Corps
Center deployed fifteen separate camp crews to support
eight wildland fires on the Colville National Forest, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests, and on lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation—more than any
other unit in the nation. Every
student who earned the certification went out on a camp crew;
combined, they worked a total of
28,000 hours.
Over 1,500 fires, aided by
drought and lightning strikes
burned 1,000,000 acres across
the state of Washington, particularly across its northern border.
The Stickpin Fire even forced
the Curlew Job Corps Center to
evacuate.
Curlew Job Corps’ Firefighter
Type 2s (FFT2) are an important
part of Forest Service Region 6’s
seasonal workforce and of Forest Service fire organizations
across the country. However, in
2015, Curlew’s fire students
never left the state of Washington due to its extraordinary level
of fire activity.
In 2015, 45 students completed
guard school and the work capacity test, earning their U.S.
Forest Service certification as a
FFT2. Sessions consisted of S130, S-190, L-180, IS-700, ICS100 and entrapment avoidance.
In cooperation with Colville’s
Republic Ranger District, students completed a field day
consisting of the endurance
hike and fire line construction.
In addition to completing the
classes needed to earn their
FFT2 credential, 15 Curlew students also completed advanced
training, earning their S-270, S131, S-133, S-211 basic land
navigation, and S-212 wildfire
chainsaw credentials.
Curlew Job Corps’ hard work
and support is vital not only to
the Colville National Forest but
also to the surrounding local
communities. Highly trained,
student wildland FFT2s work
closely with the Forest on both
hazardous fuels reduction projects, which mitigate wildfire
hazards, and wildland fire support.
Curlew’s students worked on
hazardous fuel thinning projects
on the Republic and Three Rivers Ranger Districts on the Colville National Forest, and on the
Tonasket Ranger District on the
Okanogan-Wenatchee National
Forests. The students also
worked on the Curlew Lake
State Park, Ferry Conservation
District, and multiple thinning
projects on private lands.
These students were deployed
to 19 wildland fire assignments,
working over 8,000 hours. Seven Curlew Job Corps firefighters
were picked up as permanent
hires by various Forest Service
units, including the Colville and
Siskiyou National Forest and a
California Forest Service enterprise team.
Curlew’s FFT2 crew completed
three, two week assignments
fighting the North Star Fire on
the Republic Ranger District,
working the fire line and on burn
preparation, mop-up, and snagging operations. Curlew’s fire
crew also had the opportunity to
work 1,800 hours on rehabilitation efforts on the North Star
Fire. Other assignments included the Buck Horn and ABC miscellaneous fires. All of these
To prepare for their camp crew
assignments, the students completed two trainings, consisting
of the ICS-100, IS-700, and a
three day field exercise in which
they completed projects oncenter that mimicked actual
camp crew duties. To maximize
the students’ opportunities to
work on wildland fires, ten Curlew Job Corps staff members
were red-carded as camp crew
bosses and placed in IQCS, allowing the Center flexibility in
responding to fire dispatches.
Three of Curlew’s camp crews
were extended from 14 to 21
day assignments because of the
students’ excellent work ethic
and positive attitudes. These
extensions all were on the Stickpin fire, part of the Kettle Complex, that blew up to over
(continued on page 6)
Page 6
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Proves Itself Indispensable During the Most Severe Fire Season in
Modern Pacific Northwest History (continued from page 5)
Alicia D. Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Job Corps National Office
Curlew Job Corps 2015 Graduate Job Placements

Ashton B. Bartley, Forestry Technician, Republic Ranger District,
Colville National Forest






Matthew Corbett, Forestry Aid, Republic Ranger District, Colville National Forest
Tena Deen, Forestry Aid, Republic Ranger District, Colville National Forest
Tyler E. Howard, Forestry Technician, Three Rivers Ranger District
Andrew R. Owens, Three Rivers Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest
Christina Ralstin, Republic Ranger District, Colville National Forest
Justin W. Johnston, Forestry Conservation ASAP Business Solutions
35,000 acres in size over a matter of days.
stepped up to train Blackwell
Job Corps camp crew boss trainees, providing them the opportunity to train and obtain certification.
The Curlew Job Corps fire program is an excellent demonstration of why the innovative partnership between the Job Corps
Civilian Conservation Centers
and Forest Service Fire and
Aviation Management (F&AM)
staff is successful.
The Job Corps Fire program
specifically demonstrates how
talented Job Corps students can
be identified and developed as
new leaders within the U.S. Forest Service fire management
organization and its critical role
in fire management succession
planning.
Fire incident management
teams awarded members of two
Curlew camp crew certificates of
excellence for their dedication
and positive worth ethic.
In addition to developing the
skills of its own students, Curlew
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Partners with Columbia Basin and Fort Simcoe Job Corps
Civilian Conservation Center Fire Programs
Robert Kephart, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest–Columbia Basin & Fort Simcoe Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers
YEAR IN REVIEW
Camp Crew on the 2015 Wolverine Fire on the Okanogan-Wenatchee
National Forest. Photo courtesy of Robert Kephart.
TRAINING
Columbia Basin and Fort
Simcoe Job Corps students
began informal training during
the fall of 2014 with two weekly
physical training classes and
additional classes on physical
fitness, nutrition, goal setting,
and team building.
Firefighting Instructors spent a
great deal of time building relationships with the students and
Camp Crew at the Lucerne Guard Station on the 2015 Wolverine Fire on
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Photo courtesy of Robert Kephart.
communicating with them about
wildland fire issues.
• S-190 Introduction to
Wildland Fire Behavior
Guard School, each lasting one
week, was held at both Columbia Basin and Fort Simcoe during the spring of 2015.
• I-100 Introduction to ICS
Students spent approximately
50 hours in the field and the
classroom. The students completed the following training:
• S-130 Firefighting Training
• L-180 Human Factors in
Wildland Fire Service
• IS-700 NIMS an Introduction
After successfully completing
the work capacity test, the students used their first paycheck
to purchase boots and outfit
their red bags.
In 2015, the Okanogan-Wenatchee
National Forest entered into a
wildland fire management partnership with the Columbia Basin and
Fort Simcoe Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers in central Washington. The partnership was new to both
agencies. Aside from the normal
growing pains of building a new
program, 2015 was extremely successful and laid a solid foundation for
years to come. A total of 20 students
completed fire fighter type 2 training.
Six of those completers were placed
on national forest initial attack crews
for a majority of the summer, saving
the Okanogan-Wenatchee National
Forest approximately $39,400 in
wages. Utilizing Job Corps wildland
firefighters resulted in a significant
savings for the Okanogan-Wenatchee
National Forest. The forest budgeted
$10,600 for each temporary GS-4
employee. A vast majority of the
wages earned by the students came
out of P-Code dollars.
Page 7
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Columbia Basin and Fort Simcoe Job Corps Wildland Fire
Management Partnership
Robert Kephart, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest–Columbia Basin & Fort Simcoe Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers
A member of the Naches Crew 83, Columbia Basin Job Corps wildland firefighter Christian Rodriguez
fought fire in Alaska in 2015. Photo courtesy of Robert Kephart.
FILLING THE GAP
OF TEMPORARY HIRING
Columbia Basin and Fort Simcoe
Job Corps wildland firefighters
were successful at supporting
the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest by filling out hand
crews. Due to the introduction of
the Forest Service’s new hiring
process, many national forest
firefighting crews found themselves short staffed once June
arrived. The Methow Valley and
Naches Ranger Districts took
advantage of the new partnership and hired six red carded
Job Corps wildland firefighters
on their FFT2 initial attack hand
crews. The students were a
great success, and now additional districts on the forest are
utilizing Job Corps students in
2016. During the 2015 wildland
firefighting season, Columbia
Basin and Fort Simcoe Job
Corps students worked 3,955
hours, grossing $69,608 in
wages.
Columbia Basin Job Corps Facts
Fort Simcoe Job Corps Facts
Students: 280
Students: 170
Employees: 68
Employees: 50
Associated Forest: OkanoganWenatchee National Forest
Associated Forest: OkanoganWenatchee National Forest
Program Year 2015 Graduate
Placement Rate: 85.95%
Program Year 2015 Graduate
Placement Rate: 88.43%
Career Technical Training
Career Technical Training
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT
Logistical support represents the majority of student involvement in 2015, and 38
students were involved in the following:

576 hours spent on the North Star Fire as an administrative support crew
grossing $8,363 dollars.


288 hours spent at the local fire cache grossing $4,181 dollars.
7,920 hours spent on camp crew assignments grossing $260,198 dollars.
Camp crew unloads supplies for the Wolverine Fire Pike Camp at the Lucerne Guard Station, Okanogan
-Wenatchee National Forest. Photo courtesy of Robert Kephart.




Computer Networking/Cisco







Office Administration
Culinary Arts
Facilities Maintenance
Nurse Assistant Home Health
Aide
Pharmacy Technician
Union Carpentry
Union Cement Masonry




Automobile Technician


Union Carpentry

Union Heavy Construction
Equipment Mechanic
Union Painting
Brick Masonry
Culinary Arts
Heavy Truck Driving
Mechanics
Union Heavy Equipment
Operations
Union Plastering
SVACT– College
Position
No. of Students
Hours Worked
Wages Earned
FFT2
6
3,955
$69,608.00
Admin Support
6
576
$8,363.00
Cache Support
4
288
$4,181.00
Camp Crew
31
11,200
$160,832.00
TOTALS:
47
16,019
$242,984.00
Page 8
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Trapper Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Work-Based Learning Program Yields Results
Justin Abbey, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Bitterroot National Forest-Trapper Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
Trapper Creek Job Corps has a
unique opportunity with the
ranger districts on the Bitterroot
National Forest through its Work
-Based Learning (WBL) partnership.
Trapper Creek Job Corps forestry
conservation and firefighting
students who have completed
the necessary training are used
to supplement the local ranger
districts' fire programs.
Each year, local fire managers
interview Job Corps students in
February and March to select
students who have consistently
demonstrated good behavior,
student leadership, and model
the wildland fire principles of
duty, respect, and integrity.
TOTAL SUTDENT HOURS IN
FIRE & FIRE SUPPORT
29,159 HOURS
TOTAL STUDENT HOURS IN TRAINING
6,106 HOURS
TOTAL STUDENT PROJECT
WORK HOURS
4,945 HOURS
APPRAISED VALUE OF WORK
PERFORMED BY STUDENTS TO
NATIONAL FORESTS &
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
$222,540.00 DOLLARS
Trapper Creek Job Corps fire crew work on the Stetson Fire on the Chugach National Forest in June
2015. Photo courtesy of Justin Abbey.
Wildland Firefighting Hires
Graduate Job Placements
In 2015, the following students
graduated from Trapper Creek’s
Forestry Conservation & Firefighting Training Program with
fire fighter type 2 (FFT2) qualifications and went on to start
their careers as entry level
wildland firefighters or purse
advanced wildland firefighting
training.
Three Trapper Creek Job Corps students who were hired as casual hires and who are paid via incident
codes or severity assignment codes. The Center partners with districts on the Bitterroot National Forest
to place its students in Work-Based Learning opportunities. Photo courtesy of Trapper Creek Job Corps.
This year Trapper Creek Job
Corps Center supported five
ranger districts (Darby, Sula,
West Fork, Wisdom, and Plains/
Thompson Falls) across three
national forests (Bitterroot, Beaverhead- Deerlodge, and the
Lolo), with 17 students. Students selected for WBL are required to maintain excellent
behavior under center conduct
standards.
The 17 WBL students were fully
integrated with national forest
wildland fire crews, lived in government housing, and worked
side-by-side with other district
personnel.
Trapper Creek supported its
students logistically with meals
and transportation while the
districts provided the supervision and training. The students
were paid as casual hires (AD)
when assigned to an incident (PCode) or a severity assignment
(S-Code). Otherwise, they were
actively volunteering their time
to gain on-the-job experience,
resulting in more boots on the
ground with minimal expense to
the government. In 2015, each
Trapper Creek WBL student
contributed approximately 800
volunteer hours of work for the
districts between May and midOctober.

Kevin Bossardt: Moose
Creek Ranger District, NezClear National Forest

Viridiana Gonzalez: Wisdom
Ranger District, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National
Forest

Jessica LeBlanc: White Sulphur Springs Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest
(continued on page 9)
Trapper Creek Job Corps firefighters work on the Stetson fire on the Chugach National Forest in June
2015. Photo courtesy of .Justin Abbey.
Page 9
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Trapper Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Work-Based Learning Program Yields Results (continued from page 8)
Justin Abbey, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Bitterroot National Forest-Trapper Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center

Kyle King:
Plains/Thompson Falls
Ranger District, Lolo
National Forest

Drew Allen: Grayback
Forestry, Inc.—Missoula,
Montana

Don Frisch: Grayback Forestry, Inc. —Missoula,
Montana

Pawel Halicki: Grayback
Forestry, Inc.—Missoula,
Montana

John Moynihan: State of
Colorado
Advanced Fire Training

David Ortega: Enrolled in
Schenk Job Corps Advanced Wildland Fire Program
Public Lands Corps Hires
Using the Public Lands Corps
(PLC) hiring authority, Trapper
Creek also placed two young
female firefighters in career
positions with the U.S. Forest
Service in 2015.
Both of these graduates did an
outstanding job not only on the
fire crew, but also in the leadership and mentorship they provided to the student body while
enrolled at Trapper Creek Job
Corps.

Brianna Larry:
Albuquerque Service Center

Christina Sotelo: Forest
Service Region 2, Pike-San
Isabel National Forest
Each year, local fire managers
interview Job Corps students in
February and March to select
students who have consistently
demonstrated good behavior,
student leadership, and model
the wildland fire principles of
duty, respect, and integrity.
Trapper Creek
Job Corps Facts
Students: 217
Employees: 67
Associated Forest:
Bitterroot National Forest
Program Year 2015
Graduate Placement
Rate: 96.38%
Trapper Creek Job Corps students dig line during the 2015 Guard School under close supervision of
an instructor. Photo courtesy of Justin Abbey.
Career Technical Training









Culinary Arts
Electrical
Office Administration
Facilities Maintenance
Forestry Conservation
and Firefighting
Union Carpentry
Union Cement Masonry
Union Painting
Welding
The Trapper Creek Job Corps culinary arts students meets all of the wildland firefighting teams’ needs,
serving huge orders of excellent food on short notice. Photo courtesy of Justin Abbey.
“The 17 WBL students were
fully integrated with national
forest wildland fire crews, lived
in government housing, and
worked side-by-side with other
district personnel.”
Justin Abbey,
Forest Assistant Fire
Management Officer,
Trapper Creek Job Corps
Trapper Creek Job Corps creates opportunity through exposure. Instructors and presenters from all staff
functions across the Bitterroot National Forest, including the botanist, historian/archeologist, engine/
hand crew foremen, fire management officers, and assistant fire management officers meet the
students to expose them to employment opportunities. Photo courtesy of Justin Abbey.
Page 10
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Collbran Job Corps Fire Program Teams up with the Gunnison River Type 2 Initial Attack (IA) Fire Crew
Alicia D. Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Job Corps National Office
al in July and August. Fires on
the Six Rivers National Forest
traditionally are difficult fires to
manage; this is due to terrain
and fuel models that include
heavy snag areas. The Gunnison
River Type 2 IA responded to
new fire starts on the Lower
Trinity District that would eventually become the 20,000 plus
acre Castel Complex. Job Corps
students demonstrated outstanding leadership skills under
high stress, staying organized
with both saw and supply needs.
Collbran Job Corps wildland firefighter Joe
Battaglia works on the Minnie’s Gap Fire, south
of Rock Springs, Wyoming. Photo courtesy of
Collbran Job Corps.
As a partner with the Grand
Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest (GMUG),
Collbran wildland firefighters
are available to join the Gunnison River Type 2 Initial Attack
(IA) fire crew. This crew is comprised of staff from the U.S.
Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of
Land Management, National
Park Service, and Job Corps
Civilian Conservation Centers.
In 2015, twenty-four Collbran
Job Corps students completed
the work capacity test and
guard school, earning the
wildland firefighter Type 2
(FFT2) certification. Additionally,
14 students completed S-212
wildland fire chain saw training
and received the Faller 3 certification. Nineteen Collbran students worked across the West
in 2015, including California,
Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and
Washington.
After a slow start to the fire
season, Collbran’s students’
longest assignment was 19
days where they were prepositioned on the Six Rivers Nation-
The crew’s next assignment on
the Castel Complex was managed by a Type 1 fire management team. This complex covered over 8,000 acres on both
the Six Rivers and Shasta Trinity
National Forests. Working with
the Plumas National Forest Interagency Hot Shot Crew (IHC),
the Gunnison River IA Crew
fought fire on a large slope
threatening Trinity Village, California.
Collbran students worked three
days on direct and indirect saw
line in steep terrain that included underslung and over-slung
hand line and hazard tree mitigation.
As their final assignment on the
Castel Complex, the Gunnison
River Type 2 IA crew was deployed to the Nickowits Complex
on the Orleans District, managed by a Type 3 fire management team. The assignment
included downhill line construction and indirect fire line construction, which allowed
Collbran students to learn about
the complexities of both tasks.
Successive fires to which the
Gunnison River crew were deployed were the Minnie Gap,
Santaquin, Eleven Mile, and
Okanogan Complex fires.
Eight students also participated
in two prescribed fires on the
GMUG National Forest in which
they held the control line of the
Throughout the
training and fire
season, GMUG National Forest fire
staff have successfully mentored
Collbran Job Corps
students, teaching
duty, respect, and
teamwork.
burn with hose lays and hand
tools. Additionally, the students
relayed messages and moved
equipment up and down the
hand line. These fires were successful in reducing large areas
of fuel loading adjacent to Colorado communities on Colorado’s
western slope.
Yet another fuels reduction project Collbran wildland firefighting students completed was
a joint project between the Forest Service and the City of
Grand Junction to reduce a Pi-
non and Juniper forest, meant
to preserve the Grand Junction
Watershed. Students spent 180
hours on the project, which included hand thinning and chipping.
Throughout the training and fire
season, GMUG National Forest
fire staff have successfully mentored Collbran Job Corps students, teaching duty, respect,
and teamwork; they have been
a huge factor in the students’
success. Collbran wildland firefighters have a better comprehension of wildland firefighting
management, including initial
attack, large fire support, medical evacuations, and fuels reduction. Collbran Job Corps Center will continue to nurture its
partnership with the national
forest and looks forward to future collaborations.
Collbran Job Corps
2015 Job Placements

Arron Nall, Boise National
Forest

Jordan Hurley, Bureau of
Land Management
(L-R) Collbran Job Corps wildland firefighters Don Wawkins and Chris Settergren are transported on a
Bell 212 to a spike camp to construct direct fire line on the 10,000 acre Eleven Mile Fire on the
Salmon-Challis National Forest. Photo courtesy of Collbran Job Corps.
Page 11
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Harpers Ferry Job Corps Fire Program Signs Public Lands Corps Agreement with Florida State Parks
Jothan McGaughey, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Monongahela National Forest-Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
As of October, 2015, the Harpers Ferry Job Corps Center Fire
Program comprised of 19 students and five staff members.
Eighteen students were red
carded as firefighters Type 2
(FFT2), one student was credentialed as fire effects monitor
(FEMO) and one student was
credentialed as an expanded
dispatch recorder trainee
(EDRC).
To participate on the Harpers
Ferry Job Corps fire team, prospective students must obtain
permission from managers
across the Center, including the
works program manager
(vocation), academic manager
(education), social services
manager (dorms), center standards officer and either the center director or center deputy
director. Only after these individuals sign-off are students allowed to take the firefighting
work capacity test (WCT). After
successfully passing the WCT
students can attend basic fire
school conducted in both the
spring and the fall.
Harpers Ferry wildland fire team
members are expected to memorize the ten standard fire orders and 18 watch-out as part
of their commitment to the
team. As students show both an
interest and an aptitude for fire
they receive further training,
including weather observation,
map and compass, fire effects
Job Corps students also are
used to supplement the fire
program on the Monongahela
National Forest and are used on
the forest hand crew on fire
assignments in the West.
nership with Sustainable Solutions is an ongoing arrangement
that allows students to experience on-the-job training with a
private company in the natural
resources field.
Harpers Ferry Job Corps’
wildland firefighting students
began their season employed by
Sustainable Solutions, an environmental services company,
through a Work-Based Learning
agreement. The students
worked on eight projects falling
For the first time, Harpers Ferry
Job Corps fielded a 14 day FFT2
RX Wildland Fire Module
through a Work-Based Learning
(WBL) agreement and a Public
Lands Corps Agreement between the Center and Florida
(continued on page 12)
monitoring, fuel moisture sampling, pump and engine operations.
There are plans for the fire crew
to be trained to conduct fuel
moisture sampling and IT students to learn geographic information system (GIS) mapping
skills. This will increase the student’s skill sets and allow the
Monongahela National Forest’s
remote weather stations to be
correctly calibrated. The program also is planning an L-280
Followership to Leadership class
in the future. All of these training experiences increase the
students’ forestry related skills
and increases their chances for
employment.
The fire season for the Monongahela Forest is broken up between a spring and fall season
which includes the prescribed
fire season as well. The forest
has two type six engines. Harpers Ferry Job Corps wildland
firefighting crew members detailed with the engines for the
both spring and fall fire seasons. Three students participated in the spring detail and four
students participated in the fall
on engine details.
During the spring engine detail,
the three crew members deployed on three off-forest
wildland fire assignments, the
Hanging Rock, Martin-PondGreen, and Big Fish fires in Ohio
and Minnesota. Harpers Ferry
into three categories: prescribed fire, hazardous fuels
reduction and invasive weed
mitigation, that ranged from a
few days to months. Land owners ranged from private landowners, non-profit organizations and federal agencies,
including National Park Service,
Army Corps of Engineers, U.S.
Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. As of October 16,
2015, seventeen students participated in these projects for a
total of 1,202 hours and 386
acres treated.
Sustainable Solutions conducted training sessions at Harpers
Ferry Job Corps which covered
prescribed fire techniques, cold
weather clothing for outdoor
work environments, geographic
information system skills and
on state of West Virginia requirements for obtaining an
herbicide applicators license.
Harpers Ferry Job Corps’ part-
HARPERS FERRY
JOB CORPS FACTS
Students: 156
Employees: 54
National Forest:
Monongahela National
Forest
Program Year 2015 Graduate
Placement Rate: 76.52%
Career Technical Training





Brick Masonry
Carpentry
Computer Technician A+
Office Administration
Union Cement Masonry
Page 12
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Harpers Ferry Job Corps Signs Public Lands Corps Agreement with Florida State Parks (continued from page 11)
Jothan McGaughey, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Monongahela National Forest-Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
Harpers Ferry 2015
Advanced Training
Placements

One graduate placed in the
Schenck Job Corps Advanced
Forestry Program

One graduate placed in the
Shenck Job Corps Advanced
Fire Program
State Parks. Seven Harpers
Ferry Job Corps fire crew members participated in this 14 day
prescribed fire assignment from
May 16 through June 2, 2015.
Both a Work-Based Learning
agreement and a Public Lands
Corps agreement were signed
between Harpers Ferry Job
Corps and Florida State Parks.
Funding was provided by Department of Labor, Monongahela National Forest, Forest Service Job Corps Program and
Florida State Parks for this project. On-site housing was provided by Florida State Parks.
Eight prescribed fires were conducted with a total of 4,562
acres treated with fire and an
additional 499 acres prepped.
Land ownership included Florida
State Parks, State historical site
and Department of Defense
(Eglin and Tyndall Air Force Bases). Students participated in
ignitions, holding and monitoring positions.
Florida State Parks has expressed a strong interest in
continuing and expanding this
partnership which not only offers training and experience for
Job Corps students, but also
offers training opportunities for
Monongahela Forest Service
employees for qualifications as
squad boss (FFT1), firing boss
(FIRB), fire effects monitor
(FEMO) and burn boss (RXB2)
levels.
Golconda Job Corps Trains and Fields its First Camp Crew in 2015
Page 13
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Another Super Successful Year for the Weber Basin Job Corps Fire Program
Brandon J. Everett, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Uinta-Wasatch Cache National Forest-Weber Basin Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
also hosted both students and
staff with detail opportunities on
the Logan Hotshots, Weber Basin Crew, and Wasatch Helitack.
Weber Basin Job Corps Type 2 IA crew prepares for their 10 mile pack-out of the Elkhorn Fire on the
Salmon-Challis National Forest in July 2015. Photo courtesy of Brandon Everett.
The 2015 fire season began
early in Northern Utah after an
abnormally dry winter. In February, two Weber Basin Job Corps
students accompanied a contingent of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache
National Forest employees to a
fire ignited by a crashed tanker
truck. Later in the day, there
were two more fire starts in the
dispatch area where those students had been placed on
standby.
Basic fire training concluded in
March 2015, and the Weber
Basin Job Corps Fire Program
began the interview process for
selecting students for its initial
attack (IA) module and engine
crew. The vetting process included evaluating students’
physical fitness scores, Center
color status, fire school scores
and completion percentages in
academics and vocational training.
Twenty students made the first
cut. After written and oral interviews were completed, nine
students were offered positions
on either the IA module or the
engine crew. In May, students
on the engine crew and IA module continued with their training
in preparation for the UintaWasatch-Cache National Forest
annual preparedness rodeo and
readiness review. This event
was catered and hosted by
Weber Basin Job Corps.
From late July through August,
Weber Basin firefighters worked
the majority of their time on
large fire support in Regions 1,
4, and 5. The Center’s fire program also facilitated multiple
training opportunities on its
hand crew, IA module, engine
crew, and single resources.
Weber Basin Job Corps’ Engine
461 worked two, two-week assignments on the Boise National
Forest working large fire support
and local initial attack. The engine crew traveled approximately 5,000 miles accident free,
working 97 shifts on 20 fires.
The crew on Engine 461 spent
twenty seven days on national
forest account work, including
days spent constructing defensible space on the Weber Basin
Job Corps Center improving
hand line used on the Center’s
physical fitness trail. Engine 461
Weber Basin Job Corps
2015 Job Placements







Jaime Noonchester, UintaWasatch-Cache Helitack
Musa Abadallah, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State
Lands
Saul Pineda, Logan Hot Shots
Eric Caserio, Uinta-WasatchCache Engine Crew
Nina Oppenhiem, Bureau of
Land Management
Eric Duran, Colorado State
Forest Service
Tyrone George, Washington
State Department of Natural
Resources
fitness, and general firefighting
operations. The crew on Engine
461 and Villa also spent a day
on the national forest patrolling
for new fires and checking
known, local, problem areas for
escaped camp fires.
Initial attack module 11 spent a
majority of its season committed
to the Weber Basin hand crew,
Washington Office Fire Staff’s
completing three of six two-week Budget Analyst David Christenassignments with the hand
sen was detailed to the procrews in Colorado, Utah, Idaho,
gram, spending time on the
and Arizona. Module 11 worked
Weber Basin Crew, IA module
six incidents and 28 days outand Engine 461 to gain a better
side of the Northern Utah Dispatch
Area. A total of
52 days were
assigned to Pcodes. Module 11
spent 29 days on
national forest
account work,
including days
spent constructing defensible
space on for the
Weber Basin Job
Corps Center and
improving hand
line used on the
(L-R) CONAFOR firefighter Elder Camilo Castro, detailed with the Logan
Center’s physical Inter-agency Hotshot Crew, spent shifts with Weber Basin students Saul
Peneda and Adrian Calderon on the Bobcat Fire, Salmon Challis
fitness trail.
National Forest in August 2015. Photo courtesy of Brandon Everett.
Weber Basin’s
firefighters actively participated
in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache
National Forest fire prevention
and education program through
patrolling and the Smokey the
Bear program. The students
participated in the Wheels of
Wonder Program at Hill Air Force
Base’s Child Development Center and posted firework restriction signs in area camp
grounds and picnic areas.
Weber Basin also hosted several national and international
visitors, including Juan Villa from
the Comisión Nacional Forestal
(CONAFOR), Mexico’s equivalent
of the U.S. Forest Service. Villa
spent a day with Weber Basin
firefighters discussing fire suppression tactics, engine standards, equipment types, physical
understanding of the interworking of fire operations. The Weber
Basin Crew hosted an interagency partnership on two assignments with the State of Utah
Dromedary Peak Fuels Crew.
This partnership was very successful and is one we hope to
continue in the future.
The Weber Basin Fire Program
also participated in Job Corps’
50th Anniversary Celebration in
Washington D.C. Weber Basin
student firefighters and fire
program managers hosted an
informational booth on the
USDA Jamie L. Whitten Building
patio. The booth, displaying
equipment and tools commonly
used by firefighters and pictures
and video from Weber Basin’s
previous fire season, was popular with USDA staff and visitors.
Page 14
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Centennial Job Corps Students on the Right Track for Futures in Fire Management
Mike Towers, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Boise National Forest-Centennial Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
The 2015 wildland firefighting
season was a successful and
rewarding year for the Centennial Job Corps fire program.
Students worked as firefighters
in an organized 20 person fire
crew, in an organized camp
crew module, and in dispatch.
Each function provided them
with experiences that may lead
to future fire positions.
CENTENNIAL
JOB CORPS FACTS
Students: 262
Employees: 68
National Forest: Boise
National Forest
Program Year 2014 Graduate
Placement Rate: 80.31%
Career Technical Training










Computer Technician
Culinary Arts
Electrical
Facilities Maintenance
Nurse Assistant Home
Health Aide
Office Administration
Union Carpentry
Union Painting
Union Plastering
Welding
This year was a very busy fire
season which began on the
Bureau of Land Management
Boise District’s Poison Fire and
ended at the Tepee Fire on the
Payette National Forest.
The unique opportunity for the
students to work as crewmembers on other professional
crews, such as with Crew 3 and
Boise Interagency Hotshot Crew,
added to the experience gained.
The new camp crew structure,
which included the hiring of
three camp crew bosses provided the camp crew students improved learning opportunities
and exposure to exceptional
crew leadership.
In addition, seven firefighters
from the 2013/2014 fire program were hired as seasonal
firefighters for three different
agencies in three different Forest Service regions. We are extremely proud of these firefighters. They are living proof that
hard work, dedication, and a
willingness to succeed can lead
to excellent and fulfilling career
opportunities.
The Centennial Job Corps Fire
Program is on the right track for
students to gain the knowledge,
skills, and abilities in a variety of
different fire management elements. This has clearly led to
opportunities for them to build
their resumes for future career
opportunities in fire management. I am very proud of their
work, and the program accomplishments this year!
2015 Fire Crew 8 Training—
Type 2 Initial Attack












S-130 Firefighter Training
S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire
Behavior
I-100 Introduction to ICS
L-180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire
Service
IS-700 NIMS an Introduction
PMS 475 Basic land Navigation
Mutual Respect
Conducts and Ethics
Hazmat/Hazwoper
Blood Borne Pathogens
S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws
S-211 Portable Pumps and Water Use
Fire Line Construction








Direct and Indirect
Progressive and Leapfrog
Tool Selection
Maps, Compasses, & GPS
Latitude and longitude
Township, range, and section
Maps, Compasses GPS
Pace count and cross- country travel
Helicopter Operations






Briefings and emergency procedures
Loading and unloading of personnel
Fire and personal equipment preparation
for flight
Cargo net building and sling load
operations
Aircraft typing
Type 2 helicopter orientation with Lucky
Peak Rappel Crew
Safety





Proper use of all PPE
Conducted appropriate JHA and tailgate
safety sessions
Reviewed Facilitative Learning
Analyses and Lessons Learned
Mitigation for heat-related injuries
briefings
Medical Response


Scenarios and medical equipment use
(SKED, backboard, Kendrick Traction
Device, trauma kit, oxygen, 10-man first
aid kit)
Cross training with Lucky Peak Rappel
Crew, equipment, and personnel
Page 15
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Boxelder Job Corps Crew 15’s 2015 Fire Hours Increase 278% from the 2014 Season
Robert Cota, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Black Hills National Forest-Boxelder Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
RAWS FIRE & MT. ADAMS COMPLEX
14 Days—235 Hours
Crew 15 supported the Black Hills
Type 2 crew with trucks, equipment,
and wildland firefighters.
CATERING UNIT
PLACEMENTS
Four Boxelder Job Corps graduates were
accepted into the Schenck Job Corps
Advanced Wildland Firefighting program.




Nakala Williams
Adam Skillman
James Damron
Nathaniel Gibson
One Boxelder Job Corps student was
accepted into the Schenck Job Corps
Advanced Forestry program.

Nathaniel Gibson
Boxelder Job Corps Center deploys
the only mobile catering unit in the
nation. This unit is available to be
dispatched for Type 3 wildland fires
and is operated and maintained by
the Boxelder Job Corps culinary arts
trade.
Each year it is used to support the
Black Hills Interagency Fire School
and in April 2015, the mobile catering unit deployed for 3 days on the
Coldbrook Fire where it prepared
and served three meals a day to
150 firefighters.
The Black Hills crew deployed to
Washington state to the Gifford
Pinchot National Forest where it was
assigned to the Horseshoe Fire. While
on standby on day one, the crew
responded to a new start that became the Raws Fire, where it worked
for four days.
On day five, the Black Hills crew hiked
three miles up into the Mt. Adams
Wilderness and spiked out in the
black of the Horseshoe Fire. Several
new starts, triggered by lightening in
the vicinity of the Horseshoe Fire,
prompted the crew to transition to the
Mt. Adams Complex where it worked
for the remainder of the assignment.
BLACK ELK WILDERNESS & NORBECK
WILDLIFE PRESERVE
5 Days—46 Hours-10 Students
Firefighting students worked 5 days
in the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve and
the Black Elk Wilderness, both on
the Black Hills National Forest,
assisting the south zone trails crew.
Students cleared brush and trees,
cleaned up, and constructed water
bars and used natural materials to
enhance erosion resistance of a
stream bed.
Two Boxelder Job Corps graduates
accepted career firefighting positions
with the U.S. Forest Service under the
Public Lands Corps hiring authority.
ALASKA-SOCKEYE &
SPICER CREEK FIRES

21 Days—315 Hours

Charles Boyles, Grand Mesa,
Uncompahgre and Gunnison
National Forest
David Little, Black Hills
National Forest
Boxelder graduate Michael Nordeng
accepted a position as a 1039 wildland
firefighter on the Olympic National
Forest.
Crew 15 provided students Tyler
Vickers and James Damron to the
Tatanka Interagency Hotshot Crew
that was ordered up for a 21 day
assignment in Alaska. Tyler and
James worked on structure preparation, line construction and firing
operations.
CAMP CREWS
Boxelder Job Corps Center deployed
two camp crews in support of
wildland fire incidents. Crew 1 reported twice, for a total of 14 days,
for the Cornet and Grizzly Bear Complex fires. Crew 2 was deployed to
the Eagle/Grizzly Bear complex for
an extended 26 day assignment.
BUCKHORN SADDLE FIRE
10 Days—165 Hours-10 Students
Crew 15 deployed on a type 2 assignment in western Montana on
the Bitterroot National Forest, where
it mopped up and gridded for spot
fires and patrolled the Sula District
for four days.
JAY FIRE
BUCK CREEK FIRE
2 Days-18 Hours- 7 Students
4 Days-66 Hours-10 Students
Crew 15 dispatched to lightening
strike fire in Vanocker Canyon on the
Black Hills National Forest.
Crew 15 left the Buckhorn Saddle
Fire to respond to a new start, also
on the Bitterroot, working on the
Buck Creek Fire for four days.
Page 16
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Anaconda Job Corps Camp Crew is the Backbone of Scotchmans Gulch Fire Incident Command Post
Breanna Mae Thomasson, Fire Prevention Technician, Gallatin National Forest, Big Timber Ranger District
each specifically chosen through an application process and
must complete paperwork, get their red
card, attend an annual refresher, and complete classes through
FEMA to have the
opportunity to work in
Anaconda Job Corps Camp Crew at the Scotchmans Gulch Fire.
fire camps. “This is a
once in a lifetime
The Anaconda Job Corps Civiliza- chance for them,” said Mona
Fergeson, Crew Boss for the
tion Conservation Center
JCCCC crew. It gives them a
(JCCCC) camp crew has set up
chance to earn money for rent
yurts and tents, filled in pot
or a car when they go out on
holes and gopher holes to mititheir own. This experience gives
gate safety hazards, helped with
them a chance to grow in skills
food delivery along with organizthat increase their employment
ing, managing, and helping deoptions. They can practice skills
liver supplies to our crews on
of their trades, improve their life
the fire line. The Anaconda Job
skills, practice time manageCorps camp crew of 10 has
ment and be responsible for
been the behind-the scenesthemselves. “I love it. We’re
backbone of Scotchmans Gulch
working a lot and I like good
Fire ICP. For these efforts, they
hard work,” said Aaron Schaack,
should be commended. Anacona 17 year old crewmember with
da JCCCC crewmembers are
aspirations of becoming a brick
layer or going into the Marines.
Job Corps itself is an opportunity
for this crew. They can choose
between seven different trades:
painting, brick laying, carpentry,
heavy equipment operator,
heavy equipment mechanic,
welding, and culinary arts. “It’s
one heck of a job hookup,” said
17 year old Trevor Gerwig, when
asked what job corps was to
him. Trevor already has a commitment to join the Marines
once he is 18. With the training
provided, participants can have
a chance to earn a high school
diploma, GED, CDL, and many
other certifications. Skyler Hawkins, 18 years old, has big plans
of becoming a heavy equipment
operator and earning his CDL,
said “[Job Corps] gives you another chance for a diploma and
a good career.” Not only does
Job Corps provide the prospect
for these youth to be able to
earn many different certifica-
Centennial Job Corps Camp Crew Mobilization
Mike Towers, Job Corps Forest Area Fire Management Officer, Boise National Forest-Centennial Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
The Centennial Job Corps fire
camp crew had a busy season
in 2015, responding to 10 incidents and working 73 days.
The crew was initially mobilized
in May to support the Boise
County Simulation Exercises at
the National Interagency Fire
Center (NIFC), There, the crew
assisted with the mobilization of
Australian and New Zealand
firefighters. Over 100 emergency responders attended the
simulation.
The camp crew finished the
season in September where it
catered the Australian and New
Zealand firefighter close-out
banquet. NIFC Assistant National Director of Operations Kim
Christensen recognized Centennial students for their mission
achievements in supporting
wildland firefighters.
The new camp crew structure,
which included the hiring of
three camp crew bosses, provided the camp crew’s students
improved learning
opportunities.
tions, but the program
“prepares you for a trade and
gives you a future.” Aaron
Schaack said; they are all given
the chance to start over and
become employable adults. The
Anaconda JCCCC crews training
shines through in their hard
work and easy going attitudes
here at IC where staff have
found it is a pleasure to be able
to work with Anaconda’s enthusiastic, resilient, and reliable
students to form an absolutely
incredible team that has done
an amazing job here.
“This experience gives them
a chance to grow in skills
that increase their employment options.”
—Mona Fergeson, Crew
Boss, Anaconda Job Corps
Camp Crew
Page 17
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
An Experience I Won’t Soon Forget– A Season on the Davidson River Initial Attack Crew
Victoria Becerra, Engine Crew Staff, Fremont-Winema National Forest
Hello, my name is Victoria N.
Becerra, and I’m a graduate of
the Schenck Job Corps Civilian
Conservation Center Advanced
Fire Management program,
along with its associated crew
known as Davidson River Initial
Attack Crew.
I was challenged physically from
my first day of training. What
was the most challenging was
feeling that I would somehow
have to prove that I could keep
up with my brethren, if not
ahead.
I received more than what I
expected from this program. I
applied to the program because
I wanted to gain experience in
wildland firefighting, improve my
physical fitness, and gain a
foundation for a career, as well
as having the freedom to make
mistakes that I could continually
learn from in a safe environment.
“I believe the guidance and
support of my instructors gave
me the confidence to seek out
opportunities and begin a successful career in the U.S. Forest
Service.”
As a member of the Davidson
River crew, I received a substantial amount of training that is
critical for every entry-firefighter,
but also received training beyond that. I enjoyed the extra
classes that my instructors
made time for even though they
weren’t required by the position
task book. Those classes have
given me an outstanding foundation and also allow me to
demonstrate what I’ve learned
when the opportunity arises.
My fellow crew members motivated me to keep going because
of my struggles to be just like
them. Physical training was
stressful at times, but it prepared me for when I will be
physically challenged as a
wildland firefighter. I know I’ve
hardened mentally because of
it, and I’m grateful.
I appreciate the fact that my
classes included extensive
hands-on training, during which I
was encouraged to ask questions about potential firefighting
scenarios. To me, that provided
a learning experience that was
interactive, interesting, and fun.
Learning didn’t stop. Even two
weeks prior to leaving the crew,
I was still learning firefighting
skills to either fill in gaps or
polish what I had previously
learned.
I believe the guidance and support of my instructors gave me
the confidence to seek out opportunities and begin a successful career in the U.S. Forest Service.
Before joining the Davidson
River crew, I didn’t know what I
wanted to do in the fire world. I
knew I wanted to become a
wildland firefighter, but I didn’t
think beyond that goal. When
the crew started traveling to
different national forests, I met
a diverse group of wildland firefighters, and it opened my eyes
to a wide variety of careers. I
talked to different resource
crewmembers, single resource
bosses, and fire management
personnel.
The Schenck Job Corps Advanced Fire Management program has given me an experience I won’t soon forget.
What makes the program exceptional is the commitment of the
staff members who make it all
possible. They have the passion
and patience to give time to
each individual student while
passing on invaluable experience and teaching a new generation of professional firefighters.
Davidson River Initial Attack Crew 2015 Job Placements
Anthony Conte, Superintendent, Davidson River Initial Attack Crew-Schenck Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
Name
Davidson River Initial Attack Crew’s 2015 fire season was
successful and productive. The crew participated in wildfire
and prescribed fire operations, as well as hazardous fuel
reduction projects and various types of project work throughout Forest Service Region 8.
The crew went available on January 14, 2015, and worked a
total of eight wildfire and 42 prescribed fire assignments
throughout the southern region. By the end of April, the crew
scaled down to a module and by mid-May, the crew was ready
to shut down for the year. The summer months were spent on
training assignments, single resource assignments and preparation for the new crew to arrive.
The primary mission of Davidson River is to train entry level
firefighters and assist them with pursuing entry level jobs
within the U.S. Forest Service. The chart to the left features
2015 crew member job placements.
Position
State
David Little
Crew
SD
Beau Vivant
Location
Black Hills NF
Engine
SD
Black Hills NF
Warren Baxter
IHC
CA
Six Rivers NF, Smith River Hotshots
Edwin Baxter
IHC
CA
Six Rivers NF, Smith River Hotshots
Randall Poynter
Engine
MN
Chippewa NF
Victoria Becerra
Engine
OR
Fremont-Winema NF
Kyle Costa
Engine
WY
Uinta Wasatch Cache NF
Jason Mitchell
Training
CA
Detail to WFTC through (PLC)
Paul Grigg
Engine
CO
San Isabel NF
Bryan Bohannon
Crew
ID
Boise NF
Jordan Kracjirik
Engine
WA
Olympic NF
Michael Nordeng
Engine
WA
Olympic NF
Luis Duran
Nikisha Luke
Crew
ID
Boise NF
Dispatch
CA
CA Interagency Communication Center, BLM
Page 18
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Photographs of the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers’ 2015 Fire Season
(L-R) Frenchburg Job Corps wildland firefighters, the “Frenchburg Firebirds,” Ansel Cole and Joseph
Powell, crew boss Brad Adkins, and students Catherine Oxley and Jazrielle Wilson deployed on April
21, 2016, on a 14 day detail to the Silver Mine Fire in Hot Springs, N.C. Photo courtesy of Brad Atkins.
(L-R) Weber Basin graduate Dejen Dirar and advanced firefighting
student Musa Abdallah on the Broads Fork Fire, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache
National Forest. Photo courtesy of Brandon Everett.
Great Onyx Job Corps firefighter Don’Quise Burnam
works on the Buffalo Trail Prescribed Burn on the
Land Between the Lakes. Photo courtesy of Kiela Hall.
Pine Knot Job Corps firefighter Michael
Jackson on the Indian Knob RX, Daniel Boone
National Forest. Photo courtesy Jamie Tyson.
Cass Job Corps Wildand Fire Crew (L-R) Back row standing: Jeff Organ, David Brinkley, Jorden Della Cruz, Steven Ward, Darius Barnes,
Tim Curry, Nash ton Snare, Nicholas Henson, Syr Jonathon Duncan, Daniella Mcintoosh, Nicholas Watson, Greg Pleasant, Christopher
Hamilton, and James Tillison. Front row knelling: Darian Hill , Aaron Young, Darnel Fryer, Kourtney Burns, Dustin Jones, and Derrick
Holdstock. Photo courtesy of Cass Job Corps.
In February 2015, Davidson River Initial Attack crew member Victoria Becerra worked on rehabilitating
the 151 old earthen entrenchments, originally constructed in February 1864 by Confederate forces, on
the Osceola National Forest. Photo courtesy of Davidson River Initial Attack Crew.
Frenchburg Job Corps staff member Tony Barnhard (L) watches Guard School students digging line on a
field exercise. Photo courtesy of Nathan Talley.
Page 19
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
Hard Work Pays Off - Students from Blackwell Job Corps Center Fight Wildland Fires Out West
Hilary Markin, Public Affairs Officer, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
This summer more than 300 fire
personnel have been dispatched from the Wisconsin
Interagency Coordination Center
that is managed by the
Chequamegon-Nicolet National
Forest. These fire personnel
have been mobilized to Alaska,
Montana, California, Idaho,
Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming. Many of them supporting
these efforts on multiple deployments.
Blackwell Job Corps wildland firefighter, David Rutecki, prepares to help initiate a large burn out on
the Limebelt Fire in Washington. Photo courtesy of Blackwell Job Corps.
Four students from the Blackwell Job Corps Center in Wisconsin put their training to the test
in August as members of a Wisconsin Interagency Crew that
was dispatched to Washington
to assist with wildland fires.
They were part of a 20-person
interagency crew of employees
from the Chequamegon-Nicolet
National Forest, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,
National Park Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The crew was extremely busy
and participated in the suppression of four separate fires, ending with the Okanagan Complex
near Conconully, Washington.
During their 21-day assignment
the crew was involved with initial attack, burn out operations,
structure triage and protection,
hose lays, line construction, and
mop-up.
They worked with the OkanaganWenatchee National Forest,
Washington Department of Natural Resources, and a multitude
of other resources from Washington and from around the
country. The crew camped in a
variety of locations, such as, the
banks of the Columbia River in
Roosevelt, Chelan Falls Town
Park, Oroville school gymnasium
and Conconully State Park.
Typically, fire assignments are
for 14 days plus travel and require working up to 16-hour
days in harsh conditions includ-
said Lee Jensen, Assistant Fire
Management Officer for the
Chequamegon-Nicolet National
Forest Job Corps Fire Program,
who was part of the crew.
“We train really hard to prepare
ourselves for these conditions,
and it is something I work hard
to instill in the Blackwell Job
Corps students participating in
the wildland firefighter program.”
“The guys from Blackwell came
well prepared and did really well
for their first time out, especially
given the critical fire behavior
“As far as fire assignments go,
these (Blackwell) guys got a lot
of exposure to just about everything that you’re going to see
and work with out on the fire
line,” said Chris Geidel, Engine
Operator on the Great Divide
District of the ChequamegonNicolet National Forest who
served as the crew boss for the
Wisconsin Interagency Crew.
The crew was working daily with
and around helicopters, air tankers, Single Engine Air Tankers
(SEATS), super scoopers, bull
dozers and engines of every
kind.
"It was a great experience being
able to travel the country, see
new things, and meet new people. It was a wonderful feeling to
be able to save houses for families,” said Ja-Won Barnett, one
of the Blackwell Job Corps
wildland firefighters who was on
the crew. “Just knowing that I'm
doing something that matters
has been a life-changing experience."
(L-R) Blackwell Job Corps fire crew Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Job Corps Assistant Fire
Management Officer Lee Jensen and crew members David Rutecki, Adam Edwards, Jeremiah Bridges
and JaWon Barnett, pause for a moment after prepping an indirect fire line on the Wolverine Fire in
Washington. Photo courtesy of Blackwell Job Corps.
ing the smoke from the fires,
heat, altitude, mountainous
terrain, and sleeping in tents.
“These conditions put a lot of
physical strain on us as wildland
fire fighters, and the dynamic
fire conditions that put a lot of
mental strain on us as well,”
Click on link below to watch the Blackwell Job Corps
firefighters in action!
http://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20150803174250&display=video
http://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20150618225955
that we were working in,” said
Geidel.
The Forest Service started the
wildland firefighter training program at Blackwell in October of
2014.
As of October 2015, 18 students have been certified as
Wildland Firefighters and 60 are
participants in the program,
working towards their certification. In addition, nine students
have found volunteer or permanent jobs as firefighters after
graduating from Blackwell.
Page 20
Center
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
JCCCC Fire Program Contacts (as of 8/16/2016)
Center Director
JCCCC POC/JCFAFMO
Forest FMO/POC
Regional POC
Anaconda
Region 1
Beaverhead N.F.
Ray Ryan
406-563-8712 - O
Wyatt Palin - JCFAFMO
406-563-8711 - O
Mike Goicoechea
406-683-3955 - O
406-369-3712 - C
Steve Zachry
406-329-3422 - O
406-552-2585 - C
Angell
Region 6
Siuslaw N.F.
John Booker
541-547-5616 - O
541-519-1614 - C
Jothan McGaughey - JCFAFMO
304-704-9195 - C
Dan Eddy
541-750-7026 - O
541-207-2846 - C
LuAnn Grover
503-808-2333 - O
503-313-2784 - C
Blackwell
Region 9
ChequamegonNicolet N.F.
Richard Lassiter - CD
715-674-7649 - O
Michael Schenk - DCD
715-674-7659 - O
715-889-4190 - C
Lee Jensen - JCFAFMO
715-674-7317 - O
715-401-3005 - C
Jim Grant
715-362-1341 - O
715-493-9137 - C
Beth Jablonski
414-297-3456 - O
262-385-8520 - C
Boxelder
Region 2
Black Hills N.F.
Michael Deveraux
605-348-3636 Ext. 1142601 - O
605-786-3941 - C
Robert Cota - JCFAFMO
605-348-3636 ext 1142682 - O
605-639-1309 - C
Todd Pechota
605-673-9280 - O
605-673-1137 - C
Scott McDermid
303-275-5758 - O
970-799-1175 - C
Cass
Dan Crow
Region 8
479-667-0301 - O
Ozark St. Francis N.F. 606-515-3104 - C
Dustin Jones
479-667-0910 - O
479-209-5753 - C
Mark Morales
479-964-7219 - O
479-964-5493 - C
Centennial
Region 4
Boise N.F.
Michelle Woods
208-442-4520 - O
208-695-7368 - C
Mike Towers - JCFAFMO
208-373-4165 - O SO
208-442-4518 - O JC
541-848-8431 - C
Bobby Shindelar
208-373-4176 - O
208-994-8701 - C
Matt Nielsen
801-625-5403 - O
801-388-6901 - C
Collbran
Region 2
GMUG N. F.
Gove Aker
970-487-2030 - O
Patrick Owens - JCFAFMO
970-487-2042 - O
970-644-1039 - C
Clay Fowler
970-874-6619 - O
970-712-4266 - C
Scott McDermid
303-275-5758 - O
970-799-1175 - C
Columbia Basin
Region 6
OkanoganWenatchee N.F.
Curlew
Region 6
Colville N.F.
Karl Lester
509-793-1625 - O
509-989-6985 - C
Robert Kephart - JCFAFMO
509-664-9392 - O
541-279-3714 - C
Jason Heinz
509-664-9235 - O
509-670-7195 - C
LuAnn Grover
503-808-2333 - O
503-313-2784 - C
Eric Bracken
509-779-0645 - O
509-207-0677 - C
Travas Fandrey - JCFAFMO
509-779-0631 - O
509-207-9882 - C
Tim Sampson
509-684-7222 - O
509-690-2063 - C
LuAnn Grover
503-808-2333 - O
503-313-2784 - C
Flatwoods
David Scholes
Region 8
276-395-8405 - O
George Washington- 276-395-4810 - C
Jefferson N.F.
Chris Barker
276-395-8418 - O
Kyle Smith
540-265-5205 - O
Terry Adams
276-328-2931 - O
Fort Simcoe
Region 6
OkanoganWenatchee N.F.
Frenchburg
Region 8
Daniel Boone N.F.
Bradley Hill
509-874-8901 - O
509-314-1088 - C
Robert Kephart - JCFAFMO
509-664-9392 - O
541-279-3714 - C
Jason Heinz
509-664-9235 - O
509-670-7195 - C
Ira Young
606-768-7000 - O
Kevin Tomlinson - JCFAFMO
Cordell Taylor
859-745-3192 - O
435-650-0159 - C
EJ Bunzendahl
859-745-3148 - O
859-556-2347 - C
Golconda
Region 9
Shawnee N.F.
Vacant
618-285-5210 - O
618-201-7736 - C
Stephen Beattie
618-285-5202 - O
Jon Teutrine
618-253-1032 - O
618-841-1533 - C
Great Onyx
Region 8
Daniel Boone N.F.
Allen Vaughn
270-286-1006 - O
606-307-1732 - C
Jamie Tyson - JCFAFMO
606-354-4265 - O
859-912-1441 - C
Dennis Wilson
270-924-2070 - O
LuAnn Grover
503-808-2333 - O
503-313-2784 - C
Beth Jablonski
414-297-3456 - O
262-385-8520 - C
(Continued on page 19)
Page 21
Center
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
JCCCC Fire Program Contacts (as of 08/16/2016)
Center Director
JCCCC POC/JCFAFMO
Forest FMO/POC
Beth Jablonski
Keith Taylor
304-636-2144 Ext. 110 - O 414-297-3456 - O
262-385-8520 - C
304-704-9196 - C
Marty Bentley
423-476-9784 - O
428-716-2666 - C
Harpers Ferry
Region 9
Monongahela N.F.
Jacobs Creek
Region 8
Cherokee N.F.
Ralph DiBattista
304-724-3401 - O
Vacant - JCFAFMO
304-724-3459 - O
Terrance Phillips
423-217-6411 - O
423-366-6393 - C
Alice Barnette
423-217-6458 - O
865-243-6222 - C
LBJ
Region 8
N.F. of N. Carolina
Arthur Phalo
828-524-1401 - O
828-342-7820 - C
Kent Gibson
828-524-1430 - O
Riva Duncan
828-257-4284 - O
828-778-2063 - C
Mingo
Region 9
Mark Twain N.F.
Oconaluftee
Region 8
N.F. of N. Carolina
Lawrence Ferrell (Acting)
573-222-2649 - O
Russell Harris - JCFAFMO
573-785-1475 - O
573-718-1709 - C
Dean Smith
828-497-8037 - O
Jody Eberly
573-341-7493 - O
Jimmy Copeland
828-497-8021 - O
Regional
POC
Riva Duncan
828-257-4284 - O
828-778-2063 - C
Ouachita
Region 8
Ouachita N.F.
Bob Fausti
501-321-3601 - O
501-545-6951 - C
Jeff Organ
501-321-3637 - O
Andy Dyer
501-321-5217 - O
501-574-8757 - C
Pine Knot
Region 8
Daniel Boone N.F.
Brandon Pfeilmeier
606-354-4203 - O
609-224-9371 - C
Jamie Tyson - JCFAFMO
606-354-4265 - O
859-912-1441 - C
Cordell Taylor
859-745-3192 - O
435-650-0159 - C
EJ Bunzendahl
859-745-3148 - O
859-556-2347 - C
Pine Ridge
Region 2
Nebraska N.F.
Tammy Calamari
308-432-8698 - O
Dalynn Parks - JCFAFMO
308-432-0356 - O
308-430-4612 - C
Steve Ipswitch
308-432-0355 - O
605-890-6358 - C
Scott McDermid
303-275-5758 - O
970-799-1175 - C
Schenck
Region 8
N. F. of N. Carolina
Tammy Wentland
828-862-6101 - O
801-710-5262 - C
Bill Coates - Acting Crew Supt
828-862-6191 - O
770-688-5721 - C
Riva Duncan
828-257-4284 - O
828-778-2063 - C
Anthony Conte
770-624-4608 - O
770-624-4608 - C
Timber Lake
Region 6
Mt. Hood N. F.
Kurt Davis
503-834-3409 - O
503-936-9647 - C
Thomas Dillon
503-630-8726 - O
Debora Roy
503-668-1756 - O
503-970-8672 - C
LuAnn Grover
503-808-2333 - O
503-313-2784 - C
Trapper Creek
Region 1
Bitteroot N.F.
Chris Feutrier
406-821-2150 - O
406-317-3831 - C
Justin Abbey - JCFAFMO
406-821-2159 - O
406-531-1381 - C
Mark Wilson
406-375-2610 - O
406-360-1154 - C
Steve Zachry
406-329-3422 - O
406-552-2585 - C
Weber Basin
Donica Bigelow
Region 4
801-476-5930 - O
Unita-Wasatch-Cache N.F. 801-391-2693 - C
Brandon Everett - JCFAFMO
801-479-9806 - O
801-643-4466 - C
James Turner
435-755-3627 - O
435-671-2871 - C
Matt Nielsen
801-625-5403 - O
801-388-6901 - C
Wolf Creek
Region 6
Umpqua N.F.
Gabe Wishart
541-496-3507 Ext. 8623 - O
Dennis Darling
541-957-3305 - O
541-784-5454 - C
LuAnn Grover
503-808-2333 - O
503-313-2784 - C
Job Corps Fire Program
Coordinator
FAM Job Corps Fire
Program Coordinator
Sherri Chambers
541-496-8501 O
541-580-1641 - C
Eric Bracken
605-673-9304 - O
970-712-4266 - C
605-673-9381 - F
Greg Sanders
202-205-1438 - O
540-529-3376 - C
202-205-1401 - F
Job Corps Fire Program
Admin Assistant
Raquel Stanton
605-673-9358 - O
303-945-9754 - C
605-673-9381 - F
FAM Workforce Program Specialist Michaela Hall
202-205-1558 - O
202-205-1401 - F
Page 22
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Wildland Fire Program 2015 Annual Report
1964 — 2014
Conserving America’s
Natural Resources
for 50 Years
Job Corps is the nation’s largest
residential, educational, and
career technical training program
that prepares economically disadvantaged youth, ranging in age
from 16 to 24, for productive
employment. USDA Forest Service
operates 27 Job Corps Civilian
Conservation Centers (JCCCCs)
with a capacity to house, educate,
and train over 4,300 enrollees.
Students attend academic and
vocational classes and learn critical life skills in preparation for
long-term employment, careers in
natural resources, continued
education or military service. The
JCCCCs provide a unique opportunity for at-risk youth to take
control of and steer their lives in a
positive direction and contribute
to the conservation of the nation’s
public natural resources. JCCCCs
are associated with national forests or grasslands and are operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest
Service in partnership with the
Department of Labor (DOL).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and
employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW,
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call
(866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer
Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice
users).
Alicia D. Bennett
Public Affairs Officer/Editor
USDA Forest Service Job Corps
740 Simms Street
Golden, CO 80401
Phone: 303-275-5934
Fax: 303-275-5940
E-mail: [email protected]
Assistant Editors: Program and
Policy Analyst Joy Nasados
To subscribe to the Courier, send
your e-mail address to:
[email protected]
We’re On the Web:
http://fsweb.jc.wo.fs.fed.us/