This position is established as a Crew Boss for a Contract Hand Crew Boss for Ore-Cal Fire Suppression Inc. This position includes type 2, 2 IA and Project Work Hand Crews. Chief responsibilities of this position are to perform Wild land Firefighting work, cooperate with numerous agencies and oversee crew people performing this work with the number one priority being the safety of all personnel. Overall, responsibility of the Crew Boss is total care and coordination of the crew and their activities.
Minimum training requirements include; all classes included in the FFT-2 and FFT-1 positions, S-200, I-200,S-215,S-230, S-231, S-234, S-260, S-270, S-290 and First Responder. This position requires a signed task book.
This is a laborious position requiring long hours, severe work environments, and physical testing by means of a “pack test.” All personnel on fire crews are required to have certified wildland fire training and are required to take a Work Capacity Test at the ARDUOUS Level which consists of walking 3 miles in under 45 minutes carrying a 45 pound pack, and show proof of said requirements. In addition, all employees are subject to drug testing prior to first assignment. Without prior notice, a crew may be subject to additional testing during or after an assignment.
Work requires strenuous, physical exertion for extended periods. Including but not limited to the following: walking, climbing, chopping, throwing, lifting, pulling, and frequently carrying objects weighing 45 lb. or more. During fire season, you must be in excellent physical shape and you are required and responsible to maintain your physical shape for the duration of the fire season. This is very important for endurance and safety reasons.
You must carry personal ID on you at all times. You may be required to be gone from your home base for 3 weeks (21 days) or longer, fully geared for a camp situation. You will be required to have your own sleeping and camping gear, also you must have your own fire boots, it is up to you to take care of your own gear.
Description of Duties:
A Crew Boss maintains professional conduct throughout all assignments while representing the company. A Crew Boss will be required to possess the experience and documented training to perform Crew Boss duties. Specific duties include but are not limited to; communicating with supervisors on the job, receiving orders and deciding how their crew can best accomplish the task. The Crew Boss does not always perform work with the crew, but is responsible for the quality and quantity of work that the crew completes. The Crew Boss is the direct communication link between ORE-CAL Fire Suppression, Inc.’s main office, agency personnel and crewmembers. The Crew Boss is responsible to report all information back to the home base; their direct supervisor will determine what is relevant. They are responsible for setting the standard by which other crewmembers will abide; the rules will be in direct correlation to ORE-CAL Fire Suppression, Inc.’s company policies. The Crew Boss will work closely with their Squad Bosses to abide by all rules and company policies. A Crew Boss will be aware of the responsibilities of each crew member, he will require that his Squad Bosses enforce the rules and when a policy or rule is broken he will take the company mandated procedures to ensure it will not happen again (i.e.: send crew members home, termination, etc.)
A Crew Boss is required to attend briefings, maintain communications with crew, adjoining forces and supervisors. A Crew Boss is required to submit all Crew Time Reports accurately with all hours and crewmembers correctly listed. All invoices at de-mobilization will be reviewed for accuracy comparing their copies of CTR’s to those listed on the invoice. All CTR’s and invoices will be signed by appropriate personnel to ensure payment. Review of company documentation on record and timekeeping will be required prior to dispatch, upon return all copies will be turned in to the office. A Crew Boss will ensure that the medics have filled out the necessary forms if an injury or illness has occurred, as required by the company Accident and Illness Reporting requirements. The Crew Boss will be responsible for all purchases made while on assignment and appropriate receipts will be turned in with paper work upon return from dispatch. The Crew Boss evaluates the performance of employees, especially his Squad Bosses and reviews evaluations by the Squad Boss’ of their squad members after each incident or as determined by company policy.
It will be the Crew Boss’ responsibility to monitor the travel schedule and maintain appropriate conditions to meet the schedule. Travel and meals will be conducted in a professional polite manner that represents ORE-CAL Fire Suppression, Inc. in an exemplary manner.
A Crew Boss serves as a member of a fire crew assigned to suppress the full range of wildland fires. He must have a working knowledge of fire and safety training in the techniques, practices, and methods of fire suppression and in the safe, efficient operation and use of tools, equipment and vehicles used in fire line activities. He must possess knowledge of fire suppression and fuels management techniques, practices and terminology. A Crew Boss must orient themselves and their crew in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute. The Crew Boss must have a working knowledge of fire line construction, use of pumps and engines, hose lays using appropriate nozzles and nozzle adjustments in the effective use of water and additives, working in and around aircraft such as helicopters, safety rules and basic fire behavior.
As a Crew Boss, they must be able to direct their fire crew to accomplish such duties that will include searching out and extinguishing burning materials by moving dirt, applying water by hose or backpack pump, etc. Chopping brush, felling small trees and moving dirt to construct a fire line using various hand tools such as axes, shovels, Pulaskis, McLeods, and must have a full working knowledge of the use power tools including chainsaws and portable pumps to control spreading wildland fire and/or to prepare control lines prior to burning. A Crew Boss must not only understand how to patrol fire lines to locate and extinguish embers, flare-ups, and hotspot fires that may threaten developed fire lines, or that may restart fires they must have the ability to direct a 20 person handcrew to effectively complete these tasks.
In addition to these duties a Crew Boss must be able to work with his trained personnel in more specialized assignments such as backfire and burnout, mobile and stationary engine attack, construction of helispots, helitack operations, and performing hover hookups. As a Crew Boss, they will also be responsible for their Squad Boss’ directing the cleaning, reconditioning and storing of fire tools and equipment.
A Crew Boss must have a working knowledge of project work such as fuel inventory, preparing associated reports, and hazardous fuel reduction projects. Other projects a Crew Boss may need to direct but not limited to; road and trail maintenance, habitat manipulation, miscellaneous equipment and facilities maintenance and crew proficiency checks, drills, safety sessions and fire critiques.
A Crew Boss will be sure when on the fire line each crew member will maintain the work speed and synchronization of the entire crew during all phases of work; hiking, digging fire line and tool maintenance. If at any time a crewmember cannot meet the standards set by the Crew Boss, it will be his decision whether to send personnel home.