Title: Wild land Engine Boss

Level: SRB

Immediate Supervisor: Company President

Second Level Supervisor: Strike Team Leader (or greater)

Equipment Required: (See Qualifications and equipment list)

 

Introduction:

This position is established as a Contract Engine Boss for Ore-Cal Fire Suppression Inc.  This position includes type VI through III engine classification.  Chief responsibilities of this position are to perform Wild land Firefighting work, cooperate with numerous agencies and oversee engine crew people performing this work with the number one priority being the safety of all personnel.  Overall, responsibility of the Engine 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.”  In addition all employees are subject to drug testing prior to first assignment at the beginning to each fire season.  Without prior notice 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: 

Maintains professional conduct throughout any assignment.  Possesses experience and documented training required to perform Engine Boss duties.  Specific duties include but are not limited to operating pumps, laying hose lays, understanding and implanting direct fire suppression techniques and terminology, and directing engine crew personnel to assist in duties.  

Inspects and establishes required equipment/documentation personal or otherwise is in proper condition, and on board prior to departing for all assignments.  Operates vehicle in a safe courteous fashion at all times while maintaining timely travel to an assignment. 

Upon arrival to an assignment maintains courteous professional relationships with any person encountered while on assignment.   Maintains clear understanding of assigned tasks and implements necessary effort to meet or exceed expectations of assigning personnel.  Continues to inspect and monitor required equipment and personal.  Performs duties while implementing techniques that achieve the objective at a safe level. 

Prior to returning to base has properly demobilized from assignment with signed accurate documentation of events.  This includes time sheets, (if applicable), U.S.D.O.T logs, medical forms, personal misconduct, and equipment forms. 

An Engine Boss maintains professional conduct throughout all assignments while representing the company.  An Engine Boss will be required to possess the experience and documented training to perform Engine 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 Engine Boss does not always perform work with the crew, but is responsible for the quality and quantity of work that the crew completes.  The Engine Boss is the direct communication link between ORE-CAL Fire Suppression, Inc.’s main office, agency personnel and crewmembers.  The Engine 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 Engine Boss will work closely with their crew to abide by all rules and company policies.  An Engine Boss will be aware of the responsibilities of each crew member  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.)

An Engine Boss is required to attend briefings, maintain communications with crew, adjoining forces and supervisors.  An Engine 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.  An Engine 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 Engine 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 Engine Boss evaluates the performance of employees after each incident or as determined by company policy.

It will be the Engine 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.

An Engine 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.  An Engine Boss must orient themselves and their crew in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute. The Engine 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 an Engine 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. 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.  An Engine 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 the engine crew to effectively complete these tasks.  

In addition to these duties an Engine 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 an Engine Boss, they will also be responsible for their crew by directing the cleaning, reconditioning and storing of fire tools and equipment. 

 An Engine Boss must have a working knowledge of project work such as fuel inventory, preparing associated reports, and hazardous fuel reduction projects.  Other projects an Engine 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. 

 An Engine 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 Engine Boss, it will be his decision whether to send personnel home.