Delaware Forest Service offers free wildfire training

 

DFS Fire Brochure
Wildland Fire Program Brochure

DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Forest Service is looking for motivated recruits to enroll in wildfire training classes starting in February at the Delaware Department of Agriculture, 2320 S. DuPont Highway, Camden, DE. There is no cost for training and no previous experience needed. Classes will be held over two weekends: February 1 and 2, and February 15 and 16, 2020. Candidates must be over 18, physically fit, and able to travel for at least two weeks, usually in the summer. Attendance at all classes is required to achieve “red card” certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).

Students can register by filling out the online registration form by January 31, 2020. Complete details are at de.gov/wildfire.

Students who complete the core set of courses (listed below) are eligible to attend “Fire Camp,” an intensive, hands-on, one-day seminar held in the spring of 2020. Students must also complete a “work capacity” or “pack test” – carrying a 45-pound pack over a three-mile course in 45 minutes or less – to receive their NWCG “red card” and participate on out-of-state fire assignments.

While all firefighters volunteer for out-of-state assignments, all positions are fully paid: A typical 16-day tour of duty will usually average between 220 and 250 working hours or about $4500 for an entry-level FFT2 position (firefighter Type 2).

Core Courses

  • S-190: Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior  (Saturday, February 1)
  • S-130: Firefighter Training (Sunday, February 2) plus (Saturday, February 15, and Sunday, February 16)

Prerequisites *

* Students must pass two prerequisite courses before classes and bring course completion certification certificates with them on the first day. These are online (below) at the FEMA website.

  • ICS-100 – Introduction to the Incident Command System
  • IS-700 – An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

For more information, call 302-698-4548      Email: Kyle Hoyd

Delaware fire crew in California

 

Every year, millions of acres of forests across the United States are ravaged by wildfire. But thanks to a training program by the Delaware Forest Service, citizens from across the First State can qualify to serve on national fire crews. Since 1996, the Delaware Forest Service has trained more than 600 volunteer firefighters, and now every fire season deploys 20-person crews for out-of-state wildfire assignments.

Delaware’s program is growing and in need of additional firefighters who are interested in assisting the national effort to control and contain devastating wildfires. Delaware used to send only one crew a year, but now can send multiple crews. In 2018, Delaware sent crews to Colorado and Idaho, as well as engine crews to California.

Do you have what it takes to join the Wildfire Crew?

Download the Wildland Fire Program Brochure

Frequently Asked Questions:


Eligible crew members must be 18 years or older, complete all four training courses (see below), pass a work-capacity pack test, be willing to travel for at least two weeks, have a commitment to serving the public and work well with others.


Each year, the Delaware Forest Service offers courses required for certification under the National Wildfire Coordinating Group guidelines:

  • ICS-100, Introduction to Incident Command System (completed online)
  • IS-700, Introduction to National Incident Management System (completed online)
  • S-130 Firefighter Training
  • S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior
  • In addition, an annual work capacity (physical fitness) test is required. To qualify, you must carry a 45-pound pack over a three-mile course in under 45 minutes. A health screen questionnaire must be completed prior to taking the test. The capstone of the training series is an annual “Fire Camp” featuring hands-on instruction on a “live-burn” simulation.


Delaware wildland fire crews have worked on assignments in many states, including California, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.


  • Camaraderie: You will be part of a well-organized and highly efficient team of dedicated wildland firefighters with whom you will share unique life experiences.
  • Adventure: No two assignments are exactly alike, but you can be sure that the crew will work in a picturesque area with challenging terrain features that offer spectacular vistas.
  • Experience: Your newly-acquired wildland fire knowledge and skills will improve your effectiveness in in-state incidents, including fire in the wildland/urban area.
  • NIMS Compliance: All firefighters work under the Incident Command System, and you will see first-hand how this system operates on a large scale.
  • Leadership: Advanced training for future roles at the squad boss and crew boss level are available for interested firefighters.
  • Financial Gain: Every firefighter position is fully paid. A typical 16-day tour of duty will usually average between 220 and 250 working hours.


Contact the Delaware Forest Service at (302) 698-4500, or write to 2320 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

 

 

Delaware wildfire crew on fire near Meeker, Colorado

A Delaware Forest Service wildfire crew is now battling the 300-acre Wilson Fire, 9 miles north of Meeker, Colorado in Rio Blanco County. Started by lightning on July 7, the blaze is 15 percent contained and threatening oil and gas production equipment. The firefighting effort is under the direction of a Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) with a total of 146 personnel assigned. Several crews are digging an indirect line in preparation for a planned back burn. County officials are expecting thunderstorm activity with possible dry lightning over the next 48 hours and will be watching all areas for any strikes that might lead to a new fire start.

Updates on Wilson Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5338/

Delaware’s team is comprised of 17 firefighters from Delaware and three from West Virginia. The crew flew from Harrisburg, PA on Sunday to the Rocky Mountain region along with teams from Maryland, New Hampshire, and two crews from Pennsylvania.

 

Delaware Forest Service offers volunteer fire grants

Contact: Kyle Hoyd, Delaware Forest Service
(302) 698-4548 or Kyle.Hoyd@delaware.gov

DOVER − The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) is offering up to $4,500 in grants to help fire companies in the First State improve their readiness and ability to fight wildfires. The deadline is May 1 and the form is available on-line. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program has provided more than 120 grants worth almost $300,000 to Delaware volunteer fire companies over the past 10 years.

“Volunteer fire companies are very important to the Delaware Forest Service and the citizens of the First State. They are the invaluable first responders to all types of emergencies, including wildfires in our fields, woods, and marshlands,” said Kyle Hoyd, Assistant State Forester and director of the agency’s Wildland Fire Program. “This grant program can help companies increase their capability to meet this need by matching their spending on specialized wildfire equipment and resources.”

 

Delaware Forest Service veteran wildland firefighter James Dowd holds a fire shovel and a Pulaski tool, used in wildland firefighting. Volunteer fire companies in Delaware can apply for grants to purchase resources to fight wildfires.

PHOTO: Delaware Forest Service veteran wildland firefighter James Dowd holds a fire shovel and a Pulaski tool (see below), commonly used in wildland firefighting. Volunteer fire companies in Delaware can apply for grants to purchase equipment to fight wildfires in their communities. (click image for high-resolution version)

All grants require a 50-50 cost-share match and priority will be given to applicants that have not received funding in the past three years. The VFA grant program has proven to be a cost-effective way to leverage limited federal funding. While grant applicants must provide at least 50 percent cost-share match in cash or in-kind services, many recipients have often provided more – producing an average of $1.61 in matched spending. Funds can be used to pay for specialized equipment to help volunteer firefighters meet the unexpected and often unpredictable threat of wildfires in fields, forests, open spaces, and marshes, which is often distinctly different from structural firefighting.

Applications must be received by the Delaware Forest Service, 2320 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, 19901 no later than May 1, 2017.
Please make note of the submission instructions at the bottom of the application.

Funds may not be used to purchase vehicles (trucks/UTV’s/ATV’s) or structural firefighting gear (turnout coats, hardhats, gloves, lights, etc.) Funding is for wildland firefighting hose, safety gear, brush unit pumps/skids, and hand tools. Fire companies with any questions about the application process or what can be purchased can contact Kyle Hoyd at (302) 698-4548 or Kyle.Hoyd@delaware.gov.
In the past fiscal year, the Delaware Forest Service assisted 43 of Delaware’s 60 volunteer fire companies (72%) either through wildfire suppression, loaning of equipment, or training. In addition to the fire assistance grants, the Delaware Forest Service also provides funding to help provide basic wildland firefighting courses for volunteer firefighters. The Delaware Forest Service also works in association with the Delaware State Fire School to help train wildland firefighters.

Delaware Forest Service awards volunteer fire grants

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) has awarded $22,000 in grants to eight volunteer fire companies to purchase equipment to fight wildfires and improve their wildfire readiness and capabilities. In the past 10 years, the DFS has provided 122 grants totaling more than $288,000 to many of Delaware’s 60 volunteer fire companies through its Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program, funded by the U.S. Forest Service.

Volunteer Fire Company Award Match
Aetna Hose, Hook, & Ladder Co. #7, 8, 9, 10 $3,452.25 $4,500.00
Felton Community Fire Co. #48 $2,250.00 $2,259.00
Leipsic Volunteer Fire Co. #53 $1,938.00 $3,876.00
Volunteer Hose Co. #27 $4,500.00 $4,500.00
Talleyville Volunteer Fire Co.   #25 $3,747.50 $7,495.00
Greenwood Fire Company #78 $1,504.14 $3,008.27
Laurel Fire Department #81 $1,628.00 $4,778.00
Mill Creek Fire Co. #2, 21 $2,980.11 $5,031.96
Total $22,000.00 $35,448.23

 

The matching grant program also represents a cost-effective use of limited federal funds. While applicants must offer a minimum of 50 percent in cost-share match for its request, many provide much more, which resulted in every federal dollar being matched with $1.61 in spending from the recipient. The grants help underwrite the cost of useful items and equipment to help volunteer firefighters meet the unexpected and often unpredictable threat of wildfires in fields, forests, open spaces, and marshes. Funds can be used to purchase items such as Nomex – the lightweight fire-resistant clothing used by wildland firefighters – or necessary equipment such as two-way radios, hoses, drip torches, flashlights, pumps, hoses, gloves, boots or chainsaws.

The 60 volunteer fire companies in the First State are extremely vital to the mission of the Delaware Forest Service as they provide much of the manpower and equipment to fight wildfires in the state. In fact, many members of Delaware’s wildland fire crew who help battle blazes in the western United States are drawn from the ranks of local volunteer fire companies.

In the past fiscal year, the Delaware Forest Service assisted 43 of Delaware’s 60 volunteer fire companies (72%) either through wildfire suppression, loaning of equipment, or training. In addition to the fire assistance grants, the Delaware Forest Service also provides funding to help provide basic wildland firefighting courses for volunteer firefighters. This year, $12,000 was spent in association with the Delaware State Fire School to help offset the costs of basic training courses for a total of 138 wildland firefighters.

21st Annual “Fire Camp” set for April 23 at Redden State Forest

 

The Delaware Forest Service’s 21st Annual Fire Camp will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at Redden State Forest from 6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. The intensive, one-day seminar is the capstone of the agency’s wildfire training program to certify its emergency firefighters to meet National Wildfire Coordinating Group standards.

In addition to completing an arduous “work capacity test” – which involves carrying a 45-pound pack over a three-mile course in less than 45 minutes – crew members will receive hands-on instruction in several key areas: wildfire suppression, the effect of weather on fire behavior, crew mobilization, water pump and chainsaw usage, and culminating with a “live” controlled burn fire situation.

Delaware’s wildfire program has achieved a well-regarded reputation on the national firefighting scene and has dispatched crews almost every summer to fight forest fires in the western United States. In 2015, more than 9.2 million acres burned nationwide, making it one of only four years since 1960 to see more than 9 million acres burn, but still short of the 9.8 million acres burned in 2006. Other years topping the 9 million acre mark were 2007 and 2012. In August of 2015, as the National Preparedness Level hit its maximum of “5” on a five-point scale, Delaware’s crew headed to the West to battle the Fork Complex Fire near Hayfork, California – a blaze that burned more than 36,000 acres in the vicinity of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

For the news media:
This event offers excellent opportunities for journalists to capture photographs and video footage of actual wildland firefighting. Firefighters and instructors will be available for interviews; however, media who plan to capture footage of the live burn are advised to arrive on-site on Saturday, April 23 by 12 noon.

  • Event and Media Contact: Kyle Hoyd, Assistant Forestry Administrator, Delaware Forest Service
    Email: kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov
    (302) 943-7869 (mobile)
    (302) 698-4548 (office)

* The timing and location of the “live burn” is subject to change based on actual weather conditions.