How much does a smokejumper make per year?

Smokejumpers, also spelled smoke jumpers, employed in California make an average annual salary of $62,285, which equals about $30/hour. Entry-level smokejumpers can expect to make approximately $45,495/year, while senior-level smoker jumpers earn approximately $76,290/year.

How much do smokejumpers make in a season?

$63,126 (USD)/yr.

Do smokejumpers make more than firefighters?

The federal government employs about 470 smokejumpers. The state of California, for instance, employs wildland firefighters who work on the ground only and earn less than federal smokejumpers.

How much do smokejumpers make in Alaska?

Locality Pay for Smokejumpers For example, smokejumpers in Alaska receive a locality increase of 29.67 percent due to the high cost of living in the state. This increases the annual GS-5 step 1 pay to $39,048 a year, while the step 10 yearly salary goes to $50,765.

What are the risks of being a smokejumper?

Danger and pain lurk around every corner: intense drilling, training injuries, air sickness, bad drops, hard landings, crashing boulders, wild animals, the grief of losing comrades and, of course, the smokejumper’s scariest enemy, fire. Why would anyone be willing to do this job?

Do you need a degree to be a smokejumper?

Successful completion of 4 years of study leading to a bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus at least one season* of wildland fire suppression work, as defined below. Experience for a GS-6: One season of smokejumping fire suppression work at the GS-5 grade level is also required.

Do smokejumpers get drug tested?

This is a Test Designated Position. You will be tested for illegal drugs prior to appointment and randomly thereafter.

Are smokejumpers hotshots?

There are hundreds of smokejumpers in the U.S. who are all highly trained firefighters that parachute out of planes to quickly attack wildland fires in remote areas. Hotshots and Smokejumpers are elite firefighters both battling wildfires before it spreads far enough to pose a threat.

Is it hard to be a smokejumper?

Firefighters train hard, but smokejumpers train harder. Keep in mind that an entry-level smokejumper job is not an entry-level firefighting job, and the U.S. Forest Service physical fitness requirements are intense. In addition to the basic physical requirements, ongoing training is challenging.

How hard is it to become a smokejumper?

Are smokejumpers a real thing?

Smokejumpers are specially trained wildland firefighters who provide an initial attack response on remote wildland fires. They are inserted at the site of the fire by parachute. In addition to performing the initial attack on wildfires, they may also provide leadership for extended attacks on wildland fires.

Can a felon be a smokejumper?

Qualifications to Become a Firefighter There is no federal or state law prohibiting felons from becoming a firefighter.

What is the difference between Hotshots and smokejumpers?

“The biggest difference is just the way we’re delivered to the fire. So Smokejumpers are delivered aerial. A Hotshot crew is a 20 person hand crew and basically, our focus is large fire suppression. We’ll have saws go through first.

Are there any female smokejumpers?

The agency’s 11 hotshot crews employ one to three women on a typical 20-person team, and this year there are three female smokejumpers of 140 nationwide. The six- person engine crews that comprise most fire line employees usually have one or two women, or none.

What states have smokejumpers?

The U.S. Forest Service has about 320 smokejumpers that work from seven bases located in McCall and Grangeville, Idaho; Redding, California; West Yellowstone and Missoula, Montana; Winthrop, Washington; and Redmond, Oregon.

How long does it take to be a smokejumper?

Most applicants selected to become McCall Smokejumpers have at least 3-5 years as a wildland firefighter prior to applying. If you have no previous experience as a wildland firefighter, you need not be discouraged.

Do Hotshots jump out of planes?

U.S. Forest Service hotshots and smokejumpers prepare to head behind fire lines. who are all highly trained firefighters that parachute out of planes to quickly attack wildland fires in remote areas.

Is being a smokejumper hard?