[skinny mike]

so i'm planning on taking fall semester of next year off to work and save up some money so i hopefully won't have to take out too many college loans in the next few years, but i don't know what i'm going to do yet. i've applied for a bunch of wildland firefighter positions, but right now i'm realizing that i should look into other jobs just in case it doesn't work out. the firefighting gig sounds really good because it's outside, the pay is good, i don't think i will be spending too much money when working, and i'll get to be somewhere out west for 6 months. the pay would also just get better with subsequent seasons.

now i'm trying to find some other jobs where i'll be spending most of my time outside and i'll have some money in the bank when i head back to school. i doubt i'll find anything that will pay as well as being a firefighter, but i can't do anything where i won't make much money. my primary requirement is that i'll be working outside in the wilderness away from my hometown. i am a wilderness first responder and by the end of april i should be a wilderness emt, so i may try to find some guiding-type positions. i've looked into being a raft guide, but i've heard that you don't make much money your first season.

so anyone got any suggestions? i think i'll also be applying to some positions with the appalachian and adirondack mountain clubs. locations west of the mississippi around mountains are ideal.

 

[jimmydean]

Forestry in general would be a good bet. What's your major? Maybe you can intern or something if your field doesn't totally suck ass.

Oregon tends to hire experienced guys for fire and rescue, when they aren't using prisoners.

 

[skinny mike]

Forestry in general would be a good bet. What's your major? Maybe you can intern or something if your field doesn't totally suck ass.

i'm majoring in geography with a minor in forestry.

 

[Jim Mac]

Look for seasonal jobs in various state parks. The downside may be State hiring freezes in many of the eastern states.

 

[JohnE]

My brother in law was a forestry major, at U Wis. Stevens Point. Now he is a Col in the Army...
I think the job you end up with is more a matter of right time/right place/right answer then what your major was. Certainly there are exceptions, but for the most part its not what you know, its who you blow...

 

[SkaredShtles]

PM me if you want a contact in the wildland firefighting biz.

Oh - and last year I remember seeing $15/hr jobs working on the Continental Divide Trail here in Colorado... I'd imagine they might do that again this summer?

 

[jonKranked]

go to socal, drink a lot and be a womanizer.

 

[.:Jeenyus:.]

a kid i went to highschool with died doing that last summer.

good luck...

 

[JohnE]

Died from drinking and womanizing? Dang...

 

[SkaredShtles]

Died from drinking and womanizing? Dang...

Probably got drunk and then got fatally mauled by a cougar.

 

[jonKranked]

Died from drinking and womanizing? Dang...

Pimpin' ain't easy

Its a tough life.

 

[skinny mike]

go to socal, drink a lot and be a womanizer.

how exactly will that make me money?

 

[jonKranked]

how exactly will that make me money?

see what BDK had to say in my previous post.

 

[sanjuro]

My only advice is start looking right now and don't stop until you get a job...

 

[Biscuit]

Firefighting with the forest service is hard, hard work. Makes great money though as during a fire they pretty much work round the clock and get great overtime/hazard pay.

6 months work.
6 months school.

Repeat.

 

[maddog17]

hookers and blow

 

[sneakysnake]

I realize that this plan would be a bit more long term, and won't pay as much; but if emergency medicine interests you this is something to look at at least as a hobby. bAnd if your already in an EMT class(which I'm assuming you are, unless your doing a 4 week intensive). You can work on getting on with a rescue squad, once your on they pay for all your training and everything, meaning you can get certed up to paramedic for free. Then you can try to get on with some medics and get paid. This is my plan, except for getting certed to paramedic, too much responsibility for me. But, I'm almost on a rescue squad, I too am a WFR, and I'm getting my EMT next semester.

 

[jdcamb]

I was planning on taking a trip to the boundary waters area in MN But the women I was going to take has passed away. Now I am only going to Grand Marais instead.

 

[sam_little]

...the firefighting gig sounds really good because it's outside, the pay is good, i don't think i will be spending too much money when working...

You may think so, but more likely than not, you'll drink every penny and develop a pretty serious addiction to Copenhagen Long Cut. That said, you'll probably have a pretty good time doing it.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I was planning on taking a trip to the boundary waters area in MN But the women I was going to take has passed away. Now I am only going to Grand Marais instead.

Grand Marais... very nice... pig country.

 

[chicodude]

I realize that this plan would be a bit more long term, and won't pay as much; but if emergency medicine interests you this is something to look at at least as a hobby. bAnd if your already in an EMT class(which I'm assuming you are, unless your doing a 4 week intensive). You can work on getting on with a rescue squad, once your on they pay for all your training and everything, meaning you can get certed up to paramedic for free. Then you can try to get on with some medics and get paid. This is my plan, except for getting certed to paramedic, too much responsibility for me. But, I'm almost on a rescue squad, I too am a WFR, and I'm getting my EMT next semester.

I'm en route to my emt and looked into the medic program here....

 

[AlmostHeaven]

You may think so, but more likely than not, you'll drink every penny and develop a pretty serious addiction to Copenhagen Long Cut. That said, you'll probably have a pretty good time doing it.

funny.

but not close.

wildland firefighting is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world besides logging, of course. not a walk in the park, or a stroll through the "wilderness" by any means, and not something you can just be like "oh i want to try this, let's see how it goes."
that's how you be getting dead, son.

i would suggest some trail work in a state park or something. sounds more along your lines. being a forestry major myself i got a really good internship gig 2 summers ago for a county doing GIS/GPS work. i mapped out the county's entire water/sewer line system. working with top of the line equipment, learning very VERY pertinent information, and being outside every single day with the exception of a week for data compiling, etc.
GIS is a fcking cash cow and everything that has to do with GIS will eventually lead back to big money. i suggest looking into it.

 

[skinny mike]

funny.

but not close.

wildland firefighting is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world besides logging, of course. not a walk in the park, or a stroll through the "wilderness" by any means, and not something you can just be like "oh i want to try this, let's see how it goes."
that's how you be getting dead, son.

i'm well aware of the dangers and of the fact that it will be anything but easy.

GIS is a fcking cash cow and everything that has to do with GIS will eventually lead back to big money. i suggest looking into it.

i've already done some work in school with gis, i'll be taking a few more couple classes on it before i graduate.

 

[sam_little]

funny.

but not close...

Thank you for the lecture... you're speaking to someone who has done trailwork, been educated in and fought wildland fire (reverse that order) and done more than my fair share of GIS work. Forestry undergrad, geography grad. I speak from sad experience on the "drinking every penny and cope addiction." Also, I know from sad experience that I'm far from alone...

GIS as a cash cow??? Try finding a GIS job that pays over $100K... they are few, far between, and typically available to senior scientist/management (in consulting) or serious software developers. Now, GIS as a foot-in-the-door for a more lucrative energy development / environmental consulting job, sure.

Fire was an awesome job. Even though I finished up the summer with less money than I hoped to accrue, I did have a blast, saw some cool places, met some great people, etc. As long as you've got a good head on your shoulders, understand the basics of fire science, and get on with a reputable crew, you'll have a ball. Go for it!

 

[skinny mike]

Fire was an awesome job. Even though I finished up the summer with less money than I hoped to accrue, I did have a blast, saw some cool places, met some great people, etc. As long as you've got a good head on your shoulders, understand the basics of fire science, and get on with a reputable crew, you'll have a ball. Go for it!

where did you work?

 

[boostindoubles]

I'm getting paid to backpack in Yellowstone this summer. Should be pretty awesome. Just going to have to be aware of the grizzly bears

 

[AlmostHeaven]

Thank you for the lecture... you're speaking to someone who has done trailwork, been educated in and fought wildland fire (reverse that order) and done more than my fair share of GIS work. Forestry undergrad, geography grad. I speak from sad experience on the "drinking every penny and cope addiction." Also, I know from sad experience that I'm far from alone...

you're welcome. did you think i would try to give my two cents without any experience? been there and done that. a thousand times over. building a trail is like day and night compared to digging a fire line. don't give the kid any false hopes. skinny mike, make sure you are in the best shape of your life. and then read the book "Young Men and Fire" by Norman Maclean.

GIS as a cash cow??? Try finding a GIS job that pays over $100K... they are few, far between, and typically available to senior scientist/management (in consulting) or serious software developers. Now, GIS as a foot-in-the-door for a more lucrative energy development / environmental consulting job, sure.

depends on where you are located and what industry you are in. GIS is developing every day and the connection between GIS and forestry is doing the same. they will be hand-in-hand within the next decade; basically every aspect of forestry will be manipulated with GIS. this calls the need for experienced GIS operators who also have forestry-related degrees.
don't know where you live, but on this side of the country, $100K is a lot of freaking money. I don't know anyone who would turn down a 100K/year job, especially for the natural resources/GIS career field.

 

[sam_little]

where did you work?

Los Padres National Forest

...make sure you are in the best shape of your life. and then read the book "Young Men and Fire" by Norman Maclean.

This I agree with, at least to some extent. If you don't train before the season gets going, you'll probably be an alternate on the crew while you get your body in line.

depends on where you are located and what industry you are in. GIS is developing every day and the connection between GIS and forestry is doing the same. they will be hand-in-hand within the next decade; basically every aspect of forestry will be manipulated with GIS. this calls the need for experienced GIS operators who also have forestry-related degrees.
don't know where you live, but on this side of the country, $100K is a lot of freaking money. I don't know anyone who would turn down a 100K/year job, especially for the natural resources/GIS career field.

Fair enough, but "cash cow" implies, at least to me, a high-end corporate-level salary, and $100K tends to be a common benchmark for corporate success. Bottom line, GIS is a tool, and unless you take a management path, you'll always be a technician implementing GIS much like a hotline firefighter implements his/her Pulaski.

 

[dexter]

you a good salesman? I have a few buddies who got sucked into the Pyramid scheme that is Pro Alarm and if you work your ass off and can make sales you can bank in a summer. One of my buddies sold his first summer and was put into a managing position for groups of sellers the next two summers. One of his hires has stuck with the company and is raking in huge money (bought a new s4 cash, put half down on a very very sick pad in AZ). This is only one of those things (like all pyramid scams) where you have to work your ass off and actually make sales to get the cheddar. Have a few buddies that did it and ended up loosing money.

they pay for your rent in a nice condo, pay for gas, moving expenses, signing bonus, etc etc. you work 6 days a week whenever you want and you walk door to door so constantly outside. One of my buddies even managed to bag 4 housewives in a summer doing sales. worth checking out.

firefighting is a sweet job, living in Montana a lot of the kids do it during the summer. It is extremely hard work and no walk in the park. Also expect to not always make bank- depends on the fire season and how big it is. you could also die

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I hear a rumor that Heidi Fleiss is opening a man whore brothel. That's working in the wild, and the hazard pay is worth the stretch.