Cutbacks Could Deepen Federal Firefighter Shortage – CA

The snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains look safe from wildfires at the moment, but a political maelstrom is brewing in Washington, D.C., that might imperil local national forests. With U.S. Forest Service firefighters leaving in droves for better-paying jobs and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection looking to hire many of them, the forests could enter the dry season with a hollowed-out core of firefighters protecting them.

A Southern California congressman said a proposed budget cut of $78 million could leave the federal forest agency with few means of enticing firefighters to stay.

To put an end to the threat of losing firefighters, the California section of the Forest Service held meetings in December to discuss the retention problem.

“Last year, firefighters put their lives on the line as fires devastated Southern California. These brave men and women deserve a raise, not a pay cut.”

Schiff also criticized President Bush for cutting the Forest Service’s funding by $78 million in his proposed budget.

“Southern California national forests are already struggling to keep firefighters on staff at the salaries they currently receive, and this proposal would leave our forests woefully unprepared for the future,” he said.

From October 2006 to last spring, the San Bernardino National Forest lost 60 of about 210 firefighters, according to the forest’s fire chief, Mike Dietrich.

A draft of the recommendations to come out of the California meetings in December calls for changes to the way the Forest Service treats its firefighters, who typically earn $20,000 to $30,000 less a year than state and local firefighters.

In addition to addressing the salary discrepancy, the recommendations include paying firefighters for all 24 hours when they are deployed to emergencies, reviewing their training, upgrading facilities, improving firefighters’ quality of life by considering perks like day care and commuting pay, making the agency’s leadership more responsive to firefighters’ concerns and reclassifying their titles.

Forest Service firefighters are referred to as forestry technicians, which many say is a dig at their professional image.

Judd said he worries Washington officials will try to change the report.

“My gut feeling is it’s not going to resemble what was put on the table.”

(c) 2008 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

Written by Jason Pesick