Squad Boss (SS-46313)

CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE COLVILLE RESERVATION

6d•$22 - $27

About The Position

Employees at this level manage a small group of 3-7 personnel that are part of a 20-person crew or 10-person Wildland Fire Module. The squad boss is responsible for the direct supervision and safety of these individuals during wildfire or prescribed fire incidents. This position is the equivalent of the advanced firefighter/squad boss (FFT 1) and requires advanced fire knowledge of fire behavior and wildland fire operations. The incumbent performs wildland fire suppression, management, as part of a hand crew, engine, or HECM/HELR. Wildland Fire Modules are 7-10 person, mobile crews that provide technical, ecological-based expertise for both planned and unplanned fire events, focusing on long-term planning, ignitions, holding, suppression and monitoring. They are highly self-sufficient, conducting fuel reduction, hazard tree removal, and fire behavior analysis to manage fire as a natural process. The nature of work is characterized by the varied nature of assignments.

Requirements

Requires High School Diploma or GED.
Must have a minimum of 2 seasons in fire suppression and fire management (each season includes the summer months June, July, August, and September).
Prior Wildland fire experience is required for this position, may serve as Incident Commander, firing boss or crew boss, field observer, squad boss, helicopter crewmember, chainsaw operator, UTV operator, or as a holding or ignition crewmember on wildland and prescribed fires, as qualified and assigned.
Must possess current fire training certificates for the following courses:ICS-100, IS-700, S-130, RT-130, S-190, L-180, S-131, ICS-200, S-211, S-219, S-212, FFT2, ICT5, and Standards for Survival/LCES.
Possession of, or the ability to obtain prior to hire, a valid Washington State Driver’s License, employee must be insurable under the Tribe’s Licensing requirements.
Must qualify for a U.S. Government Motor Vehicle Operator’s Identification Card.
Must pass the arduous firefighter medical examination needed to take the Arduous pack test.
Must take a Pack Test, and pass with an Arduous rating.
Must be Red Card qualified as a FFT1.
Must be Red Card qualified as a ICT5.
Must be Red Card qualified as a FEMO/Firing Boss/HECM or be able to obtain qualified status of one or more within 2 years of hire date.
Must continuously meet the requirements for a National Interagency Fire Qualifications System (NIFQS) rating of firefighter.
The position requires basic skills in or knowledge of sampling techniques, plant identification, data management, use of applicable computer software, map reading compass or GPS navigation and fire management methods and techniques.
Requires obtaining, learning, and applying knowledge of all standard fire program requirements, suppression tactics, methods and procedures.
Requires skill in the use of wildland fire firefighting hand tools, pumps, and hoses, and chainsaw sufficient to perform routine assigned fire suppression and prescribed assignment and to maintain firefighter tools and equipment.
Requires basic knowledge of fire behavior, hazards, and accepted fire safety practices and procedures to prevent injury and loss of life.
Requires knowledge of agency and interagency qualifications, position task book requirements and certification standards.
Requires knowledge of reporting requirements and procedures.
Requires knowledge of strategies, tactics, and suppression methods used in containment and control of wildland fires to be able to relay assignments to crewmembers, accurately evaluate rapidly changing fire circumstances, determine when/if additional forces may be needed, or determine when circumstances warrant withdrawal of crew to safe locations.
Requires knowledge of equipment maintenance and minor repair in order to maintain equipment in working order and prevent downtime when equipment is critically needed. This knowledge is used to effectively deal with the wide variety of conditions and situations encountered during wildland and prescribed burning situations.
Requires knowledge of leadership principles and concepts as developed and applied in wildland and prescribed fire operations.
Requires knowledge of fire behavior prediction systems and National Fire Danger Rating System fuel models, fire weather monitoring procedures and accuracy requirements.
Requires knowledge of collection and recording procedures for fire behavior, fire effects, and weather data, and ability to meet requirements as a Fire Effects Monitor.
Requires knowledge of local and BIA Fire Management Policies, cultural resource management practices, local and BIA fire management plans, fire monitoring procedures, ignition techniques, components of burn plans for prescribed and wildland fires.
Requires skill in oral and written communication to relay instructions and information, and to prepare reports.
Requires knowledge of plant/tree classification techniques.
Requires knowledge of personnel safety techniques to prevent injury to self and others.
Requires the ability to lead or direct the execution of wildland and prescribed fire burn plans.
Requires ability to provide on the job training in proper and safe techniques, applications, methods, procedures and principles.
Requires ability to apply Fire Orders and Watch Out situations to various fire situations.
Requires ability to safely use common fire tools and equipment (e.g. Pulaski, shovels, combination tools, chainsaws, etc.) and maintain common firing devices (e.g. drip torches, fuses, vary pistols, etc.), to build fire line and control wildland and prescribed fires.
Requires ability to utilize technical equipment in the field (computers, computer programs, GPS/mapping software, weather stations, digital cameras, etc.) to gather, transfer, archive and communicate relevant information, including fire weather conditions, smoke dispersal and concentration, acreage growth, fire behavior, fuel conditions, etc.
Requires ability to program, troubleshoot and use mobile and handheld radios to communicate with other crewmembers and adjoining forces.
Requires ability to use GPS units and associated software compass topographic maps and aerial photographs to safely and efficiently locate and access fires and monitoring plots.
Requires ability to operate four-wheel drive pickup trucks, fire engines, and off highway vehicles (OHVs).
Requires ability to provide basic first aid and use CPR in the field.
Requires the ability to implement standard procedures used in fuel inventories and sampling.
National WFMs travel throughout the nation to implement burn plans in a variety of fuel types, (e.g. grass, brush, timber, slash, et.), and require the ability to adapt to these fuel types.