Firefighter recruiters visit school
Photo courtesy UAF (JR Ancheta)
The CTC Summer Fire Academy is an intensive month-long training where students participate in classroom and hands-on learning to prepare them for the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress Firefighter I certificate.
February 8, 2018
University of Alaska Fairbanks representative Selina Sam came to the high school on Feb. 5 to recruit seniors who are graduating and would like to join team fighting wildfires.
During the summer, the training is two weeks in Fairbanks, and then they work from mid-May to early September.
Firefighters work two weeks on fighting fires, and then they get two days off.
A red card is required, said Ms. Sam.
To get a red card, you have to do a pack test, she said. The pack test consists of doing a three mile hike carrying 45 pounds under 45 minutes. The training crew is to help crew member’s move up to hotshot crew.
Firefighters get paid $16.00 an hour, and you can work overtime. Usually they get called down to the lower 48 every year sometime in July when it’s rainy in Alaska.
