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What Do Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisor Do?
Career Description Supervise fire fighters who control and suppress fires in forests or vacant public land.
A Day in the Life of a Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor
- Recommend equipment modifications or new equipment purchases.
- Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
- Operate wildland fire engines or hoselays.
- Perform administrative duties, such as compiling and maintaining records, completing forms, preparing reports, or composing correspondence.
- Maintain knowledge of forest fire laws and fire prevention techniques and tactics.
- Review and evaluate employee performance.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor?
Below is a list of the skills most Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors say are important on the job.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Forest Officer
- Squad Boss
- Single Resource Boss
- Fire Coordinator
- Prevention Coordinator
Is There Going to be Demand for Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors?
There were about 59,100 jobs for Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisor in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,200 new jobs for Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisor by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,400 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor are Utah, Texas, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Vermont, or Montana. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor
The average yearly salary of a Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor ranges between $42,320 and $122,910.
Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors who work in California, New Jersey, or New York, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,180 |
| Alaska | $78,020 |
| Arizona | $72,460 |
| Arkansas | $52,880 |
| California | $134,870 |
| Colorado | $84,340 |
| Connecticut | $88,870 |
| Delaware | $80,440 |
| Florida | $81,640 |
| Georgia | $60,900 |
| Hawaii | $92,650 |
| Idaho | $58,070 |
| Illinois | $90,860 |
| Indiana | $66,510 |
| Iowa | $70,130 |
| Kansas | $59,190 |
| Kentucky | $58,350 |
| Louisiana | $61,120 |
| Maine | $57,410 |
| Maryland | $94,490 |
| Massachusetts | $85,820 |
| Michigan | $68,960 |
| Minnesota | $74,970 |
| Mississippi | $45,940 |
| Missouri | $73,390 |
| Montana | $66,710 |
| Nebraska | $73,220 |
| Nevada | $95,080 |
| New Hampshire | $70,420 |
| New Jersey | $115,590 |
| New Mexico | $59,360 |
| New York | $107,730 |
| North Carolina | $61,070 |
| North Dakota | $70,560 |
| Ohio | $71,050 |
| Oklahoma | $75,440 |
| Oregon | $85,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,910 |
| Rhode Island | $68,550 |
| South Carolina | $57,460 |
| South Dakota | $72,020 |
| Tennessee | $56,430 |
| Texas | $76,800 |
| Utah | $68,040 |
| Vermont | $64,890 |
| Virginia | $83,440 |
| Washington | $102,430 |
| West Virginia | $57,940 |
| Wisconsin | $73,610 |
| Wyoming | $74,050 |
What Tools & Technology do Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Email software
- ESRI ArcView
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Mapping software
- Fire incident reporting systems
- BehavePlus
- FARSITE
- FlamMap
Becoming a Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor
What kind of Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisor requirements are there?
What work experience do I need to become a Forest Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisor?
Where Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisor might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisor in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Sergio A. Gamboa via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.