FOREST RANGER - 42002571

State of Florida

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is for a Forest Ranger (Wildland Firefighter) with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Forest Service. The role primarily involves forest fire prevention, detection, suppression, and presuppression activities. Key responsibilities include operating and maintaining various fire suppression equipment, investigating wildfire causes, performing fire detection, and responding to all-risk emergency incidents. Additionally, the incumbent provides technical forestry services and information to landowners, assists with state lands management, and presents forestry educational programs. This includes presuppression plowing and burning assistance, timber inventory, tree planting, prescribed burning, and maintaining public facilities on state lands. The role requires a high level of physical fitness and adherence to specific conduct and residency requirements.

Requirements

• Be a high school graduate or the equivalent, as determined by the Division of State Fire Marshal of the Department of Financial Services.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor relating to the certification or to perjury or false statements, or a felony or a crime punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of the United States or any state thereof or under the law of any other country, or dishonorably discharged from any of the Armed Forces of the United States.
• Submit a fingerprint card to the division with a current processing fee.
• Have a good moral character as determined by investigation.
• Be in good physical condition as determined by a medical examination as prescribed by the division (may include provisions of the National Fire Protection Association Pamphlet 1582).
• Be a non-user of tobacco or tobacco products for at least one (1) year immediately preceding application, as evidenced by the sworn affidavit of the applicant.
• Possession of a valid driver license.
• Obtain a Class A Commercial Driver License with tanker endorsement (CDL) within six (6) months of appointment.
• Live within thirty (30) miles of the assigned headquarters (390 Holloway Road, Florahome, Florida) throughout employment in this position.
• Obtain a Certificate of Compliance as Firefighter, including satisfactory completion of a fire fighter training program approved by the Division.
• Pass a pre-employment drug test in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S.
• Pass a pre-employment comprehensive medical examination.
• Pass a pre-employment physical fitness test.
• Pass reasonable suspicion, post-accident, and random drug and alcohol testing provisions and the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse query requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulation, Title 49, Part 382, CFR (post-employment).
• Pass an annual medical examination (pulmonary function and blood pressure) (post-employment).
• Pass an annual physical fitness test (post-employment).
• Pass a background screening, including fingerprinting.
• Successful applicant with a current Commercial Driver’s License must pass a query of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

Responsibilities

• Operates and maintains various kinds of equipment in the suppression of wildfires, including operating truck-tractor/semi-trailer or truck and trailer combinations, engines, bulldozers, transports and other fire suppression equipment.
• Investigates wildfire causes, gathers evidence, interviews witnesses, makes recommendations to supervisors and issues Notification of Violations where appropriate.
• Performs fire detection through ground patrol or tower staffing.
• Investigates smoke complaints and conducts on site inspections of burn authorizations.
• Intensifies public awareness of wildfires and wildfire damage through fire prevention programs presented in a variety of public forums.
• Performs wildfire hazard mitigation work.
• Performs in various capacities, as qualified, within the Incident Command System.
• Completes appropriate reports associated with wildfire management.
• Responds to all-risk emergency incidents, as required.
• Provides presuppression plowing and burning assistance to private landowners.
• Provides technical forestry assistance under the supervision of a Forest Area Supervisor or professional Forester which may include: timber inventory assistance on private nonindustrial land; participation in tree seed collection, lifting and planting tree seedlings; forestry education and environmental education program information for the public and private forest landowners.
• Assists in public lands management activities such as tree planting, timber marking and inventory, prescribed burning, boundary maintenance, protecting threatened and endangered species, and wildfire protection.
• Monitors public use and assists the public in utilizing various services and recreation opportunities on state lands.
• Maintains public facilities such as trails, roads, campgrounds, boat ramps, restrooms and other facilities for user groups on state lands.
• Operates and maintains other equipment for state lands management purposes such as road graders, dump trucks, loaders, etc.
• Performs maintenance and construction activities on fixed facilities and equipment.
• Makes purchases of materials as needed.
• Performs other related work as assigned.

Benefits

• State of Florida Special Risk Retirement package
• Annual Uniform Allotment
• Annual Boot Allotment
• Annual and Sick Leave benefits
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED