DFPC Firefighter (Temporary Aide) Helicopter Crewmember - Montrose

Full Job Description

Please refer to DFPC Fire Management Regions and Staff Link for more information regarding district boundaries Fire Management Regions and Staff.

Requirements

The mission of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is to serve and safeguard the people and protect the property, resources, environment, and quality of life in Colorado.

DFPC’s vision is to be the Nation's premier state fire organization by acting with foresight, providing bold leadership, enhancing our partnerships, and exemplifying the highest level of professionalism in fire prevention and protection, while building a safe and supportive work environment for our employees.

The Division achieves this mission and vision through its four (4) Sections: Center of Excellence, Fire and Life Safety, Professional Qualifications and Training, and Wildland Fire Management.

Each of the four sections serve Colorado’s fire community in a different capacity- from training firefighters to technological advancements in public safety, responding to and managing wildfires to building code enforcement, DFPC is dedicated to serving and safeguarding the people of Colorado while protecting property, resources, environment and quality of life.

One of the Wildland Fire Management Section’s (WFMS) primary roles is to assist and support local agencies with a range of wildland fire management programs including administrative, technical, preparedness, planning, response, and prescribed fire and fuels functions.

Wildland fire management in Colorado is a cooperative, interagency partnership between local, county, state, tribal, and federal entities.

Wildland fire protection responsibilities on non-federal lands in Colorado follow a hierarchy of: local jurisdiction > county sheriff > and finally to the State of Colorado (DFPC).

WFMS plays a crucial role in coordinating with external partners and representing Colorado at both regional (multi-state) and national levels.

These are temporary positions (9 months or less) with a tentative 8 month schedule between March and November 2026, this will vary depending on location.

• Employees appointed in these positions are considered non-permanent employees in the Temporary Aide class series.

• Temporary aides are not eligible for benefits and paid leave (including holiday and/or administrative leave), except as required by law.

  • Temporary aides will earn paid sick leave, accruing one (1) hour of sick leave for every thirty (30) hours worked (balance is capped at 48 hours).

• During time of employment, these positions will work at least 40 hours a week, and are eligible for paid overtime. Length of employment may be amended by DFPC (not to exceed 9 months), and school schedules may be accommodated.

• To meet response readiness needs, DFPC resources in a region may stagger their schedules for 7 day coverage. This will mean a normal 40 hour work week schedule could include weekend days, holidays, and extended shifts.

• Requires being available for assignments that may last for two weeks or longer in austere living and working conditions. Work schedules will be expected to be flexible and modified at times to fit the need.

• Requires working long hours (up to 16 hours per day) in outdoor settings and performing strenuous manual labor, under extreme environmental conditions

Training and most personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided by the agency.

The Temporary Aide Helicopter Crewmember works as part of a firefighting resource - typically a helicopter module, but may also be assigned to a suppression squad/module/hand crew or engine crew – to provide a range of firefighting and related services.

As a crewmember, the primary purpose of this position is to function, at minimum, as a NWCG Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) in support of fire suppression and mitigation projects (i.e.

prescribed fire, hazardous fuel reduction, resource management). The Position operates in alignment with the DFPC values of honor, integrity, service, and loyalty.

Helicopter modules regularly support diverse missions, including wildfire initial attack response, mitigation projects (i.e.

prescribed fire, hazardous fuel reduction, and resource management), and prevention and education.

As assigned, equipped, and qualified, this position may assist with all-hazard incident operations such as search and rescue and other incident response.

This position participates in wildland firefighting activities. Based on the type of work performed, taking and passing the Work Capacity Test (WCT) at the ARDUOUS level is a “condition of employment.”

Fire Suppression & Incident Response

• While providing for their individual safety, the employee works as a crewmember during fire suppression and incident response. Fire suppression and incident response work includes, but is not limited to:

  • constructs fireline utilizing hand tools;

  • cuts and clears vegetation utilizing power saws;

  • performs structure protection;

  • conducts mop up and patrol operations;

  • assists with ignition operations;

  • operates pumps;

  • installs hose lays and water delivery systems;

  • performs and assists with rescue operations;

  • operates and travels in vehicles on and off-road;

  • hauls and packs fire related equipment and supplies;

  • uses various tools and equipment such as chainsaws, shovels, drip torches, fusees, pulaskis;

  • uses various communication methods including radios;

  • assists with safety inspections, maintaining and repairing of tools and equipment;

  • assists and follows demobilizing duties, including required incident documentation.

• Based on location and business needs, the position will perform non-wildfire and all-hazard incident response and support functions as trained, qualified, and equipped including, but not limited to: structure fire, hazmat, search and rescue, medical, etc.

Requires use of basic fire experience and knowledge, rudimentary skill in firefighting tasks, and the ability to recognize and communicate safety considerations and other factors (fire intensity, fuel conditions, weather observations, etc.) used by higher qualified firefighters in their decision making process.

This knowledge, skill, and ability is shown by being qualified as an National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)Firefighter 2 (wildland)

• Follows established processes and chain of command for collecting, producing, and distributing information.

• As qualified on an incident, the employee may temporarily work as a Firefighter II

• Incident response may require travel to active fires, severity assignments, and pre-position assignments throughout Colorado and across the nation.

• Incident response may require travel in rotor and/or fixed-wing aircraft for detection, reconnaissance, communication, coordination, command and control purposes prior to, during, and following wildland fire and all-hazard incidents.

• Incident response may require crews to be assigned to an incident for two weeks or longer in austere living and working conditions.

• Incident response may require working long hours (up to 16 hours per day) in outdoor settings and performing strenuous manual labor under extreme environmental conditions.

• Work schedules will be expected to be flexible and modified at times to fit the business need based on fire conditions.

• Work duties include participation in physical conditioning activities for up to one hour each day.
  
  

Mitigation, Fuels Treatment, and Resource Management Projects

• While providing for his/her individual safety, the employee works as a crewmember in implementation of mitigation, fuels treatment and resource management projects, including but not limited to:

  • cuts, clears, piles, and disposes of treated vegetation;

  • uses tools and equipment such as chainsaws, firing equipment, portable pumps, chippers, air curtain burners and more;

  • constructs firelines and prescribed fire burning as assigned;

  • performs ignitions and holding operations;

  • conducts mop up and patrol operations;

  • uses various communication methods including radios;

  • uses and maintains on and off-road vehicles;

  • hauls and packs fire related equipment and supplies;

  • assists with safety inspections, maintains and repairs tools and equipment;

  • cleans, reconditions, and stores properly.

• Follows instructions to assist with gathering data and records information on fuels sampling, fuel types, weather conditions, fire behaviors, and status of work accomplished.

• Follows established processes and chain of command for collecting, producing, and distributing information.

• Work duties include participation in physical conditioning activities for up to one hour each day.
  
  

Fire Preparedness and Support and Other Duties as Assigned

• Establishes and maintains the physical fitness level necessary to effectively perform hard physical labor for extended periods under adverse climate, fuel, and terrain conditions.

• Assists with inspection & maintenance of assigned crews response equipment, vehicles, tools, PPE and more; assists with maintaining inventory of tools, PPE, equipment.

• Assists with collecting, compiling and calculating various wildland fuels and fire danger rating indices.

• On-going training in the basic understanding of multichannel radio operations, including plain language and incident command system (ICS) terminology.

• On-going training and professional development in the State of Colorado; CDPS, DFPC & WFMS standard operating policies, procedures & guidelines. This includes time-keeping systems, time & leave policies, incident documentation requirements, travel & purchasing policies and more.

• Assists with the logistics and instruction of various courses, trainings and events, such as wildfire suppression, incident management, structural firefighting, medical and first aid, job fairs and community outreach to DFPC employees and external agency personnel.

• Assists other DFPC programs (reports, data entry, filing, training and testing, inspections, research, fire billing, logistics etc.) as needed and available to support the mission of CDPS and DFPC.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Minimum Qualifications and Experience

This must be specifically documented in your application submission.

Additional information submitted after the closing date of this announcement will not be considered in the review of your application.

Please note, your application will not be considered if documentation to support this qualification is not provided.

• Qualification to NWCG standards as a Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2).

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous wildland fire, fire service or related experience.

• NWCG wildfire qualifications of: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1), Basic Faller (FAL3) or higher, Incident Commander Type 5 (ICT5), Helicopter Crewmember (HECM).

• State of Colorado/DFPC or equivalent: Structural Firefighter I, or equivalent.

• Medical certifications and qualifications including Wilderness First Responder, Emergency First Responder, or Emergency Medical Technician.

• Demonstrated commitment to public service and community involvement.

Complete Applications Must Include the Following Documents

• A complete CDPS Application for announced vacancy (please submit online using the link in this announcement).

• A complete supplemental questionnaire (must submit online as a part of the application).

• A copy of your NWCG qualification (IQS or IQCS master record and/or incident qualification card).

• Detailed, chronological resume of experience.

Conditions of Employment

• Must be 18 years of age at time of hire.

• Upon initial employment, individuals will be required to provide a complete training file to DFPC that contains all necessary qualification documentation (course certificates, position task books, personnel evaluations, and incident experience history) to demonstrate that NWCG and other requirements have been met.

• Position may be required to attain additional training and/or certifications within a specified period of time, per current DFPC qualifications and professional development Standard Operating Guidelines and Policies.

• Current valid driver's license at time of hire, and must obtain a Colorado-issued driver's license within 1 month of hire. Ability to operate motor vehicles and to travel extensively throughout the state in a variety of weather conditions.

• This position is a public safety officer as defined by 42 U.S.C. § 3796b Sec. 1204 (9).

• Must be willing to travel to wildfire incidents, severity assignments, and pre-position assignments throughout Colorado, and across the nation at times. Assignments may last for two weeks or longer.

Wildland Firefighters need to be familiar with and frequently use flammable liquids and solids in the performance of aviation operations and various prescribed fire and tactical firing tasks.

This includes the preparation, implementation and storage of drip torch fuel, Fire Retardant, Water Enhancers, Aluma Gel, Phosphorus and cleaning chemicals.

• Applicants must be willing to be fingerprinted, successfully pass a polygraph, drug screen, and a medical physical exam as a condition of hire.

• Must maintain an Arduous Fitness Level rating (based on NWCG standards) throughout the entire employment period. Must be able to obtain an Arduous Fitness Level rating within 2 weeks of hire.

Appeal Rights
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination. Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at www.colorado.gov/spb. A standard appeal form is available at: www.colorado.gov/spb. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination.

Additional Information

• Applications are considered complete and accurate at the time of submission. Therefore, additional information may not be solicited or accepted after your application has been received.

Closing Date: All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications may proceed to the next step.

Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will advance to the comparative analysis process.

However, if fewer than six candidates meet the minimum qualifications, all applicants will be referred directly to interview, and a numerical comparative analysis will not be conducted.

Supplemental Question: Effective responses to Supplemental Questions will directly relate to your professional experience, career accomplishments, and views about organizational values and approaches, and how they relate specifically to this position and requirements as you understand them.

Answers generated by AI-tools will typically be unresponsive.

Transcripts: An unofficial copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application should education be used as qualification.

Transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service.

This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials.

Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.

Military Veterans: If you are a military veteran you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Member 4 Copy, and VA disability letter if available/applicable at the time of application so we can determine if you are eligible for veteran's preference points.

Military personnel who are stationed outside of Colorado may be eligible for this position by submitting the completed DD-2058 "State of Legal Residence" form.

• Application Tips: For an overview of State of Colorado application process and application tips, please view this video.

• Resumes, Cover Letters, or other documents submitted will not be reviewed, assessed, or used in the initial stages of the comparative analysis (transcripts submitted to verify that the applicant meets either the education requirement or minimum qualification substitution are exempt from this).

Notifications: All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be sent via email to the email address listed on your application.

Include your current working email address on your application and check the email provided on your application frequently as you could receive time sensitive correspondence regarding this position.

We highly recommend that you set up your email to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email.

• e-Verify: CDPS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

• Comparative Analysis Steps may include (dates are tentative and subject to change):

  • Panel Interview - Beginning of April