SECTION FOREST FIREWARDEN


  

DEFINITION


       Under direction of an Assistant Division Forest Firewarden or
  other supervisor in the Department of Environmental Protection, is
  responsible for the preparation and implementation of forest fire
  suppression, pre-suppression, and prevention programs designed to
  protect life and property from wildfire for one section or not less
  than 109,000 acres of state and private land; does related work as
  required.

  
EXAMPLES OF WORK:


       Prepares forest fire management long and short range fire
  suppression and pre-suppression plans including studies and revisions
  of resource inventories, plan of organization, attack plans, and local
  cooperating agreements.

       Makes recommendations for capital improvements and budgetary
  requirements.

       Provides technical planning assistance and training to intra-
  sectional cooperating agencies and plans, organizes, controls,
  coordinates, and motivates the section forest fire protection and
  management effort.

       Actively engages in aggressive forest fire suppression actions
  requiring extreme physical exertion and stress for extended periods of
  time.

       Participates in and completes studies including fire protection
  analysis and damage appraisals for residents, national fire danger
  rating systems, detection systems, logistics, fuel modification, and
  engineering projects, utilizing computerized economic analysis and
  "LANDSAT" or high altitude photo mapping interpretation.

       Participates in work programs involving forest management
  projects, information and education, training of regular and
  cooperating personnel, organization and land use inspections;
  participates in the application of the Burning Permit Law, and provides
  recommendations for restricted use of posting closures.

       Assigns workload and specific duties to staff; provides technical
  advice and assistance; reviews work performance.

       Provides training and certifications to new recruits and verifies
  their eligibility to volunteer their services to the New Jersey Forest
  Fire Service.

       Determines, prepares, and activates action plans necessary to
  reduce hazards in areas of excessive risk; proposes action on
  incendiary fires; participates in the preparation of plans for the use
  of prescribed fire, control of railroad hazards, roads and highway
  maintenance, dumping restrictions, brush and trash removal.

       Attends training courses established by the National Wildfire
  Coordinating Group to keep abreast of current techniques required in
  fire suppression; relays information to and trains subordinates.

       Develops and activates plans with state and private land-owners in
  the application of prescribed fire for the purpose of hazard reduction.

       Assists with the installation, evaluation, or termination of fire
  weather stations.

       Engages in patrol activities in high hazard and risk areas;
  directs suppression forces actively engaged in fire control activities
  to ensure compliance with performance and safety standards set forth in
  suppression plans.

       Conducts prompt and aggressive investigation of wildfires to
  determine cause; prepares and maintains reports, maps, photographs, and
  other evidence for prosecution; makes recommendations to effectively
  recover fire suppression costs.

       Conducts prompt and aggressive investigation procedures for
  equipment accidents, complaints, vandalism, or other complementary
  problems which may constitute a breach of legal or environmental
  restrictions.

       Assists law enforcement agencies in apprehension action; consults
  with legal authorities for assistance with procedural determination;
  participates in court and settlement actions; works with juvenile
  authorities; cooperates with law enforcement agencies in securing
  compliance with forest fire regulations.

       Makes recommendations to courts regarding severity of penalties
  with values lost and/or threatened in accordance with fair market
  value.

       Issues summons and makes arrests, without warrant, any person whom
  he/she has probable cause to believe is committing a violation of the
  Forest Fire Prevention and Control Act (Title 13).

       Participates in gathering forest fire damage appraisal data and
  statistics; conducts reviews of problem fire analysis; prepares
  narratives for reports.

       Coordinates with state, county, and municipal agencies to
  establish a plan to respond to emergency incidents.

       Keeps actively participating parties informed of special fire
  situations, attends meetings, and helps correlate plans and multiple
  use policies of agencies involved.

       Assists in insect and disease control programs designed to
  decrease the risk of forest fire hazard.

       Utilizes aerial attack and aerial detection forces in forest fire
  suppression.

       Participates in vehicular preventive maintenance programs;
  maintains safety and security standards; conducts the section fire
  prevention sign program and maintains records on utilization.

       Maintains proficiency in forest fire suppression at the level
  mandated by national standards under the Incident Command System.

       Engages in the protection of state and privately owned land.

       Conducts periodic test and equipment studies to evaluate the
  effectiveness and feasibility of forest fire equipment.

       Conducts periodic inspections and maintains current inventories of
  all fire suppression equipment and supplies.

       Prepares clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative
  reports and data summaries, studies and surveys containing findings,
  conclusions, and recommendations of labor and monetary costs involved
  in fighting forest fires.

       Gathers damage information with regard to environmental,
  structural, or other personal property losses due to wildfire.

       Maintains essential records and files.

       Will be required to learn and utilize various types of electronic
  and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by
  the agency, office, or related units.

  REQUIREMENTS:

       EDUCATION:

           Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate's
  degree in Forestry, Forest Management, Forest Science, Natural
  Resources Management, Forest Resources, or Fire Science.

                                    AND

       EXPERIENCE:

           Three (3) years of experience involving the prevention, pre-
  suppression, and/or suppression of forest fires.

           NOTE: Additional college credits in the above fields, up to
  the level of a Bachelor's degree, may be substituted for up to two (2)
  years of the required experience.  (Thirty (30) credits is equivalent
  to one (1) year of experience).

       SPECIAL NOTE

           Appointees will be required to establish residence in an
  assigned area within thirty (30) days of appointment.  (The appointee
  must live within the forest region assigned.)

           Appointees will be required to complete an internal forest
  fire training course administered by the Department of Environmental
  Protection involving the administration of laws covering the protection
  of forests from wildfire.

           Appointees must maintain qualifications as a forest fire
  fighter and/or show proof of Red Card Certification as a Strike Team
  Leader under the National Interagency Fire Qualification Systems
  (NIFQS) standards as established by the National Wildfire Coordinating
  Group.  Failure to maintain qualifications will result in progressive
  disciplinary action.

       LICENSE:

           Appointees must possess a driver's license valid in New
  Jersey.  Appointees may also be required to possess a valid Commercial
  Driver's License (CDL) and applicable endorsements for the class and
  type of vehicle being operated.

       NOTE: The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the
  required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of
  vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority.

  KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

           Knowledge of modern forest fire prevention, administration,
  and technical management methods, and their application to specific
  cases.

           Knowledge of the techniques required to participate in survey
  and planning work pertaining to personnel, equipment plans, resource
  and land use studies, and specialized planning and ground operation
  required to contribute to the suppression of large or serious fires.

           Knowledge of forest fire suppression equipment, techniques,
  principles, and practices.

           Knowledge of fire apparatus testing equipment.

           Ability to read, interpret, and apply statutes, laws, and
  administrative code pertaining to the Forest Fire Prevention and
  Control Act (Title 13).

           Ability to read, interpret, and apply information on the
  Incident Command System as applied to all risk emergency responses.

           Ability to read, interpret, and apply information on state
  laws and department policy regarding the theories, practices, and
  procedures relating to fire prevention and management.

           Ability to operate motorized fire suppression equipment.

           Ability to organize assigned technical and supervisory work
  and provide suitable assignments and instructions for employees and
  volunteer workers and to supervise the performance of their work.

           Ability to maintain state and national standards of physical
  fitness necessary to qualify for wildfire suppression.

           Ability to conduct wildfire damage appraisals through the
  application of scientific sampling and inventory methods of both
  understory and overstory species.

           Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working
  relationships with subordinates and to instruct technical fire
  management, planning personnel, clerical employees, and those members
  of the public interested in or concerned with the work of the section.

           Ability to immediately analyze wildfire suppression problems
  and to direct efforts toward the solution of such problems.

           Ability to supervise pre-suppression planning, and coordinate
  planning contracts with civic, business, and other cooperating groups
  and organizations.

           Ability to plan, and direct basic fire management program
  activities and conduct administrative work involved in personnel,
  financial, equipment, and other records.

           Ability to prepare clear, technically sound, accurate, and
  informative statistical and other reports containing findings,
  conclusions, and recommendations.

           Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or
  manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or
  related units.

           Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communication
  English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position.  American
  Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of
  communication.

           Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as
  long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after
  reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations.  If the
  accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue
  hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

  CODES:  20/P20-02661                   JMR                7/22/95