R5

[u/Fluffy_Bid_4500]

Benefits of going fed vs. cal fire when living in R5, getting out of the military soon and trying to see what I should do career wise. Thanks yall.

[u/box_man_come]

Depends what you want to do. Work for a hotshot crew and you'll see and do more shit in 1 season then calfire seasonals do in 3.

If you're more interested in traditional fire department things than go calfire.

Pay and schedule is way better with calfire.

I'm with calfire now and I wouldn't trade my experiences with the feds for anything. Lots of good memories and good people. Saw some badass shit and did some badass shit. It's what wildland fire is all about. That said it's hard to sustain that for a career.

Calfire will always be there.

[u/QuickQuestionPleaz → u/box_man_come]

This dude knows ball

[u/eg00dy → u/box_man_come]

I worked with the feds for 5 years, 4 hotshotting but got out last year. After a year of being out I’m definitely missing fire and wanting a way back in, but not with all the shit that comes with working for the feds (work life balance, underpaid) and am curious about calfire. feel like the main thing holding me back is that there’s a medical component to the job which I’m unsure if I feel up for/if I can stomach. Can you offer any insights? what % ends up being medical and is that reason enough to not consider calfire? Thanks for any input!

[u/box_man_come → u/eg00dy]

I mean you can work at stations that feel like fed stations up in the boonies that only run wildland fire calls or you can work at stations that have a legit response area and you're running like a traditional fire department. It just depends where you work. Me personally I've barely run any medicals just based on where I've been stationed but there's stations that will run em everyday.

There's people though that strictly work through the crews for their whole careers it's def doable and with hotshot experience you'll blow the calfire handcrew dudes out of the water. They got a looooong way to go to being similar to a shot crew but with all the ex feds jumping ship I think they'll start getting better.

[u/eg00dy → u/box_man_come]

Nice man that’s good to know. Yea I think I’d lean towards staying with their handcrews. Do handcrews still have a similar experience when not on fires as the engines? I imagine the engines are at the station waiting for calls, medicals and fires, more than the handcrews? are most handcrews still seasonal with calfire?

[u/box_man_come → u/eg00dy]

They'll have projects and things to do like the feds. They also love doing practice line digs too but it depends on the program. Yeah handcrews are seasonal

[u/BungHolio4206969]

Cal fire to be honest, better pay, benefits, and work schedule. This is coming from a fed.

[u/ferret_hunter702 → u/BungHolio4206969]

100%. I also worked my whole fire career with the feds and I would tell you to go the cal fire route. All around it’s the better option for a career. Not as cool but better career wise.

[u/ZonaDesertRat → u/BungHolio4206969]

Which CalFire unit? They don't all rank the trade offs.

[u/BungHolio4206969 → u/ZonaDesertRat]

I don’t know? Like I said, I’m a fed. I don’t know all the specific units n shiiieet

[u/ZonaDesertRat → u/BungHolio4206969]

That's the point bruh, ya gotta learn the units to know where it's worth it... ;)

[u/Past-Garlic-519]

Do you want better pay, better benefits, better union? Go Calfire

Do you want to travel out of state, live out of some Crack Shack bunkhouse in the middle of nowhere, become a broke alcoholic and be married then divorced atleast twice on your way to a GS8 or 9? Go fed

[u/Mkreza538]

Fed engine in R5 here. Cal Fire pays a lot better, i think its only 10 year to qualify for their retirement. But everyone Ive talked to that works for them says the scheduling sucks but if you dont have a family then you wouldnt mind be gone as long as them. Also you’d have to wear blue pants to a fire like some weirdo

[u/Low_Astronomer_6669 → u/Mkreza538]

Not only that, in Cal Fire, your blue pants are normal length, not all cool-style, 3-tier-lace, high-cuff shack-wagon, flood britches of a proper length. 

[u/QuickQuestionPleaz → u/Mkreza538]

Fed hotshot in r5 here. Wearing blue pants to a fire is still less bad than sitting in a green engine like a weirdo all day.

[u/Lamsgobahhh]

I’ve done it all. Just go straight to a municipal dept.

[u/Soggy_Zucchini1349]

Honestly, my view as a fed. Fed Shot crew: cool green pants, lotta work decent money through sheer overtime, see a lot of shit. Fed Engine:cool green pants, you’re somewhere with medicals or grass, or you’re praying for something to happen all summer so you can afford food. Cal-Fire:money, white oakleys, White Tacoma, staffing patterns, must have an ego, money, go to all the fed fires anyways, lift assists, car crashes, money, stupid blue pants. 

[u/AngelesNF_Chief1]

Cal Fire blows, R5 blows, FS blows. Trust me

[u/ZonaDesertRat → u/AngelesNF_Chief1]

You forgot that YOU blow Bobby. In fact, I think the Ranger is calling you now, grab your chapstick, time to earn your pay.

[u/sohikes]

CalFire: Actually get paid and treated better.

Feds: Travel outside of Cali and you’ll do way more when actually on fires, especially on a hotshot crew

My recommendation do time on a IHC if you’re fit enough and then go to CalFire. It’s kinda like a cop doing a few years in Los Angeles before going to a small town

[u/No-Grade-4691]

Both options are forever better then being a contractor lol.

[u/Different_Ad_931]

Just stay away from Cali dude there’s nothing left here.

[u/Smokey_Jumps]

Go fed, dip back into your retirement. Join a handcrew, there are multiple vet crews out there

[u/Past-Garlic-519 → u/Smokey_Jumps]

That retirement is for the birds dawg. Unless you're a GS100 in DC, you'll be relaying on your TSP to make ends meet as your body has been absolutely destroyed by Smokey and can no longer work or even wake up without screaming in pain.