Charles Richards

• Forest Officer
  

Oregon Department of Forestry | May 2023 - Present | 2 years 6 months | Grants Pass

FOREST OFFICER duties complete Wildland firefighting activities, locate fires using maps, Global Position System (GPS), and compasses. Serves as the Initial Attack Incident Commander. Determines size-up of fire potential, fire fighting resources needs, and directs suppression firefighting resources (engines, helicopters, air tankers, dozer, etc.) Provides fireline and incident oversight and leadership. Employees are responsible for Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) suppression activities. Completes initial fire cause determination, evidence collection, and witness identification. Complete pre-suppression/readiness duties such as: road brushing, live fire training, water hole location, knowledge of fighting equipment, protection district; roads, topography, and land owners. Implement the fire program (prevention, detection, pre-suppression, and suppression) at the unit and district level.

Employees operate department vehicles including cars, trucks, cache vans, All Terrain Vehicle’s (ATV’s), and fire engines. Forest Officers complete safety inspections, submit request for maintenance, and maintain general up-keep all fire fighting equipment.

Employees administer and enforce Oregon’s fire prevention statutes and rules in Oregon Revised Statute chapter 477 and Oregon Administrative Rule 629 including; responding to public complaints, issuing citations, record of fire, issuing burning permits, court appearances, interpreting guidance, and case reviews.

Forest Officers lead public outreach activities such as: home shows, civic groups, fairs, and parades. Employees conduct fire patrol activities with in assigned geographic area including; contacts with recreationist and the public, posting fire prevention signs and communicates general public education.

Employees identify and plan landscape activities such as mowing, weeding, pruning, spreading bark or rock using hand tools and power equipment and identifies and plans building maintenance activities such as; minor repairs, roofing, painting, concrete work, and custodial duties. Forest Protection Officers are responsible for vehicle maintenance activities such as: fire readiness, daily safety inspections, fluid checks, washing and waxing, fire engine inventories and oversees maintenance of firefighting and other equipment.

Employees participate in safety meetings, develop and participate in fire training for cooperators, landowners and fire crews. Employees review and complete fire report forms from gathered information, investigation reports, vehicle logs, and shift tickets. Employees determine materials and purchase needed materials for projects. Employees maintain fire cache inventories in coordination with Salem, Redmond, FEPP, and local agencies caches.

Using power equipment and hand tools for removal of fuels to prevent wildfire and to help provide a strategic area to stop, help stop or potentially provide a safe spot for fire fighters during suppression activities.

Working in a wide variety of manual tasks in the areas of fuels reduction, pre-commercial thinning, hand piling, chemical release, site preparation, tree planting, noxious week eradication and cutting small trees and brush using a chain saw and task specific tools.

Maintaining tools and equipment.

Perform initial attack actions on fires: hand-line construction, hose lays, applying water to fires, mopping up fires, running portable pumps, setting up fold-a-tanks and fire site rehabilitation.

As a Wildland Fire Suppression Specialist I am responsible for locating fires using maps, global positioning system, compasses, and directions obtained through dispatch center or general public. I serve as an initial attack incident commander determining size and potential of fires, ordering additional firefighting resources to fit the needs of the incident, and directing those resources in suppression firefighting activity. These resources include various sizes of engines, helicopters, air tankers, dozer, and firefighting crews.
I am responsible for complete initial fire cause determination, collecting evidence, and witness statements to complete a fire report and thorough investigation report, which includes a full summary, landowner and possible responsible parties, findings, and conclusion to pursue liability and possible cost collection. I am also responsible for turning in complete and accurate time sheets for myself as well as my crew members.
I operate the engine under adverse conditions such as, hail, thunderstorms, muddy roads, etc. I operate the engine on state and county roads, unimproved roads, and mountainous terrain
Besides strictly firefighting duties I provide traffic control and mitigate other hazards like fallen trees, powerlines, congested traffic, smoke, debris, and retardant. I also work with hazardous materials like diesel, gasoline, paint, cleaning chemicals, oil, insecticides, herbicide application, and rodent and pest control.

I am responsible for operating heavy equipment and machinery in a safe manner during hazardous and adverse conditions such as, snow plow, sweeper, sander, chainsaw, winch, lift gates, trailers, and utility vehicles. I also service, repair, and maintain equipment and tools to ensure they are in a safe operating condition. I am responsible for removing roadside debris and animals struck by vehicles, as well as maintaining vegetation areas by mowing the grass and spraying pesticides and herbicides. On a daily basis I repair culverts, inlets, and try to help prevent erosion. I am also responsible for repairing and replacing roadway sight posts, mile post markers, guardrails, barriers, and fences. I conduct clean-up of sidewalks, graffiti, pavement, bridge walks, and islands. I also dig out and clean ditches, catch basins, drainage systems utilizing tools such as heavy equipment, shovels, and rakes. Another duty I have is to perform surface repair, build and repair roadway shoulders, headers and bike paths. During winter operations I operate a snow plow, and sander to maintain a safe roadway for the public. In addition, I respond to accidents and other emergencies to provide traffic control and coordinate with other agencies to ensure public and personnel safety and assist with clean-up of debris.

Wash dishes, general facilities maintenance, maintained a clean and safe work environment, work with a team in a high stress environment.

Working as a saw crew, my responsibilities were providing fuel reduction in the various locations across Oregon and Northern California. I worked with a crew removing invasive species, creating a fuel break around known archeological sites, falling trees, cutting brush, developing leadership skills, working closely with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Other responsibilities include tool maintenance, chainsaw maintenance, safety briefings, and work site assessments.

Responsibilities include, constructing foot trails, ATV reroutes, water bars, retaining walls, and rock steps. Other duties include showing proficiency in various hand tools, using maps, working together cohesively with a crew of 8, vehicle maintenance, tool maintenance, invasive species removal, transplanting various plants, landscaping, and public interactions.

Responsibilities include shop maintenance, greeting customers, loading and unloading steel deliveries, costumer support, helping with sale calls, landscape maintenance, equipment checks, vehicle maintenance, and inventory checks.