Micah Braden

During the 2025 season, I started my rookie year on the crew and worked on a saw team. This was another year of valuable experience for me, and adjusting to the crew way of life. We had a busy season in a wide variety of fuel types, and fire activity. This season was a good opportunity for me to observe those ahead of me in trainee rolls, to prepare myself for next year in the event i continue to work on my FFT1 and IC5.

2026 was a good year of growth for me in my career and my knowledge of the job. I was able to complete my FFT1 task book, and get more time on the saw cutting trees. This is a skill i will continue to develop.

While working on Prescott National Forest with E-933 for the past two seasons, I have made alot of progress in the understanding of fire behavior, suppression, and management tactics. I have been provided with many opportunities to lead small groups, and enhance both my communication and problem solving skills. Both of my seasons have included a lot of project work, which has given me the opportunity to improve my falling and brushing skills a large amount. Our crew also puts an emphasis on training in down time, examples being sand tables for IC5 scenarios, as well as pumping off our engine. This year I had the chance to fill with Prescott Hotshots and go to Montana for a 14 day assignment. I feel like I was a great fit for the crew and am eager to go back and work with them again soon. It was very valuable experience getting to see how they work and learn from some very knowledgeable and hard working people.

While working at MadShirtz i have developed my graphic design skills, as well as my hands on printing production.

As a member of the fuels crew, our work consists primarily of defensible space for local residents. In addition to this, we implement strategic fire breaks around town, and maintain them throughout the year. During 2019 fire season I worked with a Type 6 engine, but was only able to go on a few district fires. Most of my experience ultimately comes from fuels/project work, but i am looking to gain more experience on large scale fires, and continue to learn.

• Cut and cleared brush and dug trenches to create fire lines using Pulaskis, Chainsaws, and McCleods.
• Educated public and community members on fire safety and prevention methods to provide life-saving techniques.
• Oversaw equipment and vehicle upkeep to maintain emergency readiness.
• Inspected buildings for pre-fire plans, fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances.
• Patrolled burnt areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that could flare or rekindle.
• Completed training to stay in peak physical fitness and handle challenging tasks.