Smokejumpers

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United States Forest Service Smoke Jumpers

Smokejumpers are firefighters who jump from planes into remote wilderness areas to fight wildfires.  There are more than 400 smokejumpers working out of nine bases in six states, and they are deployable to states outside of their own.

According to John Casey of the Region 5 Smokejumpers, who are based in Redding, California, "We are highly trained, highly experienced wildland firefighters.  We're initial attack, so typically we are the first resources on the incident."

History of the Smokejumpers

The Smokejumpers program was first proposed to the United States Forest Service (USFS) in 1934; however, the first fire jumps did not take place until 1940 in Idaho.  In 2008, the California smokejumpers had a record breaking year, which started with lightening-sparked fires on June 20th and continued through the end of October.  The smokejumpers parachuted to 101 fires in 616 jumps with no parachute related injuries, which John Casey attributes to their intense training.

Applicants to the USFS Smokejumpers program are required to have extensive wildland firefighting experience.  Casey explains, "Typically we recruit from engine crews, Hotshot crews, and helitack crews."  Recruits must go through a rigorous seven and a half week training program, and they must maintain a high level of fitness throughout their career to insure the safe performance of all their duties.

Smokejumpers Equipment

The Redding-based smokejumpers have two airplanes, a Sherpa which holds ten jumpers and a Twin Otter that holds eight.  They are deployed throughout the western part of the United States, including Alaska and as far west as New Mexico.  After receiving an initial call for deployment they are typically suited up and ready to take-off within ten minutes.

Smokejumpers are outfitted with the latest in protective clothing and gear.  Their jump suits are made of puncture resistant Kevlar, with heavy padding.  They each have a FS14 round canopy parachute for their main chute.  It is static line deployed and is steerable, according to Casey.  They also carry a reserve parachute on their chest and wear a motorcycle-style helmet.  They have a gear bag which carries their fire shelter, food, water, and radios, and a pack-out bag used to carry their equipment.  The smokejumpers also have let down tape, which is tubular webbing that they can use for rappelling if they land in a tree.

Fighting Fires

Once the smokejumpers are on the ground at an incident, they must pack up their jump gear and stow it away in a safe place. They then gather their tools and firefighting equipment and head to the fire. Airplanes drop 48 hours worth of food, water, and equipment to them, in a process they call paracargo. Teams can be committed to an incident from between one day and twenty-one days at a time.  After three days on a fire, the teams will need to be resupplied via helicopter or paracargo.  When they are finished fighting the wildfire, they are either picked up by a helicopter or vehicle, and if they are in an unaccessible area, they must hike out on their own.

Other Duties of a Smokejumper

While not fighting fires, the smokejumpers stay busy with several things.  They make their own equipment at their bases, including their suits and personal gear bags.  They also repair and modify their parachutes there, and are proficient in using a sewing machine.  The teams also spend their time training on the latest techniques in wildland firefighting, and work on the USFS's wildlife programs and hazardous tree removal project.

More Information on the United States Forest Service Smoke Jumpers

For more information on the United States Forest Service Smokejumpers, visit gacc.nifc.gov/oncc/logistics/crews/smokejumpers/index.html

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