Pennsylvania Forest Fire Wardens Association

SPECIALIZED FOREST FIRE CREW INFORMATION

Each year Bureau of Forestry train wildland firefighters to battle wildfires outside of the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, has been providing specialized crews and single resources for wildland firefighting across the country since 1973. Each year the Forestry District offers firefighters the oppertunity to take the arduous fittness test (aka Pack test). This is where a firefighter with a 45lb vest or backpack must walk 3 miles in 45 minutes. Each firefighter that is chosen for a wildfire assignment commits to a minimum of a 14 day assignment.

Each year crews from Pennsylvania travel to assist in wildfire suppresion and incident support from  the southern states to the west coast and even up to Alaska.

This year the Ardeous Fitness test will be given on two dates at French Creek State Park. The first date is Thursday March 25 from 10am to 1pm, the second date is Saturday March 27 from 9am to 1pm. Here is a link to an informational flyer about the fittness tests, click here

After a sucsesfull completion of the Arduous Fittness test each firefighter is required to attend an  Annual Crew refresher program District 17 will be

holding this session at French Creek State Park at the District Office meeting room on Saturday April 10 from 9am to 3pm.

The final task for a wildland firefighter must complete before going out of state on a fire assignment  is attending the Specialized Crew Camp at Camp Karoondinha Boy Scout Camp. This is where various clasroom and hands on courses will be tought to the firefighters that will help them be better prepared for their fire assignment. The date for the Crew Camp ar June 3rd thru the 6th. Further information about the Camp will be forwarded to crew members from the Bureau of Forestry's main office in Harrisburg.

If you are interested in participating in the Specialized crew or want more information please contact Chris Rohrbach at the District Office at 610-582-9660.