If you’re among the more than 300,000 unemployed people looking for work in this state, here’s a chance for some temporary employment and exercise:
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting applications for Forest Firefighter and Natural Resource Worker positions for the 2009 fire season, which begins April 15, 2009. More than 350 positions will be available statewide.
It sounds a little less relaxed than Jack Kerouac’s 1956 stint working as a fire lookout at Washington’s Desolation Peak, but hey—an adventure nonetheless. Unemployed beat poets and other interested parties, click here.
DNR also works with prisoners from the state prison system too. So there are lots of guys hard up for sex.
It’s really gratifying work if you’ve never done it.
You’ll singe a lot of your external body hair and smell like smoke for days and your lungs will feel kind of dry, but it’s very satisfying work.
Desolation Angels is my favorite Kerouac book, and the one I recommend to people who say they hate Kerouac. Just sayin’.
@2
I agree it is very satisfying work, but I am afraid I am too fat to pass the pack test now…
My sister was DNR firefighter for two summers and the only woman on her crew. She’s never had a better work experience – and that was in Okanogan!
You need to be in great shape and shouldn’t have asthma if you’re considering applying.
Will, would you please list all of the jobs you’ve ever held –including babysitting for famous authors like Neil Gaiman– right here, so that in the future I can call bullshit when you claim to have experienced every motherfucking thing in the world?
KTHX, DIAF, et cetera
I’d suggest increasing your life insurance coverage (and checking the policy to be sure that this job is covered) before starting work.
And you gotta like MRE’s for three-squares-a-day. And not showering for a couple of weeks at a time – oh, and possibly being burned to death.
But, otherwise, sounds like a great gig!
There is nothing hotter than the annual Pioneer Square Fire Festival, featuring an EXPLOSION of hunky firefighters sweating their way through a crazy obstacle course (conveniently adjacent to a beer garden). July 10 & 11, 2009
@6 – Gaiman? I think you mean a different person, and that was a favor.
Unlike you, I’ve had an interesting life.
I can’t help it if you’re boring.
You should at least be able to help not being a lying, know it all, douche.
Like you’ve ever fought fires, other than the ones from your bong, Chris.
I’m sure Will’s resume is long; it just doesn’t include a lot of contact info.
It used to. But it’s not very relevant to what I do now.
Maybe if you got out more, you’d realize the world is a lot bigger and a lot more interesting than you think.
P.S.: If you want tips on great vineyards in BC, New Zealand or Australia, ask.
@2: So my internal body hair is safe? Whew, that’s a relief.
What’s the story on the different DNR regions? Are some of them less popular than others or in need of more people? Which are the easiest to get hired for? It seems you never hear about fires in the Olympics for instance. I imagine those crews are sparser than the ones stationed for the East Central Cascades which seem to go up in smoke every year. Anybody here have any firefighter hiring pointers?
Well, some of the hair inside your nose and throat gets kind of … it’s hard to describe … scratchy. I think it’s the coating from the smoke, really, but you get used to it after a while.
As I recall (and this isn’t from this decade), @16, they usually can use people in the dryer areas, mostly in Eastern Washington – the Olympics doesn’t seem to have as much demand (mostly lightning starting fires and they have some rain in the summer, whereas the infernos are mostly in the east).