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Is it a myth? An urban legend? No. The "Red Card" is what qualifies a
person to fight fire with a federal agency or on federal land. This page
provides information regarding the Incident Qualification System (IQS),
the Red Card, and how to look for summer firefighting jobs.
The Red Card
The Red Card itself is no more than an illustration of the current
wildland fire qualifications of an individual. It is part of the fire
qualifications management system used by many state and all federal
wildland fire management agencies. All firefighters assigned to a fire
being managed by a federal agency, such as the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land
Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, or US Fish
& Wildlife, and many state agencies are required to have a Red Card.
The Red Card functions similar to a drivers' license, showing the holder of
the card has completed all the course work and training required to hold
a particular position.
Obtain A Red Card
The steps necessary to obtain a Red Card and progress upward through the
qualification system to higher rank and responsibility is outlined in
the
Wildland and Prescribed Fire Qualifications System Guide, Publications
Management System PDF, #PMS 310-1. When viewing PMS 310-1,
pay special attention to pages 1 through 11, as it provides an accurate
description of the
overall system, including certification, maintaining currency, required
training, fitness standards, and incident complexity.
Steps To Obtain Minimum Qualification
There is a base or introductory level every firefighter is required to
achieve before they may progress upward in the system. It starts by
taking two classes. All National Wildfire Coordinating Group courses are
categorized by a 4-5 digit identifier, S-190 for example - 'S' is used
for skills courses, 'I' for incident command, 'D' for dispatch, 'RX' for
prescribed fire, 'L' for leadership. S-130, Firefighter Training and
S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior are two courses usually
offered simultaneously because they represent the entry level. Combined,
these require 32 hours of instruction to complete. They are sometimes
combined with I-100, Introduction to ICS and another short course, S-132
Standards for Survival. Standards for Survival is typically 6-8 hours
long and is also taken every year as a refresher. It re-emphasizes the
importance of safety on the fireline and includes a practice fire
shelter deployment. The final step in obtaining a red card is to pass
the fitness test. Most wildland fire agencies are using a test called
the "pack" test. Depending on your anticipated fireline assignment,
there are three levels: light, moderate and arduous. Primary
firefighters are required to pass the arduous level, a three mile hike
with a 45 pound pack in less than 45 minutes.
Moving Up In The System
Those are the three basic steps in getting into the red card system -
complete the S-130/190, complete Standards for Survival and practice
shelter deployment and successfully complete the pack test. That will
get you a red card and you will be considered a Type II firefighter
(FFT2). A firefighter at this level will probably be a crew member (Hot
Shot or hand crew, engine, helicopter, etc) with limited
responsibilities other than fire suppression (line construction, engine
operation, etc). To move beyond this level (the next level is a squad
boss, FFT1) requires a combination of courses and on the job training.
Required courses must be completed first and then a "task book" will be
issued to the firefighter. It contains a listing of various tasks and
duties that must be performed in a variety of ways under the supervision
of a firefighter at a higher level. Upon completion of each task and
duty, your supervisor initials your task book to signify that you have
done the job successfully. When the entire book is complete, and
following certification by the appropriate agency, the firefighter will
be considered qualified and certified at that level.
Where To Obtain Training
In Kansas, there are a growing number of opportunities for a firefighter
to complete the required training.
- Hutchinson Community College – typically 6 to 8 Red
Card courses every year
- US Fish and Wildlife Service - through Quivera National Wildlife
Refuge
- Great Plains Wildfire College - held in Ft. Morgan, CO in January
- Colorado Wildfire Academy - held in Salida, CO in June
- State Capital Area Firefighters School - held in Topeka in March.
- Nebraska State Fire School - Grand Island, NE in May - limited
wildfire courses
Many more ways exist for a firefighter to be trained if they
are willing to travel. Courses offered by any federal agency are usually
open to all participants, provided they do not fill with federal
firefighters. Search the
Multi-Agency Training Schedule, which lists most training available nationwide. Firefighters interested in
courses listed on this site often need to be sponsored by the Kansas
Forest Service, as course participants have to be "nominated"
by their supervisor to attend.
More information regarding training and employment, may be found on
the Employment Opportunities page.
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