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A fire lookout is typically the first person on the scene at a forest fire. - According to the Occupational Information Network, fire lookouts "enforce fire regulations and inspect for forest fire hazards." Lookouts are in charge of reporting accidents, emergencies and hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions to nearby authorities. They direct crews during forest fires. They help extinguish small fires. They describe and report fires to base camps. They examine, maintain and operate inventory of fire fighting equipment, and are in charge of restricting public access to forests during critical fire seasons.
- The projected employment trend for fire lookouts is little or no growth through 2016, according to the BLS. Individual states hire the most lookouts, with 1,070 positions. The highest concentration of fire lookouts can be found in Arkansas, which employs 180 of them. California is the highest-paying state, with an annual mean wage of $68,180.
- According to the BLS, fire lookouts spot fires from watchtowers in national forests and parks, using a telephone or radio to report fires to headquarters. Fire lookouts also patrol forest areas and make sure that campers follow fire regulations. Depending on the magnitude of the blaze, crews of fire fighters are brought in to deal with the situation using water hoses and other heavy equipment. Firefighters as a whole work more than 50 hours per week---typically 10-hour day shifts of 10 hours or 14-hour night shifts for three to four days, with three or four days off, only to repeat the scheduling cycle again.
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Lookouts and fire fighters are required to have at least a high school diploma, says the BLS, but candidates with post-secondary education are preferred. Some candidates take community college courses or acquire associate or bachelor's degrees in fire sciences or fire engineering. Like other municipal jobs, firefighters must pass written and physical exams, with extensive training before going into the field.
Entry-level employees train for several weeks at the fire department's academy or a training center, where they receive classroom instruction and practical training. They must also learn first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with almost all departments requiring firefighters to be certified as emergency medical technicians, according to the BLS. After training, recruits go to a fire company and undergo a probation period. Many departments have apprenticeship programs that last up to four years. - According to a 2008 BLS report, the national mean hourly wage for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists was $17.50 and the annual salary was $36,400. The national annual salary ranges from $19,030 to $62,000.
