DOVER, Del. (February 15, 2022) — The Delaware Forest Service is looking for motivated recruits to enroll in its wildfire training classes. There is no cost for training and no previous experience is necessary. Candidates must be over 18 years of age, willing to learn, physically fit, and able to travel for at least two weeks at a time, usually in the summer months. Completion of all classes is required for prospective wildland firefighters to achieve “red card” certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).
This year, all required training classes for rookie firefighters will be offered online due to COVID-19 protocols.
New firefighters must complete all five required classes (listed below) by clicking the links to NWCG and FEMA websites.*
* Users may need to set up a FEMA ID if they have not previously registered.
Core Classes (three)
♦ L-180: Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service (course link)
♦ S-190: Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior (course link)
♦ S-130: Firefighter Training (course link)
Prerequisite Courses * (two)
* Students must complete two FEMA prerequisite courses online at the FEMA website.
♦ ICS-100 – Introduction to the Incident Command System (course link)
♦ IS-700 – An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (course link)
All completed course certificates must be emailed by March 31, 2022 to:
Kyle Hoyd, kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov
Mailing Address: Delaware Forest Service 2320 S. DuPont Highway Dover, DE 19901
Fire Camp
Students who complete the entire set of courses are eligible to attend “Fire Camp,” a one-day hands-on seminar featuring a “live-burn” fire simulation.
The exact date, time, and location for this year’s Fire Camp has yet to be determined.
Firefighters attending “Fire Camp” will be expected to complete an online registration form before attending.
Students must also complete an arduous “work capacity” or “pack test” – carrying a 45-pound pack over a three-mile course in 45 minutes or less – to receive their NWCG “red card” and participate on out-of-state fire assignments.
For more information, call 302-698-4548
Email: Kyle Hoyd
In 2021, Delaware sent its wildfire crew to battle the Harris Mountain Fire in Montana.
Do you have what it takes to join the Delaware Wildfire Crew?
Are you interested in participating in an adventure of a lifetime? Would you like to help protect human lives, property and precious natural resources during a national crisis? Do you have the mental fortitude, physical stamina and work flexibility to spend at least two weeks or more on a fire line far from home?
Every year, millions of acres of forests, marshes, and grasslands across the United States are ravaged by wildfire. But thanks to a training program sponsored by the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Delaware State Fire School, citizens from across the First State can qualify to serve on national fire crews. Since 1996, the Delaware Forest Service has trained more than 600 volunteer firefighters, and now every fire season deploys 20-person crews for out-of-state wildfire assignments.
The program is growing and in need of additional firefighters who are interested in assisting the national effort to control and contain devastating wildfires. Delaware used to send only one crew a year, but now can send multiple crews. In 2021, Delaware’s crew battled the Harris Mountain Fire in Montana and sent engine crews to Colorado, California, and Washington State.
Visit the “FAQ” page for answers about the wildfire program:
Frequently Asked Questions
Download the Wildland Fire Program Brochure
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Must complete required training courses
- Must pass a work-capacity pack test
- Be willing to travel for at least two weeks
- Commitment to serving the public
- Ability to work well with others
- Must have a clean criminal record
In The News
2021
- Delaware wildfire crew battles blazes in the West (August 4, 2021)
- Delaware engine crew fighting Colorado wildfire (June 28, 2021)
