Mini Announcement for Youth Projects UCR Womens Fire Crew.doc

Office: Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: L22AS00382 Project Submission Dates and Times: July 19, 2022 through September 19, 2022

Project Title: Upper Colorado River Women’s Fire Crew Youth Opportunity

Maximum Available Funding in FY22: $500,000 BLM has determined $600 weekly stipend equal to $15.00 per hour is reasonable. Stipends above this amount must justify in budget narrative increase needed.

Project Background Information: The Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit (UCR) is located in the along the Colorado River and the I-70 corridor in Western Colorado. The UCR is responsible for fire and fuels management for the UCR BLM District of Colorado. The UCR District is comprised of two BLM Field Offices that are Grand Junction FO and Colorado River Valley FO.

Project Objective: BLM, The Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit, has an opportunity to introduce women to careers with the BLM under the fire program. The UCR designates fuels management work by providing work experience to women for their career and educational benefit. This will be accomplished by providing them opportunities to gain on the job experience, learn fire management on public lands, further their understanding and appreciation fire careers. From this they will gain an increased appreciation and understanding of our public lands and of the value of public service and are likely to become life-long advocates for those values. This opportunity will be focused on the crew performing fuels mitigation work using chainsaws and other tools to thin vegetation and/or construct line for prescribed fires well as develop field skills including the finding and documenting of project sites, use of GPS equipment and maps, field note methods. Previous experience with any or all of these skills would significantly enhance the crewmember experience but is not a requirement.

Work Schedule: Weekdays, generally 7 AM to 6PM, (this could be 4 -10hour days or 5- 8 hour days) for 8-10 weeks, with flexible start/end dates in March/May thru June/September. Weekends might be required, but would be a seldom Qualification Requirements: This opportunity is suitable for female youth with a desire to have a career in wildland fire management. As stated in the duties this opportunity will require time outdoors and field work that is often under somewhat rigorous physical conditions. Applicants must also meet the following criteria: 1). Complete a BLM Arduous fire physical.

Housing: Agency cannot provide housing Vehicle Needs: A personal vehicle is NOT required for the position but is strongly encouraged. Youth Corp will provide vehicles for the Women’s fire crew when they are on BLM Fuels projects. BLM will provide transportation when they are on wildfires as BLM AD employees.

Other Project Considerations:

Food: Consider crews out in the field camping while on BLM fuels projects. Youth Corps provides the meals when they are on BLM fuels projects.

All Supplies: The Youth Corps be responsible to provide GPS units, cell phones, chainsaws, hand tools, etc.,. Should Youth Corps supply tents and camping supplies for the crew.

Training Requirements: The Youth Corps they need chainsaw training (S-212, first aid, computer training, crew leads training, individual training. BLM will provide the training Basic Firefighter Training S/130/190 Travel: Travel will be required and the crew camping on site at BLM location within the UCR district will occur.

Duties: The Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit (UCR) in partnership with a Youth Corp will host Women’s fire crew for the based in Grand Junction. The objective of this crew is to provide opportunity for Women to gain entry level experience and qualifications as wildland firefighters. This Women’s Crew will work on BLM fuels mitigation projects as employees of a Youth Corp. When on wildfire assignments they would be hired by the BLM as the Emergency Firefighters (EFF Program) using the AD hiring authority. The Women’s Crew will go though both Basic Firefighter Training (S130/190) and Chainsaw Training (S-212) which are requirement for obtaining a Red Card to fire wildland fires.

The crew will work on fuels projects on BLM lands that included lop and scattering of vegetation, cutting and piling vegetation, and digging fire line for several future prescribed burns. The Youth Corp will do all the initial recruitment and hiring for the crew. As a requirement of the Youth Corp program all the crew members were between 18-25 years old. WCCC will provided coordination, equipment and vehicles for the crew during the fuel mitigation work.

Fieldwork will be done in a remote backcountry setting and requires strenuous exertion. Weather and terrain conditions may be extreme (e.g. heat, cold, thunderstorms, steep badlands).

BLM’s Involvement: There will be substantive BLM programmatic involvement by BLM professionals and BLM will be providing project orientation and hands-on training. The BLM will sign up the Women’s Crew Members as AD employees and the Women’s Crew will go though both Basic Firefighter Training (S130/190). Once the crewmembers completed their basic firefighting course and passed the Arduous Pack Test they received a Red Card as qualified Firefighter Type 2. Anytime the Women’s Crew is on a wildland fire they will be a BLM AD Employees. Fire assignments include serving on UCR Engines, severing crew members on the UCR 20-person Type 2IA Colorado River Crew, assignments on BLM prescribed burn and being assigned as driver for logistical supplies to ongoing fires. At the end of the summer, the crewmembers will have a combination of training and experience to be competitive for jobs as wildland firefighters. Additionally, they will be provided information on how to get future wildland firefighter jobs in with BLM and participated in a resume building workshop.

BLM will also provide around 8-10 week of Fuels mitigation work and project sites for the crew to work on as youth Corp employees. This will include maps, shape files, project specifications/ prescriptions for these fuels project. A BLM POC will be established and will be available if questions arise. BLM will also do site visit to make sure work is being completed correcting and to assist in coordination.

BLM Program Contact:

Field PO Name: Lathan Johnson

Field PO Phone Number: (970) 640-9165

Field PO Email: lwjohnso@blm.gov

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the full program announcement number L22AS00382 posted on Grants.gov for all program requirements and applicable terms and conditions. Recipients selected for awards will be required to adhere to those requirements should an award be made.

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