Fall FSYC Training

The first full week of training encompassed all the coursework and fieldwork necessary to become a wildland firefighter. Crew members studied the factors of fire behavior, weather effects, and topography before heading outside to complete hands-on training. Physically constructing a hose assembly from a fire engine was a tangible bridge from the theoretical classroom work already completed. Other important lessons included hand line construction (and the realization of how tiring it is!), radio communications, and backcountry navigation. The social-emotional aspect of this week of training was also a vital learning experience; crews camped out together, shared meals, and spent free time playing basketball in a gravel lot. In an age of increasing social deprivation, simply connecting with one another without technological distractions was a huge success. 

Upon finishing these two weeks of immersive training, our three crews returned to their host units to begin the crucial on-the-ground work they were brought on to complete including fire line preparation, forest thinning, and prescribed burn implementation. But before the first shovel even hit the ground, the FSYC program had already become a resounding success. Empowering and enabling young New Mexicans to contribute to their local economies and ecologies has always been a stated goal of FSYC, but to watch a cohort of inexperienced individuals transform into a confident, proficient, and cohesive professional unit capable of anything they put their minds to, now and in the future, is the real beauty of the program. Whether these crew members continue on to careers in wildland fire, forest management, or something completely unrelated one thing remains true: FSYC continues to serve as a powerful tool for professional development, personal growth, and investment in the next generation of rural New Mexican communities.

On a warm morning in late August, fifteen strangers gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico for their first glimpse of what would become a life-changing chapter in their careers. As new crew members in the Guild’s Forest Stewards Youth Corps (FSYC) program, these individuals had expressed an interest in working in natural resources in their home communities; few had any prior experience in this field but a willingness to learn and a determination to stick with it would prove key. Over the course of the next three days, the bigger picture of what this seasonal job would demand became clear as each crew became a tight-knit cadre. Though no promises of physical comfort or consistent scheduling were made, the three crews from Mountainair, Santa Fe, and Pueblo of Jemez were eager to get their hands dirty.