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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW One person confirmed injured in Lawnridge Street fire ... Crews encircle Cleveland Ridge fire near Shady Cove ... Emergency services, Aug. 25 ... One person confirmed injured in Lawnridge Street fire ... Crews encircle Cleveland Ridge fire near Shady Cove ... Emergency services, Aug. 25 ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Firefighters earn their pay — big and small Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 24, 2016 at 2:00 AM Posted Aug. 24, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Social News Thankful that we haven't had a lot of fires this summer in Southern Oregon, but I've always wondered how much the fire crew members are getting paid to work in those tough conditions. I'm sure they deserve every penny they get, and then some. — Sandra, Medford We agree they deserve every penny they get for working long, hot hours in often very tough conditions. Some of them deserve a lot more, as the pay can vary greatly. In our cursory search, we found that a wildfire suppression specialist for the state of Oregon can earn $14.28 to $29.28 per hour. We also found wildlands firefighting jobs with private companies that pay $11 to $15 an hour. A U.S. Forest Service opening for a smokejumper offered a pay range of $32,000 to $36,000 annually. In several blogs we read anecdotal stories about firefighters earning hundreds of hours, or even more, of overtime pay, so an hourly rate isn't necessarily indicative of how much they would make in a summer. However, those words, "in a summer," should also be taken into account, as the jobs typically last for three or maybe four months. Clearly, another variable in the pay is the severity of the fire season. Some years, firefighters can barely get a break for a nap while in other years they are cooling their heels waiting for a call. When they do get that call, they definitely earn their money. Here are some of the described duties and working conditions: "constructs fire line using hand tools or power equipment by cutting, scraping, digging and chopping or burning out to remove flammable materials." "... Makes parachute jumps from various aircraft under many conditions while executing landings on rough terrain, open areas, mountain slopes, or timber. Performs wildland fire suppression duties using a variety of hand and power tools (such as Pulaski, shovel, chain saw, and McLeod)." "... Occasionally required to work under adverse conditions such as noise, smoke, heat, rough terrain, dust, inclement weather and exposure to poison oak, bees and poisonous snakes. Requires occasional exposure to heavy equipment operations, aircraft, hazards of burning and/or falling material, and chemical and biological pesticides." Ready to sign up, Sandra? — Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 24, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501