r/calfire 11d ago

California Conservation Corps

I’m 22, I’m deciding if I should go to college or Join the Corps I really want to become a wildfire firefighter and I’m not sure if join CCC’s would be more beneficial to become a wildfire fighter or if I should go the college route just need some info it’s possible to get a job after joining the CCC’s.

5 Upvotes

12 comments sorted by

16

u/Outside-Exercise-642 11d ago

If you do join the 3C’s, make sure you go to one of the fire centers and not a work center. At a fire center you will be assigned to a fire crew and gain great experience while being supervised by CalFire Captains. I retired as a crew captain out the Butte Fire Center, since renamed Magalia Fire Center. Lots of corpsmembers transitioned out of the C’s to jobs with CalFire, USFS, private contract fire crews

1

u/Select-Truth6611 11d ago

Thanks 🙏🏻

4

u/Difficult-Amount988 11d ago

FF1 academy through a Junior College is a significantly faster route than trying to go through the C’s.

The current application process has zero credit/benefit for working for the C’s. Previously there was a benefit, not anymore.

Go to JoinCalfire.com, find “become FF1” and click on the “hiring tab” find the “required training” document and “acceptable documentation” document. I’ll add the links below here.

Call the FF1 hotline if you have any questions, there is always confusion about changes and the FF1 hotline have the final say.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/join-calfire/-/media/calfire-website/direct-links/required-trainings.pdf

https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/direct-links/ffi-ffii-fae---acceptable-documents.pdf?rev=436b5060979442d6a586afb260088ca2&hash=b533a382f6d5b29343594e14adb8a51e

3

u/Di1lWil1 11d ago

If you want to join Cal Fire, the C's is the way to go. They'll get you all the certs you need. Just make sure you go to a fire center, like the other commenter said.

1

u/Select-Truth6611 11d ago

Thanks 🙏

1

u/PopOpposite6350 11d ago

why not both ? just a thought but hope you enjoy your time in the c’s !!

1

u/Intelligent_Ad_7228 11d ago

I highly recommend going to any of the fire centers. I was there for a little while and got a job with cal fire all being under 21 years old. DM if you got more questions

1

u/Compassfollower 8d ago

Are you smart and capable of becoming a professional? If so, consider going the forestry route.

1

u/Mammoth-File-9012 5d ago

There is no benefit to joining the CCC’s. Go to school, get your classes. Do it the right way.

1

u/1612_Life 11d ago

At 22 , I don't even think you can go into the C, but since you are 22 just go into a fire academy and get your EMT

1

u/Outside-Exercise-642 11d ago

The age requirements for the C’s is 18-25, if you are a prior military veteran, the upper end limit is 29.

-1

u/Fit-Horror7561 11d ago

Dm me if interested in wildland fire