Fire Watch Training: How to Become a Fire Lookout
The job of a fire lookout is both important and adventurous. They’re the first line of defense against forest fires, playing a vital role in reducing the damage caused by these kinds of natural disasters. In this blog post, we’ll explore the path to becoming a fire lookout, covering key topics including the age requirement and job stability of the role.
What Is a Fire Lookout?
A fire lookout, also known as a fire tower lookout, is someone stationed at a lookout tower or elevated point in forests or workplaces to monitor and detect fires. Their main responsibility is to spot smoke, flames, or any other signs of fires in their early stages, allowing for a quick response to control the blaze before it spreads. Fire lookouts should also be informed about basic fire safety procedures in case they happen to be first onsite to extinguish it themselves.
What Is a Fire Lookout’s Job?
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), an average of 4,630 structure fires break out every year related to hot work. Each year, these fires account for 15 civilian deaths, 198 civilian injuries, and $355 million in direct property damage.
As a fire watch, your job is to make sure your job site doesn't become a statistic. Your primary duty is to sound the alarm in case of emergency, but you're also responsible for monitoring hazardous hot work. This means finding and putting out small fires started by the sparks and bits of molten metal that fly around during welding or cutting work.
When a worker is on fire watch duty, they're not allowed to do anything else. Their attention must be focused on surveying the area near the hot work and detecting early signs of trouble. Additional duties aren't allowed because they distract from identifying and controlling fire hazards.
Fire watch jobs often include pre-shift inspections of a hot work area, including the inspection of the work site, the removal of combustible materials where possible, and the setup and inspection of fire extinguishing equipment. There are also post-shift fire watch duties because smoldering fires can break out over time. OSHA requires fire watch to continue for at least thirty minutes after hot work is complete, while the NFPA recommends at least an hour.
What Is a Fire Lookout’s Salary?
When you search for the average fire lookout salary, you should be careful to check what industry and job the average is for. The salary for a forest fire watcher is different from a fire watch in general construction, and that will be different from a fire watch in oil and gas.
That said, an industrial fire watch's average salary is about $44,000. That's roughly $21 an hour.
Fire tower job salaries are often reported to be around $55,000, but these jobs are increasingly rare and often seasonal.
Where To Find Fire Lookout Jobs
In the United States, there are two types of fire lookout jobs: those that require living onsite and those that do not have an onsite restriction. The majority of live-in towers are located in the west, primarily in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, and New Mexico. The majority are managed by the United States Forest Service, with a smaller number managed by the Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Workplace fire lookout jobs, on the other hand, will be posted by individual private companies. While there’s no direct database that includes these postings all in one place, using “Fire Lookout” or “Fire Watch” as keywords to search on popular job site websites such as Indeed or Salary.com might reveal open positions on industrial or construction worksites.
Volunteering as a lookout can be a rewarding experience and might make you look more favorable to employers. This is especially true if you have no experience but are passionate about becoming a fire lookout. Certain states have volunteer-staffed lookouts, but waiting lists can be long, and the fire lookout community is small. Limited job opportunities require you to have a lot of perseverance and a little bit of luck, but the experience can be life-changing and rewarding.
Fire Lookout Job Security
Job security is an important factor to consider for any career, and fire lookout positions are no exception. A fire lookout is crucial in workplaces with exposure to fire or flammable materials, as they reduce the risk of property damage, injuries, and fatalities. The demand for fire lookouts is expected to increase by 6% between 2018 and 2028, with some states expecting an even greater demand than the average. The projected growth indicates that more and more businesses will have a fire watch to maintain safe working conditions.
Fire Lookout Age Requirements
Hiring managers for fire lookout jobs typically accept applicants aged 18 or older. Candidates with past experience, whether in construction work or in using safety equipment, are usually preferred by employers.
Other requirements to become a fire lookout will depend on the employer or state you are located in, but they typically include that every applicant must:
- Be a US Citizen
- Pass a physical examination
- Have a valid driver’s license
Get Started Today
Firewatch jobs are an incredibly important part of many industries. They not only save property from damage but can also help save lives. Despite limited career opportunities, the experience can be life-changing and gratifying.
If you are interested in becoming a fire lookout, you might want to start by completing basic fire safety training. Our online OSHA Fire Safety Training course covers OSHA’s guidelines for fires as well as fire protection measures. Head to our website to enroll today!
Where Are Fire Watch Jobs Now?
Although the jobs are unrelated, modern fire watch positions are a sort of spiritual successor to forest fire watchers. As a fire lookout, your entire job – just like someone in a fire tower – is to monitor for fire hazards and call for help if needed.
Instead of watching for wildfires caused by lightning strikes in the forest, you're looking for manmade fires caused by "hot work" on certain job sites.
Many fire watch jobs are in construction, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires a dedicated fire watcher for any welding or cutting work performed somewhere that "other than a minor fire might develop," or under certain conditions, most of which mean that combustible material is nearby or that fire alarm and suppression systems aren't operational.
This means fire watch jobs are available in industries like construction, industrial maintenance, oil and gas, shipyards, and more. You can also find fire watch jobs through security companies, which offer fire watch patrols in buildings or facilities where fire may break out unexpectedly.
What Is a Fire Lookout's Job?
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), an average of 4,630 structure fires break out every year related to hot work. Each year, these fires account for 15 civilian deaths, 198 civilian injuries, and $355 million in direct property damage.
As a fire watch, your job is to make sure your job site doesn't become a statistic.
Your primary duty is to sound the alarm in case of emergency, but you're also responsible for monitoring hazardous hot work. This means finding and putting out small fires started by the sparks and bits of molten metal that fly around during welding or cutting work.
When a worker is on fire watch duty, they're not allowed to do anything else. Their attention must be focused on surveying the area near the hot work and detecting early signs of trouble. Additional duties aren't allowed, because they distract from identifying and controlling fire hazards.
Fire watch jobs often include pre-shift inspections of a hot work area, including the inspection of the work site, the removal of combustible materials where possible, and the setup and inspection of fire extinguishing equipment.
There are also post-shift fire watch duties, because smoldering fires can break out over time. OSHA requires fire watch to continue for at least thirty minutes after hot work is complete, while the NFPA recommends at least an hour.
What is a Fire Lookout's Salary?
When you search for the average fire lookout salary, you should be careful to check what industry and job the average is for. The salary for a forest fire watcher is different from a fire watch in general construction, and that will be different from a fire watch in oil and gas.
That said, an industrial fire watch's average salary is in the $35-40,000 range. That's roughly $15 to $17 an hour.
Fire tower job salaries are often reported to be around $55,000 but these jobs are increasingly rare and often seasonal.
What Are A Fire Lookout's Job Requirements?
Fire lookout positions don't have any particular education requirements beyond a high school diploma or GED.
Most employers want a minimum amount of experience within their industry – whether that's a shipyard, construction site, security work, oil and gas, or something else. You'll also need specialized training in fire watch, but you can get this on the job.
Any emergency response training or experience can be helpful when applying for these positions.
General skills requirements include physical strength, stamina, and mobility, as well as being detail-oriented.
What Does Fire Watchman Training Include?
Fire watch positions require specialized training beyond the basic fire safety training most employees receive.
Fire watcher training needs to be tailored somewhat to the industry and worksite, but fire safety trainers generally focus on topics like safety regulations, pre-shift inspections, hot work best practices, required permits, and real-life case studies.
