In the absence of much to report for Zion Helitack, we would like to share an exciting video highlighting our neighboring park. Grand Canyon National Park has a 365 day exclusive contract with one of the most unique utility helicopters in the business. The MD 900 Explorer is a twin engine NOTAR helicopter. The NOTAR helicopter refers to the lack of a tail rotor. It makes this helicopter fairly quiet as helicopters go. This is important due to the sound quality over our national parks, and Grand Canyon requires a lot of helicopter work. This helitack crew works behind the scenes to support the water pipeline, wildland fire, and search and rescue within the park. A job that requires hundreds of hours in flight, over some very breathtaking scenery. The following video is of the rescue performed on Hermits Trail. We would like to thank the Grand Canyon Helitack Crew for sharing such an awesome video:
Zion National Park has utilized the great tool that is short haul, many times during the past few years. We have counted on professionals from the Grand Canyon to perform these necessary life saving short hauls. The Grand Canyon Crew is very well trained and exemplify professionalism in every evolution that they have performed for Zion N.P. We are anxious to learn from them as we enter into a new program element for Zion Helitack. It is our hopes that we will be approved to engage in short haul training for the 2010 season. Undoubtedly we will look to our neighboring National Park for support in training and becoming proficient with the tool, short haul.
Until next time!
cheers,
Monday, February 8, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Certificate is in!
This is just a simple and short post to let everyone know that we have pulled our first "certificate" for seasonal hiring. We dove in head first today, muddling our way through the hiring process. It is important that everyone who applied be aware of a couple of things:
- Numbers - qualified applicants for the GS-3 level equaled 210, applicants for the GS-4 level equaled 54, applicants for the GS-5 level equaled 31... so total number of applicants equaled approximately 295!!!!
- We have funding for 3 GS-4 positions available (this does not mean that we will only hire GS-4's, however it does mean the we will not be hiring any GS-5's)
- It will take us a couple of weeks to get through the initial process of narrowing our applicant pool down to a reasonable number of qualified applicants.
So be patient... and if you have not heard anything from us by mid to late February you can feel free to contact us and inquire about our current situation. We will try to post the names of the crewmembers who have accepted a position, by the end of February.
Good Luck
Monday, January 25, 2010
Short Haul Update
This is just an interum update on the short haul program at Zion National Park. Our enhancement proposal for short haul has been approved through the Park Superintendent. Next stop will be the Intermountain Regional Office where the Regional Director must sign the appropriate document. All indications is that this will occure... stay tuned!
Side-note: I was made aware that the National Office (NPS) has made the decision to approve short haul for use in Wildland Fire (insertion/extraction). There are few if any details at this time. The Fire and Aviation Management Workshop in San Antonio during the first week of Feb should give some insight into the thoughts and application of this decision.
So this is just a quick update... I would be looking for a post to follow the workshop in San Antonio happening next week.
Cheers,
Zion Helitack
Side-note: I was made aware that the National Office (NPS) has made the decision to approve short haul for use in Wildland Fire (insertion/extraction). There are few if any details at this time. The Fire and Aviation Management Workshop in San Antonio during the first week of Feb should give some insight into the thoughts and application of this decision.
So this is just a quick update... I would be looking for a post to follow the workshop in San Antonio happening next week.
Cheers,
Zion Helitack
Last Call !!!
January 26th, 2010...
Today is potentially your last chance!
We will be pulling our first certificate on January 27th... meaning that January 26th is the last day in which you may apply and be considered for our initial hiring. I have mentioned this in previous posts, however it warrants another mention. We do not typically have the need to pull any aditional "certs" following the first one. This means if you do not get your application in by close of business on January 26th, you may not receive a chance to be hired.
Recommendation: Get Your Application In!
For those of you who have applied already... We will be pulling our first "cert" on January 27th and it should be to us by the first week of February. This will begin the hiring process! We hope to have our initial group of individuals, selected by the middle of February. If you applied and have not heard from us by the close of the month, you can get in touch with us using the link on the right of this blog in order to inquire about your standings.
Good luck to everyone! As we get closer, it now looks like we will have 3 seasonal GS-3/4 positions available on the crew.
Today is potentially your last chance!
We will be pulling our first certificate on January 27th... meaning that January 26th is the last day in which you may apply and be considered for our initial hiring. I have mentioned this in previous posts, however it warrants another mention. We do not typically have the need to pull any aditional "certs" following the first one. This means if you do not get your application in by close of business on January 26th, you may not receive a chance to be hired.
Recommendation: Get Your Application In!
For those of you who have applied already... We will be pulling our first "cert" on January 27th and it should be to us by the first week of February. This will begin the hiring process! We hope to have our initial group of individuals, selected by the middle of February. If you applied and have not heard from us by the close of the month, you can get in touch with us using the link on the right of this blog in order to inquire about your standings.
Good luck to everyone! As we get closer, it now looks like we will have 3 seasonal GS-3/4 positions available on the crew.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
1st Major Aviation Tragedy of 2010!
Going through e-mails yesterday and came across an e-mail talking about what a wonderful job the Department of the Interior had done during the first quarter of the new fiscal year. The e-mail was talking about the accident free record that aviation had and what an accomplishment that was. I believe it was title "Congratulations! - on our way to a mishap free FY2010". The e-mail was sent out by John Mills, Aviation Safety Manager for the Department of the Interior, and stated the following;
Congratulations and well done on a mishap free December! But not only the month of December, the first quarter of FY2010 as well. Not since 2006 has the DOI had a mishap free first quarter... Let's make FY10 a mishap-free year for DOI aviation.
It was a good way to start out the morning. In aviation, like other areas of the Government, we strive to avoid mishaps, incidents with potential, and especially injury. It often time seems like a losing battle, and it is easy to become cynical about the issue of "no accidents". However, we never stop striving to reach this goal. No one ever leaves the house saying, "yep, today is the day to let my guard down... who knows maybe I'll have an accident".
The first e-mail of the day showing praise for a job well done and giving encouragement that we can accomplish our goal of no mishaps, was quickly overshadowed with the news of a helicopter crash in Northern California.
A California Fish & Game Helicopter crashed in Madera County on the Sierra NF southwest of Yosemite earlier today... The company listed is one that our Calif. LE folks used this past summer.
The helicopter that crashed today near Redinger Lake was doing work for the state Department of the Fish and Game, Madera County sheriff's spokeswoman Erica Stuart said. Stuart confirmed that the U.S. Forest Service personnel are on scene, and that Madera County deputies are headed there. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office has offered assistance, she said.
Gary Schales, a pilot for the Department of Fish and Game, said the helicopter struck an electrical wire 300 feet above Redinger Lake and crashed. Three Department of Fish and Game employees aboard the helicopter were conducting deer surveys, Schales said.
John Baker, a Central District assistant chief for the department of Fish and Game, said the helicopter was owned by Landells Aviation, an air charter service based in Desert Hot Springs.
Southern California Edison spokesman Bill DeLaine said the helicopter made contact with power lines, but it wasn't clear if that caused the crash. The utility is looking into the extent of the damage, but the crash has not caused a major power outage, he said.
We have since learned that all 3 passengers and the pilot lost their lives during this incident. Although this particular flight was not under the control of the DOI, it is a grim reminder of just how quickly a promissing record of no mishaps can be squashed. It is never a good time to lose a loved one, but anything near a holiday seems to hit a little harder when revisiting thoughts of loved ones who are gone. It will undoubtedly be a difficult time of the year, for many years to come, as the surviving family members remember their lost loved ones.
Our hearts go out to the families... and our cry for vigilence in the persuit of an accident free year are strengthened. We encourage everyone to wake up each morning with a conscious thought about making it a safe day... be sure to clear your mind of other stresses and distractions prior to climbing on board that aircraft, make your mission the focus of what you are doing.
Our Thoughts & Prayers
M.L.
Congratulations and well done on a mishap free December! But not only the month of December, the first quarter of FY2010 as well. Not since 2006 has the DOI had a mishap free first quarter... Let's make FY10 a mishap-free year for DOI aviation.
It was a good way to start out the morning. In aviation, like other areas of the Government, we strive to avoid mishaps, incidents with potential, and especially injury. It often time seems like a losing battle, and it is easy to become cynical about the issue of "no accidents". However, we never stop striving to reach this goal. No one ever leaves the house saying, "yep, today is the day to let my guard down... who knows maybe I'll have an accident".
The first e-mail of the day showing praise for a job well done and giving encouragement that we can accomplish our goal of no mishaps, was quickly overshadowed with the news of a helicopter crash in Northern California.
A California Fish & Game Helicopter crashed in Madera County on the Sierra NF southwest of Yosemite earlier today... The company listed is one that our Calif. LE folks used this past summer.
The helicopter that crashed today near Redinger Lake was doing work for the state Department of the Fish and Game, Madera County sheriff's spokeswoman Erica Stuart said. Stuart confirmed that the U.S. Forest Service personnel are on scene, and that Madera County deputies are headed there. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office has offered assistance, she said.
Gary Schales, a pilot for the Department of Fish and Game, said the helicopter struck an electrical wire 300 feet above Redinger Lake and crashed. Three Department of Fish and Game employees aboard the helicopter were conducting deer surveys, Schales said.
John Baker, a Central District assistant chief for the department of Fish and Game, said the helicopter was owned by Landells Aviation, an air charter service based in Desert Hot Springs.
Southern California Edison spokesman Bill DeLaine said the helicopter made contact with power lines, but it wasn't clear if that caused the crash. The utility is looking into the extent of the damage, but the crash has not caused a major power outage, he said.
We have since learned that all 3 passengers and the pilot lost their lives during this incident. Although this particular flight was not under the control of the DOI, it is a grim reminder of just how quickly a promissing record of no mishaps can be squashed. It is never a good time to lose a loved one, but anything near a holiday seems to hit a little harder when revisiting thoughts of loved ones who are gone. It will undoubtedly be a difficult time of the year, for many years to come, as the surviving family members remember their lost loved ones.
Our hearts go out to the families... and our cry for vigilence in the persuit of an accident free year are strengthened. We encourage everyone to wake up each morning with a conscious thought about making it a safe day... be sure to clear your mind of other stresses and distractions prior to climbing on board that aircraft, make your mission the focus of what you are doing.
Our Thoughts & Prayers
M.L.
Friday, December 4, 2009
2010 Hiring!
Well... it is finally here. I know it seems as though we are behind the curve, and truth be told we are just a little later than normal. If you are interested in applying for a seasonal position with Zion Helitack, you should follow the directions below to ensure you have an oportunity at employment.
Zion Helitack will be looking at the potential for one GS-5 senior firefighter position, and 1-3 GS 3 or 4 firefighter positions. There is never a gaurantee that these positions will be available as we often offer returning crewmembers the opportunity to occupy the same position that had the year previous. What we can gaurantee you is that without applying you will not have the opportunity to be considered for employement, should we have positions open... so bottom line is this; Apply if you are interested... it doesn't committ you to anything other than a small amount of work to get your application in.
To Apply:
go to - www.usajobs.gov
under the keyword search enter - NPS-FIRE-2010-020
under the location search enter - Cedar City
Press Enter!
The only position that should come up is the following announcement
NPS-FIRE-2010-020
Helitack Wildland Firefighter GS3/4/5 Seasonal
Please read through the entire application prior to following the directions for application which are on the How To Apply tab.
IMPORTANT: January 26,2010 will be the cut off date for early consideration.
Often times we will not pull another certificate following this early consideration, as we typically have enough interested candidates that no further consideration is necessary!
So there you have it... the announcement is out! I highly recommend that you apply early! (Prior to January 26,2010) It is also recommended that if you have any questions concerning the job, you call the Helicopter Program Manager his number will be listed below...
Again, there is no known position that will be available... however, the potential exists for a GS-5 senior firefighter and 1 to 3 additional GS 3/4 positions.
IMPORTANT: If you are a previous employee of Zion Helitack and wish to return after a break in service (i.e. you did not fight fire for us during the 2009 season), you should apply! This ensures that we are aware of your desire to return to the crew... If you are a member of Zion Helitack that fought fire seasonally during the 2009 season, and you wish to gain a different level of employement (i.e. you were a GS-4 in 2009, but would like to be a GS-5 in 2010), then you MUST apply to this announcement again. We cannot give a promotion to you without proper competition... Call you supervisor with any questions regarding this post.
We look forward to seeing a large number of applicants... so apply early and be thorough!
Zion Helitack
Helicopter Program Manager
Michael Reid - 435-865-4640
or you may e-mail your questions to zionhelitack@live.com
Good Luck!
Zion Helitack will be looking at the potential for one GS-5 senior firefighter position, and 1-3 GS 3 or 4 firefighter positions. There is never a gaurantee that these positions will be available as we often offer returning crewmembers the opportunity to occupy the same position that had the year previous. What we can gaurantee you is that without applying you will not have the opportunity to be considered for employement, should we have positions open... so bottom line is this; Apply if you are interested... it doesn't committ you to anything other than a small amount of work to get your application in.
To Apply:
go to - www.usajobs.gov
under the keyword search enter - NPS-FIRE-2010-020
under the location search enter - Cedar City
Press Enter!
The only position that should come up is the following announcement
NPS-FIRE-2010-020
Helitack Wildland Firefighter GS3/4/5 Seasonal
Please read through the entire application prior to following the directions for application which are on the How To Apply tab.
IMPORTANT: January 26,2010 will be the cut off date for early consideration.
Often times we will not pull another certificate following this early consideration, as we typically have enough interested candidates that no further consideration is necessary!
So there you have it... the announcement is out! I highly recommend that you apply early! (Prior to January 26,2010) It is also recommended that if you have any questions concerning the job, you call the Helicopter Program Manager his number will be listed below...
Again, there is no known position that will be available... however, the potential exists for a GS-5 senior firefighter and 1 to 3 additional GS 3/4 positions.
IMPORTANT: If you are a previous employee of Zion Helitack and wish to return after a break in service (i.e. you did not fight fire for us during the 2009 season), you should apply! This ensures that we are aware of your desire to return to the crew... If you are a member of Zion Helitack that fought fire seasonally during the 2009 season, and you wish to gain a different level of employement (i.e. you were a GS-4 in 2009, but would like to be a GS-5 in 2010), then you MUST apply to this announcement again. We cannot give a promotion to you without proper competition... Call you supervisor with any questions regarding this post.
We look forward to seeing a large number of applicants... so apply early and be thorough!
Zion Helitack
Helicopter Program Manager
Michael Reid - 435-865-4640
or you may e-mail your questions to zionhelitack@live.com
Good Luck!
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