I spend a fair amount of my time behind a desk these days, so I'm not knocking that at all. Yes, there are some unpaid interns, which absolutely should never occur, because that's utter bullshit. People should not work for free. My sincerest apologies for not writing a thorough analysis of every paid position within the agency. This is Reddit, where forgetting to mention any detail at all completely undermines anything I have ever said or done.

There's a real problem with retention in fire, and that stems largely from the fact that they're not compensated well. Admittedly, the DNR is far better than the USFS for seasonal fire staff, but they still have a long way to go before it approaches anything reasonable. Again, I don't have a problem with the social media element of the DNR. I'm happy to work for the agency, and I love seeing other states try to follow the example being set here. Washington is an amazing place, and they're leading the charge. But we could do better. That starts with actually taking care of the people who are expected to do the dirty, dangerous work. I loved my fire position, but the pay just wasn't worth the risk, so I took a non fire position. It's absolutely stupid how much easier life is, how much safer my work is, and how much more I get paid for doing it since I left fire.

There is nothing special or unique about me. I am an unremarkable person with average intelligence and a fairly standard fire experience record for the time I spent. There are folks who are WAY better than me in just about every aspect of life, stuck in a job that pays considerably less than I make. That doesn't sit well with me, especially as I continue to pursue a career for which I have no passion, simply because I couldn't make ends meet doing what I actually loved. So yeah, it rubs me the wrong way when people say things like "Pay the meme makers more!" but aren't also saying, "Do more to retain your fire staff before the whole system topples!"

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Specifically because Glacier Peak * is in a wilderness area, and it could take as many as 20 helicopter flights into the wilderness area to install permanent seismic monitors.

It's the same group that sued to have a historic fire lookout (Green Mountain) removed, because the Forest Service used a helicopter to move supplies to restore it. I suppose one could make a case that preservation of a historic site in a wilderness area was not adequate cause to justify the use of helicopters, but they insisted for years after the work was completed that the only acceptable remedy was removal of the lookout. The fiasco didn't end until Congress passed an amendment to the Wilderness Act allowing the lookout to stay.

Every time I see Wilderness Watch come up in the news, I find myself debating whether it's just another law firm that likes to cash in on reimbursement of legal fees masquerading as a conservation group, or if a bunch of obsessive-compulsive types who couldn't find an HOA to ruin simply banded together with misconstruing the intent of the Wilderness Act as their common goal.

* Glacier Peak is considered by the USGS to be the 15th most hazardous volcano in the US, out of the 161 volcanoes they assessed. Its ranking in the "very high threat" category has made the fact of its very limited monitoring a major concern:

https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2018/5140/sir20185140.pdf

Just another way for corporations to steal your money.

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Na nothing to do with them. 10 years ago it just came to me and stuck…

This was my understanding, which is part of what prompted my response. A lot of unreasonable ire directed at someone who doesn't deserve it and cannot defend themselves.

There's justification for the parent posters feelings, but it needs to be directed at a target that is actually meaningful and deserving.

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Probably not. These aren't sustainable jobs, because mining economies are always boom-bust. The highest-paying jobs will go to people the company brings in from elsewhere. The people of Ferry County will be serving them in restaurants and cleaning their motel rooms. But on the bright side, the people of Ferry County might eventually cash in when the time comes to clean up the mess that gold mines always leave behind. Of course, that depends on whether there's any money left to fund the clean-up.

If I had Twitter I would follow this account and no other. Maybe Wendy's...

>They get paid incredibly well.

Source? Just honest question, since you seem to know. Are we certain this person is dedicated to only social media? Or is it perhaps someone tasked with communication in general of which twitter is simply a part of?

>someone who sits at a desk

I really hope this is some gripe you have specific to this subject and not everyone who "sits at a desk". Just because someone isn't working in the field doesn't mean their work isn't incredibly important and valuable. The person who ensures people get paid sits at a desk for instance.

Generally speaking...

I think most would agree that there are TONS of jobs that are currently underpaid, especially in the public sector here in Washington, doubly so for those who risk their personal health for the greater good via fighting fires and the like.

A large part of that is due to unstable sources of funding. As long as we continue to have a regressive sales tax system and as long as our state government relies upon same, we are going to continue to have underpaid jobs in the public sector.

As an example, I am a software developer, and looked into a state job, and I would be making 40% less than I make in private industry. So even white collar desk workers that you seem to consider overpaid are making less than they can elsewhere.

Seasonal retention is very low and I agree it's due to the pay. Great job, one of the best I've ever had but I don't see myself doing it long term. There's a lot of money in firefighting but not as a firefighter unfortunately.

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Friendly fire!! My apologies. If you've ever taken a peek at the comments of any of their posts, it's full of people saying that the social media person should get paid more. Funny memes are great, don't get me wrong. I love the content. But it's time to get real about the fact that the DNR is having a hard time recruiting seasonal fire staff. They spend tons of money on equipment, but can't seem to fathom that nobody wants to work a dangerous job for shit pay. Take a look at the salary range for perm fire positions vs. any of their desk jobs. Hell, if you want to make better money working for the Department of Natural Resources, you're better off not having any experience in natural resources.

I'm actually one of those firefighters and I agree the pay is absolute garbage.

I am unaware of their salary and if it's what you are saying I didn't mean to hit a nerve. I was only going for a little humor.

You don't know shit about forest management, you're just reciting a stupid talking point you were fed by conservative fucksticks who think anything shy of slicking off thousands of acres at a time is "woke environmentalism".

They get paid incredibly well. Meanwhile, their seasonal firefighters get paid shitty wages. Even the permanent fire positions pay like trash, despite requiring extensive fire line qualifications that often take 10+ years to acquire. It's fucking ridiculous how many people say that someone who sits at a desk and makes funny content should get paid even more, when they're already making considerably more than the people who risk their lives doing the actual work.

Well...most of them are a bit of a stretch, LOL.

No Humptulips or Skookumchuck, I'm mildly disappointed.

Edit: Oh, it's from a book circa 1973/1975. I guess gramma liked it.

https://www.abebooks.com/9780915112005/Omak-Tonight-Ilwaco-Million-Miles-0915112000/plp

Whoever runs WA DNR social media needs a raise. Their twitter and IG are great.

Them: DNR=Department of Natural Resources

Me: DNR= Do Not Resuscitate

What? Why don’t they want volcanoes monitored? Now I’m curious about this group.

Right?

The Bolt Creek Fire was on federal land. It's not managed by the DNR.

In fact, a big portion of the burn area was wilderness area, so it's deliberately not managed. If the Forest Service tried, there are several groups of lawyers waiting and ready to sue them, including the group in Montana that is currently trying to prevent the USGS from monitoring our volcanoes adequately.