John Miller is the State Wildland Fire Chief for the Virginia Department of Forestry. John is responsible for oversight and state-wide coordination of the agency’s wildfire control, emergency management, and prescribed burning programs. John shares some tips about how you can coordinate with multiple government agencies so that everyone is on the same page when a fire is happening and he shares some close calls he’s gotten while he was in the field.
Key Takeaways:
[1:15] A message from Leadership Nature.
[1:50] A quick intro about John’s background.
[3:15] How did John first get started in forestry?
[11:55] John explains why controlled burns are necessary for longleaf pine trees.
[17:10] How did John rise through the ranks and get the position he is in now?
[22:35] What does John enjoy the most about being in wildland fire?
[26:35] There’s a lot of coordination and collaborative work between agencies when it comes to wildland fire, how does it get all done?
[28:55] You’ve got to build connections between people and agencies long before the fire starts.
[29:20] What kinds of job opportunities are available for those that are interested in wildland fire?
[31:50] What types of qualifications do you need?
[34:30] What types of important leadership lessons has John learned along the way?
[37:25] How does leadership change as you transition into different job roles and leadership positions?
[40:50] John shares some memorable stories and a tale of caution about what you need to be aware of when fighting fire.
[47:25] John shares some advice for those who are looking to get started in wildland fire.
[49:45] What is John most proud of in his career?
Mentioned in This Episode:
Kristel Johnson is the Support Services Program Leader for the USDA Forest Service. Kristel started her career in 1990 as a temporary firefighter and, later, she attended the Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Academy. Over her career, Kristel has worked in wildland firefighting, fire training, district management, employee relations, human resources, critical instant stress management, and more. In 2006, Kristel served as a family liaison for a fallen colleague and it opened her eyes to how the agency manages tragedy. Find out more in this week’s episode.
Key Takeaways:
[1:15] A message from Leadership Nature.
[2:00] A quick intro about Kristel’s background.
[3:25] How did Kristel first get interested in firefighting?
[5:15] What does Kristel currently do for the USDA?
[7:30] The agency has never really had a program to support colleagues and families of the fallen men and women in this field.
[9:50] Kristel shares how the loss of colleagues and tragedies have affected her over the years.
[12:10] Kristel realized that the agency had a lot more to do in terms of training and education and preparing for tragic incidents.
[17:25] Kristel developed the course, ‘You Will Not Stand Alone’ to help agency members feel more connected to one another and supportive during tragic events that have happened in their community.
[19:55] What’s it like being a wildland firefighter?
[21:25] How can someone get into wildland fire?
[24:00] How can someone specialize or find a specialty in this field?
[24:55] Kristel shares some of the mentors she’s had over the years.
[33:05] What advice does Kristel have for people who are just getting started in their career?
[35:15] What is Kristel most proud of?
Mentioned in This Episode: