Smokejumpers hone skydiving skills at Redding firefighter training event
REDDING -- Each spring, everyone who's anyone in the world of aerial firefighting converges on an open field just outside Redding, California, for one of the biggest drills of the year.
The event, which comes complete with fire retardant airplanes and helicopters equipped with water buckets, includes dozens of crews from both state and federal agencies.
Perhaps the most intriguing unit is one you've never heard of.
Cole Skinner is what's known as a smokejumper, an elite group of highly trained firefighters who parachute into the wilderness from 3,000 feet to put out blazes no one else can reach.
"I've said it before and I'll say it over and over again this is the best job in the world," Skinner said.
Skinner was a regular firefighter when he stumbled upon a book about smokejumping and decided to take a leap of faith.
"I wanted to be a smokejumper," he said. "Those guys, at the time, they seem to be the biggest badasses."
Part of the U.S. Forest Service, smokejumpers often fly hundreds of miles to get to their destination then they exit the plane, count to five and pull the ripcord. Once they land, they use chainsaws and hand tools to create a buffer zone where the fire has less fuel to burn.
"We do have incredibly high performance standards in order to be a jumper," Skinner said. "We have a PT test that we have to pass every year and you can't exactly be too weak if you're going to be carrying that much weight."
"The theory behind it is if we can get to the fires quick enough we can stop them small," said Matthew Weston, the Redding base manager and a smokejumper for 22 years.
Weston said their missions can last anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks, with little time off during peak season.
"Physically the job is tough but you can always make yourself stronger. Not being at home with your family, that's the toughest part of the job," he added.
On this particular morning, Skinner and his fellow smokejumpers were dropping into a simulated fire as part of their annual drill.
First, they had to hit their marks. One of their colleagues on the ground found a nearby spot where they could land safely.
Skinner and his buddies took the plunge and, sure enough, landed right on the tarp.
"That was pretty cool," Skinner said. "It doesn't happen every jump."
WEBLINKS
Part One: Meet the elite group of firefighters who parachute into wildfires