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FiredUp
Our Research
FiredUp seeks to accurately reflect the lived experiences of all federal wildland families. To do this, we regularly gather data from wildland families and have ongoing discussions within our community. We welcome your voice. Nothing about you without you.
We regularly publish our data and use it to help us better advocate for public policy that will improve the lives of wildland families. Except where otherwise cited, the data provided here comes from FiredUp's research.
We are conducting a series of studies to better quantify how fire season impacts the overall well-being of wildland families.
The WFPPA is good for taxpayers
The WFPPA is good for taxpayers
Wildland firefighters are employed by Federal and State agencies, local cooperators, and private contractors.
When natural disasters happen and there are not enough federal resources, federal agencies cover cooperator and contractor costs. In many cases, they also have to compensate cooperators for costs incurred covering the cooperator at their home station.
As we lose federally employed first responders, cooperator and contractor spend increases.
Replacing the retention incentive pay increase with a permanent solution is not just essential for national security, it's good fiscal policy.
Housing Survey
Housing Survey
FiredUp's housing survey found that homelessness is endemic within the wildland community.
Changes to the way that rent is calculated for agency-provided housing and the risk of retention incentive pay are exacerbating the problem.
Due to the nature of wildland firefighting, federal land management agencies must ensure housing solutions for wildland firefighters.
While pay will help alleviate the burden, many duty stations are in areas either too remote or too expensive to expect wildland firefighters to provide their own housing. Therefore, land agencies must provide safe and well-maintained housing or provide a housing stipend, equivalent to local market rates or some combination of both.
In no case is it acceptable for wildland firefighters or their families to be homeless as a result of working for federal agencies.
Mental Health & Relationships
Mental Health & Relationships
Everyone associated with wildland firefighting knows that it is an extremely unpredictable and incredibly demanding profession. Both wildland firefighters and their families pay the price.
A recent Partner Stress Survey found that most partners feel isolated as a direct result of their firefighter's job, most wildland families have wrestled with firefighting-related mental health challenges, and most are experiencing stress related to the potential loss of income.
Most respondents said that federal agencies are not doing enough to support the mental health or families of wildland firefighters.
Adequate pay, safe and accessible housing, and flexible schedules all honor a work-life balance and are all essential parts of mental healthcare.
Wildland firefighters, their partners, children, and other loved ones deserve adequate support and education in what being a part of this community looks like, ways to make it easier and less taxing, and tools to be successful.
Read our research in depth
Read our research in depth
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