The Malheur Rappel Crew traces its roots back to 1971, the first time a Helitack crew staffed a helicopter on Airport Hill in John Day. From that beginning the crew has grown into a solid organization with as many as 30 aerial delivered firefighters ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Our program currently hosts four rotor wing aircraft; one B-205 rappel ship, one B-206 helitack ship, one B-205 restricted ship and one heavy helicopter at our state-of-the-art facility in beautiful eastern Oregon. In addition to our local IA responsibilities we mobilize for large fire support missions and IA all across the lower 48 and Alaska. If you’re interested in becoming a part of the crew, dig in. . .  

The airbase at MRC sits on the shoulder of the Malheur National Forest and the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. With 1.7 million acres of textbook rappel country in our back yard and four wilderness areas in our response zone, we keep the rotors turning! Big timber and few roadways at home speak to the need for rappellers in initial attack, and for 40 years there has been a helicopter perched up on the hill.

We don’t look at rappelling as merely a tool in the box; we specialize in it and take pride our excellent record of safety & effectiveness. Our rookie training and veteran recertification regimens stand among the finest in the nation and we mean to keep at it! Rappellers can expect to be called on to use this skill for initial attack on wildfire, emergency medical situations, staffing lookouts, inserting single resource firefighters and a variety of other applications anywhere in the country.

While the crew's main focus is on fire suppression, crewmembers will find themselves with the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of aviation assignments. There are many paths to follow on the aviation side of USFS fire! Rappellers will have a chance to complete their Helicopter Crewmember task books and eventually dig in to the many posts within the HECM field, from Air Base Radio Operator to Helibase Manager. We have qualified personnel at every level of helibase operations and our training program is top-notch. In addition to our rotor-wings, MRC also hosts a single engine air tanker on the airfield and crewmembers can fill in as SEAT loaders when needed.

If you make your way up the hill you'll find yourself among some of the most dedicated people in the business, folks with five to twenty year's experience. We have firefighters from all walks of life; locals and guys from as far away as Massachusetts and Maine.  
Fire assignments have taken MRC crewmembers to nearly every corner of the country, to include extended suppression and fire activities in Alaska, the southwest and southeastern states.

Crewmembers will be challenged with the opportunity to suppress fire in every fuel type the U.S. has to offer and during a typical season may be looking back at 500 to 800 hours of overtime for their efforts. The beauty of this profession lays in the unexpected. . .  you could rappel out on an initial attack 2-man fire, be plugged in to a 20-person handcrew, throw in with an ignitions team or staff a helibase position when the buzzer goes off. If theres a whiff of smoke in the air, chances are there's a black shirt on the way.

Rx fire implementation usually takes place at the head and tail ends of fire season, allowing crewmembers the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge in fire & fuels management at the beginning and end of the summer. With the assistance of crewmembers from MRC, the Malheur National Forest is able to maintain a comprehensive prescribed fire program, burning thousands of acres every season. Crewmembers may also expect to see Rx opportunities on neighboring forests such as the Wallowa-Whitman, Umatilla, Deschutes and Ochoco. In addition, crewmembers can be exposed to aerial ignition operations and may choose to explore PLDO quals. Fuels management qualifications and assignments are attainable for those with the desire to drag a torch or crunch the numbers.

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