A smoke jumper has to be young and healthy to do the tough job of putting out fires in mountain lands. He must be able to carry heavy packs, sometimes more than a hundred pounds. He needs to know enough about getting along in the woods to find his way out of wild areas. He has to be able to climb tall trees, for sometimes th parachutes that carry his tools and food get caught in trees. New smoke jumpers go through a hard training school that prepares them for the rough work. They start early in the morning with exercises such as jumping jacks, push-ups, leg-lifts sit-ups and toe-touchers. Next they run through an obstacle course. Then they learn how to leave th plane, steer the parachutes, get down from trees, and make safe Each morning, they finish by running a mile. In the afternoon, they learn how to climb trees with climbing spurs. They learn how to read maps and use compasses. Thay learn how to cut down burning trees safely. The last class of the day is a lesson in first aid . After several days of classes, the new jumpers are ready for their first real jump. Each man puts on his jump suit, football helmet, and two parachutes. One parachute can be steered. That's so the jumper can steer himself into small landing spots in the middle of trees 200 feet tall.
After his first jump, a beginner usually want to go right up and try it again! He will make a jump or two a day until he has made six. The fir After his first jump a beginner six Jumps are made in an open field. The seventh jump is called a"timber The jumper tries to drop his parachute over a tree. This is called gives a new jumper a chance to use his ro"Hanging-up"hanging-up." to make a let-down from the treetop. In California a smoke jumper carries 150 feet of let-down rope. Sometimes he needs it all to get down from a tree. After his timber jump, the new smoke jumper is ready for fir jumps. This means that he will work as part of a team to fight forest fires. A smoke jumper never jumps alone. At least two men are dropped on any fire.
Smoke jumpers get to travel a great deal. They often go to other states to help jumpers there. During one summer, for example, California jumpers went to Oregon, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. To some, smoke jumping means excitement and adventure. To some, it means seeing fine mountain country or learning new skills. To some, it means meeting new and interesting people. But to many it means all of these things-with pay!