![]() ![]() ![]() "State, local and private entities can range from $70,000 to $88,000 a year, and their benefits are better," she said. ![]() "We have experienced staffing challenges as a result of issues such as compensation, remote and hard-to-fill duty stations, a competitive employment market, and the physical and mental stress of year-round fire conditions on fire personnel," Regina Corbin, a spokeswoman for the US Forest Service, told CNN via email.Ĭorbin said that Region 5, which includes California, is converting temporary seasonal positions to permanent full-time posts to improve recruitment and retention. But all levels of firefighters are moving on, including top managers who have the most experience. These usually young, seasonal firefighters are some of the ones who are leaving. They get laid off when fire season is over, and they choose not to come back." "We're abusing them because we are short-staffed, and they are not getting their rest periods. "Yes, you can make overtime, but we're putting them through the meat grinder," Alicea told CNN. The pay discrepancy between federal hotshots, most of whom are employed by the US Forest Service, and firefighters for other jurisdictions is staggering.įirst-year federal hotshots make $13.50 an hour, according to David Alicea, vice president of the Forest Service Union in California. “It’s finally nice to play against a bunch of people you train against and some of the best players in the area,” Donnelly said.After 25 years, Hump says he became just the latest mentally fried, underpaid hotshot veteran to leave, at a time when California wildfires are at their worst. While Donnelly enjoyed facing an old rival, it also was a good opportunity to take on old rivals in a different setting. “We wanted to take turns and do what was quickest to do.” “Once I won the individual 3s, I was feeling comfortable with my shot,” Aldridge said. It’s nice to be out there and relax.”Īldridge didn’t know Kimmich at all before they competed together. “Then you are sitting for anywhere up to 10 minutes. “At the beginning, it was kind of nerve-racking because you are out there by yourself,” Aldridge said. “I’m looking forward to the all-star game (Saturday).”īutler’s Hannah Aldridge won the girls 3-point competition and the co-ed hot shot competition along with Franklin Regional’s Jake Kimmich. “Playing against all of these kids was fun,” Murray said. Murray said he enjoyed the event overall. 8 spot was too far, a lot of kids were missing from the beginning.” “We came here for practice yesterday,” Murray said. Murray said he didn’t put too much thought into strategy. Hampton’s Brennan Murray won the boys hot shot competition and was the runner-up to Butler’s Ryan Porch in the 3-point shooting competition. “I didn’t realize that there were that many people here.” “I didn’t think too much about it,” Donnelly said. She stayed focus despite music playing and a large crowd. With how the competition was formatted, one of the girls players shot on one side of the court while a member of the boys team shot on the other side. When it came to strategy, Donnelly said she was focusing mostly on going for the most points available. Hattie is a good shooter, and I was excited to go up against her.”ĭonnelly and McGraw’s battle was part of a skills competition at the Cager Classic that included an individual hot-shot competition, 3-point shootout and co-ed hot-shot competition. “It was fun,” said Donnelly, who will play collegiately at John Carroll. Both programs were successful this season, with each team reaching the second round of the PIAA playoffs in their classifications. Olivia Donnelly and Hattie McGraw had an opportunity to settle an old Butler County rivalry Friday night at Highlands.ĭonnelly, a Mars senior, and McGraw, a Knoch senior, were paired against each other in the finals of the girls hot-shot competition at the Cager Classic, with Donnelly prevailing.īoth programs weren’t at the same classification level, so the only meeting they had was a nonsection matchup. ![]()
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