Across Marin County, the need for a skilled, locally rooted wildfire and public safety workforce continues to grow. Yet many people who could thrive in these careers may not know where to begin, or realize how many different opportunities exist within the fire service.
Launched by the Marin County Fire Department in 2022, Fire Foundry is helping change that. The workforce development program introduces participants to careers ranging from wildland firefighting and vegetation management to emergency dispatch, fire prevention, and emergency management. It also provides the training, education, mentorship, and practical support needed to pursue those careers.
“We’re helping people find where they fit,” says Fire Foundry Program Coordinator Mimi Choudhury, who joined the program during its first year. “Not everyone is going to carry a chainsaw up a hillside, but they may be an incredible dispatcher, prevention specialist, or emergency manager. The fire service needs all of those roles.”
The Many Paths into Fire Service
Fire Foundry recognizes that there is no single path into a fire service career. Participants come from a wide range of backgrounds, including retail, conservation corps, community college, and outdoor education. Many are the first in their families to explore the profession.
The program is designed to meet participants at different stages of their education and career development.
Each year, approximately 14 new recruits join a paid, year-long fuels crew. They complete vegetation management projects, train alongside experienced fire professionals, and take classes at College of Marin.
An education pathway allows additional participants to complete evening coursework while balancing jobs, school, or family responsibilities.
Fire Foundry also offers paid, semester-long advanced internships for participants who are ready to explore a specialized area more deeply. Interns are paired with mentors and may gain experience in fields such as emergency management, vegetation management, mapping, fire prevention, and environmental monitoring.
Together, these pathways create multiple entry points for people with different levels of experience, availability, and career goals.
Earning While Learning
Fire Foundry’s fuels crew operates as an earn-to-learn program. Recruits are paid for both their fieldwork and classroom time, helping make it possible to pursue training without putting other responsibilities entirely on hold.
Through the College of Marin, participants may earn up to approximately 30 college credits toward an associate degree in public safety. Some recruits have completed the degree after entering the program with credits from previous coursework, while others have continued into fire academies, medical training, and additional college programs.
For participants who may not have previously seen higher education as a good fit, hands-on courses can offer a new way to connect with learning.
Training for a Range of Careers
Training extends well beyond chainsaw operation and fireline work. Participants may earn their Wildland Firefighter Red Card, explore rope and water rescue, and attend Frontiers of Fire career exploration events. They also receive support with résumés, mock interviews, professional development, healthy meal preparation, fitness, and career planning.
The program introduces recruits to experienced professionals from fire departments and partner organizations, giving them a closer look at the range of careers available and the steps required to pursue them. These experiences also allow participants to test different possibilities. Some discover a passion for wildland firefighting, while others find that their skills are better suited to dispatch, emergency management, prevention, medical response, or another public service role.
Removing Practical Barriers
Fire Foundry also helps address practical challenges that can make it difficult to complete training or continue an education.
Depending on their needs, fuels crew recruits may receive assistance with housing, food access, and navigating higher education. For example, staff can help participants understand college enrollment, financial aid, and the steps needed to begin medical or fire-service coursework. Food support is done in partnership with local organizations that provide groceries and fresh produce, creating opportunities to connect healthy eating with the physical demands of fire service work.
These resources help participants focus on their training, education, and long-term career goals.
Building Skills, Confidence, and Community
Since the program began, more than 80 recruits have participated in the fuels crew pathway alone, with additional participants joining through its education and advanced internship pathways.
Graduates have continued into seasonal and full-time fire service positions, fire academies, paramedic programs, wildland firefighting crews, and emergency management careers. Others have pursued opportunities outside the fire service while carrying forward the professional and personal skills they developed through the program.
For Choudhury, some of the program’s most meaningful successes cannot be measured only through certifications or job placements. She has watched recruits who were once hesitant to speak before a group go on to present at the California Wildfire Conference. Others who did not initially see college as an option have completed medical courses and pursued higher education for the first time.
“It’s changing lives,” she says. “You’re building confidence, reconnecting people with education, creating healthy lifestyles, and giving them a community that believes they belong.”
A Community Effort
Fire Foundry has grown through collaboration among the Marin County Fire Department, College of Marin, Conservation Corps North Bay, various partner agencies, as well as local mentors, trainers, and educators.
Fire professionals volunteer their time to teach specialized skills, share career guidance, and mentor participants. Partner organizations help provide educational opportunities, support services, and meaningful work experience.
Choudhury emphasizes that the program’s success belongs to the entire network of people and organizations working together to create opportunity. By investing in local people, practical training, and lasting partnerships, Fire Foundry is helping build a stronger future workforce while supporting greater wildfire resilience throughout Marin.
