The Great Basin Institute (GBI) and the Humboldt Toiyabe Forest will host AmeriCorps Community Outreach Educator to support the Fire Prevention Education Project, a collaborative effort to provide expanded public education and outreach to reduce risk and potential impact of wildfire. The Institute and USFS will train and deploy Community Outreach Educator to support targeted outreach to the general public, including property owners, visitors, and students. Educators will be trained to expand classroom education programs to include wildfire prevention messaging to schools in Washoe County. In doing so, this project strives to meet benchmarks set for Fire Adapted Communities by unifying implementation measures with educational outreach, and increasing the effectiveness of wildfire prevention strategies and improves community wildfire resilience.
Outreach is strategically Specific content for delivery is predicated upon informational resources provided by USFS and ensures targeted outreach is informed by current best practices. This collaborative effort unites USFS Conservation Education and Fire Prevention programmatic goals in a more consolidated and robust manner. Project goals to reduce the risk of wildfire to owners of structures in the WUI are as follows:
To increase the general publics understanding of fire in the forest ecosystem;
To directly educate communities, especially low-income communities, by communicating wildfire risk through public outreach and education;
To improve public health and safety by providing additional patrol support to existing Fire Prevention and Visitor Services programs;
To prevent and reduce total number of wildland fire and acres burned in the at-risk communities in the WUI;
To coordinate with existing land management agencies and partnerships to implement wildfire prevention outreach and education to maximize awareness of residents, property owners, and visitors in anticipation of future severe wildfire seasons.
Educational activities will target residents, property owners, visitors, teachers, and students. General public outreach includes patrol education at recreation sites and developed campgrounds. Educators swill deliver informal and formal presentations, lessons, and programs. Improved signage at these sites, including fire danger adjective ratings, will reinforce the presence of fire threat and need for preparedness.
This is an AmeriCorps position. A living allowance will be given and an Education award will be given upon completion of the AmeriCorps Service Contract.
Employment Type: Contractor
