The State Wildland Inmate Fire Team (SWIFT) was formed in 2001 to be a year-round resource for fighting wildfires throughout the State of Colorado. In addition to fighting fires, Incarcerated crew members have an opportunity to serve the citizens of Colorado by performing critical fuel reduction work to prevent future fires. After fires, SWIFT crews perform reclamation work that includes planting vegetation for erosion control. SWIFT crews also respond to flood events to assist with sandbag installation and flood cleanup.
SWIFT crew members are trained to the same standards as "regular" wildland fire crews. To be considered for SWIFT, potential crew members must first pass the arduous work capacity test by carrying a 45lb pack for 3 miles in less than 45 minutes. They then complete S130 Firefighter Training, L180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service, S190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, and S212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws, which are prerequisites for getting hired on a wildland crew post-incarceration. Crew members that stay for a second fire season have the opportunity to take S131 Firefighter Type 1 Training and become a SWIFT squad boss, leading a 5 person crew. Many former SWIFT crew members have successfully found work on private fire/mitigation crews.
For more information or a quote for fire mitigation services, please contact:
Supervisor, Greg Hawkins at 719-338-8052 or gregory.hawkins@state.co.us
Manager, Dennis Delong at 719-924-0372 or dennis.delong@state.co.us
