Feather River College reports that for the third consecutive year, it offered a $1,000 stipend for employees who completed their Basic 32 wildland fire certification, also called the Red Card. The college said the purpose of the stipend is to expand the knowledge base on campus regarding the wildland-urban interface and to better prepare Plumas County as a whole in the event of wildfire.
Several of the cardholders serve on their local volunteer fire departments, though such service is not a requirement of the program, said FRC. Thirty-one employees completed the Basic 32 program. Participants came from across campus from various departments such as financial aid to information technology to facilities, and the roster included both full-time and part-time faculty:
- Albert Battaglia, facilities
- Anita Glib, financial aid technician
- Billy Ogle, Disability Support Program for Students director
- Brendan O’Reilly, Upward Bound advisor
- Bridget Tracy, environmental science faculty
- Dana Flett, environmental science faculty
- Dave Loschiavo, information technology cybersecurity
- Don Fregulia, environmental science associate faculty
- Ed Ward, emergency medical technician, associate faculty
- Erin Ellingson, human resources director
- Ethan Taber, environmental science faculty
- Gabe Miller, director of employer partnership
- Hayden Lampe, environmental science instructional assistant
- Holly Bromby, student accounts specialist
- Jason Newman, facilities
- Jay Damron, art associate faculty
- Jon Dvorak, forest health and fuels director
- Justin Franco, financial aid specialist
- Katie Desmond, instructional dean
- Kim McHale, admissions and records technician
- Kurt Smart, chemistry/statistics faculty
- Nancy Moore, nursing faculty
- Nathan Steffen, political science associate faculty
- Nikki Grose, English faculty
- Patty Llamas, Upward Bound advisor
- Paul Vaughn, political science associate faculty
- Petr Kokes, advising/counseling specialist
- Saylor Flett, outdoor recreation leadership faculty
- Sean Whaley, director of institutional research
- Shane Koskinen, outdoor recreation leadership instructional assistant
- Will Lombardi, English faculty
In related news, the college reports that students in the prescribed fire class, along with paid student employees, have been refining their skills under the leadership of Jon Dvorak and Hayden Lampe to conduct several pile burns on campus.
