Nicholas Houghton
Kingscote,SA
Summary
I am a passionate, hardworking and motivated Seasonal Fire Crew member with a Bachelor of Science - majoring in Environmental Science and 7+ years working in land and fire management roles.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Field Officer
Department Of Environment And Water
06.2024 - Current
- Performing walking track construction and maintenance, using machinery and equipment including brushcutters, chainsaws, polesaws, earth moving equipment
- Storm response tree removal/ track maintenance
- Establishing signage on hiking trails
- Assisting in the vegetation of bushland areas around the newly constructed Information Centre
- Performing machinery and vehicle checks, servicing and maintenance
- Collaborating with other DEW employees including Park Rangers, Fire Management Officers and Field Officers to perform park management work
- Responding to Wildlife Standings, entanglements and calls for euthanasia
Seasonal Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
02.2024 - 05.2024
- Fire and land management activities including felling and pruning trees, herbicide application, brush cutting, fencing, track maintenance, track condition audits, signage, maintaining fire access tracks and breaks
- Participate in prescribed burn operations (ignition, patrol, control, mop-up)
- Driving Heavy Rigid vehicles
- Partake in being 'on-call' to respond to any wildfire across the island
- Collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders including Rangers, District Rangers, Fire Management Officers, the Landscape Board
- Performing basic vehicle and equipment checks and maintenance
- Participating in learning opportunities including additional training, working alongside other DEW employees performing park maintenance duties
Scaffolder
Marine Scaffolding Ltd Pty
08.2023 - 02.2024
- Assisting my brother with running his business (Marine Scaffolding) After the birth of his baby
- Managed scaffold labour staff, ensuring safety and compliance and building their knowledge and ability.
- Assembled, erected and dismantled scaffolding structures to meet project needs
- Followed OSHA regulations and safety standards when installing and working with scaffolding
- Built custom scaffolding structures to specifications for diverse applications (including yachts, boats, marine infrastructure)
- Engaged with current and potential clients to promote company
Fire Management Officer
Department Of Environment And Water
01.2023 - 05.2023
- Assisting in the planning of prescribed burn activities; organising staff accommodation and travel to/from Kangaroo Island, organising catering for fire ground crews
- Performing weather and fuel reading checks pre-prescribed burn operation
- Operating Heavy Rigid firefighting vehicles on the fire ground during prescribed burns
- Participating in and Crew Leading prescribed burn operations
- Assisting in developing and planning works programs for Project Firefighters and Senior Project Firefighters
- Managing fire vehicles /equipment, including checks and basic maintenance, log sheets and servicing
- Organising Brigade training, uniforms/ PPC and equipment
Senior Project Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
09.2022 - 01.2023
- Performed fire and land management activities including tree felling and pruning, tree chipping, brush cutting, herbicide application, track maintenance, signage, maintaining fire access breaks and tracks and reducing fuel loads
- Direct, train and support OPS1 Project Firefighters
- Participate in prescribed burn operations (ignition, patrol, control, mop-up)
- Partake in being 'on-call' to respond to wildfire emergencies
- Driving Heavy Rigid fire fighting vehicles on the fire ground during prescribed burns
- Communicate, engage and form relationships with colleagues and stakeholders (Project Firefighters, managers, council members, colleagues including Rangers, District Officers, Landscapes Board members)
Senior Project Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
03.2022 - 06.2022
- Performed fire and land management activities including felling and pruning trees, tree chipping, brush cutting, herbicide application, fencing, track maintenance, signage, maintaining fire access breaks and tracks and reducing fuel loads
- Directed, trained and supported OPS1 Project Firefighters
- Participated in prescribe burn operations (ignition, patrol, control, mop-up)
- Partook in being 'on-call' to respond to wildfire emergencies
- Operated Heavy Rigid vehicles
- Communicated, engaged and formed relationships with colleagues and stakeholders (Project Firefighters, managers, council members, colleagues including Rangers, District Officers, Landscapes Board members)
Project Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
08.2021 - 03.2022
- Fire and land management activities including felling and pruning trees, herbicide application, brush cutting, fencing, track maintenance, track condition audits, signage, maintaining fire access tracks and breaks
- Participate in prescribed burn operations (ignition, patrol, control, mop-up)
- Driving Heavy Rigid vehicles
- Partake in being 'on-call' to respond to any wildfire across the Island
- Collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders including Rangers, District Rangers, Fire Management Officers, the Landscape Board
Seasonal Forest Firefighter
Forestry Corporation Of NSW
12.2020 - 06.2021
- Performed fire prevention tasks including fire access track construction, fire break construction and maintenance, dead wooding, uplifting, lateral and vertical canopy separation
- Collaborating with colleagues, contractors and members of the public
- Assisted in prescribed burns and wind row burning
- Operating Heavy Rigid vehicles
- Operating and maintaining tools and equipment including chainsaws, pole saws, brush cutters and wood chippers
- Assisted in the construction of a fire damaged, log wood rehabilitation dam (first in Australia)
Fire Management Crew Member
BroadSpectrum
11.2018 - 11.2020
- Performed fire and land management activities including maintaining and constructing fire access tracks and breaks, tree felling, fine fuel load reduction, vertical and lateral canopy separation and woody weed control
- Collaborated with other groups within the organisation including Bushland, Traffic Management, Landscapes and Trees
- Operated machinery and equipment including chainsaws, polesaws and wood chippers
- Driving Heavy Rigid vehicles, towing wood chippers
Bushland Conservation Crew Member (contract)
Southern Otway Landcare Network
09.2016 - 04.2017
- I worked as part of a team throughout the Otway region, protecting and restoring native bushland areas
- Performed land management activities including revegetation, herbicide application and manual removal of weeds, weed surveillance and mapping, tree guarding, fencing off vulnerable vegetation
- Established a vegetation corridor, linking important remnant bushland areas for native animal habitat/movement
- Collaborated with colleagues, managers, council members, farmers and members of the public
- Performed native seed collection, cataloguing and propagation
- General nursery maintenance (eg. building repairs, installing irrigation systems)
Education
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
Deakin University
Burwood, VICHigh School Diploma -
Scotch College
Hawthorn, VICSkills
- Felling and pruning trees
- Prescribed burn activities (ignition, patrol, monitoring and mop up)
- Operating machinery and equipment
- Team leading
- Excellent team player with strong communicative ability
- Sign installation and removal
- Fire break and fire access track maintenance
- High organisation and time management ability
- Developing and implementing works programs
- Herbicide safety and application
- Machinery and vehicle inspections and maintenance
- Excellent problem solving ability
Certification
- Firefighting Level 2
- Remote Area First Aid - St Johns Ambulance
- Heavy Combination Vehicle license
- Load and Unload Plant
- Guns at work
- Operate and Maintain Chainsaws
- ChemCert
- Agricultural Chemical User Permit (ACUP)
- White Card
References
Hamish Houghton (Marine Scaffolding)
Phone number: 0425 334 800
Charlotte Mara-Petersen (Senior Regional Fire Management Officer, Department of Environment and Water)
Phone number: 0407 769 322
James Trezise (Regional Fire Management Officer, Department of Environment and Water)
Phone number: 0460 348 552
Peter Hannon (Senior Ranger, Department of Environment and Water)
Phone number: 0407 643 297
Rowan Woodman (Ranger Kangaroo Island)
Phone Number: 0403 028 447
Timeline
Senior Field Officer
Department Of Environment And Water
06.2024 - Current
Seasonal Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
02.2024 - 05.2024
Scaffolder
Marine Scaffolding Ltd Pty
08.2023 - 02.2024
Fire Management Officer
Department Of Environment And Water
01.2023 - 05.2023
Senior Project Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
09.2022 - 01.2023
Senior Project Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
03.2022 - 06.2022
Project Firefighter
Department Of Environment And Water
08.2021 - 03.2022
Seasonal Forest Firefighter
Forestry Corporation Of NSW
12.2020 - 06.2021
Fire Management Crew Member
BroadSpectrum
11.2018 - 11.2020
Bushland Conservation Crew Member (contract)
Southern Otway Landcare Network
09.2016 - 04.2017
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
Deakin University
High School Diploma -
Scotch College
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