2/26 Trump warns agencies of mass firings coming

[Rideback]

DOGE recommends cuts to the FAA.

Hundreds of workers get fired, including those tasked with producing air traffic navigation maps.

Now Starlink is reportedly in line to take over a $2 billion contract to upgrade the nation's air traffic control systems.

[Rideback]

Thanks Jim.
My thoughts today are about access. It's one thing to gather up a well meaning group of valley residents to work on maintenance but if access to Fed'l lands are closed off, which they already are in some cases, as well as State lands, it all becomes more problematic from the outset. Also, the outfitters in the valley must be wondering where they stand in all this.

[PAL]

I do think the selling off of public lands would take alot of time. That's in our favor, and Congress might have something to say about it, but so far Congress is a lump. But there are credible death threats against them. Really.
As far as taking up too much slack, yes, I thought of that. Gee, what if we take in TP, pick up trash, maybe even clean a bathroom, that we would take someones job. Ain't gonna happen. The FS laid off the seasonal workers last year before #47 took office.
The forest service person I talked to that they want our eyes on the forest. As in if there appears to be a hazardous mess, or a smouldering campfire, they want to know about it.
We the people have to take charge and care for these lands.
Some future administration-there may not be one.

[just-jim]

AI pulled this up:
The Methow Valley Smokejumper Base, also known as the North Cascades Smokejumper Base, is primarily funded through the United States Forest Service (USFS) as part of their national smokejumper program, with additional support potentially coming from other agencies like the DNR, FEMA, FAA, and NPS when they utilize the base for operations; essentially, a multi-agency partnership helps secure funding by sharing the costs across different entities that benefit from the base's services.
Key points about the Methow Valley Smokejumper Base funding:
Primary source: USFS budget allocated for smokejumper operations nationwide.
Multi-agency collaboration: The base often works with other agencies like the DNR, FEMA, FAA, and NPS, which can contribute to funding when they utilize the base for emergency response.
State and local support: Depending on specific needs, local and state agencies may also provide additional funding for infrastructure improvements or specific projects at the base.

NCSB has never been funded by FAA, DNR, FEMA or the NPS. It is true that a relatively small amount of $$ might be charged an agency like DNR or NPS when a fire is ‘jumped’ in their jurisdiction…but those are direct personnel and flight costs….not overhead costs. The base is 100% funded from the FS budget.

Infrastructure at airport - which is State owned - might be funded by a variety of agencies. Up until the 1990’s the entire airport, runways and base were owned and maintained by the FS. Everything but few acres for the base, offices, warehouse, etc was transferred to the State at that time; the FS wanted out of the liability and maintenance headache of operating the runways, etc.
.

[mister_coffee]

I have some practical concerns here.

One big one is that if volunteers pick up too much of the slack, some future administration might use that as justification to not restore positions and funding. Realistically we are never getting the staffing levels we had in 2024 back for a very long time. Also, volunteers require some staff to manage them and onboard them.

Related to that is the issue with fire staff. That hiring pipeline is long and starts early. With the hiring freezes on all of that has been delayed. On top of that the staff cuts will probably slow down that hiring process even more. All the more reason to expect weak fire coverage in the future.

On top of that, a lot of seasonal and permanent staff at the USFS and NPS also hold Red Cards and can be tapped in an emergency to fight fires. In practice most years "an emergency" is defined as late July or early August. So we also depend on a lot of the people who won't be hired or are laid off to be available during wildfires. Which they won't be.

Still color me skeptical that federal land sales can generate very much money. At least on an feasible time frame and absent substantial legal changes.

[PAL]

And look up the Sovereign Wealth Fund. #47 wants to create. The government sells off our public lands to creat the fund.

It is Curtis Yarvin who said all federal employees, he said all, should be fired. New hires would be those that fall in line with #47 agenda.

[Rideback]

AI pulled this up:
The Methow Valley Smokejumper Base, also known as the North Cascades Smokejumper Base, is primarily funded through the United States Forest Service (USFS) as part of their national smokejumper program, with additional support potentially coming from other agencies like the DNR, FEMA, FAA, and NPS when they utilize the base for operations; essentially, a multi-agency partnership helps secure funding by sharing the costs across different entities that benefit from the base's services.
Key points about the Methow Valley Smokejumper Base funding:
Primary source: USFS budget allocated for smokejumper operations nationwide.
Multi-agency collaboration: The base often works with other agencies like the DNR, FEMA, FAA, and NPS, which can contribute to funding when they utilize the base for emergency response.
State and local support: Depending on specific needs, local and state agencies may also provide additional funding for infrastructure improvements or specific projects at the base.

[PAL]

Absolutely Jim. I have been in contact with a FS employee that still has their job. It will be dire. And it is up to us to take care of our public lands.
She said they are working with Methow Trails Collaborative and the Town of Twisp to see about at least maintaining facilities. She said that recreationists should bring their own TP and pick up trash when they can.
I plan to do just that and will encourage others to do the same. Last year the Trails had a training session for people to go into the Pasayten to work with crews to be trained in trail clearing.
The Trails Collaborative meetings are open to the public. Next notice I get, I will post.
Good questions Rideback. I too am wondering about the smoke jumper base.
Burn baby burn.
And yep, we could lose access to lands. No more trapping Vern.

[just-jim]

.

Remember back in the early 90's when there was supposed to be a 25% RIF at the forest service and the only ones let go were the worker bees associated with the proposed ski resort? Maybe 4 people out of over 100 between the Winthrop and Twisp ranger districts, so maybe a MAJOR RIF in federal employees is warranted

Absolutely FALSE! You dont know what you are talking about - as usual - Vern.

There was no ‘25% RIF’. There was a RIF, just as there had been in the late ‘80’s. Yes, some people lost jobs…and other positions went un-filled. Some folks moved into other jobs. Many RIF’d jobs were involved in Timber sale planning - as the planned cut was reduced (for other reasons).

There were never ‘worker bees associated with the proposed ski resort’…certainly not 4! The planned resort was already DEAD by the early 90’s. There was NEVER more than 1 FS person working on the proposed resort. That person continued to work on other projects - after the resort died - and was never subject to RIF. That person retired, as I recall, in the late 90’s.

The number of employees - permanent and seasonal - exceeded 100 back then. I doubt it even comes close to that, now.

There have been - to date - 9 permanent positions lost in the last few weeks. Most of those employees - although on ‘probationary’ status….had many many years of service. This ON TOP of the fact that - Nationally - most non-fire seasonal positions were due to be unfilled for 2025….that has been in the works for 6 months+.

I spoke, today, with an active local FS employee…26 years of service. They said that with today’s news - they think by this summer there may not be much more than a skeleton crew of fire-funded positions left in the Valley; so no - or little - recreation, wildlife, timber, road/trail maintenance, etc.

For an economy like the Methow - that runs on tourism - this doesn't bode well.
.

[Rideback]

Right now the cuts have meant Yellowstone has only 4 Park Rangers. How many are here in the valley now that the cuts have taken place?
Will the Smoke Jumper base be impacted?
Where will the air support come from this wildfire season?
How many firefighters will be available to the valley?
Will access to lands be shut down with no rangers?
With less protections in place will insurance companies raise the rates yet again?

[Jingles]

Remember back in the early 90's when there was supposed to be a 25% RIF at the forest service and the only ones let go were the worker bees associated with the proposed ski resort? Maybe 4 people out of over 100 between the Winthrop and Twisp ranger districts, so maybe a MAJOR RIF in federal employees is warranted

[Rideback]

https://newrepublic.com/post/192018/tru ... ss-firings

"The Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management sent out notices on Wednesday to federal agencies telling them to prepare for staff reductions. Close to 30,000 federal employees have already lost their jobs since Trump took office last month, and these coming layoffs could dwarf that number.


The administration is ordering agencies to submit “Phase 1” reductions in force and reorganization plans by March 13, detailing the number of full-time employees that can be cut and how much money that would save over the next three years. The plans should also include “a significant reduction” in full-time employees, according to the memo, first obtained by Axios.

The notices follow Trump’s executive order strengthening Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency more than two weeks ago, which allowed agencies to only rehire one worker for every four people who leave the workforce. It seems that after last week’s federal court ruling allowing Trump’s federal employee purge to continue, Trump is about to ramp up the firings.

Over the weekend, Musk issued an ultimatum to federal workers through an OPM email and his X account asking them to provide five accomplishments or lose their jobs, which was heavily mocked before the White House backtracked and deemed it optional. Soon, it seems that no ultimatums will be necessary for large numbers of federal employees to lose their jobs. In fact, the layoffs may even be automated."