“Smokejumper” finds satisfaction in heated job

It’s a big jump from fighting peer pressure among young friends in Los Angeles and Riverside Counties, to fighting fires.

In Jason Ramos’s own words: “I had no plans after high school. College wasn’t an option; my grades sucked. Law enforcement was out since, in my world, ‘cop’ meant ‘narc’.”

Ramos jumped from looking for purpose and a cure for boredom and jumped into taking risks every working day that could mean life or death.

Ramos was and is a jumper.

A smoke-jumper, he battles wildfires from the air, and on the ground, and in that tumultuous trek in between.

Ramos chronicles the excitement and the danger of the heat of his job in a new book, simply called ‘Smokejumper’.

KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis interviews Ramos about his job, his past, and firefighting in today’s rapidly changing climate.

(Ramos picture, courtesy of Filson.com)