Firefighter

Includes:

• the State Fire Marshal,
• chief deputy state fire marshals,
• deputy state fire marshals,
• a State Forestry Department employee who is certified by the state forester as a professional wildland firefighter and whose primary duties include fighting uncontrolled fires, and
• persons employed by cities, counties, or districts whose duties involve firefighting.

The firefighter classification does not include volunteer firefighters. Oregon statute defines a volunteer firefighter as "a firefighter whose position normally requires less than 600 hours of service per year." Volunteer firefighters are not eligible for membership unless the employer decided to extend PERS membership to all volunteer firefighters. If a public employer extended PERS coverage to volunteer firefighters, such firefighters would be classified General Service.