In the early 1900s, fires were a new and terrifying threat to workers in industries such as coal mining and railroad work. As an ever-changing job seeker, Ed Tice was up for the challenge of different jobs. His job as a ranger included creating trails, hanging telephone lines, building cabins, and putting out small forest fires.
The US Forest Service has faced a lot of criticism over the years, but many people still choose to become rangers and risk their lives for the job. This transcript discusses the experiences of a middle-aged man who became a ranger and how it differed from his younger, single colleagues.
Ed had a varied job history before becoming a ranger, which prepared him for the challenges of the position. In addition to creating trails, hanging telephone lines, building cabins, and putting out small forest fires, he was knowledgeable about plant life and weather conditions.
In 1910, the US Forest Service was facing a deadly blazing fire that caused the deaths of around 85 people and more than 3 million acres of land damage, prompting the hiring of thousands of rangers and firefighters to work alongside the service to combat similar fires in the future.