For the second summer in a row, the Bowdoin sophomore worked not far from her home in Jackson, Wyoming, as a firefighter in Grand Teton National Park. She hopes to return next year.
“I’ve always loved projects that involve a bit of physical labor,” she said. “I really like being able to visually see the things I have achieved. Even when tasks feel challenging and exhausting, a part of that also feels very rewarding.”
Describing her firefighting responsibilities as “a bit of physical labor” might be a bit of an understatement. Though Bartz's tasks varied day to day, her team generally worked on containing controlled burns, which sometimes required staying up from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for night shifts, and hiking mountains in 100-degree heat.
She had many assignments and learned new skills, but Bartz says getting to know her coworkers was her favorite part of the summer. Her team was a mix of first timers and veterans with several years of experience. Some worked on land only, some piloted helicopters, and some were smoke jumpers.
“They all taught me the importance of passion in whatever career you pursue,” she said. “My main mentor is super passionate about fire ecology and loved to point out fire scars and lightning scars.”
Bartz says she embraced her role as student and was never afraid to ask her supervisors questions about why or how they were doing things.
“In my day-to-day life, I wouldn’t typically approach the people I was working with, but in this situation, where you’re relying on them for safety,” normal barriers tend to drop away, she said. “I think that immediately brings you closer to people who you wouldn’t immediately think you’d be close to.”
Despite the camaraderie of the group, Bartz said it was a chronically challenging job. “You’re just constantly on your feet,” she said. And “mentally, you have to be prepared to do a complete 180.”
But the group dynamic helped bolster her resilience. “People cheer each other on, even when you’re all struggling. It’s kind of similar to a sports team, where you’re all working for a common goal.”
She also noted that she learned the importance of thinking individually but not selfishly. “I realized my own health and well-being could affect the group. A level of collaboration and vulnerability was part of working in this group of firefighters.”
As a prospective earth and oceanographic studies and psychology double major, she found that discerning people's psychology was integral to success in this high-stress environment.
“It was a big group, and I realized it’s always good to be aware of who you’re with, and know the general emotion when you’re in an intense situation,” she said. “Being able to read things and pick up the little things is really important.”
Bartz emphasized how grateful she was for this experience. “The line between danger and beauty is really fascinating to me,” she said. “It was cool to work with something that is seen as dangerous and appears intimidating. But it's also amazing to see Mother Nature doing its thing.”
