“There’s people I know that have asked me how I became a firefighter. I always tell them the CCC is the best place.”
Ethan Silguero
CCC Los Piños Center
In the CCC, we pride ourselves on putting young adults on a path to success. In the month of June that path looked more like a highway with 18 Corpsmembers leaving their CCC-CAL FIRE partnered wildland firefighting hand crews for greener pastures as Firefighter 1s with CAL FIRE San Diego.
“I sent a picture to my mom when I got the CAL FIRE hat,” said Los Piños alum Ethan Silguero. For him, this new uniform means a lot. “I felt a lot of pride and happiness. All the time I put in — here it is, I’m doing it now.”
To achieve this career dream, they trained as Corpsmembers for a year on CCC partnered wildland firefighting hand crews. Under the guidance of fire captains and crew supervisors, they learned how to cut fireline, scout for hotspots, and create fuel breaks to protect communities.
Same Skills, New Place
Former San Diego Center Corpsmember Erik Narvaez, left, deploys a practice shelter during shelter deployment review and training at the San Diego County Fire Training Center in Spring Valley, CA
“CCC helps you succeed because you have people that go to bat for you,” said alum Keith Patrick. “They make sure that you have what you need, and you’re able to get things out of the program.”
In Fiscal Year 2024-25, at least 160 Corpsmembers left the CCC for positions with CAL FIRE. Since FY 2019-20, at least 750 Corpsmembers have taken the next step in their careers by joining our partner.
“I’d like to think that I made a good impression on the captains and the staff who were at the center,” said Los Piños alum Jacob Mesa. “I definitely recommend the CCC. It’s been life changing for me. I’m appreciative of it.”
Orientation & Training
Former Los Piños Center Corpsmember Gary Dyell talks to his fellow Rainbow Fire Center crew during initial orientation and training with CAL FIRE San Diego Unit.
Mesa and Silguero were among the 10 Corpsmembers joining various San Diego Unit hand crews from the CCC Los Piños Center in Riverside County. Another six San Diego Center alums started in June as well, returning to the unit that hosted their CCC hand crew. Alums from Camarillo and Pomona also started anew with CAL FIRE.
“It’s crazy. There’s a lot of people from the CCC here and we got along quick,” said Pomona alum Alexis Cordero, who credits her peers and CCC staff with helping her along the way. “I never thought anyone would help me get to where I’m at right now. The CCC community has done so much, with the all the support. Everything they did for me was amazing.”
Paths to Success
