Wildfire Fighting Season Estate Planning

As you prepare for this assignment, we understand the unique concerns that come with this profession. Your family watches you depart with a mix of pride in the important work you do and natural worry about the risks you face.

We've created this guide specifically for professionals in professional high-risk assignments who want to ensure their families are protected during high-risk assignments. This isn't about dwelling on worst-case scenarios. This is about the practical reality that your work involves documented occupational hazards, and your family deserves the security of knowing everything is documented and accessible.

Your employer likely provides substantial death benefits and insurance coverage precisely because they acknowledge the elevated risks of this work. Reviewing these benefits isn't pessimistic; it's professional preparation that ensures your family can access every resource available to them.

Before your next assignment, take time to document your current schedule, assignment details, emergency contact chain, and company notification procedures. Your family should have written information about who to call if they don't hear from you during expected communication windows.

Creating a digital will specific to high-risk professional work means addressing the particular challenges of your occupation. Document your company benefits in detail, including life insurance amounts, accidental death coverage, pension death benefits, and any specialized compensation programs.

Your estate planning should account for the financial reality of this work. The compensation that makes this profession financially rewarding also funds your family's current lifestyle and future security. Document all accounts, investment portfolios, and retirement programs.

Emergency notification systems are designed to contact families quickly, but the nature of these assignments can create communication delays. Your family should understand these realities and know that delays don't necessarily mean the worst, but rather reflect the challenges of emergency response in these environments.

Consider creating assignment-specific goodbye messages that you update before each deployment. Reference your current assignment details, the specific work you'll be doing, and your expected return date. These personalized messages provide comfort to your family if something happens during this particular assignment.

Your work contributes to critical operations, and your family knows the importance of what you do. But they also know that importance doesn't reduce the very real risks you accept. Estate planning isn't about fear; it's about ensuring the people who wait for you have the security and resources they need.

Document your safety training, emergency procedures, and evacuation protocols. While your family may never need this information, having it available provides context during emergencies and helps them understand the safety systems designed to protect you.

Many professionals create a comprehensive benefits summary document listing every form of coverage: life insurance policy numbers and amounts, accidental death coverage details, pension benefits calculations, compensation program contact information, and union benefits if applicable.

Your assignment schedule creates natural opportunities for estate planning updates. During time between assignments, review your digital will, verify emergency contacts, confirm beneficiary designations, and spend time with family discussing your wishes.

Consider including information about close colleagues your family should contact for support if something happens. These colleagues can provide perspective on incidents and offer comfort from people who knew you in the work environment where you spent so much time.

Remember that estate planning for high-risk professionals isn't just about death benefits and asset distribution. It's about providing your family with the comprehensive information they need during the most difficult time of their lives.

Before your next assignment, take a few hours to ensure everything is documented and accessible. Verify your emergency contacts are current. Confirm your beneficiary information matches your wishes. Create or update messages for your family.

Your professional work demands excellence, vigilance, and courage every single day. Bringing that same approach to your estate planning ensures your family receives the protection and security they deserve.

We're here to help you create estate planning that addresses the specific realities of high-risk professional work. Your family's security shouldn't depend on luck or hope. It should depend on the same careful preparation you bring to your professional duties.

Thank you for the critical work you perform in challenging conditions. Your dedication deserves estate planning that matches your professionalism.