Rally for Liz: Fired but Not Forgotten

Hello everyone. My name is Liz Crandall, and I just lost my job with the US Forest Service after nearly 9 years of service because I am a Schedule A probationary employee.

I am reaching out to my community and strangers alike regarding my financial situation this unfortunate event has put me in. Unemployment is looking bleak, and getting ahold of them is nearly impossible. Wait times are even longer for federal employees to actually receive any funds, and with thousands of federal workers fired at the same time, the unemployment office is beyond slammed. If you have anything you could spare for a displaced former Forest Service field worker, it would go such a long ways. All proceeds collected with go straight to bills, groceries and gas so I can stay afloat while I search and apply for a new job.

Here is more information regarding the mass termination:

The reasoning that the new administration put on my termination letter is:

“The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest. For this reason, the Agency informs you that the Agency is removing you from your position of FRSTRY TECHNCN (RES) with the Agency and the federal civil service effective immediately.”

My performance evaluations all state that I have been fully successful in my role, and I am a front line employee who is directly public facing out in the field. I have been a type 2 Firefighter since 2018 and have worked on multiple wildfires, as well as called in multiple fires throughout my time in service. I am a Forest Protection Officer, and have written tickets to people causing resource damage in our forest and prevented numerous people from lighting fireworks out in the national forests. I have cleaned up thousands of pounds of trash and educated countless visitors on leave no trace and ethics. I based my college studies around working in the outdoors for the Forest service. Although I am young, I have dedicated my life to this career I have chosen.

Only now, it has been ripped out from under me.

I hope you all who are reading this can understand just how devastating these terminations are for federal employees. Thousands of hard working, dedicated people have lost their jobs because the new administration does not see us as worthy of keeping. They are targeting people who barely make a livable wage, such as myself who lives check to check in an expensive mountain town. Please stay informed and fight for us. These are incredibly scary times and I have never felt so vulnerable in my career.

On another note, if anyone knows of any recreation or natural resource jobs hiring, I am all ears. I’m open to anything just so I can put food on my table, coffee shop or book store, anything.

Thank you to all who have reached out to me and offered support. It means so much more than you’ll ever know. Love to you all.