Fire fighting 99% boredom 1% sheer terror also as said before - seasonal. Most companies involved with fire fighting are not averse to allowing crew to take other work outside a fire season. It saves them money!
So a newbie can hive off - at no cost to the fire fighting outfit - to do the hour building in the off season and that way work into the command seat a tad quicker.
Also, employers look at various things when taking new staff and genarally a squillion hours in an R44 don't hold a candle to TWIN turbine time, even if the hours are lower.