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Public Information Officer Type 2

PIO2 decorative banner: photos depicting PIO2 position. PIO2 position description: The Public Information Officer (PIO2), a member of the Command Staff, is responsible for the formulation and release of information about the incident to the news media, local communities, incident personnel, other appropriate agencies and organizations, and for the management of all Public Information Officers assigned to the incident.

The Public Information Officer Type 2 (PIO2) participates in the collection and dissemination of incident information and may be the first public point of contact. They may be assigned to information center operations, community engagement, media relations, or other branches. The PIO2 supervises the public information function of an Incident Management Team (IMT) and may support a branch of a Type 1 IMT. The PIO2 may report to the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Agency Administrator (AA), or Incident Commander (IC). The PIO2 works in the Command functional area.

The PIO2 performs position duties commensurate with Type 2 incident complexity and characteristics stated in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book).

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to States under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, visit Incident Business Committee.

Date: Jan 2023

Removed: Required Training and Required Experience and replaced with "The qualification pathway for this position is discontinued per NWCG direction on January, 2023. Responders with an active PTB will transition to the corresponding complex position PTB."

Added:

  • Public Information Officer Type 3 (PIO3) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For PIO2."
  • Public Information Officer Type 3 (PIO3) to "PIO2 Maintains Currency For These Positions."
Date: Dec 2022

Updated: Position Endorsement
The position for this endorsement is currently being evaluated to the new standards for Complex Incident Management, for current information regarding this change, please contact your NIMSIC representative.

Date: May 2022

Added: Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For PIO2."

Added: Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC) to "PIO2 Maintains Currency For These Positions."

Date: Dec 2021

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Date: Oct 2021

Removed: IS-800, National Response Framework, An Introduction from Required Training.

Added: to "Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills."

Date: Oct 2018

Added: “Individuals utilizing this pathway must complete the Public Information Officer Course (E/L952) prior to position qualification.”

Date: Oct 2015

Removed: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (ICS-300) and Advanced ICS (ICS-400) from Required Training.

Added: Bridging experience pathways for qualified OSC2, LSC2, and PSC2 to move into the PIO2 position.

Date: Oct 2011

Updated: Required Experience for PIO2 from Successful to Satisfactory performance as a PIOF.

Updated: PIO2 information on the position flow chart.

Date: Jun 2011

Added: Annual Fireline Safety Refresher (RT-130) to Required Training.

Added: PIOF to Required Experience.

Date: Jan 2006

Position created. Replaced IOF2.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Primary Committee: Communication Education and Prevention Committee
Steward: Public Information Officer Subcommittee
Key Stakeholder(s): Incident Command Subcommittee


Page Last Modified / Reviewed:
USWDS Paragraph Bundles

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

Updated NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

Date: May 10, 2024
Contact: IFUASS Qualification and Curriculum Board (IFUASS) 

The 2024 revision of the NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515 is now available. PMS 515 standardizes the processes and procesures for interagency use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including pilot inspections and approvals. This publication is now available as a PDF for easy use offline.

References:

NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

Memorandum 24-003: Removal of Type 1 Command and General Staff (C&G) Incident Position Qualification Pathways

Date: May 10, 2024
Contact: Aitor Bidaburu 

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide NWCG direction for removal of the Type 1 Command and General Staff (C&G) incident position qualification pathways to transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM). Responders may continue to utilize available NWCG pathways to attain Type 1 C&G qualifications until December 31, 2024.

References:

Memorandum 24-003

CIM Story Map

2024 Professional Reading Program

Date: April 26, 2024
Contact: Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP) 

The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program is announcing the 2024 Professional Reading list! The intent of the Professional Reading Program is to promote the reading and discussion of these books throughout the year. Discussion guides are provided and the corresponding Wildland Fire Leadership Levels have been identified.

The five books chosen for this year are: Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean, The Wisdom of the Bullfrog by William H. McRaven, The Art of Clear Thinking by Hasard Lee, Emotional Agility by Susan David, and Writing to Persuade by Trish Hall.

References:

Professional Reading Program

Wildland Fire Leadership Levels

NWCG Training Catalog now on Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Date: April 25, 2023
Contact: NWCG Training  

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has migrated the training catalog from the NWCG website to the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP) as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline processes and improve efficiency. To facilitate this transition, the training catalog remains available on www.nwcg.gov through April 2024.

Starting May 2024, the training catalog will no longer be accessible on www.nwcg.gov. However, you can still access the complete training catalog by logging in as a guest to the WFLP.

References:

Wildland Fire Learning Portal