1.       SUBJECT:  Approval of 83^rd meeting minutes

DISCUSSION:  The final 83rd meeting minutes were mailed to members after NWCG and Working Team review and acceptance.

MOTION:  Accept minutes as corrected and mailed.

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

2.       SUBJECT: Montana Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

DISCUSSION: Ted Mead, Montana DNR provided an overview of their fire program.  They work under a strategic plan that was completed in 1996 and is in the updating process. The program plan includes; objectives, work plans, accomplishments.

The DNR is funded 58% from general fund, 33% assessments on private forest land owners and 9% from federal sources. Fire suppression funding requests are made by supplemental requests to the state legislature. Protection provided in state forest protected lands and contracted with federal  agencies (a little over 5 million acres).

3.        SUBJECT: Information Resource Management Working Team (IRMWT) alternatives for Incident Base Automation

DISCUSSION: This is a follow up from the January 2002 NWCG meeting where NWCG asked the Incident Business Practices Working Team (IBPWT) to work with the IRMWT to develop budget proposals for the automation of incident business applications. Both a short term, phase I and long term, Phase II proposal was made.

The IBPWT preferred alternative regarding incident business management automation.  The preferred alternative is to combine existing ICARS, ITS and ICECAP into one program application while providing for proper implementation and oversight.  Failure to adopt the preferred alternative will result in miscellaneous automation efforts resulting in non‑standard applications, fire management transition problems and a higher cost of doing business.

The preferred alternative will require designating a Federal Project Manager, the IBPWT and IRMWT to develop a project charter and completing a business requirements study in FY 03.  NWCG approved proceeding with the preferred alternative with the understanding that adequate funds (estimated at $300,000) already exist within the Forest Service FY 03 budget to begin the project.  No additional funds were ear marked in the NWCG FY 03 budget for this purpose.

The initial IBPWT need would be to conduct a Requirements Analysis on business practices related to incident management. The IOSWT should be the business lead for this analysis with assistance from the IRMWT and the IBPWT. During the requirements analysis, all working teams will have to be engaged based on evaluating the entire incident management business. When the requirements analysis is complete, and the design and development begins, all working teams will have to be involved as the requirements affect their area of expertise.

The interim automation program provides a foundation to build upon, however it is narrowly focused and implements current practices, not what may be needed for the future. Phase II can be structured in a Module development method so the program areas are implemented one at a time but the total project is identified initially in order to account for the common data elements across programs.

4.       SUBJECT: Training Management strategy and implementation plan

DISCUSSION: The Training Working Team (TWT) is looking at overall training program for design, development, delivery and evaluation.  They feel an integrated fire management curriculum is required to support the NWCG qualification system. A complete training management system would provide curriculum management, analysis, design, development, delivery, and evaluation of NWCG training. This training management system would ensure high-quality training, effectively and appropriately delivered, to provide for fire fighter safety and meet interagency fire fighting career needs.  It would ensure that the most appropriate delivery methods are used and that NWCG training is effective and efficiently targeted, through proper evaluation.

The TWT proposes the need for a Training WT Program Manager ($120,000). In addition, a contractor will be used to design the training organization structure and infrastructure for ($100,000) for contract implementation in FY2003. The TWT is seeking approval to increase its budget by $220,000 to hire a training coordinator and a contractor to design the needed organization and infrastructure.

It should be noted that the budget for the TWT was approved later in the meeting adding $220,000.  The TWT Program Manager position will become a BLM position, not an NWCG position.

5.       SUBJECT: Rocky Mountain Coordinating Group (RMCG) determination on training not covered in the PMS 310-1 Qualification system

DISCUSSION: NWCG received a memo signed jointly by the Chairs of the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin Coordinating Groups (GBCG) regarding the issues of training standards in mandatory Standards for Survival and shelter training for contractors. The memo pointed out that the Northern Rockies Coordinating Group (NRCG) mandates such training for heavy equipment operators, water tender drivers, bus drivers, etc. in contracts and Emergency Equipment Rental Agreements (EERAs). The current refresher standards are contained on the NIFC website by agency policy.

The discussion evolved into what annual safety training was required for agency personnel and contractors. It was pointed out that NWCG addressed this issue at their 69th meeting (June 1997) and a Safety and Health Working Team (SHWT) memo 4/2/97, Annual Safety Refresher Training for Fireline Personnel, but agencies had not consistently implemented the agreed standards nor had they modified contracts or EERAs to include this training for contractor personnel.

MOTION: NWCG reaffirms its decision at its 69th meeting adopting the SHWT recommendation that agencies require mandatory fire training before placing personnel on the fireline. This 1997 recommendation was also concurred with by the IOS and TWTs. The 8 hour minimum training or agency policy standards address mandatory core topics (including fire shelter deployment) was ratified for this year using the new Annual Safety Training Refresher Syllabus available on the NIFC website at http://www.nifc.gov/safety_study/annual_refresh. It is NWCG’s intent to include a requirement in 310-1, contracts and EERA’s for fire safety and annual safety refresher training. This requirement should become effective January 1, 2003 for agency personnel and as soon thereafter as contract terms can be modified. The IOS, SH and IBPWT will develop contract language that can be included in EERAs and fire suppression and support contracts.

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

6.       SUBJECT: Fire Management Assistance Grant program

DISCUSSION: This U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) program allows for mitigation, management and control of fires burning on public or privately owned forest lands of uncontrolled fire burning could constitute a major disaster. The program allows essential assistance for emergency work and allows states or federal agencies to apply for grants. Declaration requests can be made by the governor or tribal government for fire management assistance. Some of the criteria used in evaluation of the requests include threat to lives, property or critical watershed areas, availability of state and local fire resources, high fire danger conditions and potential major economic impact. Federal agencies serve as principal advisors to the declaration process. All grants from the USFA should be closed within 15 months after approval. 

7.       SUBJECT: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

DISCUSSION: The purpose of this Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program is to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards and to provide assistance for fire prevention programs. The program is a competitive grant program so departments compete against each other for the grants. In FY 2002 the USFA is developing a programmatic approach to categories in fire operations and firefighter safety, fire prevention, emergency medical services and vehicles.

8.       SUBJECT: Incident Commander Working Team

DISCUSSION: The National ICs have been meeting annually to determine how policies, and procedures can be implemented.  There is no link between the IC’s and NWCG as the ICs implement actions.  In order to assure a strong and sustainable incident management organization, the National ICs propose that a national level leadership group be established to provide a focal point to serve the following purposes:

The Fire Policy indicates there is a need to review the structure of the fire management and fire suppression organizations. Federal agencies, in cooperation with non-federal partners, need to review the structure of their operational fire management organizations to ensure efficient interagency implementation of the full range of fire management activities.

NWCG feels that the National ICs is a group that may need a home to provide input to NWCG and liaison with the WTs.  We should take this proposal to the WTs for their input.  Larry Hamilton will take the lead in obtaining working team comments. NWCG will review comments and consider the forming of this group at their October 2002 meeting.

9.       SUBJECT: Implementation for the Federal Wildland Fire Policy strategies

DISCUSSION: The Task Force lead by Larry Hamilton and Jerry Williams has met once to resolve identified issues in the implementation of the fire policy. The three issues they are working with include:

The Task Force will be meeting soon to develop some of the products. Their work will be forwarded to NWCG for its review and comment. The Executive Management Council may also play a role in the implementation of the fire policy and the work done by the group.

10.     SUBJECT: Identify implementation actions for NWCG

DISCUSSION: It appears that there may be a breakdown on the implementation of some activities or action taken by NWCG. It is suggested that we formulate a specific course of action on how actions (policies) are to be implemented.

The current procedures are that NWCG members transmit NWCG decisions to their agency in some form of policy decision. The NWCG Chair will document decisions made at NWCG and send this decision document to the members for transmittal to their respective agencies. The Executive Secretary will update the NWCG Operating Guide to reflect this modification in transmittal procedures.

11.     SUBJECT: BLM Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations (Red Book)

DISCUSSION: NWCG asked the Incident Operations Standards Working Team (IOSWT) to look at the BLM Red Book to see if this could be adopted as an interagency document. Currently each agency may need to make an addendum to this book outlining specific agency policies. The western states feedback is that they were not interested in the book as a policy document but it does contain a lot of helpful operational information. Adding state addendums will make the adoption difficult.

The IOSWT recommends that they do no further work on this since it does not appear to be a good overall policy document. This book is a good guideline for many of the standards but does not appear to be a good policy book for non-federal interagency use. The Red book is a good basic reference but appears to be designed for the field level FMO. The Fireline Handbook and the Incident Response Pocket Guide (Yellow Book) are designed for the on-the-ground fire fighter.

Perhaps the FFALC may be the best group to charter a group for the upkeep and development of  this or a modification of the Red Book.  NWCG will not pursue this document as a standard interagency policy text at this time.

12.     SUBJECT: Crew Standards

DISCUSSION: Field input and considerations to perhaps have additional crew types was forwarded to the IOSWT. The WT reviewed input and needs expressed from Incident Commanders and other users. There were strong objections that in the establishment of a type 3 crew there may be a perception of demotion on crews.  The proposed crew standards were developed and modified from field input. The requirements (standards) are for national mobilization and not for use within individual geographic areas.  Based on considerable input the IOSWT identified a T3 crew that is only to be used for fireline improvement, mop-up and rehabilitation work. 

Perhaps rather than defining the crew types as currently done we may need to develop standards for up to 5 types of crews based on skills, capabilities and experience levels. There are four categories of crews proposed by the IOSWT. This may be sufficient to use for the 2002 fire season as a beta test. There may also be problems in the contract that has been bid for this season. There should be a time period for implementation of changes in crew typing.   Minimum crew standards presented by IOSWT should be adopted as a long term solution.

MOTION: For fire season 2002, crew standards providing for Interagency Hotshot Crews Type I, Type II, Initial Attack, Type II, and Type III proposed by the IOSWT at the May 2002 NWCG meeting are adopted with the following changes:

The only exceptions to the NWCG Crew standard will be for crews where contract bids were secured prior to the issuance of this standard.

Beginning January 1, 2003, crew standards providing for the Type I IHC, Type I, Type II IA, Type II, and Type III crews will be as proposed by the IOSWT at the May 2002 NWCG meeting with the following changes:

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

13.     SUBJECT: Revision of the Ten Standard Firefighting Orders sequencing

DISCUSSION: The original Ten Standard Orders were developed in 1957 by a task force commissioned by the Forest Service. The standard orders were organized in a deliberate and sequential way to be implemented systematically and applied to all fire situations. The reorganization of the standard orders was undertaken in the late 1980's to form the acronym (Fire Orders), thus changing the original sequence and consequently, the intent of the orders as a program and logical hazard control system.

This recommendation to return the orders to their original order started with and is in concurrence with the IOS, SH and TWT’s. It appears to have concurrence from the agencies and members of NWCG.

MOTION: Reorder and return to the original arrangement the Ten Standard Orders as proposed by the IOS, SH, and TWT’s.

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

14.     SUBJECT: Incident Management Team (IMT) Configuration

DISCUSSION: Review IMT configuration. IOSWT received feedback from IMT1 and IMT2 on possible team changes.  This was agreed to in January 2002 but NWCG asked that the changes be sent out for agency review.  The recommendation was for 44 participants on an IMT1, 27 participants on an IMT2 (long team) and 10 positions on a short IMT2. The Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) position is new to the IMT2. Feedback indicates that there are not enough AOBDs qualified in the system to do this. We need to take a look at these requirements for soliciting feedback for final acceptance at the Fall 2002 meeting.

15.     SUBJECT: NFPA update

DISCUSSION:   Jim Shannon has been named to replaced George Miller as the president of NFPA to be effective June 2002. Congressional briefing for Forest Service and FIREWISE program will occur later this year. NFPA 299/1144 Protection of Life and Property from Wildfire was passed on Sunday, May 19, 2002 by the membership and will probably pass the standards council to be effective in Fall 2002. NFPA 295/1143 Wildland Fire Management committee proposal should be out soon for review and comment.

16.     SUBJECT: Information flow recommendations

DISCUSSION: We need to have a visible mechanism for information flow on decisions and actions made by NWCG and working teams.  We feel that the NWCG Operating Guide covers the concerns presented.

17.     SUBJECT: Thirtymile fire action items

DISCUSSION: Twenty-six of the action items developed by action plan may require one or more of the WTs involvement and actions. The NWCG Liaisons need to check with their respective teams to find out if there are work priority changes or time schedules that need to be modified from the WT annual work plans. Not all of the WT Chairs have done follow up based on the actions identified by the Forest Service.  Tom Harbor will send a letter to NWCG outlining the specific action items they would like assistance on. There may be some additional action items developed by the administrative actions as a result of the current follow up actions in the administrative portion of the report.

18.     SUBJECT: FY 2002 budget revision requests

DISCUSSION: The total funding for the Wildland Fire Education Working Team (WFEWT) will not change but the funds are being redirected within the total of $142,000. The increase of $29,000 for the Geospatial Strategic Plan will be covered out of the IRMWT strategy update funds. No new funding is available. The IRMWT Liaison will pass the information back to the working team.

19.     SUBJECT: FY 2003 budget revisions

DISCUSSION: Based on WT input and modifications to the budget NWCG concurred with the following:

IRMWT - $100,000 for the development of data repository with the caveat of agency budget approvals.

IBPWT - $300,000 for Incident Base Automation - this will be funded by the Forest Service. The program lead will be a federal employee with no added NWCG funding provided for this. The Forest Service agreed to cover this need for FY 03 TWT - $220,000 for training management implementation plan. The program management officer will be a BLM employee funded through the normal share distribution of NWCG.

MOTION: Accept the budget modifications listed. The NWCG Liaisons will communicate the changes to the WT chairs.

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

20.     SUBJECT: Aviation Task Force report

DISCUSSION: The final report from the task force was presented. This Task Force was chartered in February 2001 to examine restrictions on use of aviation resources that had become barriers to both safer and more cost effective air operations. Specific areas examined included:

It appears that some of the task force’s charge was born out of the frustration of the 2000 fire season.  They reported in October that the use of aviation resources is changing and, at the same time, getting more complex.  New technology is emerging while aging aircraft, especially those from the piston and radial era, are being replaced.  However, the fire community of agency professionals is responding, and has continued to respond, to issues as they are identified.

It appears to the group that most of the actions originally reviewed have been or are in the process of resolution by the agencies involved. No additional action is recommended or sought at this time.

21.     SUBJECT: NWCG Threat Mitigation Task Force

DISCUSSION: An interagency Task Force was formed to make recommendations and analyze the problems of catastrophic accidents, entrapments, and near misses. The group listed some of the factors in the management and fire environment that contribute to these losses. The TF feels that threat mitigation reforms to address these problems should be borne of a comprehensive evaluation of the systems in which decisions that lead to accidents are made. In the absence of a systematic perspective, the TF might propose measures and processes that would duplicate, possibly conflict, or become lost within the hundreds of action items, policies, procedures and tools that already exist in the fire community to address the problem.

The TF recommends two areas where they may continue to provide assistance to NWCG:

The consensus from NWCG is that the task force should continue with their work in better identifying the scope of the project that needs to be accomplished. The role of the Task Force efforts will be clarified and solidified with recommendations made to NWCG at their October 2002 meeting. Dave Cleaves will continue to work with this group and be the NWCG liaison with the task force.

22.     SUBJECT: Fire Weather Working Team (FWWT)/Fire Danger Working Team (FDWT) potential merging.

DISCUSSION: At the January 2002 meeting we discussed the potential of combining the FWWT and FDRW teams. The WTs identified tasks and projects that were ongoing and activities where they feel have their nitch. The teams proposed an alternative where they might combine and better serve the identified needs. The proposal would be to develop a Fire Environment Working Team. NWCG feels that there is a need to closely coordinate information and activities. We feel that the combining of activities deserves an additional and hard look by both teams. We request that the working teams flush out their alternative 2 proposal to create a new Fire Environment Working Team.

23.     SUBJECT: Future NWCG Meetings

DISCUSSION: October 8-9,2002 NWCG meeting - WUIWT featured for presentation, 10/10 joint meeting with WT Chairs with NWCG Gettysburg, PA.   January 21 and 23, 2003 NWCG and a joint meeting with the Canadians on January 22, 2003. May 20-22, 2003 St. Louis, Missouri Note, it was determined this date is in conflict with a NASF meeting and will be rescheduled by NWCG in October 2002. October 1-2, 2003 NWCG, joint FCOG/NWCG September 29 and 30, 2003 Sydney, Australia.

24.     SUBJECT: Implementation of the application of Burning Questions

DISCUSSION: The book (study) is the NWCG support of social sciences. Comments received by Cleaves indicate the recommendations may be a little general in nature. Linda Langner, Forest Service is working as a lead in getting information out and identifying follow up actions that need to be made. It was suggested that an Advisory Group be formed to continue to roll out the study. Currently, there is a core of two Forest Service and two Department of the Interior personnel assigned to the Advisory Group. The group needs to consider adding a state representative to round the group out. Bob Krepps will work with Dave for a state member to this group and Lynn Findley will provide a representative from the Department of the Interior.

MOTION: Form a Social Science Implementation Task Group to present a preliminary plan of work to NWCG at its October 2002 meeting.  This would include a recommendation for a Chair, committee members, and draft charter. Dave Cleaves will be the NWCG Liaison to this task group. It is not NWCG’s intent to fund research activities.

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

25.     SUBJECT: Safety flagging

DISCUSSION: The SHWT based on MTDC research, recommended standards in flagging for standard colors for use in marking escape route/safety zones. The hot pink color flagging with safety zones in black print,  is proposed as the color for this use and a standard cache item. The hazard color flagging is listed in the Fireline Handbook (FLH). We recommend that when the modification of the Fireline Handbook is done this color be added as  amended

MOTION: Direct the IOSWT to change the recommended flagging color in the FLH from lime green to hot pink with safety zones in black print.

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

26.     SUBJECT: Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS) Update

DISCUSSION: Application testing is on-going and updated versions are scheduled for test in June and August 2002. Each version increases the functionality of the program. All GACG areas will complete training in ROSS applications by December 2002. The full implementation of ROSS will go through some check points to insure that dispatch centers are ready to implement ROSS.

27.     SUBJECT: WildCAD Interface with ROSS

DISCUSSION: The IRMWT has made a request that the WildCAD program be interfaced with the ROSS program.  The IRMWT wants to establish interface request procedures and requirements generically for any NWCG project. NWCG concurs with the considerations and recommendations in the IRMWT memorandum dated May 13, 2002 subsequent to additional modifications to be approved by the NWCG.

28.     SUBJECT: IQCS Project life-cycle phase

DISCUSSION: There is a project manager on board for the implementation of the IQCS project. The government team has been identified with a couple of exceptions to this team, one from BIA and the other a BLM Technical Advisor. A firm fixed price contract has been awarded for the development of this application. The design will use off the shelf software as a basis.

29.     SUBJECT: Link cohesiveness (Dr. John Driessen’s) study into leadership training

DISCUSSION: SHWT has made a recommendation to the TWT that John Driessen be used as a review resource for leadership course development. John will be a contact available to the course developers in the leadership curriculum.

30.     SUBJECT: Fire Shelter shelf-life

DISCUSSION: The new fire shelter will be available in July 2002. MDTC has asked how long they should keep the old shelter on the shelf at fire caches. The old shelter will still meet the 1977 NFPA requirements. It is our suggestion that the FEWT and the SHWT develop a recommendation on shelter replacement transition and fiscal impact strategy.

31.     SUBJECT: Predictive Services Program

DISCUSSION: A charter was established with broad and general guidelines in 2001 for the intell/predictive services.  The group is looking at climatology as one of their early efforts. The group coordinated with the GACGs to determine the level of skills that were present in all areas. There has been some successful uses of the information such as increased lead time on lightning storms and in the development of congressional information needs. Issues: Increase fire danger/fire behavior skills, tailor products that meet field requirements, balancing the program around the country, and developing credible products in a timely fashion.

This is a very new program and one that they are still working on in total applications that can be made of the program.

32.     SUBJECT: Approve new chair for WUIWT

DISCUSSION: The WT nominates Dave Halsted as the chair to replace Don Smith

MOTION: Accept the WUIWT motion

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

33.     SUBJECT: All risk qualifications and training

DISCUSSION: Should all risk activities be included in the responsibility of NWCG? Currently the NPS has all risk management teams that are used primarily on NPS activities throughout the country. The all risk teams use the Incident Command System for their management roles. This proposal should be added to the emerging issues.

34.     SUBJECT: NWCG elections

DISCUSSION: The nominating committee offered the following slate: Jim Stires as Chair and Dave Cleaves as vice Chair

MOTION: Accept the nominating committee recommendation

SECONDED AND CARRIED.

35.     SUBJECT: New NWCG Member

DISCUSSION: Don Artley, State Forester, Montana will retire effective June 1. Kirk Rowdabough, State Forester, Arizona will replace Don as the western states representative to NWCG.  We welcome Kirk to the NWCG membership.

84th NWCG MEETING SUMMARY AND FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS