National Wildfire Coordinating Group 94th Meeting Minutes October 2005
The 94th meeting of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group was held in Gettysburg, PA, October 18-20-2005

1. Welcome and introductions

Everyone introduced themselves.

2. Review and adjust agenda

• Move bin items to Tuesday afternoon
• Remove items 14 and 15 (15 may still be discussed)
• Strategic Planning added
• Add – SHWT requesting $5,000 for safety conference
  

3. Approval of 93rd NWCG Meeting minutes

Handouts:

1. NWCG 93rd Meeting Minutes

Item 3 Correction: #23, “P26” should be “P25”; approved as corrected.

Decision: Minutes approved as amended.

4. Fire Environment Working Team (FENWT) Briefing (Paul Schlobohm)

Handouts:

1. Draft NWCG memo, “Update of Fire Danger Pocket Cards to meet NWCG Standard”, October 18, 2005

Three committees chartered under the team:

1. FDC (Fire Danger Committee)
2. FBC (Fire Behavior Committee)
3. FWC (Fire Weather Committee)

Partnering with/reps from:

• NPSG (National Predictive Services Group)
• FAICG (Fire/Air Issues Coordinating Group - Dennis Haddow, Chair)
• NIFCG (National Interagency Fuels Coordination Group - Tim Sexton, Chair)
• NWS

History

Two meetings were conducted in early and late spring. The team is working through the strategic planning process with completion expected by the November 2005 meeting. The team is still working on prior activities. Three meetings are not enough. As a result, monthly conference calls were initiated to keep communication going between meetings to discuss progress and rapidly moving topics.

Charter – The section with goals should be pulled out and be incorporated into the “Operating Principles” document.

ACTION: Paul Schlobohm will distribute proposed revised charter for review prior to the next NWCG meeting. An information copy of “Operating Principles” will be distributed by Paul Schlobohm prior to next NWCG meeting).

Pocket Card Web page

A limit should be placed on the website where pocket cards are available – need to meet the standard. It was suggested that NWCG set the limit. Draft memo distributed by Kirk – no comments received. Memo approved.

Paul Schlobohm will work with Sue Petersen (FAMWEB Web Master) to remove non-standard pocket card files.

Emerging Issues

(11 issue areas on handout)

#1 – Issues identified by the FENWT Chair for NWCG consideration:

• Highly encourage NWCG to institute a strategic planning process
• Meeting travel continues to be reduced. Face-to-face meetings are much more comfortable, but electronic meetings are becoming more of a necessity. FENWT is looking at e-meeting support tools.
• Change in data handling for fire weather data, from point data to grid data. Has implications for changes to the toolset used. Spatial/grid data has a lot more sources of information than point data. The advantage is a better modeling of fire behavior. Prediction is about 5 years in the future. Benefits in greater accuracy.

Issues identified and being addressed by Committees and partners

#2 – Issues identified by the Fire Behavior Committee (FBC):

• Fire behavior modeling developments putting pressure on curriculum updating. Course update cycle cannot keep up with the development cycle of modeling tools (fuel models, fire spread models). Committee would like to see possible changes in curriculum development cycle – possibly an annual update cycle to keep up with the technology changes. FENWT/FBC will be discussing the issue with the TWT.

  >> Possible agenda item for May joint meeting with NWCG & WT Chairs (preceded with day meeting of WT chairs – discuss effective inter-team communications)

#3 – FDC

• Updates to WIMS (Weather Info Mgmt Sys?) automating solar radiation observations – traditionally ocular observations
• Fire Danger Operating Plans – how to implement FDRS at local level – looking for more universal and consistent development of the plans at a regional level

#4 – Fire Weather Committee (FWC) and Danger Committee: membership has changed considerably. However Fire Behavior Committee was solvent coming in. Validation of group was looked at during meetings. Need better communications with research and working with partners. Trying to chart a course for fire environment.

• RAWS network and ROMAN assignment issues (discussed below)

## Research – need to better steer research projects toward the field need.

• JFSP annual proposals come through the JFSP governing board – FENWT needs better input/connection to the governing board. Should also be more involved in the peer review process of research projects and products.
• Need better input/influence in other research areas, as well – not just JFSP

#5 – National Predictive Services Group

• issue of where they fit within the fire org structure
• lines of authority – group is chartered by coordination center managers
• Product standardization needs coordination through geographic areas – products from individual centers raise expectations (public, political, field, etc.) that may not be able to be met by other centers
• Centralization vs. de-centralization issues – pros & cons on both sides

(# 6 – NIFCG – no issue response received by Paul)

Fuels coordination Group: Fuels group are at the table and are involved in a lot of activities. Applications and tools are being looked at. Fuels will be considered in Strategic Planning.

#7 – FAICG

Several changes – most significant is in EPA Rule making. There has been policy on exceptional events (e.g. smoke). EPA is on a timeline to change the rule making to have more “teeth”. Re-evaluating what is an exceptional event.

• implications of changes in rule making for PM2.5 and Exceptional Events
• federal data collection for wildland fire activities – FORS

ACTION: Paul to bring draft rules (EPA PM2.5 and Exceptional Events) to NWCG for distribution/review when the rules are released.

#8 – Western States reps

• local-level communities are putting together their own CWPPs – demand appears to be out-stripping the ability of the Fed/State offices to deliver the fire behavior knowledge support and involvement needed in developing these plans
• requests for training local resources to develop CWPPs independently – legislation requires Fed/State involvement

ASSIGNMENTS

RAWS Network –

Tasked by NWCG to look at RAWS network and determine appropriate size of network

BLM doing competitive sourcing assessment of the RAWS network and workload. Study is looking at current workload, but is not looking at optimized system taking advantage of new technology.

RAWS network currently has about 2400 stations; $5MM annual budget

• current network size appears to be meeting the current need
• current need/requirement is vague and undocumented

FENWT believes the business requirement needs to be defined before an optimized network size can be determined. Need to consider impacts of changing from point to grid data. Need to consider the impacts and implications of moving/removing stations in the future and historical value of the data collected by that station.

Recommendations:

• Reaffirm mission requirements for wildland fire management; define current and future requirements for weather observations
• Approach as an integrated, interagency network
• Focus on prediction accuracy

RAWS collects specialized data for fuels and behavior models – is there a need to continue to collect this specialized data for NFDRS? Is there a need to collect new/other data for new processes/models?

Alice Forbes would like to see a questionnaire developed that would facilitate an analysis to determine if another station should be added. Often, end-of-year spending prompts the addition of a station without a real look at the needs.

ACTION: Develop draft study plan (RAWS network study tasking) to determine future needs (business requirements) based on queries/feedback from the field; present draft plan to NWCG at the January NWCG meeting.

Plan to present finding at Fall 2006 NWCG meeting.

ROMAN

Tasked to answer question: “If ROMAN is adopted, what other systems could be dropped?”

Perception is that overlaps exist, but it is hard to determine what/where the overlaps are.

Observation:

ROMAN data is near real time, hourly, from RAWS and other networks. Used for FW / FB and tactical operations.

WIMS/NIFMD is archived, daily data from RAWS only. Used for FDRS and strategic planning.

ROMAN is not redundant to other system(s) within the fire agencies.

FENWT recommendation: To move forward, define current and future requirements for weather observations.

ACTION: Incorporate the question of ROMAN/Systems data in the RAWS Network study plan.

>> Request from Alice Forbes to appoint Neal Hitchcock as liaison to FENWT. (Alice retiring December 31)

Decision: Neal Hitchcock appointed as liaison to FENWT.

5. Fireline Safety Refresher Training - Organizational Strategy for Annual Refresher Training (Chad Fisher, Fireline Safety Refresher Training Task Group Chair)

Handouts:

1. TWT memo to NWCG, “Annual Fireline Safety Training Strategic Plan”,
   September 22, 2005
2. “Annual Fireline Safety Training Strategic Plan – 2006-2010”

SHWT memo is waiting signature – they also endorse the strategy

Strategy provides for immediate implementation requirements and long-term leadership and accountability. Strategy identifies minimum core topics to be addressed in refresher training, but leaves the training manner and timeframes up to the agencies.

Strategy will be reviewed in five years for necessary revisions. Annual reviews of the action plan to be conducted for validation and revision.

The strategy will provide a consistent message to firefighters across the nation. About 50,000 people are taking the refresher training each year. There is no standardized package on the refresher. A big change is to require a single resource boss as a lead instructor and firefighters Type I or SME as a Unit Instructor. There are 1600 – 2200 videos out each year. Training needs to be institutionalized if this is a Core Value. It is the foundation for firefighters and the program has been highly successful.

Strategy calls for chartering an Annual Fireline Safety Refresher Training Steering Committee under the NWCG Training Working Team. The committee will determine the major emphasis areas for upcoming refresher cycles.

Funding and staffing support will continue to be critical to the on-going success of annual refresher training.

Decision: Strategic Plan accepted as presented. The Strategic Plan is referred to NFAEB for funding.

Action: Add funding of strategy to the November 9, 2005 NFAEB agenda.

#6 - Parallel Training Concept Implementation Plan for Pilot Training Programs (Kelly Hawk via phone)

Handouts:

1. “Changing Roles”

The implementation plan is not completed yet as critical elements need more review time. The group is working with different organizations and agencies. In the meantime, Kelly is pleased with the progress. Conference calls have opened communication with wildland firefighters and structural firefighters – including discussion of training courses. A matrix has been developed to show competency gaps and parallels. Funding from various agencies will facilitate re-packaging the courses.

Tasks identified: action orientation, tracking, and accountability to get the tasks completed.

Analysis and re-packaging of NWCG course – will be put in a modular distance learning format in 3-hour modules.

Skilled wildland fire trainers in each state – some state trainers do not meet NWCG instructor qualifications. Workshops will be initiated to identify and reconcile differences, and to establish standards.

Type 3 Organizations – the plan is to develop a basic inventory of existing Type 3 Organizations, identify geographic gaps on training needs, and evaluate lessons learned on successful, long-standing Type 3 Organizations.

Conclusion – the 5-year plan process involves technical and organizational-cultural issues.

Good communication is being made between wildland fire, structural fire, agencies, non-Federal, and Federal personnel.

Action: Kelly Hawk to give NWCG members a draft Implementation Plan by December 15, 2005 with a decision made at the January 2006 NWCG meeting.

#7 - NWFEA Project Briefing (Judy Crosby; Jerad Speigel - methodology)

Handouts:

1. Draft NWCG memo: “National Wildland Fire Business Transformation Team”
2. . “National Wildland Fire Enterprise Architecture (NWFEA Project)”

Purpose of presentation: Asking for charter approval and memo signature; further explanation of enterprise architecture.

Project Personnel:

• Business Lead: Judy Crosby, NWCG Program Management Office (PMO)
• Project Manager: Frank Peters (DOI)
• Communication Manager: Stephanie Becker
• Project Team Subject Matter Experts: Al Borup and Allen Deitz (NWCG Enterprise Architects), and Penny Barrowcliff (NWCG Knowledge Manager)

Enterprise Architecture:

• There is architecture today that shows organization, standard, directives, publications, terminology, systems, laws, missions, and policies. It is not systematically documented; inter-relationships between various business components are not always understood or documented.
• Future architecture – central repository to capture and make accessible, information about the architecture. Organized, coordinated, and interconnected.
• Need for more collaboration, better communication, and accessible business data – all these needs were identified in the strategic plan preliminary questionnaire feedback.
• Many strategic planning efforts underway within the WF community today – EA can help draw these together in a systematic way. Current thinking is to have one plan to cover all groups with initiatives for each group.

NWFEA concept:

• Common, shared wildland fire architecture that is shared by all participating stakeholders in wildland fire business
• Scope/focus of architecture will be on those functions for which the national wildland fire community has direct authority and responsibility

NWFEA Project will deliver:

• NWFEA Strategic-level transformation plan
• NWFEA Program:
  • NWFEA Methodology for Business Transformation (NWFEA MBT) from “as is” to “where we want to be” (vision, inventory, analysis, take action)
  • NWFEA Repository populated with initial, high level information
  • NWFEA Governance

EA Program needs:

• Management structures for the program to effectively control and monitor EA activity and progress
• Guidelines on agreements to effectively manage the NWFEA program across the various functions of the community and across department and agency boundaries
• Change management guidelines and processes.
• Rules and procedures

A new entity is the Business Transformation Team (BTT), consisting of a lead and business managers representing wildland fire functional areas. The BTT (Business Transformation Steering Committee on PTT slide):

• Should be long-term group helping guide the wildland fire community in a business-driven transformation
• PMO, IRMWT, and NWFEASG are support organizations to the on-going EA Program.

Project initially will be asking NWCG and management, “What information and reports do you need from the repository?” To make decisions on managing change; making business transformation decisions; etc., E.G.: “What are all the systems supporting the xxx business function in wildland fire?”

NWCG role:

• Understand the concepts
• Support the project and BTT
• Continue to make time for periodic briefings on interim findings and recommendations from the project and program.
  Remember: This is not an IT project – it is a business process and project.
• The approach of the project is to work with business leadership and experts to analyze aspects of the business and produce tangible recommendations for change
• It is critical that the BTT be formed to provide a well-rounded business participation in the project
• Expect a Modernization Blueprint that contains defensible recommendations for change that are supported by the business community.

Need:

• Approval of the business driven approach
• Sponsorship for the development of the BTT (draft memo)
• NWCG to continue to make time for periodic briefings on interim findings and recommendations from the project and program

Discussion:

The group expressed concerns about who will make decisions about future changes to the wildland fire enterprise. Judy said the NWFEA Project will deliver an integrated blueprint of planned changes for approval and use by the sponsoring organization (NWCG). NWFEA Status Reports should be provided at every NWCG Meeting.

Research needs to have interaction with the EA – may not need direct membership in the BTT, but should have some tie to the project and program.

Decision: NWFEA Project Charter approved as presented. Signed.

Decision: Memo approved with requested changes.

Action: Amend memo to include Research as one of the groups to be represented (Judy Crosby). Letter addressed to NWCG Working Team Chairs, NFAEB Sub-Group Chairs, and Research.

Action: Add a status report to January meeting agency (and include status report as a regular agenda item at future meetings).

B1 – Liaison to IRMWT, PMO and NWFEASG

Needs to be a director (permanent member of NWCG) located in Boise. Alice will be available until December and would like to be able to work with a new liaison to transition over the next two months.

Action: Alice Forbes will ask Mike Wallace to assume the liaison duties.

B2 – SHWT Safety Conference Funding Issue

Question: Is the commitment for $5,000 for annual conference to be done every year, or was the expectation to just help fund the initial conference(s)?

Decision: Should only have been a “seed money” item. No commitment or expection to continue annual funding.

B3 – Strategic Planning Session

Concerns about losing the senior experience with upcoming retirements.

Decision: Reschedule for February 27-Mar 3, 2006 (Tues-Thurs – 28th - 2nd) in Boise (Phil Street’s last day is March 3, 2006) (Hosted by BLM – Tim Murphy)

Action: Kirk Rowdabaugh to ask Don Artley to participate.

Action: Shari Shetler to resend pre-work to all members again.

B4 – International Code Council (ICC) letter to NWCG regarding participation as an associate member

Letter received and distributed to members in May 2005. Separate letter was sent to Tom Harbour (FS).

Discussion:

Concerns about size of NWCG. Concerns about adding Codes to the mix and increasing the complexity of NWCG business.

Decision: Will not be invited to participate in NWCG.

Action: Alice Forbes will draft NWCG response letter. Comments on letter to Alice Forbes this week.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

October 19, 2005 (Wednesday)

Item 8 – Welcome from USFA (Charlie Dickenson)

USFA being moved from FEMA to a new division within DHS. Focus of USFA will be more on preparedness.

E-Net and Recovery Channel now operational.

Course structure being changed – 2-week courses will become 1-week pre-work (via cable/satellite broadcast, Distance Learning, etc.) and 1-week on campus.

Item 9 – Training Equivalency Crosswalk Project Update (Mike Dougherty, Phyllis Krietz)

Pilot project actions to date (per project plan):

• April – initial meeting of partners to develop methodology
• June – meetings with selected states to determine current training
• July/August – training equivalency data collection

State meetings conducted – on-site (Arizona, Florida, Montana); by teleconference (Arkansas, Oregon); partner team (Texas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)

Data collected from states was uneven – work needs to be done to resolve crosswalk approach to deal with the inconsistent data.

Training gaps have been identified. Most states have instructor certification standards.

Results – NFPA proposed changes: Several proposed to NFAP 1051. Results will be published in the NFPA Report on Proposals, December 2006.

Next steps:

• Meeting of partners to draft final report with recommendations – Nov 1-3 (Original meeting scheduled for Aug 30-31 was postponed due to hurricanes)
• Final report due November 15, 2005

Item 10 – Update on Type 3 IMT Project (Gordon Sachs, Phyllis Krietz)

Workshop held in July 05

• 25 participants…..

Findings:

• incident complexity concept differs in an all-hazard context from a wildland context
  • start large and complex; typically contained to relatively small area in a single political jurisdiction
  • wildland incidents start small and grow larger; often crossing political boundaries
• concept of type 3 IMTs differs in the wildland and all-hazard contexts
• chart from PPT –

  T1
  T2
  T3 - ah
  T3 - wf

• All-hazard type 3 IMT structure is larger than a typical wildland fire Type 3 IMT
• personnel qual/cert issues differ
• significant need for all-hazard position-specific training in the non-wildland disciplines
• participants were unable to resolve all issues (terminology, positions, standards – needed more IOS input; training philosophies – discussed, no conclusions)

Working on position-specific training – based on all-hazards model, designed for type 3 IMTs – includes core competencies and local/state aspects of positions; coordinating with NWCG IOSWT & TWT.

Position task books – similar in concept and design to existing NWCG PTBs.

Item 11 – Incident Operations Standards Working Team (IOSWT) Issues (Bob Leaverton)

Handouts:

1. “Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide (PMS 310-1)” October 2005 draft

IOSWT has revised charter to include a deputy position (i.e., vice-chair) – currently filled by Vince Mazzier (208-387-5477; vmazzier@nifc.blm.gov)

IMT Mobilization standard

Team mobilization this summer: survey sent to GACCs:

• Initial dispatch order
• How many people mobilized
• Hurricane information
• Demob data

Teams are unhappy because they couldn’t bring their contingents. There is a culture problem on new process. Bob Leaverton will collect data and provide at January 2006 NWCG meeting.

ACTION: Report to NWCG at January meeting

Standardized requirements for Type 3 organizations

Handout: Issue Statement

IOSWT recommends emphasizing minimum position qualifications for Type 3 complexity incident management functional responsibilities; but does not recommend a national minimum team structure. This allows maximum flexibility for local agencies to form Type 3 complexity organization from local qualified and available personnel but does not limit local agencies from establishing standing Type 3 organizations if they choose. Flexibility in structure must be maintained in order to utilize local capabilities and meet local needs.

Implementation of the Type 3 organizational standards can be accomplished through modification of existing interagency operation guides such as the NWCG Fireline Handbook (PMS 410-1) and the interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (“Redbook”). At the local level, the standards can be implemented through modification of local annual operating plans AOPs). Agencies with specific fire management manuals may need to revise or supplement their manuals.

Discussion:

Confusion exists and is growing with use of “Type 3” terminology for the wildland fire and all-hazard teams. Need to differentiate terms for these two teams. A letter from NWCG to DHS/FEMA may help effect changing the term for the all-hazard teams.

“Type 3” should be used within wildland fire to maintain consistency and to show relationship to Type 1 and Type 2 IMTs.

IOSWT will be looking at current wildland fire typing of teams and looking at how it relates to the all-hazard team typing being developed.

(Alice Forbes announced that Steve Gage, FS is the interagency representative to the NIMS NIC)

DECISION: NWCG accepts IOSWT recommendation for Type 3 organization standard for incident management functional responsibilities as presented in the issue paper.

Revised 310-1

Revision of 310-1 has been done internally by the IOSWT. It has been a major effort by the team. Revisions included formatting changes for clarification; position adjustments, consistently inserted fireline safety refresher training as needed; added leadership training where required; and added minimum physical fitness requirement for all positions assigned to the fireline. Some PTBs have been combined when they were essentially duplicates.

310-1 Update:

1. Only established minimum standards for national mobilization
2. Performance based system
3. Position Qualifications Terms – different formatting describing it
4. Annual Fire Safety Refresher Course added
5. Any position assigned to the fireline has to have refresher course and physical fitness rating
6. Three things changed that are improved:

• Combined two task books (Firefighter 1 and 2)
• Task Force Leader – combined strike team leader with task force leader task book
• Changed additional Div. Group Sup and ITC
• Four new categories in 310-1: ISC Category, Wildland Fire Category, Incident Support Category (dispatchers, etc.), and Associated Activities Category (fire investigations)
• Term “Wildland Fire” means: fire use, prescribed fire, etc.

Putting this on the web will be helpful when changes are made (BIA will have a problem accessing the web).

The Structural Protection Specialist will be finished by November deadline. Hurricanes interfered with getting this done.

The performance-based qualifications philosophy has been maintained – the IOSWT resisted adding training requirements when the knowledge and skills could be acquired through experience.

Four (4) categories of positions:

1. ICS
2. Wildland Fire – Outside ICS, but anything to do with wildland fire
3. Incident Support (e.g., dispatch and GIS) – not on incident, but support an incident
4. Associated Activities (e.g., fire investigation) – not on fire line, not incident support,…

Some planned positions are not currently reflected in the draft 310-1 distributed last month – several will be added before the end of November deadline for publication. The guide will be published electronically, so updating can be done more frequently than in the past.

LE positions not included because of lack of evidence of need for national mobilization (see 6 questions for inclusion – in front of guide).

NWCG appreciates the efforts of the IOSWT in this revision. The usability appears noticeably improved.

DECISION: NWCG approves the draft substantially as written while allowing for minor modifications and completion by end of November 2005.

National IC/AC group submitted proposed charter to NMAC. NMAC is concerned about potential overlaps with NWCG IOSWT responsibilities. NMAC would like IOSWT to review and comment on charter.

ACTION: Task IOSWT to review and comment on the draft IC/AC charter. Recommendations due to NWCG at January NWCG meeting. (Bob Leaverton)

Item 12 – GACG Advisory Group Status (Kirk Rowdabaugh)

Handouts:

1. GACG Advisory Group Charter

ACTION: Invite group to Spring 2006 NWCG meeting (along with WT/AG chairs) – Kirk Rowdabaugh to do

The group has been inactive for 18 months. They are looking for NWCG guidance.

Discussion:

Business/management oversight of ROSS. Is the National Coordinators group the most appropriate group to provide management oversight of ROSS, or would the GACG AG be a better group?

ACTION: For discussion on spring meeting agenda – “Is the GACG AG the appropriate oversight group for ROSS?”

Item 13 – Radio Narrowband Advisory Group (RNAG) status (Lyle Carlile)

Handouts:

1. “Radio Communications Working Team Charter” draft

Many issues exist with current communications on incidents. Proposal is to sunset the RNAG and re-establish it as a working team with a broader scope to identify policy-level and operation radio narrowband/P25 issues and technology that affect, or are likely to affect, interagency fire management activities and to provide advice on how to address those issues.

To be considered – is this proposed working team more appropriately placed under NWCG, as proposed, or under NFAEB?

DECISION: Forward the proposal to NFAEB with a recommendation for approval as an NFAEB sub-group.

Item 14 – Wildland Fire Education Working Team (WFEWT) Charter
(Edy Williams-Rhodes)

Handouts:

1. “Wildland Fire Education Working Team Charter” draft

Revisions clarify the roles and responsibilities of team members and clarify the responsibilities of the Chair in reporting. Formatting also conforms to the NWCG guidelines.

DECISION: Charter approved as revised.

Item 15 – Lessons Learned Center budget (Mike Wallace)

Handouts:

1. “LLC Budget spreadsheet, rev 9/12/05”

Item deferred.

Item 16 – NWCG Budget: Final Approval of FY2006 Budget (Alice Forbes; Lyle Carlile)

Handouts:

1. “NWCG Adjusted FY06 Budget”

Reserved funds (from May meeting) have been committed to the contracted Executive Secretary/PMO support position.

Discussion:

Budgeting process, tied to strategic planning, is in place. The working team chairs need to be reminded of the process and NWCG needs to enforce that process.

NWCG policy is to fund travel for no more than two State reps. A working team may have three state reps, but the third must be funded from outside of NWCG funds.

NWCG PMO is budgeted as part of the IRMWT budget. Would be better as a separate budget area.

ACTION: May agenda items with WT/AG Chairs – budget & strategic plan

DECISION: Move $5,000 IAWF Safety Summit line item (from SHWT) to the Energy, Nutrition, and health line item (increasing that line item to $25,000).

DECISION: Approve FY06 adjusted budget as amended.

Item 17 – NWCG MOU (Phil Street; Alice Forbes)

Issue: NASF logo not included with NWCG. Draft is at the lawyer’s office this week. General sense is that the Executive Committee of NASF will sign it. NWCG needs to decide the level of signature.

DECISION: review proposed changes to the Operating Principles for discussion at the January 2006 meeting

ACTION: Phil Street to distribute draft Operating Principle document.

DECISION: Defer signing of MOU until May 2006 meeting

B5 - 3rd Party certification of qualifications

NWSA (National Wildland Suppression Association) is proposing –asking support of concept for 3rd-party, nation certification organization for position certification. Could be used by individuals and companies – organization would serve as a licensing board to verify documented training and experience. Asking if NWCG would support and accept qualifications certification from such a board.

Might be willing to accept 3rd party certification, if:

• auditable
• standards/criteria are acceptable to NWCG

Should not be exclusive; but then open to potentially multiple 3rd party certifiers – could become heavy workload for coordination.

There are two certification boards currently doing certifications to NFPA .

The association is composed of the majority of the contractors doing business with fire

IOSWT and TWT have discussed this topic in the past. The WTs will be further addressing this in their next meeting.

ACTION – Alice Forbes will e-mail draft proposed charter when she receives a clean copy from the NWSA. Will also distribute issue paper on size and scope of problem.

ACTION – Add to January agenda for discussion.

B6 – letter from PNWCG on instructor qualifications

Reference: Letter (in file: paper copy from Kirk Rowdabaugh)

Asking NWCG for an array of processes for alternate ways to maintain instructor qualifications.

DECISION: Task TWT to review issue and draft an NWCG response. Response due to NWCG by January 2006 meeting

ACTION: NWCG respond to PNWCG with a status letter stating the issue has been referred to the TWT.

B7 – AD Pay Plan Update (Lyle Carlile)

OPM was requested to review the IBPWT efforts on the AD Pay Plan and validate the classification process used – OPM finally received the request last week. Meanwhile, due to current time, the IBPWT will begin working on a contingency plan. Concerns exist about possibility of USDA and DOI issuing different pay plans.

B8 – Web site issues –

IBPWT (& others) concerned about delays and currency of postings.
Proposing:

1. resolve connectivity issue
2. establish full-time Web master position to manage all WT Web sites (12 hours/mo – not enough work load to have a full-time position – this task is in the Executive Secretary position description)

ACTION: Lyle Carlile will update the IBPWT on current status of Web support.

B9 – pre-work for strategic planning session

• Current MOU
• operating principles
• Organization charts
• NFAEB & WFLC Charters

ACTION: e-mail Executive Secretary with any suggestions/requests for documents.

B10 – super glossary

Need to be able to put some sideboards on the collection of terms. Need to make sure those entries in the glossary are needed and used within the business area and are worth the time and energy to maintain them in the glossary.

DECISION: NWCG supports the super glossary concept. PMO to have responsibility.

B11 – Annual Reports from NWCG Working Teams

ACTION: Executive Secretary to look at electronic solutions for distributing documents to groups.

B12 – Action Plan to WFLC

ACTION: Hugh Wood to check and send copy of response to Executive Secretary for files.

Item 20 – meetings

Winter 2006

Date January 24-26, 2006
Host: NASF (Eastern) – Mike Long
Location: Orlando, FL
WT: IBPWT

Spring 2006

WT: WT/AG Chairs & GACG AG Members

Fall 2006

Date: October xx, 2006 (TBD)
Host: ITC & BIA - Jim Erickson
Location: TBD
WT: Fire Use WT

B13 – NWCG Leadership nominations & elections

Nominations needed for election of chair & vice-chair

ACTION: E-mail to Alice Forbes by December 15, 2005 with nominations for Chair & Vice-Chair

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

October 20, 2005 (Thursday)

Item 18 – NIMO Implementation (Sue Husari; Greg Greenhoe)

Handouts:

1. “NIMO Implementation Task Group Briefing Paper” September 22, 2005
2. “Five Types of Incidents”
3. “Feasibility and Implementation Plan” final draft

PowerPoint Highlights:

• Reviewed Mission Statement
• Task Group Membership
• Meeting Dates – 5 meetings so far
• Objectives
• Report Outline – Executive Summary, Chapter 1 Introduction, Chapter 2 Imperative Actions, Chapter 3 NIMO Implementation Plan, Chapter 4 Desired Future Conditions, and Appendix
• Chapter 2 - 9 Key Recommendations and Proposed Action Items associated with each item
• Chapter 3 – Teams and Staff, Position Descriptions and Classifications, Budget Estimate – Average annual for each IMT is expected to be $1.279 MM. Emergency Operations Funds. 147,000 for TOS (hard to estimate). Total budget during the pilot (FY06 thru FY10) – phased implementation $34.852MM.

Total budget during the pilot (full implementation) -- $44.779M (FY06-FY10)

Team Rotation and Deployment, Areas of Work,

• Chapter 4 – Future Desired Condition
• Communication Plan – report is not on the website

Q&A Session:

• Timeline – Will some adjustment be done? WFLC cancelled meeting until January. Schedule is aggressive however.
• What are money incentives that are being offered? Is another tool in the box to give incentive. Just another idea to explore to increase participation.
• If you are at a higher grade level and take a detail, will a downgrade have to be taken? It is negotiable. Salary can be protected at that higher grade for two years.
• Monitoring and Evaluation – First job for NIMO is to define the monitoring and evaluation process to measure impacts.
• Hoping to collect comments, publish the final report, and then have NWCG endorse it. Edy Williams-Rhodes and Tom Harbour will take to WFLC. Sue asked when it can be endorsed by NWCG. Phil: Dollars are still an issue. Nancy: WFLC is aware of NIMO. Was presented last meeting. Discussion is needed with Jim Hubbard by Fire Directors, NWCG, and NFAEB.

DECISION: By end of next week (October 28, 2005) submit any comments to Sue Husari and Greg Greenhoe. Conference call or e-mail Alice Forbes or Kirk Rowdabaugh the final report. NFAEB to approve.

Choices: Accept as to concept or vote to delay until final report is done.

DECISION: Accept the work of the committee and their draft report with minor changes.

ACTION: Final out by November 2, 2005. At the November 9,, 2005 NFAEB meeting, NFAEB will recommend to WFLC.

NFAEB – Edy Williams-Rhodes suggested Jim Hubbard and Tom Harbour be at the next NFAEB meeting to discuss NIMO. FTEs and funding need to be worked out by Tom Harbour and Jim Hubbard. If DOI not on board, FS will fund for first two years per Tom Harbour.

Final report should not be published on the web until WFLC gives their stamp of approval.

19. Review of Action Items from Previous Meeting (NWCG Chair)

See list for dates and additions.

20. Member Round-Robin

Mike Long: Pleased with meeting progress. Still confused about the role of NWCG. Like the ½ breaks for office contact. Alice Forbes stated that times on agenda was good.

Hugh Wood: meeting room – thanks Phyllis and Lee. Teams are now deployed to Hurricane Wilma.

Don Brubaker – NPS: appreciate the opportunity to be here.

Lyle Carlile: Fall meeting – driving distance question. Consensus of group: 2 hour drive from where you fly into.

Tim Murphy: A lot of good actions underway.

Mike Hilbruner: Dave Cleaves is now station director at Fort Collins. Sam Foster is taking Dave’s place. Sam has served on JFScience.
Progressing with strategy and development.

Phil Street: good meeting. Greater challenge ahead to look at roles and responsibilities.

Retiring March 3, 2006. Dale Hall is now director of FWS. Feels he will do an excellent job.

Other position: Art Latterell retiring March 1, 2006.

Jim Erickson.: importance of streamline training reaffirmed with visit to Alaska. They are facing the same challenges we are all facing. NIMO will be a challenge.

He is not currently a liaison to any WT – offered his services.

Judy Crosby: Advertised the knowledge manager position. Bonnie – 1 year contract. Needs to know direction. Phil Street: This is an interim solution – continue to pursue. Anything regarding PMO please contact her – good or bad.

• Al Borup– leading an effort to consolidate help desk, change control procedures
• Penny detailed to staff
• Big issue –how PMO staff will support NWCG

Art Latterell: appreciate to be here. Reaffirms what NWCG does.

Allen Dietz: Helpful for timeframes to be identified for agenda items as well as presenter.

Alice Forbes: her last official meeting, but will be back for January meeting. Thanks and safe travels.

Back to the top