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RMC - Safety Grams

Safety Grams

Latest Safety Gram Issued  |  Prior Years Safety Grams

Reporting Criteria

Criteria (Revised 1-17-2012)

Safety Gram data will include fatalities, entrapments, burnovers, and other potentially life threatening accidents and injuries associated with wildland fire that result in:

Fatality

  • Entrapment(s)

  • Burnover of personnel

  • Burnover of fire suppression apparatus (e.g., fire engines)

  • Incidents/accidents that result in three or more persons requiring in-patient hospitalization

  • Serious life threatening injury/illness or high probability of life threatening injury/illness

  • Vehicle accidents (including ATV/UTVs) with potential for serious injury/property damage (e.g., rollovers)

  • Aviation Fatalities

Data will be collected for:

  • Personnel involved in the direct support of wildland fire, fire suppression damage repair and fire rehabilitation (private citizens acting on their own behalf resulting in injury or death will not be included).

  • Suppression apparatus that are damaged and/or destroyed as a direct result from operational involvement (parked vehicles with no occupants that are damaged from flame impingement will not be included).

  • Any fire resource on an incident, in mobilization or demobilization status.

  • Training or work capacity test related accidents/injuries that result in any of the above.

Data will be captured under the following categories:

Data - the date that the incident/accident occurred

Location – the location where the incident/accident occurred:

  • Incident name (if applicable)
  • Jurisdictional Unit (e.g., forest, district, refuge, etc.)State
  • If jurisdictional unit is not available, identify by nearest town/city

Activity – describe primary and secondary (if available) operational activity when incident/accident occurred:

  • Initial Attack

  • Line Construction

  • Mop-Up

  • Structure Protection

  • Fuels Management

  • Prescribed Fire

  • Driving

    • Responding to Incident

    • At Incident

    • Returning to Incident

  • Aviation

    • Helicopter

    • Fixed Wing

  • Work Capacity Test

    • Arduous

    • Moderate

    • Light

  • Fitness Training

  • Post-Suppression

  • Post-Wildland Fire Training

Agency/Entity of personnel involved – identify personnel involved by agency.

  • Specify if Federal, State or local employee or contractor

  • If state employee list the state employed not state occurred

Type of Accident/Illness – describe type of incident/accident or direct causal factor:

  • Burnover
  • Entrapment
  • Vehicle
    • Rollover
    • Struck
    • Truck
    • Water tender
    • Engine
    • Crew Vehicle
    • Bus
  • ATV/UTV
  • Hazard Tree
  • Medical
    • Burns
    • Heart Attack
    • Heat Illness
    • Fracture
    • Asphyxiation
    • Fitness Testing
    • Evacuation
    • Aviation
    • Fall from Height
    • Other

Number of People – total number of persons directly involved in the incident/accident

Number Fire Shelters Deployed – total number of shelters deployed

Fatalities – of the number of persons involved state how many resulted in fatality

Injuries – briefly describe type of injuries sustained

Totals – number of personnel involved and fatalities

The respective RMC agency representative who has jurisdiction involving the incident/accident will make the recommendation on Safety Gram posting. RMC will make final determinations for Safety Gram posting.

NWCG Latest Announcements

NEW! S-212, Intermediate Faller (Online) Course Available Now 

Date:  April 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S‑212, Intermediate Faller (Online), course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). This second course in the series provides students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of an Intermediate Faller (FAL2), as described in the FAL2 Incident Position Description. This course is intended for individuals seeking to advance from Basic Faller (FAL3) to FAL2.

S‑212, Intermediate Faller is a fully online, self‑paced training program consisting of 13 units. Learners will engage with interactive, scenario‑based content designed to progressively build foundational skills and knowledge essential for the FAL2 role.

Students must be qualified as a Basic Faller (FAL3) prior to enrolling in S‑212, Intermediate Faller course.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2027.

References:

S-212 Intermediate Faller (Online)

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

New Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

Date:  April 17, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: National Coordination System Committee

A new publication from the National Coordination System Committee (NCSC) is now available. The NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249, will be used for aviation crews and dispatch to share flight information that is needed for resource tracking, and if needed, for emergency procedures.

For further details, please contact your NCSC representative. 

References:

NCSC Memo 26-01: Implementation of NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

New Glossary Term for Review

Date:  April 15, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Data Standards and Terminology Board (DSTB)

The Data Standards and Terminology Board is requesting feedback on a new glossary term: Resource Protection Measure (RPM).

The proposed definition is: Practical guidance provided for incident personnel in a manner in which incident objectives can be achieved while reducing impacts to identified resources across the landscape. RPMs are informed by, but not restricted to, Minimum Impact Strategies and Tactics (MIST).

Please review, share with your subgroups, and provide feedback as appropriate through the following form: Request Feedback The comment period will close May 10, 2026.

Thank you for your engagement in the NWCG glossary process – your participation is key to our success.

References:

Glossary Request Feedback

Quarter Three Materials for the 2025-2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign Now Available

Date:  April 1, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that Quarter Three materials for the 2025/2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign are now available. This annual initiative offers all students of leadership and wildland fire management an opportunity to engage with essential leadership skills and knowledge needed to lead effectively in dynamic environments.

Quarter Three materials focus on Leadership Level 3: Leader of People (Develop Intent). Leadership Level 3 is where your values, your team, and your influence come together. Leaders of People put their teams first, build trust, and lead with authenticity. They mentor future leaders and shape decisions up and down the chain.

References:

2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Leadership Committee