Meeting Minutes
Incident Operations Standards Working Team
Charleston SC
February 10-12, 2009

Membership Updates:

New members: Mike Morgen, representing IQCS and the Position Naming Board; Aitor Bidaburu, representing US Fire Administration; Tim Blake, as NWCG Preparedness Branch Coordinator. Dan Buckley will be the new NPS representative.

410-1 Revision Update (Mazzier):

Recommendation to wait one year to revise, during NWCG reorganization process. IOS WT approved. The primary uses of the future revision still needs to be determined.

FOLLOW UP: Future Agenda item for 2010.

Contractor Issues Crew Typing/Performance Ratings (Blake from Neil Hitchcock, Fire Operations-NIFC):

National contract requirement for contract crews are higher than the revised crew typing chart for Type 2IA crews and require purchasing ability, transportation and tools. The revised crew typing chart sets minimum standards for crews.

The revised Crew Performance Rating form removed the “hot line” skill. This skill is used to evaluate contract crews and move them up to the next level. The form will be edited to add “(Hot Line)” under Special Ops for Direct Attack.

FOLLOW UP: Hollingsworth to review Crew Rating form. Dudley to contact Neil Hitchcock regarding minimum standards for Type 2IA crews.

Federal Fire Management Policy:

Modifications have been made to federal wildland fire management policy by WFLC to provide an assessment and decision support process examining the full range of responses. There will be two types of fire--unplanned and planned, and management objective will be based on appropriate management response. Implementation of new policy is the 2009 fire season, each agency has different implementation timetable and process for utilizing the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).

Renaming of Wildland Fire Use Terms, tasking from NWCG:

Wildland Fire Use is no longer an appropriate term, the Fire Use Working Team proposed renaming of the following:

• Overhead Position Codes: The FUM1 (Fire Use Manager Type 1) position and FUM2 (Fire Use Manger Type 2) position should be combined, and will be titled as a Strategic Operational Planner. The FUWT will work on functions and skill sets for the new position and develop a transition plan.
• Group Names to be Changed: Fire Use Management Teams will be changed to Wildland Fire Management Teams, as it was called in the early 1990’s. There will be no change in makeup or function of the team.
• Fire Use Modules will be changed to Wildland Fire Modules. No change in the makeup or function of the module.

The IOS WT approved the changes.

FOLLOW UP: Leaverton to write letter to respond to NWCG tasking. FUWT will provide an implementation plan and skill set for the Strategic Operational Planner for the April meeting. April Agenda Item.

Wildland Fire Management Positions Merger (FUWT):

Proposal from the FUWT to combine the positions of Fire Effects Monitor (FEMO) and Field Observer (FOBS). Positions have similar skill sets and the positions are determined by qualifications and complexity, not type of fire. Also, this would be consistent with the combining of other prescribed fire and fire use positions with suppression positions. Issues are redundancy between both positions, lack of formal training for fire effects monitoring skills, cross-usage unsafe due to lack of experience on other type of fire, safety issue of using FEMO’s on complex fires as a single resource. Many of the skills are the same, the PTB’s contain the same competencies and behaviors are common, with each position having two having two unique behaviors.

The proposal is to combine the FEMO and FOBS into Fire Observer 1 and Fire Observer 2 (FOB1/FOB2) and keep prerequisites and fitness level the same. There would be one PTB with two levels, FOB1 would require a Single Resource Boss qualification. An individual with the Single Resource Boss qualification could complete PTB and go directly to the FOB1 level. Existing FOBS would convert to FOB1. The FUWT also proposes direction in the “Red Book” prohibiting the use of FOB2 as a single resource on a wildland fire.

Advantages are career path development from FEMO to FOBS, stronger fire effects monitoring skills for FOBS on wildland fires with multiple strategic objectives, training module already exists, and the integration of prescribed fire/fire use positions with suppression. Disadvantages are more fire effects skills needed to qualify as a FOB1 verses current FOBS position, PTB’s will need revision, additional workload for FUWT to manage S-244 course, and shift in understand the use of the positions.

IOS WT and TWT approved proposal except the names will remain as FEMO and FOBS.

NWCG Reorganization/Preparedness Branch Coordinator Update (Blake/Mazzier):

The goals of the NWCG reorganization is to improve communications, funding efficiency, Branch Coordinator attendance, and better filtering and defining of taskings from parent group to working teams. The NWCG Project Manager position is currently being advertised; all three Branch Coordinator positions are filled. Future plan is to have a support function for the Program Manager to provide for website oversight and administrative support to the committees and subcommittees.

The IOS WT is in the Preparedness Branch and will be combined with the Training Working Team into the Operations and Workforce Development Committee. Proposed options for structure of committee and membership was discussed (Task Groups are temporary, Units are more continuous):

Option A:

Membership: Five federal national training/qualifications leads

Three state representatives (two training/one operations)
FS and DOI operations
Aviation representative
FIRESCOPE
DHS/USFA
IFPM representative
Corporate University representative

Sub-Committees:

Operations

-310-1/PTB Task Group
-IRPG Task Group
-410-1 Task Group
-IQCS Uni

Corporate University

-Training Development Unit
-Training Delivery Unit
-Lessons Learned Unit
-Training Standards Unit
-Leadership Unit

IFPM/Workforce Management

-Task Groups as needed

Option B:

Membership: Same except Unit Advisors instead of IFPM/Corporate University representatives

Units: -IFPM Unit

-NWCG Development Unit
-NAFRI Unit
-Lessons Learned Unit
-Leadership Unit
-Task Groups
(IRPG, PTB, 310-1, 410-1)

Advantages of the two current teams combining is the efficiency of changes being communicated, cleaned accountability and unified budgets. Tasking for this meeting was to define the purpose, responsibilities and deliverables of the new committee; and to propose a target date for implementation. The following was agreed upon:

Purpose: The Committee is established to provide operational, qualification, and training standards for NWCG agency employees in compliance with NIMS.

Responsibilities:

• The Committee has the primary responsibility for developing operational wildland fire management standards, positions and employee development to meet NWCG member agency needs.
• Establish wildland fire qualifications and training for NWCG member agencies.
• Coordination with incident response non-member organizations.
• Coordinate with other committee and branches within the NWCG structure as well as with other incident response organizations.

Draft Deliverables:

• Set operational and training standards.
• Develop and deliver wildland fire training.
• Establish, maintain and validate qualification and certification standards and documentation.
• Develop and institutionalize leadership philosophy and culture (Doctrine).
• Transfer Lessons Learned and best practices.

Membership Proposal:

• Five federal representatives (can be either operational or training)
• Three state representatives (can be either operational or training)
• Line Officer
• USFA/DHS
• Corporate University representative
• FIRESCOPE representative
• Aviation?

Recommendation that the membership determine what option will work best for them and that some membership comes from current IOS and TWT member to provide for continuity and corporate memory. An Ad Hoc group will serve as an advisor to the Tim Blake, Branch Coordinator. Ad Hoc group will be Rosey Thomas, Deb Epps, Vince Mazzier, Don Johnson, Mark Koontz, and Dave Utley. Names for each agency representative need to be to Vince by April 1. States may need until June. The Chair will need to be approved by Executive Committee.

FOLLOW UP: Federal agency representative names to Mazzier by April 1 and State representative names by mid June. Blake to check with Executive Committee on validation of team membership, need for Aviation representative and for approval for Chair. Agenda item for October 2009 joint meeting in Boise.

Forms Update (Hollingsworth):

Forms have been completed for FIRESCOPE and being reviewed by DHS. As long as our forms meet the practical intent of NIMS, they can be used.

• ICS 201, Incident Briefing
• ICS 202, Incident Objectives
• ICS 203, Organizational Assignment List
• ICS 204, Assignment List
• ICS 205, Incident Radio Communications Plan
• ICS 206, Medical Plan
• ICS 209, Incident Status Summary
• ICS 211, Incident Check-in List
• ICS 214, Unit Log
• ICS 215, Operational Planning Worksheet
• ICS 218, Support Vehicle Inventory
• ICS 220, Air Operations Summary
• ICS 221, Demobilization Checkout
• ICS 225, Incident Personnel Performance Rating

Some minor changes discussed. The current forms in ISUITES will need to be reviewed to see if they meet intent of NIMS and the group needs to be notified if the forms change. The IOS WT agreed to post FIRESCOPE forms on NWCG site and add the NFES form numbers, as they will be compliant with NIMS.

FOLLOW UP: Hollingsworth to forward electronic copies to Mazzier. Hollingsworth will work with Morgen on revision.

S420 Proposal (from Renee Beams, GATR Chair):

Proposal from the Geographic Area Training Representatives (GATR’s) to eliminate S420 as a course and just have students complete PTB. The course is classroom and simulation, but needs revision. Currently, S520 and S620 are overseen by NAFRI and S420 is overseen by the Training Development Group in Boise. The IOS WT would like all three courses evaluated together.

FOLLOW UP: Dudley to write letter on issue to NWCG with cc to TWT, GATR’s and Merrie Johnson.

Planning Section Chief Prerequisite Proposal (from Renee Beams, GATR Chair):

Proposal to drop prerequisite experience for Planning Sections Chiefs. Current qualifications are: FFT1, Single Resource Boss, ICT4, SITL, SCKN and RESL. Proposed to keep SCKN and RESL, lower FFT1 to FFT2 and drop Single Resource Boss, ICT4 and SITL. L-280 would be added as additional training would be added. Some teams are bringing Operations Section Chiefs who serve in the Planning Operations position on the team and therefore, the PSC does not need to be ICT4. The IOS WT felt this is an exception, not the norm, and does not approve the change.

FOLLOW UP: Dudley to write response to the GATR’s with other options.

Operations Section Chief to Planning Section Chief “Bridge” Qualifications Path (from Renee Beams, GATR Chair):

Proposal to develop a bridge pathway for qualified OSC1/2’s to gain skill to become qualified as PSC2, as the OSC already possesses planning skills. Pilot project for 2009 in the Northern Rockies Area. The individual would have to first complete the S440 Planning Section Chief course co-led by PSC1/2’s and OSC1/2’s with the optional Unit 7a-Technological Tools required. Secondly, the individual would need to complete a PSC2 PTB. Currently there is a lack of qualified PSC2’s and none as of October 2007 with open PTB’s for that position, while there were 79 OSC2’s open PTB’s for the same date. The IOS WT approves the proposal for the pilot bridge in the Northern Rockies and would like a response with the results.

FOLLOW UP: Dudley to write response to GATR’s approving pilot and requesting feedback on the results.

P-310 Course Name Modification (from TWT):

TWT approved the request to change the name of the P-310 course from “Wildfire Prevention Planning” to “Fire Prevention Education 2.” The IOS WT will need to include in 310-1 errata sheet.

FOLLOW UP: Romero to track for next errata sheet update to 310-1.

NIMS Voluntary Standard for Credentialing of Personnel (Bidaburu):

The credentialing program for DHS is voluntary. Currently DHS uses EMAC for mobilization, with coordinators sharing resource info. EMAC is not a good tracking tool and does not talk to ROSS.

INTM PTB (Broyles):

PTB was reviewed and revised to follow competencies and behaviors system. Dan Buckley forwarded revised PTB to Alan Carlson, Chair of the FIWT.

FOLLOW UP: Buckley to check with Alan Carlson for an okay on changes. Buckley to review specific changes with IOS WT in April. April Agenda Item.

Future Meeting Dates:

• March 31 - April 2, 2009, Austin TX (NPS sponsor)
• October 20 – 22, 2009, Boise, ID (Joint with TWT) (FS sponsor)

Meeting Sponsorship Schedule:

February 2003, Carmel CA – USFS
April 2003, Albuquerque NM – No charge
November 2003, Portland OR – USFWS
February 2004, St. Pete’s Beach FL – State of Florida
April 2004, Boise ID – BIA
October 2004, Tucson – No charge
November/December 2004, San Antonio TX – NPS
January 2005, Boise ID - BLM
March 2005, Boise ID – BLM
June 2005, Salt Lake City UT – USFS
Cancelled: September 2005, Boise ID – State of Idaho
November 2005, Denver CO – FWS
March 2006, Naples FL - State of Florida
May 2006, Boise, ID – BLM
October 2006, Gettysburg, PA – NPS
February 2007, Albuquerque, NM – USFS
April 2007, New Orleans, LA – No charge
September 2007, Portland, OR – No charge
November 2007, Boise, ID – BIA
February 2008, Savannah, GA – State of FL
April 2008, Tucson, AZ – USFS
Oct 2008, Duluth, MN – State of MN
Feb 2009, Charleston, SC – FWS
March/April 2009, Austin, TX – NPS
October 2009, Boise, ID - USFS

Future Conference Calls:

Conference calls are the second Wednesday of each month at 1200 hours, Mountain Time. Dial in number is 208-947-4004. Pin is: 5005.

Dates:

March 11, 2009
April 2009 – No call, regular meeting
May 13, 2009
June 10, 2009
July 8, 2009
August 12, 2009
September 9, 2009
October 2009 – No call, regular meeting

Follow Up: Beth will send out reminders.

Next Meeting (March/April 2009, Austin, TX) Agenda Items:

• IMT Futuring
• INTM PTB changes (Dan Buckley)
• IRPG Revision (Jim Cook)
• PTB Codings
• FUWT Items Follow up
• New Standard for WUI, guest speaker

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