Leveraging Capability and Reducing Duplication
Purpose
During the January 28-30, 2003 team meeting in Austin, TX, the WFEWT concluded that a procedural policy is needed to address collaboration with formal and informal groups having interest in wildland fire prevention and education. The purpose of a collaboration policy is to leverage our capability and reduce duplication in the development of wildland fire prevention and educational products.
Two action items were addressed. First we must use existing organizational documentation and institutional knowledge to identify the players (formal and informal) that are important to our work and mission. The second is to identify and implement mechanisms that enhance our capability when collaborating with these groups.
The Players
There are formal and informal groups that have interests in wildland fire prevention and education. Formal groups consist of:
NWCG Working Teams: When necessary, the WFEWT should collaborate with all of the NWCG working teams in the performance of prevention or education related work. However, the Wildland Urban Interface, Fire Use, Training, and Wildland Fire Investigation working teams share more common interest with the WFEWT then other working teams. Their involvement should be considered each time a new product is planned by the WFEWT.
NWCG Social Science Task Group: The social science task group is new to the NWCG organization. They should be consulted when the public’s evaluation of products or product delivery mechanisms is needed.
National Wildland Fire Prevention and Education Teams: National Team Leaders use and distribute many of the WFEWT products. Team leaders should be invited to assist in the planning and development of prevention and educational products, especially when these products benefit national team performance.
Others: State Forestry I & E Sections.
Informal Groups include:
Interagency Mitigation and Education Meeting Participants: This group consists of interagency specialists in wildland fire prevention and education largely working at the local level. The group meets biannually to share success stories, identify national prevention issues, and assign task groups to resolve these issues. Generally, a WFEWT and/or national program prevention lead is represented at the meeting.
Prevention and Education Core Groups at NIFC: National leads for the Departments of Agriculture and Interior, Nature Conservancy, and States meet on a regular basis to address national needs, coordinate interagency action, and plan and implement new prevention campaigns.
Other: To be determined in future amendments to this policy.
The Mechanisms
A variety of techniques are available for information exchange and collaboration. As a minimum, the WFEWT should use the following mechanisms to leverage our capability:
Email: meeting minutes, project status reports, completed products, and other related items should be routed via email to formal and informal groups having interest in the subject matter.
Joint working team meetings: the WFEWT should schedule a joint meeting with one of the following NWCG working teams each year: Wildland Urban Interface, Fire Use, Training, and Wildland Fire Investigation. Agenda items would include working team goals, objectives and strategies, and opportunities to share in the development of products.
Project sharing: many important national level prevention initiatives originate from Interagency Mitigation and Education task groups and the NIFC Prevention and Education Core Group. These initiatives are often aligned with the WFEWT’s strategic plan goals. In these cases, a liaison from the WFEWT should be assigned to the group to coordinate support needs and evaluate opportunities for funding and resource sharing.
Alternate Team Members: If the opportunity presents itself, WFEWT members should sign on as alternate members (representing their agency) to other NWCG working teams. They should try to attend one team meeting per year.
Guest presenters: WFEWT members should participate as guest presenters at meetings held by other NWCG working teams and the informal groups previously mentioned. WFEWT should in turn, request guest presentations from other groups. Presentations would center on team missions, goals, objectives, and ongoing projects.
Other: To be determined in future amendments to this policy.
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