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The 6 Minutes for Safety Program

 

Have you ever wondered how or why
the 6 Minutes for Safety Program was formed?

 

In 1994, 34 wildland firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty. In July of that year on the South Canyon Fire, near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the wildland fire community lost 14 of our own in a single incident. Following this deadly season, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior called on the wildland fire agencies to review the organizational and safety culture in the wildland fire program. The agencies chartered the Wildland Firefighter Safety Awareness Study (TriData Study) which proposed changes to enhance firefighter safety. Over the next decade, several of these recommendations were implemented including the establishment of the Wildland Fire Leadership Program, the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, the formalization of the Wildland Fire Safety Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) program and the 6 Minutes for Safety Program (6MFS).

The 6MFS program began as a grassroots effort by a group of wildland firefighters to highlight the basic tenets of firefighter safety. Part of the value in these messages that remains today is that the topics and contents come from the field, for the field, to share lessons with other firefighters. In the early days, the 6MFS group established a calendar with topics for two-week periods and shared across the wildland fire community through emails. By 2000, a simple website was created to share these daily topics. Today, 6MFS is a subcommittee under the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Risk Management Committee comprised of members from the field representing each NWCG participating agency.

Why six minutes?

The name and short safety message style originated from organizational and operational risk management expert Gordon Graham, who used a 6-minute style to brief his staff on important information with messages that focused on the basics. A group of firefighters were inspired by one of Graham’s presentations at the Lookouts-Communication-Escape routes-Safety zones (LCES) conference in the late 90s. The backbone of this initiative was the basics: the 10 and 18s, and LCES. The audience was the boots on the ground, and the intent was for the messages to be “By the firefighter. For the firefighter.”

Any individual or crew can write their own or submit a 6MFS Daily Topic Suggestion, at any time.

Over the years, 6MFS has continued to evolve with the addition of new daily topics, the creation of ‘This Day in History,’ and the Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance. These additions provide an opportunity to take a deeper dive into incidents where powerful learning opportunities exist as well as to honor and remember the fallen as we discuss the lessons learned.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 fire season, the South Canyon Fire, and the origins of major cultural shifts in the wildland fire community to include the 6MFS program.

A special thank you to Kathy Komatz for carrying the torch for so many years and ensuring that every component of the program was created to support and inform the boots on the ground!

Discussion Questions:

  • Why is it important to discuss the 6MFS daily topic?
  • How do you incorporate the daily topic into day-to-day activities?
  • What are the different ways to access 6MFS in the field?
  • What other types of topics should be considered?
  • How do you submit feedback or suggest for a new topic?
     

6MFS Suggestion Form


Have an idea or feedback?

Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee
 


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NWCG Latest Announcements

2024 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service Awards

Date: May 22, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service Awards. Each year, EMC recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated exceptional actions or accomplishments that go above and beyond their normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety and well-being of the wildland fire community. These honors are well deserved.

References:

2024 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

NWCG Emergency Medical Committee

NWCG Welcomes the Incident Management Teams Association as an Associate Member

Date: May 21, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
https://www.nwcg.gov/contact-us

The NWCG Executive Board is honored to announce that the Incident Management Teams Association (IMTA) has joined the National Wildfire Coordinating Group as an associate member.

IMTA is a dedicated group of incident management professionals committed to enhancing the profession by promoting standards and fostering collaboration across federal, state, local, Tribal, and private sector partners throughout all phases of incident management.

“Joining NWCG aligns with our mission to elevate incident management professionals nationwide,” said Dr. Randal Collins, President of IMTA. “This is a proud moment for all of us committed to advancing public safety.”

References:

Incident Management Teams Association

National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Updated NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431

Date: May 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Fire Use Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431 serves as a supplemental resource for wildland fire module operations, providing information frequently used in the field.

PMS 431 defines the organizational structure, staffing, and qualifications for Type 1 and Type 2 Wildland Fire Modules, outlining their roles in wildland fire suppression, prescribed fire, and resource management. The NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431, should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430.

References:

NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

Updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200 Now Includes Off-Highway Vehicle Typing Standards

Date: May 13, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee 

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200 has been updated to include newly developed Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) typing standards. These standards organize OHV information into logical categories and outline key safety requirements for occupants.

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200 establishes minimum typing standards for aircraft, crews, and equipment used in national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. Typing designations are assigned based on measurable capability and performance criteria.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200