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Bugs We Hate Part 1 - Ticks

What are “vector-borne diseases”?

Ticks and mosquitoes are not only pesky and annoying, but they can carry some nasty diseases. Diseases that infect us from their bites are called “vector-borne diseases.” There are long lists of vector-borne diseases, but we will focus on just a few here.

Ticks

Many different ticks exist out there that used to be more geographically isolated but are expanding their territory and are no longer isolated to certain areas as much as before. This means that you can get Lyme Disease (first found in Lyme, Connecticut) from a tick in Colorado, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is most common in North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas!

  1. Lyme Disease bacteria are less likely to infect you if you remove the tick within 24 hours.
    • Symptoms depend on the stage of the disease (stage 1, 2, or 3) – early we can see rash, fever, headache, joint stiffness.
    • Not everyone gets the classic “target” rash.
  2. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever symptoms are fever, headache, muscle aches, rash, and sometimes vomiting occurs.
  3. Alpha Gal Syndrome is a food allergy that can develop after certain tick bites. The allergy is typically to red meat and other mammal food products like gelatins and sometimes dairy.
    • Symptoms include redness, hives, itching, and swelling after eating red meat.
    • Symptoms are delayed 3-6 hours from eating.

The Best Medicine is Prevention!

  • Spray your outdoor clothing, shoes, tent, and other gear with a repellent that is 0.5% permethrin.
  • Use a repellent with DEET - 20% is recommended.
  • Shower as soon as possible to wash off any loose ticks. Check for ticks that may have burrowed.
  • Use a mirror to check your body well. Check your underarms, hair and hairline, your ears, waist, between your legs, behind your knees, and inside your belly button.
  • Check your gear. Before you wash your work clothes, put them in the dryer on hot for at least 10 minutes to kill ticks.

Removal of tick - do not use matches or lighters. Grasp at the point where the head is embedded with tweezers and gently pull out. Try to avoid squeezing the tick. Once tick is removed, wash the bite area with soap and water.

Note date, time, and area of body you were bitten, and if practical, save the tick in a resealable plastic bag and freeze it for later identification if needed. If you are in a highly endemic area, you can seek medical care and discuss if preventative antibiotics are indicated. Otherwise, monitor your symptoms.

Four steps on how to remove a tick from your skin.

For more detailed instructions, visit the CDC website.

Discussion Questions:

  • What can you do to prevent vector-borne diseases from ticks?
  • Do you have a plan each day to check yourself?
  • Can a buddy help? When and where?
  • What should you do if you find a tick?
  • What are the signs to be looking out for?

References:

Category
Firefighter Health and First Aid

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NWCG Latest Announcements

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

Date:  May 28, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has issued Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters. Research from 2016 to 2025 shows that 88 cases of rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) were reported. Analysis of reports from eSafety, the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC) indicates that rhabdo is common during this time of year due to Work Capacity Tests and contributing factors such as weather, hydration, nutrition, and medication or supplement use.

RMC issued this safety bulletin to raise awareness in the Wildland Fire Community, and to provide research findings and educational resources that support reducing future cases of rhabdo.

References:

NWCG Alerts

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

NEW! D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder Course Available Now

Date:  May 15, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Dispatch Position and Curriculum Management Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce the new D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder (Instructor-led) course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). Developed through the National Coordination System Committee, this course introduces the structure and function of expanded dispatch, the qualities of an effective dispatcher, and provides hands-on experience with the Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) system. 

The D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder course aligns with the competencies and duties outlined in the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Expanded Dispatch Recorder, PMS 350-59, and is designed for individuals with no prior experience who may be called upon to support dispatch operations.

References:

D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder (Instructor-Led)

Expanded Dispatch Recorder (EDRC), Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Expanded Dispatch Recorder, PMS 350-59

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Leadership Committee IAP Flyer Now Available

Date:  May 8, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee promotes and enables leadership development across the wildland fire service. The committee provides education, training opportunities, and support for leadership innovation and best practices throughout the community.

A new IAP flyer is now available on the committee website, offering an overview of the products, curriculum, and learning opportunities the Leadership Committee develops. This resource is ideal for posting in your office, sharing with new employees, or distributing through your incident management teams to engage new voices in the leadership journey and reinforce a culture of self‑reflection, development, and growth.

References:

Leadership Committee 2026 IAP Flyer

Incident Operations Subcommittee Updates the Next Generation Position Task Book for FFT1

Date:  May 7, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

The NWCG Incident Operations Subcommittee (IOSC) has updated the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14. The FFT1 Position Task Book transitioned to the Next Generation (Next Gen PTB) format in June 2025 through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. Since then, IOSC has received feedback from the wildland fire community regarding coding for one of the tasks. Task #13 has been updated to include the option of evaluation in a simulation.

See IOSC Memorandum 26‑01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14 for more information.

References:

IOSC Memorandum 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1

NWCG Firefighter Type 1 Squad Boss Position Page