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Inattentive Blindness

 

It’s logical to think that you can see when your eyes are open but are you noticing everything in your field of view? Attention plays a crucial role in our ability to see what is happening around us.

Inattentive blindness is a failure to notice unexpected things in a visual field because focus is on something else in that same field of view. This blindness can visually distract us from what else is happening in our environment. Inattentive blindness can cause you to see what you expect, rather than what is actually there.

Inattentive blindness can occur in any setting. Have you ever been so focused on cutting fireline that you failed to see a plane make a retardant drop nearby? Has an unresolved issue at home distracted you from a routine morning task like engine inspections?

The fire environment is full of distractions that require proactive engagement to maintain focus. A core competency of emergency responders is the ability to direct attention on a deliberately chosen target and sustain that attention even when it’s unpleasant.

Noisy chainsaws, helicopters performing bucket operations, dozers clanking around the hillside, and the constant chatter over the radio create distractions within our fire environment. As leaders it’s our responsibility to maintain awareness of our area of operation. The nature of our dynamic environment requires a collective effort of engagement and the repeated actions of situational awareness (SA) and communication.

To increase our odds of processing our environment, we need to empower those around us. Whether you’re the Division Supervisor, Single Resource Boss, Squad Boss, or Firefighter Type 2, foster a healthy command climate that allows for open communication both up and down the chain of command.

Span of control is another tool that helps in the battle of inattentiveness. Being able to delegate tasks helps our mental capacity and provides us with different viewpoints within the fire environment.

Discuss these questions:

  • What situations in your daily work are likely to result in inattentive blindness?
  • What situations on a fire are likely to result in inattentive blindness?
  • How can you prepare for and mitigate this condition?
  • How do you maintain awareness of your own attention?

References:

Category
Leadership

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NWCG Latest Announcements

RMC Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNetX Launch

Date:  June 25, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) is pleased to announce the launch of SafeNetX, the modernized safety reporting system now available to the wildland fire community. Effective June 15, 2026, SafeNetX enables reporting of unsafe, unhealthy, near-miss, and high-risk operations across wildland fire, all-hazard incidents, training, and related work environments.

SafeNetX is the result of a multi-agency modernization effort led by RMC, which began evaluating improvements to the legacy SAFENET system in 2021. To learn more, read the full RMC memorandum in the links provided.

References:

SafeNetX

RMC Safety Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNet X Launch

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

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

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

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 release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee

Make an Impact: Serve the Wildland Fire Community as an IPTM SME!

Date:  June 11, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG SME Specialist

Note: Positions with an * will last approximately 6 months.
Positions with ** will last 12 - 18 months.

NWCG is seeking experienced wildland firefighters and support personnel to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) initiative. IPTM aims to transition NWCG’s training and qualification system to a performance-based model by updating position descriptions, Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Books (Next Gen PTBs), and training where needed.

NWCG is currently recruiting SMEs for the Fall 2026 positions listed below:

  • Equipment Manager (EQPM)*
  • Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT)**
  • Mixmaster (MXMS)*
  • Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC)*
  • Retardant Crewmember (RTCM)*
  • Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR)*
  • Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN)*
  • Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ)*
  • Task Force Leader (TFLD)**
  • Wildland Fire Investigator (INVF)** 

Projects begin October 2026. Sign up by July 10, 2026, at the link below and review the attached document for additional details. 

References:

NWCG SME Interest Sign-up

IPTM Subject Matter Expert Duties and Expectations Document

Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM)