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My Safety

 

An important aspect of safety is individual responsibility for one’s own health and safety. Even with the best supervision, each individual firefighter will occasionally be required to make personal decisions concerning safety. It is important that individual responsibility is taught as the basis for a viable safety program. Some of those individual responsibilities are:

  • Fitness for duty. Begin each work shift both mentally and physically prepared for the rigors of wildland firefighting. Getting adequate sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and proactively participating in physical training are foundations for your personal safety.
  • Utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE). Wear your PPE without being told. Each individual is responsible for performing their own risk assessments. Utilize PPE when a hazard is identified that can be mitigated by wearing a particular PPE component.
  • Following safe work practices. For example, using a spotter when backing up vehicles is the prudent and professional course of action. If you are unsure how to perform a job or task safely, ask your supervisor or an experienced coworker.
  • Using the correct reference materials is an important aspect of safety. You should have a working knowledge of the Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations (Red Book), Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, and your local operating guidelines.
  • Ensure instructions are clearly understood. Communication is a basic responsibility for all fire personnel. Ask appropriate questions to clarify uncertain issues. Speak up when you observe hazards that may place you or others at risk.
  • Maintain situational awareness at all times. Awareness is a vital component of My Safety. Pay attention to what is happening around your area of operations. Always display an awareness of what is happening around you by asking questions or sharing information.

Summary:

Do not expect someone else to be responsible for your safety. Take it upon yourself to make My Safety your number one priority.

Discussions Points:

  • Talk about ways you can improve your safety.
  • Have your supervisor talk about their expectations for individual safety.

References:

Category
Leadership

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Week of Remembrance

Date:  June 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee

As we approach the 2026 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30–July 6, we dedicate this time to reflect on past incidents from 2016 and honor the fallen through learning. Since its inception in 2014, WOR has honored wildland firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while encouraging critical discussions that reinforce lessons learned.

Throughout the week, we encourage thoughtful and generative conversations that promote a culture of continuous learning and safety.

References:

2026 Week of Remembrance: Letter to Leadership

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

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