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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

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