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Week of Remembrance

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2016 WOR: Situational Awareness and Mindfulness

Ribbon symbol for survivor next to the Wildland Firefighter Lessons Learned logoWeek of Remembrance June 30-July 6, 2016

Applying Situational Awareness (SA) – an on-going process of perceiving what is going on around you, comprehending the meaning of what we are noticing, and projecting and predicting this comprehension forward in time – can often be challenging. Research has indicated that three-fourths of SA errors can be traced to something important happening in our environment, and we missed it (Jones & Endsley, 1996). In a high risk world like wildland fire, missing important cues or events can lead to catastrophic outcomes. The practice of mindfulness can help.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, and in the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). In wildland fire, research has shown that when we are operating at our best we are often engaging mindfully (Lewis & Ebbeck, 2014). Through practicing we can become more mindful or “mentally fit” to catch more errors more of the time.

How to Practice:

Mindfulness is training your awareness to be where it is most useful in the moment. To practice your attention needs to be focused in the present moment, and hold a non-judgmental attitude of what you perceive. Here are a few exercises to try for one minute each:

  • Focus on the breath coming in your nose, into your lungs, and pushing back out, watching the breath move; if your mind wanders gentle refocus it back on the breath.
  • Walk around very slowly and pay attention to the feeling of the foot making contact with the ground with each step; if your mind wanders gently bring it back and refocus.

Day to-Day:

  • When driving, avoid multi-tasking. If you need to make a phone call, talk on the radio, eat, or look for something inside the vehicle, pull over if possible and complete that task.
  • Mindset: when doing something you’ve done a lot, or that is “routine”, see if you can notice 2-3 new things about what you are doing rather than doing them on autopilot.
  • When engaged in these routine behaviors (brushing your teeth, sitting in traffic, eating) practice being in the moment as much as possible. The more often you practice it in these situations, the more able you will be to utilize this skill in the dynamic environments in which we work.

Graphic of mountains with mile markers of physical capacity in various locations.

The topics for the NWCG “Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance” have been drawn from the Human Performance Optimization course taught as a part of the USFS Apprentice Academy in cooperation with the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) and is rooted in the desire to prepare wildland fire personnel to optimally manage themselves and others at any given time. Review and resources have been contributed by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, NIFC External Affairs, the Wildland Fire annual refresher group, and the Wildland Fire Leadership Subcommittee.

References:

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Week of Remembrance

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NWCG Latest Announcements

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)

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