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2018 WOR Day 6: Leadership in Medevac Situations

Ribbon symbol for survivor next to the Wildland Fire Leadership logoWeek of Remembrance June 30-July 6

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness and safety of wildland firefighters.
 

It’s July 5th and you just attended morning briefing and received your crew’s assignment for the day. In your division breakout they mentioned that you would be operating in some “pretty gnarly terrain” filled with loose rocks and steep slopes. You brief the crew on the day’s mission, get them going and then start to scout out what’s ahead. All of a sudden you get a call from one of sawyers saying their saw partner has been hit by a rolling rock and is unconscious. WHAT DO YOU DO????

“Fire is a complex, dynamic, and often unpredictable phenomenon. Fire operations require mobilizing a complex organization that includes management, command, support, and firefighting personnel, as well as aircraft, vehicles, machinery, and communications equipment. While the magnitude and complexity of the fire itself and of the human response to it will vary, the fact that fire operations are inherently dangerous will never change. A firefighter utilizing the best available science, equipment, training, and working within the scope of agency doctrine and policy, can still suffer serious injury or death.”  Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book), chapter 1, page 8.

“We honor and remember through learning”

Brit Rosso
Director, LLC

 

The guiding doctrine for fire operations clearly states that the environment that we work in is filled with many unknown variables. As leaders it’s our responsibility to adequately prepare ourselves and team members for the inevitable situations we will be faced with. Medevac situations add another level of complexity within our environment and usually tend to be chaotic in nature. Emotions run high, fog of war rolls in and often times it’s a situation a lot of people haven’t been involved with. During these situations it is imperative to be cognizant of your operational tempo and ensure you give clear leaders intent.

Operational tempo: is the speed and intensity of our actions relative to the speed and intensity of unfolding events in the operational environment. When life is threatened there is an obvious sense of urgency.  Remember the 6th Standard Firefighting Order: Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.

Clear leader’s intent: is the foundation to bringing order to chaos. It allows you to effectively give a clear task, purpose and end state. When the situation presents itself you may find yourself as the Incident within an Incident commander whether or not you’re the Division, Crew Boss, or Squad Leader. You must rapidly evaluate the situation and build an organization to assist in patient care, transportation and communication.

Action: Watch this video (WFSTAR preparing for wildfire medevac) then answer the following questions

  1. What are you doing preseason to train for medevac situations? Do you incorporate medevac scenarios into your sandtable exercises?
     
  2. Does everyone understand the Medical Incident Report and the process involved? Is everyone prepared to act as the Incident Commander for a medical situation? What are some considerations when establishing a command structure to handle the situation?
     
  3. What are some considerations to consider post medevac? How is the crew handling the situation? Is there a need for peer support or CISM?

 

The topics, review, and resources for the NWCG “Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance” have been contributed by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, the Wildland Fire Leadership Subcommittee, the Interagency Helicopter Operations Subcommittee, interagency dispatchers, and many other field SMEs.

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Risk Management Committee Releases Safety Bulletin: 24-001 Use of Respirators on Wildland Fires

Date: November 7, 2024
Contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has released Safety Bulletin: 24-001 Use of Respirators on Wildland Fires. As wildland fire respirators are available through several established vendors, wildland fire personnel need to understand regulations and limitations of respirator use in the workplace.

Safety Bulletin 24-001 outlines the following topics regarding respirator use for wildland fires:

  • Requirements for Respirator Use
  • Voluntary Respirator Use
  • Current Respirator Options
  • Unknown Risks of Respirator Use

This bulletin also provides mitigation recommendations to help reduce smoke exposure for wildland firefighting efforts.

References:

NWCG Safety Bulletin: 24-001 Use of Respirators on Wildland Fires

NWCG Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed Fire, PMS 420-3

VIDEO: Protecting Wildfire Personnel from Smoke - How Incident Management Teams Address Smokes Risks

VIDEO: Smoke, Knowing the Risks

The Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Medical Unit Leader (MEDL)

Date: October 16, 2024
Contact: Incident Medical Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Medical Unit Leader, PMS 350-39 and NWCG Position Task Book for Medical Unit Leader (MEDL), PMS 311-39 are now available.

The Performance Support Package, which for MEDL includes the Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book, were developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. The Performance Support Package will support trainees, those qualified in the position, and evaluators.

References:

NWCG Medical Unit Leader Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Medical Unit Leader, PMS 350-39

NWCG Position Task Book for Medical Unit Leader (MEDL), PMS 311-39

The Wildland Fire Learning Portal is Now Available

Date: October 9, 2024
Contact: Wildland Fire Learning Portal

The Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP) is back online following a migration to a new learning management system (LMS) application. The WFLP team is actively addressing any issues that may arise as a result of the update, and appreciates your patience as the team works to enhance your experience. NWCG will share information from the WFLP as it is available.

Should you have any issues with accessing or using the WFLP, please use the link below to submit a ticket through the Help Center.

References:

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Wildland Fire Learning Portal Help Center

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases New Equipment Bulletins

Date: September 27, 2024
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released three new Equipment Bulletins:

  • ETC-EB-24-003 Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) in fuel containers.
  • ETC-EB-24-004 Two-compartment fuel and oil container (Dolmar) unavailable in the United States (US) and reminders for upkeeping current inventories.
  • ETC-EB-24-005 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Inspection, Care, and Maintenance.

These bulletins remind field going personnel of important issues related to equipment for wildland firefighting efforts.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC-EB-24-003 Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) in fuel containers

ETC-EB-24-004 Two-compartment fuel and oil container (Dolmar) unavailable in the United States (US) and reminders for upkeeping current inventories

ETC-EB-24-005 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Inspection, Care, and Maintenance