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2018 WOR: Conclusion

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.
 

On July 6, 1994 the South Canyon fire claimed the lives of 14 wildland firefighters.  Our tribute to those lives lost that day on Storm King Mountain closes out a week of collectively remembering and honoring all the lives lost during wildland fires. It is an opportunity to learn from the past and implement changes that will hopefully result in safer outcomes for our workforce.  Over time the lessons we learn and share from accidents and fatalities have led to significant improvements in our training, leadership, risk assessment and operational practices.

This week has focused on medevacs and the changes implemented since the death of Andy Palmer. Significant changes in medical operations and resources have resulted from this incident. However, we must not rely on these changes as the only answer. Our duty is to build margin into our planning that helps us to remain flexible in our actions and reduces the chances of needing a medevac.

What is margin? Think of margin as the room we have to operate safely.  We have tools such as our IRPG, the Red Book, LCES and risk management that help us assess and influence our degree of margin.  Margin is not intended to be just another tool, but, an overarching framework in which these tools are applied.

Firefighter safety bubble

Margin includes the role of the firefighter in the creation of safety.  For example, doing our daily PM checks on our vehicles and addressing any issues immediately allows for safer conditions when driving.  Training gives us knowledge to do our jobs.  Having a radio on the line means you have communication, both the ability to communicate and to hear the operations and actions that are occurring around you.  These types of factors increase our margin, create a stronger environment of safety and reduce the chance of unintended outcomes.

When it comes to operations we need to be diligent in planning for and continuously reassessing the potential of the worst possible outcomes such as a medevac.  Imagine worst case scenarios and ways to build margin into the plan to reduce the possibilities of such an incident.  We are unable to control our environment; the weather changes, the slope is steep, the fuels are heavy, but we can control our actions and planning.

The idea of continuous reassessment of the amount of margin should be a conversation among multiple people and is key to assessing and managing the level of margin as the environment (and our understanding of our environment) changes through time.  In the end, margin is a way to easily talk about all the complex stuff in a simple way.  i.e. "I feel we have more/less margin" right now with this plan. 

 

Action: Watch this short video on Margin then discuss the following as a crew

  1. How can you build margin to reduce the need for a medical evacuation on the fireline?
  2. How much margin is enough margin?
  3. How can you utilize the information on page 19 of the IRPG, How to Properly Refuse Risk, to increase Margin when on the fireline?
  4. How does risk tolerance effect Margin?

 

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

Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book Available for Firing Boss, Single Resource

Date: April 30, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Fuels Management Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Firing Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-105, and the NWCG Position Task Book for Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB), PMS 311-105, are now available. 

These resources, part of the Performance Support Package developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators. 

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

 

References:

NWCG Firing Boss, Single Resource Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Firing Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-105

NWCG Position Task Book for Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB), PMS 311-105

Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book Available for Helicopter Crewmember

Date: April 28, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Helicopter Operations Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22, and the NWCG Position Task Book for Helicopter Crewmember (HECM), PMS 311-22, are now available.

These resources, part of the Performance Support Package developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

References:

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22

NWCG Position Task Book for Helicopter Crewmember (HECM), PMS 311-22

Updated NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

Date: April 23, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee

The NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515 standardizes processes and procedures for the interagency use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including pilot inspections and approvals. This updated publication provides the aviation community with standards to ensure UAS are used safely, effectively, and efficiently in support of fire management goals and objectives.

References:

NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

NWCG National Interagency Aviation Committee

ETC Bulletin 25-001: Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits - 2025 Field Season

Date: April 16, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

Due to spout failures and the associated risk of burn injuries, manufacturers have retrofitted the Hot/Cold Beverage Kits using a heat-shrinking band to secure the black spout at the insertion site. The updated kits feature a fluorescent label on each full kit assembly for easy identification. Catering units are encouraged to confirm the clear heat-shrinking bands are intact around each spout before filling.

ETC Bulletin 24-001 regarding Hot/Cold Beverage Kits has been archived and replaced by ETC Bulletin 25-001 for the 2025 season.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC-EB-25-001 Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits