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Week of Remembrance

2020 WOR: Learning to Change

 

A famous anecdote describes a scheme the British Colonial Government implemented in India in an attempt to control the population of venomous cobras that were plaguing the citizens of Delhi that offered a bounty to be paid for every dead cobra brought to the administration officials. The policy initially appeared successful, intrepid snake catchers claiming their bounties and fewer cobras being seen in the city. Yet, instead of tapering off over time, there was a steady increase in the number of dead cobras being presented for bounty payment each month. Nobody knew why. (“Our World” by United Nations University)

How do we as leaders seek out to change what is not working?  The wildland fire community has implemented the process of Reviews, Facilitated Learning Analysis (FLAs), and Rapid Lesson Sharing (RLS) as a mechanism to learn from unintended outcomes.  This process also allows us to examine our culture and implement continuous improvement.  Continuous improvement is an operational imperative to leverage experience and to ensure each subsequent project can be executed at the highest quality, in less time, at a lower cost, and with fewer mistakes.

Recommendations and Implementing Them

“….you can’t change the human condition; but you can change the conditions under which humans work” – James Reason

Reviews and FLAs may come with recommendations of how to seek change, the intent of change is to reduce a recurrence of the incident.  We cannot eliminate the possibilities of an incident occurring again, but we can actively manage our actions to reduce the chances.  A safety culture is dependent upon a learning culture and in turn, learning is dependent upon leaderships’ willingness to change.  Recommendations provide a framework of lessons learned and options created by subject matter experts, for how to move forward.  Good leaders see recommendations as a value to the organization as opposed to a judgement of their abilities as a leader.  By not seeing the value and importance in recommendations, and seeking improvement within the organization, leadership sets the stage for a repeat of the incident and fails the culture of safety and improvement. 

By now, you may have figured out what happened in the Delhi anecdote with which we opened. Realizing that the cobra bounty converted the snakes into valuable commodities, entrepreneurial citizens started actively breeding them. Under the new policy, cobras provided a rather stable source of income. In addition, it was much easier to kill captive cobras than to hunt them in the city. So, the snake catchers increasingly abandoned their search for wild cobras and concentrated on their breeding programs. In time, the government became puzzled by the discrepancy between the number of cobras seen around the city and the number of dead cobras being redeemed for bounty payments. They discovered the clandestine breeding sites, and so abandoned the bounty policy. The breeders, now stuck with nests of worthless cobras, simply released them into the city, making the problem even worse than before!

It is true recommendations may not yield the positive changes that were anticipated but it is a process that we must embrace, evaluate, and learn from so that we can continue to seek improvement in our culture. 

Watch this TEDx on Leading Change with Humble Audacity


Time: 9:56

A purple ribbon symbolizing remembrance of those who have passed away.Discussion Questions:

  • What lessons has your crew learned and what changes have you made as a result of those experiences?
  • What lessons have you taken away from an FLA that you didn’t agree with and why?
  • What was the alternative recommendation you implemented and did it result in positive change?

 

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NEW! S-219, Firing Operations (Blended) Now Available

Date: Sept 11, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Fuels Management Committee 

The S-219, Firing Operations (Blended) course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. Developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, this training supports individuals working towards Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB) incident qualifications.

This blended course combines online and instructor-led training to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of the FIRB, as described in the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Firing Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-105.

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 January 2026.

References:

S-219, Firing Operations (Blended)

NWCG Firing Boss, Single Resource Position Page

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

NWCG Committees Observe Suicide Prevention Awareness Week: September 7-13, 2025

Date: Sep 5, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Mental Health Subcommittee

The NWCG Mental Health Subcommittee (MHSC) and Risk Management Committee (RMC) recognize the unique challenges and demands faced by the wildland fire community. The MHSC and RMC know that we are all stronger together and believe in fostering a culture of support, understanding, and resilience.

Suicide Prevention Awareness encourages us to actively connect with and support each other. For more information that could make a difference for yourself or someone else please review the materials and resources provided for the 2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Week.

References:

2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Week Materials and Resources

NEW! Incident Performance and Training Modernization Story Map Now Available

Date: Aug 26, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
National Wildfire Coordinating Group

NWCG is excited to announce the launch of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) Story Map, a new interactive resource that showcases how NWCG is transforming wildland fire training and qualifications through a performance-based system.

Since its launch in 2023, IPTM has made major strides in updating how we manage incident positions:

  • 36 incident positions now have new Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Books available for field use
  • 6 more incident positions are nearing completion
  • 111 total incident positions are being analyzed through the IPTM initiative

The Story Map guides you through the IPTM process, highlights key accomplishments, and outlines what’s ahead. Whether you are a trainer or a trainee, this tool offers valuable insight into the modernization effort shaping the future of wildland fire training and qualifications.

This effort would not be possible without the contributions of NWCG staff, NWCG committees, and hundreds of subject matter experts across the wildland fire community.

References:

IPTM Story Map

Incident Performance and Training Modernization Webpage

NEW! S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended) Available Now

Date: Aug 15, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended) training is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. S-290 (Blended) training combines online training and instructor-led training components that support individuals working towards any Single Resource Boss or Fire Effects Monitor incident qualifications.

This second course in the series collectively serves to develop fire behavior prediction knowledge and skills, and provides more detailed information on fuels, weather, and topography that affect wildland fire behavior for safety purposes.

Students are required to finish the prerequisite S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, before enrolling in S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended).

References:

S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended)

S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

Wildland Fire Learning Portal