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Inattentive Blindness

 

It’s logical to think that you can see when your eyes are open but are you noticing everything in your field of view? Attention plays a crucial role in our ability to see what is happening around us.

Inattentive blindness is a failure to notice unexpected things in a visual field because focus is on something else in that same field of view. This blindness can visually distract us from what else is happening in our environment. Inattentive blindness can cause you to see what you expect, rather than what is actually there.

Inattentive blindness can occur in any setting. Have you ever been so focused on cutting fireline that you failed to see a plane make a retardant drop nearby? Has an unresolved issue at home distracted you from a routine morning task like engine inspections?

The fire environment is full of distractions that require proactive engagement to maintain focus. A core competency of emergency responders is the ability to direct attention on a deliberately chosen target and sustain that attention even when it’s unpleasant.

Noisy chainsaws, helicopters performing bucket operations, dozers clanking around the hillside, and the constant chatter over the radio create distractions within our fire environment. As leaders it’s our responsibility to maintain awareness of our area of operation. The nature of our dynamic environment requires a collective effort of engagement and the repeated actions of situational awareness (SA) and communication.

To increase our odds of processing our environment, we need to empower those around us. Whether you’re the Division Supervisor, Single Resource Boss, Squad Boss, or Firefighter Type 2, foster a healthy command climate that allows for open communication both up and down the chain of command.

Span of control is another tool that helps in the battle of inattentiveness. Being able to delegate tasks helps our mental capacity and provides us with different viewpoints within the fire environment.

Discuss these questions:

  • What situations in your daily work are likely to result in inattentive blindness?
  • What situations on a fire are likely to result in inattentive blindness?
  • How can you prepare for and mitigate this condition?
  • How do you maintain awareness of your own attention?

References:

Category
Leadership

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: January 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) and Incident Performance Training Modernization (IPTM) are also included.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

IPSC Memo 26-01: January 2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Incident Business Committee Memo 26-01: Updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297

Date: January 22, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Business Committee

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) has released Memorandum 26-01: OF 297 and 2026 Fire Use. This memo informs the wildland fire community that the updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297 is available for download and can be ordered through the Great Basin Cache.

Beginning January 15, 2026 the previous version of the OF 297 form has been discontinued.

For further details, please contact your IBC representative.

References:

Incident Business Committee Memorandum 26-01

Great Basin Cache

NEW! S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) Available Now

Date: December 22, 2025
Questions about RT-130? 
Please contact: Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the new S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) training is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal.

This third course in the series combines online and instructor-led training components aimed at individuals who are involved in planning, managing, and executing wildland fire and prescribed burn operations; who require a thorough understanding of fire behavior calculations to enhance effectiveness and safety. This includes students who require the knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of a Type 3 Incident Commander (ICT3), Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS), or Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2).

Students are required to be qualified as any Single Resource Boss position and complete the prerequisite S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire behavior (Blended) course, before enrolling in S-390.

References:

S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended)

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

NEW! S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended) Available Now

Date: December 18, 2025
Questions about RT-130? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended) is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal!

This blended course combines online learning with instructor-led training, designed for individuals seeking to build leadership skills and gain experience in incident management.

Students are required to complete the prerequisite trainings ICS-100, Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS), ICS-200, Basic ICS for Initial Response, and ICS-700, An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) prior to attending S-320.

References:

S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended)

Wildland Fire Learning Portal