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Week of Remembrance

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2015 WOR: Margin – A Trigger for Sensemaking

Ribbon symbol for WOR next to Wildland Fire Lessons Learned logo.Week of Remembrance June 30-July 6, 2015

“We are in a universe from which we cannot exclude risk, uncertainty, and disorder.  We have to live and deal with disorder.” – Morin, 2008

Our environment is complex and dynamic, realistically this means there are a lot of conditions to pay attention to and those conditions are constantly changing.  Conditions like RH, crew dynamics, blood sugar, where you are, where the fire is, budgets…you get the idea.  The tricky part is that risk changes as conditions change, but all those conditions change at different rates and mean different things depending on the context.  An RH that moves from 45-40 is different than one that moves from 20-15.  A fire that moves a half-mile in an hour, but is 10 miles from your position is different from one that does the same and is a half-mile from you.  Traditionally this is the role of trigger points.  Set a trigger point and when the indicator reaches the preset value, reassess or take some preset action.  Trigger points are intended to move us out of “autopilot” and into a more deliberate way of thinking.


What about the stuff that can’t be predicted or measured? In our complex environment, it is often the interaction of multiple, seeming unrelated, conditions that align and affect risk.  This is the gap that margin was developed to fill.

Line art of a man in a hard hat holding a radio while looking at an object above and sweating. Butterflies float on his stomach.
“It gives language to that uneasy feeling when the environment is changing, but you can’t quite put your finger on exactly what is changing.”
  • Take a moment to share a short story (remember this is 6 Minutes for Safety, not 60 Minutes for Safety) about a time when lots of seemingly unrelated things were aligning to increase risk.
    1. Could you assign trigger points to all these conditions, and even if you could would it be helpful to set so many?
    2. How does it change if we use a change in margin as a trigger point for reassessment and deliberate thinking? 

We are not suggesting that we do away with traditional trigger points; rather we suggest it is important to think of, and talk about, the environment as a whole.   By giving “language to that uneasy feeling,” margin provides a way of thinking and talking about all the thousands of conditions that exist and interact in our environment without having to name each one.  In this way, a change in margin can itself be a trigger point for reassessment and deliberate sensemaking.

 

The “Take 5@2” safety messages are a cooperative project of 6 Minutes for Safety, the Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR), NIFC External Affairs, the NWCG Leadership Committee, the NWCG Risk Management Committee, and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center.

References:

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NEW! S-212, Intermediate Faller (Online) Course Available Now 

Date:  April 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S‑212, Intermediate Faller (Online), course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). This second course in the series provides students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of an Intermediate Faller (FAL2), as described in the FAL2 Incident Position Description. This course is intended for individuals seeking to advance from Basic Faller (FAL3) to FAL2.

S‑212, Intermediate Faller is a fully online, self‑paced training program consisting of 13 units. Learners will engage with interactive, scenario‑based content designed to progressively build foundational skills and knowledge essential for the FAL2 role.

Students must be qualified as a Basic Faller (FAL3) prior to enrolling in S‑212, Intermediate Faller course.

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 2027.

References:

S-212 Intermediate Faller (Online)

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

New Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

Date:  April 17, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: National Coordination System Committee

A new publication from the National Coordination System Committee (NCSC) is now available. The NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249, will be used for aviation crews and dispatch to share flight information that is needed for resource tracking, and if needed, for emergency procedures.

For further details, please contact your NCSC representative. 

References:

NCSC Memo 26-01: Implementation of NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

New Glossary Term for Review

Date:  April 15, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Data Standards and Terminology Board (DSTB)

The Data Standards and Terminology Board is requesting feedback on a new glossary term: Resource Protection Measure (RPM).

The proposed definition is: Practical guidance provided for incident personnel in a manner in which incident objectives can be achieved while reducing impacts to identified resources across the landscape. RPMs are informed by, but not restricted to, Minimum Impact Strategies and Tactics (MIST).

Please review, share with your subgroups, and provide feedback as appropriate through the following form: Request Feedback The comment period will close May 10, 2026.

Thank you for your engagement in the NWCG glossary process – your participation is key to our success.

References:

Glossary Request Feedback

Quarter Three Materials for the 2025-2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign Now Available

Date:  April 1, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that Quarter Three materials for the 2025/2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign are now available. This annual initiative offers all students of leadership and wildland fire management an opportunity to engage with essential leadership skills and knowledge needed to lead effectively in dynamic environments.

Quarter Three materials focus on Leadership Level 3: Leader of People (Develop Intent). Leadership Level 3 is where your values, your team, and your influence come together. Leaders of People put their teams first, build trust, and lead with authenticity. They mentor future leaders and shape decisions up and down the chain.

References:

2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Leadership Committee