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Week of Remembrance

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2016 WOR: Leadership and Human Performance

Ribbon symbol for survivor next to the Wildland Fire Leadership logoWeek of Remembrance June 30-July 6, 2016

Recent research in the wildland fire community has shown that the most highly regarded, highest performing, and safest leaders are those who are more mindful of themselves, others, and the environment (Waldron & Ebbeck, 2015). Leadership begins by knowing and leading oneself, followed by leading others. Like a compass guiding the direction through changing terrain, knowing and being mindful of one’s deepest motives and desires (values) as a leader can serve as an internal guide to leading the self and others through the easiest and most difficult situations. By exploring, identifying and being aware (or mindful) of your deepest motives for how you want to behave and act as a person and leader on an ongoing basis will enable you to lead yourself and others most effectively.

Below is an exercise to identify and reflect on important values as a leader. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers.

  • Take a few minutes and note five values that best complete the sentence for you personally.

Then

  • Take a few minutes and discuss as a crew or with other coworkers - what values are most important for a leader of your crew/group to have? Why?

Complete the following sentence: " _________________ is a ‘cornerstone’ in my approach to leadership."
 

(Exercise Modified fromTom Siebold)

ADVENTURE

ASSERTIVENESS

AUTHENTICITY

CHALLENGE

COMFORT

CONFORMITY

CONNECTION

CONTROL

COOPERATION

COMPASSION

CREATIVITY

CURIOSITY

DIRECTNESS

EQUALITY

EXPERTNESS

FAIRNESS

FITNESS

FLEXIBILITY

FREEDOM

GRATITUDE

HAPPINESS

HARD WORK

HARMONY HELPFULNESS

HONESTY

HUMILITY

HUMOR

INVOLVEMENT

ORDER

INDEPENDENCE

INTEGRITY

KINDNESS

 LOYALTY

MINDFULNESS

MORALITY/ETHICS

OPEN-MINDEDNESS

PATIENCE

PERSISTENCE 

POWER

PREDICTABILITY

RESPONSIBILITY

RESPONSIVENESS

RECOGNITION SECURITY

SELF-AWARENESS

SELF-CARE

SELF-DEVELOPMENT SELF-RESPECT

SKILLFULNESS

SUPPORTIVENESS

TRADITION

TRUST

VARIETY

WISDOM

OTHER VALUES:

_______________

_______________

 

graphic of mountains with mile markers of physical capacity in various locations.

The topics for the NWCG “Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance” have been drawn from the Human Performance Optimization course taught as a part of the USFS Apprentice Academy in cooperation with the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) and is rooted in the desire to prepare wildland fire personnel to optimally manage themselves and others at any given time. Review and resources have been contributed by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, NIFC External Affairs, the Wildland Fire annual refresher group, and the Wildland Fire Leadership Subcommittee.

References:

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Week of Remembrance

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Date:  July 9, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG Staff

NWCG is excited to announce the publication of the NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900.

The new publication establishes general, consistent, and uniform standards for conducting business with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

References:

NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900

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Date:  July 8, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Development Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that Fourth Quarter 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 Four materials focus on Leadership Level 4: Leader of Leaders (Provide Direction). Leadership Level 4 is where you are setting the conditions for others to do things well, even when you are not present. This quarter focuses on equipping experienced leaders with skills to provide direction, build trust across teams, and foster strong decision making. 

References:

2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

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2026 Week of Remembrance

Date:  June 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee

As we approach the 2026 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30–July 6, we dedicate this time to reflect on past incidents from 2016 and honor the fallen through learning. Since its inception in 2014, WOR has honored wildland firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while encouraging critical discussions that reinforce lessons learned.

Throughout the week, we encourage thoughtful and generative conversations that promote a culture of continuous learning and safety.

References:

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RMC Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNetX Launch

Date:  June 25, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) is pleased to announce the launch of SafeNetX, the modernized safety reporting system now available to the wildland fire community. Effective June 15, 2026, SafeNetX enables reporting of unsafe, unhealthy, near-miss, and high-risk operations across wildland fire, all-hazard incidents, training, and related work environments.

SafeNetX is the result of a multi-agency modernization effort led by RMC, which began evaluating improvements to the legacy SAFENET system in 2021. To learn more, read the full RMC memorandum in the links provided.

References:

SafeNetX

RMC Safety Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNet X Launch