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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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NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

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 release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee

Make an Impact: Serve the Wildland Fire Community as an IPTM SME!

Date:  June 11, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG SME Specialist

Note: Positions with an * will last approximately 6 months.
Positions with ** will last 12 - 18 months.

NWCG is seeking experienced wildland firefighters and support personnel to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) initiative. IPTM aims to transition NWCG’s training and qualification system to a performance-based model by updating position descriptions, Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Books (Next Gen PTBs), and training where needed.

NWCG is currently recruiting SMEs for the Fall 2026 positions listed below:

  • Equipment Manager (EQPM)*
  • Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT)**
  • Mixmaster (MXMS)*
  • Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC)*
  • Retardant Crewmember (RTCM)*
  • Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR)*
  • Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN)*
  • Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ)*
  • Task Force Leader (TFLD)**
  • Wildland Fire Investigator (INVF)** 

Projects begin October 2026. Sign up by July 10, 2026, at the link below and review the attached document for additional details. 

References:

NWCG SME Interest Sign-up

IPTM Subject Matter Expert Duties and Expectations Document

Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM)

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

Date:  May 28, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has issued Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters. Research from 2016 to 2025 shows that 88 cases of rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) were reported. Analysis of reports from eSafety, the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC) indicates that rhabdo is common during this time of year due to Work Capacity Tests and contributing factors such as weather, hydration, nutrition, and medication or supplement use.

RMC issued this safety bulletin to raise awareness in the Wildland Fire Community, and to provide research findings and educational resources that support reducing future cases of rhabdo.

References:

NWCG Alerts

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters