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Public Information Officer Type 1*

PIO1 decorative banner: photos depicting PIO1 position. PIO1 position description: The Public Information Officer (PIO1), a member of the Command Staff, is responsible for the formulation and release of information about the incident to the news media, local communities, incident personnel, other appropriate agencies and organizations, and for the management of all Public Information Officers assigned to the incident.

The Public Information Officer Type 1 (PIO1) participates in the collection and dissemination of incident information and may be the first public point of contact. They may be assigned to information center operations, community engagement, media relations, or other branches. The PIO1 supervises the public information function of an Incident Management Team (IMT) and may support a branch of a Type 1 or Type 2 IMT. The PIO1 may report to the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Agency Administrator (AA), or Incident Commander (IC). The PIO1 works in the Command functional area.

The PIO1 performs position duties commensurate with Type 1 incident complexity and characteristics stated in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book).

USWDS Paragraphs

Incident Commander (ICT5)Safety Officer (SOFC)Safety Officer (SOF3)Liaison Officer (LOFR)Incident Commander (ICT4)Incident Commander (ICT3)Incident Commander (ICT2)Incident Commander (ICT1)Safety Officer (SOF2)Public Information Officer (PIO1)Public Information Officer (PIO2)Public Information Officer (PIO3)Agency Representative (AREP)Public Information Officer, Technician (PIOT)Incident Commander (ICCI)Safety Officer (SOF1)Public Information Officer (PIOC)Safety Officer (SOFF)

 

 

 

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to States under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, visit Incident Business Committee.

Date: Jan 2025

Removed:

Required Training

  • RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)
  • S-520, Advanced Incident Management OR Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC)

Required Experience

  • Satisfactory performance as a Public Information Officer Type 2 (PIO2)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Public Information Officer Type 1 (PIO1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-06

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Operations Section Chief Type 1 (OSC1)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Public Information Officer Type 1 (PIO1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-06*

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Logistics Section Chief Type 1 (LSC1)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Public Information Officer Type 1 (PIO1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-06*

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Safety Officer Type 1 (SOF1)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Public Information Officer Type 1 (PIO1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-06*

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Planning Section Chief Type 1 (PSC1)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Public Information Officer Type 1 (PIO1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-06*

*Individuals utilizing this pathway must complete the Public Information Officer Course (E/L952) prior to position qualification.

Added:

The qualification pathway for this position is discontinued per NWCG direction on January, 2025. Responders with an active PTB will transition to the corresponding complex position PTB.

Date: May 2022

Added: Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For PIO1" and "PIO1 Maintains Currency For These Positions." 

Date: Dec 2021

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Date: Oct 2021

Added: to "Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills."

Date: Oct 2018

Added: “Individuals utilizing this pathway must complete the Public Information Officer Course (E/L952) prior to position qualification.”

Date: Oct 2015

Added: Bridging experience pathways for qualified OSC1, LSC1, and PSC1 to move into the PIO1 position.

Date: Jun 2011

Added: Annual Fireline Safety Refresher (RT-130) as Required Training.

Date: Jan 2006

Position created. Replaced IOF1.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Primary Committee: Communication Education and Prevention Committee
Steward: Public Information Officer Subcommittee
Key Stakeholder(s): Incident Command Subcommittee


Last Modified / Reviewed:

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NWCG Latest Announcements

ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 New Guidance on Laundering Wildland Fire Clothing to Reduce Contamination

Date: Aug 8, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee
 Risk Management Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) and the Risk Management Committee (RMC) have issued Safety Bulletin 25-001: Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing. Recent research revealed that wildland fire flame-resistant pants and shirts can be contaminated with chemicals from combustion byproducts, including carcinogens, and that common laundering practices can effectively remove these harmful contaminants from wildland firefighter clothing more effectively than previously understood. It is recommended to decontaminate wildland fire clothing as frequently as possible. 

Frequently Asked Questions about this new information and how to implement recommendations can be found on the NWCG Alerts page. Read the complete ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Safety Bulletin: 25-001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing

Equipment Technology Committee

Risk Management Committee

FAQ Now Available for Archiving Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Positions

Date: Aug 6, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Incident and Position Standards Committee

To support the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), NWCG will archive all Type 1 and Type 2 Command and General Staff (C&G) position qualifications in January 2026, as outlined in NWCG Executive Board Memo 25-002. To assist with this transition, a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is now available.

This resource answers common questions about the status of Type 1 and Type 2 qualifications, impacts to incident qualification management, training requirements, and resource ordering considerations. Review the full FAQ to learn more.

For additional information on CIM and the transition of C&G positions, see NWCG Executive Board Memos 23-005, 24-005, and 25-002, as well as the Incident Workforce and Development Group webpage.

References:

NWCG Type 1 & Type 2 Position Archiving FAQ

NWCG Executive Board Correspondence

Incident Workforce Development Group

Incident and Position Standards Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for UASD, UASM, UASL and UASP

Date: July 31, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for all four Unmanned Aircraft Systems positions:

  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Data Specialist (UASD)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Manager (UASM)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader (UASL)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot (UASP)

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were 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 January 2026.

References:

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Data Specialist Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Manager Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot Position Page

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for RADO and INCM

Date: July 30, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Incident Logistics Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for Radio Operator (RADO) and Incident Communications Center Manager (INCM).

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were 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 January 2026.

References:

NWCG Radio Operator Position Page

NWCG Incident Communications Center Manager Position Page