Fire Prevention Education Team Subcommittee

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Mission Statement

The Fire Prevention Education Team Subcommittee (FPETSC) provides national leadership in all areas of wildland Fire Prevention Education Team (FPET) management.

Primary Objectives

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Establish and regularly update wildland fire incident position standards for FPET positions. This includes incident position description and position requirements for training, experience, physical fitness, and position currency.
Establish and regularly update training and performance support materials such as job aids, training courses, and position task books for FPET positions.
Develop FPET best practices that ensure timely, accurate and reliable information.
Coordinate with pertinent stakeholders and cooperators to provide all-inclusive messaging, information, assistance and subject matter expertise in fire prevention education team management.
Develop and maintain an inventory of FPET resources and tools.

⇒ Wildland Fire Prevention and Education Teams

Wildland Fire Prevention and Education Teams: How They Can Help in Extreme Situations

When severe wildland fire situations occur as a result of extreme fire weather, wildland fires can cause extensive loss of life, property, and resources. As extreme conditions approach or worsen, wildland fire prevention/education is often overlooked as a possible source of help. Because fire weather conditions are predictable, wildland fire prevention/education teams can be mobilized in advance of fires, when fire danger becomes extreme. Prevention/education teams are available to support any geographic area preceding and during periods of high fire danger or fire activity. The requesting unit may use severity dollars in support of a prevention/education team.

Purpose of Wildland Fire Prevention/Education Teams

Teams assist the local unit in the prevention of unwanted human-caused wildfires. This involves working together to:

Complete fire risk assessments
Determine the severity of the situation
Facilitate community awareness and education in fire prevention including prescribed burning
Coordinate announcement of interagency restrictions and closures
Coordinate fire prevention efforts with the public, special target groups, state and local agencies, and elected officials
Promote public and personal responsibility regarding fire prevention in the wildland/urban interface
Assist Incident Management Teams in accomplishing their objectives in working with the public develop fire protection plans

Mobilization of a team may occur when an unusual event or circumstance warrants or is predicted

Examples:

Severe burning conditions
Unusually high fire occurrence
Majority of firefighting resources committed
Preparedness levels above normal

Benefits of Wildland Fire Prevention Education Teams:

Reduce the loss of human life and property
Reduce resource losses
Reduce the cost of suppression
Improve interagency relations

Organization and Ordering

A team consists of a Team Leader, a Public Affairs Officer, Prevention Specialist(s), and an optional trainee or other team members as the situation dictates (Finance Officer, Logistics Specialist, etc.). Trained interagency personnel can be mobilized through normal dispatch channels to assist in fire prevention/education at any level of an organization. The individuals ordered for prevention/education teams must have the skills required to fill the position for which they have been ordered.

Refer to the National Mobilization Guide, Chapter 20, 22.9.10, Cooperative Fire Prevention/Education Teams, for ordering information.

For More Information See: National Wildland Fire Prevention and Education Teams.

National Fire Prevention Education Teams Oversight and Virtual Teams Concepts, April 2020.

2023 National Fire Prevention Education Team Schedule

This schedule represents the 2023 National Fire Prevention Education Team Rotation. We are working with all agencies and states to ensure that opportunities for interagency participation are provided. Please feel free to contact the Team Leader for more information. View the 2023 schedule.

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Fire Prevention Education Team Digital Library

This digital library is a database of wildland fire prevention and education materials that have been developed by Fire Prevention Education Teams (FPET) and wildland fire prevention professionals. Each item has been reviewed for appropriate content and is approved for use. The files that are in a searchable database are available for use by anyone. The database includes different types of file formats depending on the use and presentation of the final product, e.g. slide show; printable item or sign; other handout; etc. Go the FPET Digital Library at https://www.nwcg.gov/fpetdl/