June 11

National Wildfire Coordinating Group Monthly Meeting Minutes 11 June 2014 No. Topic Pg# 1 Agenda Review and May Minutes Approval 3 2 Proposed 2015 NWCG Budget 3 3 Progress of Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Update 3-4 4 20th Anniversary of South Canyon Update 4 5 Approval – 2013 Annual Report 4 6 Approval – NWCG Operating Principles & Guidelines (PMS 900) 4-5 7 National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Update 5 8 NWCG Support to the Cohesive Strategy 5 9 Interior Fire Executive Council (IFEC) Meeting Summary and Emerging Issues 5 10 Executive Board Liaison Review 5-6 11 Evolving Incident Management (EIM) Approval of Key Decision Log 6 12 Bin Item: Coordination with the Fire Management Board (FMB) 6 13 Bin Item: Master Co-Op Agreement Task Group 6 Note: Meeting minutes mirror topics listed but not necessarily the order in which they were discussed. Meeting handouts are available upon request via email at blm_fa_nwcg_executive_secretary@blm.gov   Meeting Location: The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho (0800 a.m. start) Executive Board Members Attending Aitor Bidaburu, U.S. Fire Administration Dan Smith (Chair), National Association of State Foresters Frank Guzman, U.S. Forest Service John Segar, Fish and Wildlife Service Lyle Carlile, Bureau of Indian Affairs (via phone) Bob Roberts, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Acting for Lyle Carlile Mark Koontz, National Park Service Sean Cross (Vice-Chair), Bureau of Land Management Will May, International Association of Fire Chiefs (via phone EIM) PMU Attending Deb Fleming, Training Branch Manager Krysta Shultz, Administrative Assistant (via phone) Paul Schlobohm, NWCG Manager (Acting) Tim Blake, Preparedness Branch Coordinator (via phone) Others Attending Topic 4 Mike Ferris, USFS Public Affairs Topic 11 Evans Kuo, EIM Project Lead   (1) Agenda Review and May Minutes Approval Paul Schlobohm Handouts Draft of 14 May 2014 Meeting Minutes Discussion 1. A brief overview of the agenda. Executive Board approved the contents of the May 2014 meeting minutes with minor edits. (2) Proposed 2015 NWCG Budget Paul Schlobohm Handouts FY 15 NWCG Budget Agenda Request FY 15 NWCG Budget Briefing Paper FY 15 NWCG IT Projects FY 15 NWCG IT Projects – Historical Funding Draft Letter to FMB - NWCG IT Project Proposals FY15 NWCG Proposed Projects Historical NWCG Project Funding FY09 to FY14 NWCG FY Draft Agency Budget Contributions and Allocations Discussion 1. NWCG PMU and subgroups submitted 30 projects for funding. The PMU brought forward additional budget line items including NWCG Staff Support, NASF Travel Funds and BAU Contingency Funds. All 33 budget line items were reviewed by the PMU Manager and branch coordinators. a. Information Technology Projects: Eight (8) projects identified as IT and assessed by the WFIT Program Board as being IT related. These will be recommended to the Fire Management Board (FMB) for implementation. b. Draft letter to the FMB was approved with minor edits. c. Non-Information Technology Projects: Nineteen (19) projects proposed fully funded, Two (2) partially funded, and Four (4) projects not funded. 2. Total proposed funding for FY15 is $1,349,000. 3. Executive Board accepted the proposed FY15 NWCG Budget as presented. (3) Progress of Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Update Deb Fleming Handouts Update on Progress with EMI Agenda Request Discussion 1. A review of the meeting held 14 May 2014 with Ed Smith, EMI Acting Deputy Supervisor, was discussed. Highlights include: a. EMI has agreed, in concept, with NWCG’s proposal to develop a dual path based on experience (PTB completion) versus training the trainer courses. b. Memoranda written between NWCG and EMI have received no movement with the EMI solicitors. Discussion of the possibility to create an MOU using verbiage from the memorandums to solidify the relationship between NWCG and EMI. Utilize the same process that was used to create a MOU between the National Fire Academy (NFA) and the federal agencies. c. NFA is no longer allowed (as per their solicitor) to take NWCG money and use it to help fund user licenses through their current agreement. As such, NFA has proceeded independently to fund their own. d. NWCG is currently working through the BLM to establish an agreement through OPM directly to the vendor to help fund user licenses. (4) 20th Anniversary of South Canyon Update Dan Smith and Paul Schlobohm Handouts South Canyon Commemoration Agenda Request Discussion 1. Review of the South Canyon memorandum titled “A Week to Remember, Reflect and Learn” that was released Friday 6 June 2014. Individual agencies are encouraged to independently participate in commemorative activities. 2. Further correspondence may include talking points that are being developed by Jennifer Jones (USFS Public Affairs). (5) Approval – 2013 Annual Report Paul Schlobohm Handouts Annual Report Agenda Request 2013 Annual Report Discussion 1. A brief review of the 2013 Annual Report which focused on standards, including brief accomplishments from each committee and the EIM project. Executive Board approved the contents of the 2013 Annual Report with minor edits. Action Item 1. Engage in exploring different possibilities and options for change in format and content of the NWCG Annual Report. (Sean Cross, October 2014). (6) Approval – NWCG Operating Principles & Guidelines (PMS 900) Paul Schlobohm Handouts PMS 900 Agenda Request PMS 900 Publication Discussion 1. A brief review of the NWCG Operating Principles & Guidelines (PMS 900). Significant changes to current version include: a. Format change b. Addition of current purpose and related statements from the 2013 Charter. c. Addition of a section describing the core business of standards developed. d. Deletion of index, previous change details, and overly prescriptive guidance throughout document. e. Addition of relevant associated SOPs and checklists, previously located elsewhere; deletion of remainder. f. Revision of content related to Information Technology to reflect NWCG’s current role. 2. Executive Board approved the contents of the NWCG Operating Principles & Guidelines (PMS 900) with minor edits. (7) National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Fire Committee Update and Evolving Incident Management (EIM) Update Dan Smith Handouts N/A Discussion 1. Arizona State Forestry accepted NWCG’s response for assistance in reviewing the current status of operational practices for resource tracking, communications, and access to real time weather (i.e. Incident Support Technology Tasking). 2. Arizona State Forestry is not asking for assistance in a Phase 2 approach to the technology tasking at this time. 3. Executive Board agreed to post Yarnell deliverables to the NWCG Website. Action Item 1. Prepare the Yarnell deliverables (3) for posting to the NWCG Website. (Paul Schlobohm, Krysta Shultz and Tammy Denney, June 20, 2014). (8) Support to the Cohesive Strategy Dan Smith Handouts NWCG Support for Implementation of Cohesive Strategy Agenda Request Discussion 1. The National Strategy Report and National Action Plan have been completed, approved and are available. A national steering committee is seeking input and developing recommendations for implementation of the Cohesive Strategy including organization structure and will provide recommendations to WLFC in July 2014. 2. NWCG represented at appropriate levels for support and information sharing relevant to the Cohesive Strategy implementation. Dan will confer with the Cohesive Strategy leadership and report back on how best to represent NWCG. (9) IFEC Meeting Summary and Emerging Issues John Segar Handouts N/A Discussion 1. Focus on working out budgetary concerns. 2. Federal Fire Policy Council (FFPC) approved the Serious Accident Investigation (SAI) Package at their meeting 2 June 2014. 3. A draft of the Quadrennial Fire Review (QFR) is expected mid-summer. The report card on previous editions is now available. 10) Executive Board Liaison Review Paul Schlobohm Handouts Executive Board Liaison Review Agenda Request Discussion 1. Review of the NWCG Liaison Positions. Changes include: a. Fire Management Board Liaison – John Segar, FWS b. Preparedness Branch – John Glenn, BLM c. Training Branch – John Glenn, BLM d. WFEC – Drop e. EIM – Frank Guzman, USFS 2. John Glenn will be replacing Sean Cross as the BLM Executive Board representative. (11) EIM Approval of Key Decision Log Evans Kuo Handouts EIM Key Decision Log – May 2014 Discussion 1. The Executive Board reviewed the May 2014 edition of the EIM Key Decision Log and approved contents for general distribution. (12) Bin Item: Coordination with the Fire Management Board (FMB) Dan Smith Handouts N/A Discussion 1. On Friday 13 June 2014, Dan Smith, Sean Cross and Paul Schlobohm will meet with Bill Kaage, Chair, Fire Management Board (FMB) to discuss coordination, staff support, and EIM. (13) Bin Item: Master Co-Op Agreement Task Group Dan Smith Handouts N/A Discussion 1. Work continues on the Master Co-Op Agreement by a task group lead by Tim Melchert (USFS).