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January 18

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NWCG Executive Board

Meeting Minutes – 18 January 2017

 

Participants

Participants name followed by agency

 

 

NWCG
Participants

 

Executive Board:  Dalan Romero, vice-Chair (BIA), John Glenn, Chair (BLM), Shane McDonald (FWS), Will May (IAFC), Mark Koontz (NPS), Aitor Bidaburu (USFA), Frank Guzman (USFS), Tim Sexton (RD&A).  Not Present: Jim Erickson (ITC), Rod Bloms (DOI OWF Liaison), Dan Smith (NASF).

 

NWCG Staff: Krysta Shultz (Executive Secretary), Sean Cross (NWCG Program Manager), Tim Blake (Branch Coordinator), Paul Schlobohm (NWCG FMB Liaison), Deb Fleming (Branch Coordinator), Josh Haney(Acting Trn. Dev Pgm Manager), Jesse Bender (Publications Manager), Nancie Turner (Website Manager).

 

 

Other
Participants

N/A

 

Meeting handouts are available upon request via email at blm_fa_nwcg_executive_secretary@blm.gov

 

Item

Topic

Presenter

Action Taken

1

Welcome, Agenda Review

Paul Schlobohm

N/A

2

Update: Aviation Strategy Tasking

Tim Blake

Mike Pietz, Chair, Interagency Aviation Strategic Plan Subcommittee (IASPS) will deliver a draft strategy to the National Interagency Aviation Committee (NIAC) at the end of Feb 2017.  NWCG can anticipate a review by April 2017.

3

Update on NIAC’s Review of the 2010 NASF Coop Aviation Standards

Tim Blake

Review and discussion of the beginning stages of NIAC’s effort to re-engage and re-initiate the effort to update the 2010 NASF Coop Standards.

4

Annual Meeting Update

Paul Schlobohm

Sean Cross

Board reviewed a final draft of the Annual Meeting agenda and was given a brief update of anticipated activities and topics to be presented.

5

Staffing Update

Josh Haney

Sean Cross

The following NWCG Staff Position(s) have been filled:

  1. Publications Manager (Jesse Bender)
  2. Website Manager (Nancie Turner)
  3. Training Development Pgm Manager (Josh Haney – acting)

Multiple NWCG Training Development Program positions are open and in various stages of the HR process.

6

WFIT SOPs Update

Paul Schlobohm

Board members briefed on the structure of the WFIT SOP which included:

  1. Governing Principles:  Includes leaders’ intent with appropriate signatures. Designed to enable procedural guides to be nimble.
  2. Investment Decision SOP provides NWCG guidance relative to other WFIT stakeholders.

7

NWCG Support to WFIT

  1. Approval of new committee Primary Objectives to establish and revise capabilities related to information and technology
  2. Review draft NWCG Guidance to Committees in support of WFIT
  3. Review draft templates to support committee deliverables and NWCG upward reporting to FMB

Paul Schlobohm

Review and discussion of the proposal to add IT expectations to committee objective statements.  Expectations may not be the same for all.

8

USAID/OFDA Disaster Assistance Support Program – NWCG Detail Request

Sean Cross

Approved.  Will work in coordination with Chris Knobel (USAID/OFDA) to coordinate the specifics of the detail.

9

FEMA/AHIMTA Update

Deb Fleming

National Qualification System (NQS) and NIMS Refresh are on hold as a result of administration staffing changes.

10

Lightning Round

All

Mike Cherry replaced Jason Steinmetz as Chair, NIMS Integration Committee (NIMSIC)

 

Pat McDowell replaced Fred Turck as Chair, Communication, Education & Prevention Committee (CEPC)

 

Kristina Randall replaced Jim Engel as Chair, Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee (WUIMC)

 

Frankie Romero replaced Kim VanHemelryck as Chair, Fuels Management Committee (FMC)

 

Mike Ward replaced Darryl Jones as Chair, Fire Use Subcommittee (FUSC)

 

Date
Participants

<p>
<strong>Executive Board: &nbsp;</strong>Dalan Romero, vice-Chair (BIA), John Glenn, Chair (BLM), Shane McDonald (FWS), Will May (IAFC), Mark Koontz (NPS), Aitor Bidaburu (USFA), Frank Guzman (USFS), Tim Sexton (RD&amp;A).&nbsp; Not Present: Jim Erickson (ITC), Rod Bloms (DOI OWF Liaison), Dan Smith (NASF).</p>

<p>
&nbsp;</p>

<p>
<strong>NWCG Staff: </strong>Krysta Shultz (Executive Secretary), Sean Cross (NWCG Program Manager), Tim Blake (Branch Coordinator), Paul Schlobohm (NWCG FMB Liaison), Deb Fleming (Branch Coordinator), Josh Haney(Acting Trn. Dev Pgm Manager), Jesse Bender (Publications Manager), Nancie Turner (Website Manager).</p>

Other Participants

<p>
N/A</p>

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2025 Paul Gleason Award Winners Announced

Date:  August 13, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Development Subcommittee

The NWCG Qualifications Management Committee (QMC) and Leadership Development Subcommittee (LDSC) are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Paul Gleason "Lead By Example" awards. Award categories include Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision.

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Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics and Equipment Management Committee (LMC) issued Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels, reminding the wildland fire community that aquatic mussels continue to be a problem. Mussels rapidly colonize hard and soft surfaces, including aquatic plants and fire equipment, clogging pipes, fouling motors, disrupting water systems, and impacting native species.

To help prevent their spread, fire personnel must follow the decontamination procedures outlined in the NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444. Additionally, report any sightings immediately to your Lead Resource Advisor and include clear, close-up photos (with a pen or your hand for size reference) and location details.”

Read the complete LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001, to learn more. 

References:

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Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Task Book Update

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Questions? 
Please contact: Tree Felling Subcommittee

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If you are currently working out of a previously published version of the FAL2 PTB, you do not need to restart. However, OMC highly encourages you to take the following step to prevent any confusion in the field:

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References:

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Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Date:  July 10, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics/Equipment Management Committee (LMC) has released Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups. This advisory highlights multiple U.S. Forest Service regions reporting front driveline joint failure incidents.

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