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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Term Steward Status Definition
outside aid FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved Firefighting assistance given to adjacent areas and nearby communities by contract or other agreement that covers conditions and payment for assistance rendered and services performed. Contrasted to mutual aid, in which neighboring firefighting organizations assist each other without charge. 
Outside Diameter (OD) ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved External diameter of a cylinder or tube, conductor, or coupling as distinguished from the internal diameter.
Over The Counter (OTC) medications EMSC Emergency Medical Subcommittee Approved Drugs that can be purchased without a prescription.
overdue aircraft ARMS Aviation Risk Management Subcommittee Approved An aircraft is considered “overdue” when it fails to arrive within 30 minutes past the estimated time of arrival (ETA) and cannot be located.
overhaul FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved Fire department procedure of inspecting premises after extinguishment of fire, to insure that fire is completely out and unable to rekindle before returning control to owner or occupants.
overhead QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Archived Personnel assigned to supervisory positions, including incident commander, command staff, general staff, branch directors, supervisors, unit leaders, managers and staff.
overload (operational) IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved A situation that taxes an operational system to the limit of its functional capabilities. Such as too many fires for an individual unit to handle (fire overload), or too many orders for an individual dispatch center to process (dispatch overload).
overload (vehicle) ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved Gross vehicle weight (GVW) in excess of the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) specified by the chassis manufacturer. Also an excess of weight over the gross vehicle axle weight rating (GAWR) specified by the chassis manufacture.
overwintering fire FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved A fire that persists through the winter months until the beginning of fire season.
owner organization IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The agency or company to be reimbursed for providing a resource to an incident.
owner vendor FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved A party that provides a contract resource for an incident.
oxidation FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved Process during which oxygen combines with another substance.
oxidizer FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved The portion of a chemical mixture or compound which furnishes oxygen for burning a fuel or propellant, creating an oxide.
pace PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved A pace is defined as the average length of two natural steps (a count is made each time the same foot touches the ground).
pack test SRC Safety/Risk Management Committee Approved Used to determine the aerobic capacity of fire suppression support personnel and assign physical fitness scores. The test consists of walking a specified distance, with or without a weighted pack, in a predetermined period of time, with altitude corrections. 
packing ratio PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee, FESC Fire Environment Subcommittee Approved The fraction of a fuel bed occupied by fuels, or the fuel volume divided by bed volume.
panoramic photograph GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Photographs from a lookout point, bearing azimuth and vertical angle scales, to assist in locating fires with a firefinder.
paracargo AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Anything intentionally dropped, or intended for dropping, from any aircraft by parachute, by other retarding devices, or by free fall.
parallel attack IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Method of fire suppression in which fireline is constructed approximately parallel to, and just far enough from the fire edge to enable workers and equipment to work effectively, though the fireline may be shortened by cutting across unburned fingers. The intervening strip of unburned fuel is normally burned out as the control line proceeds but may be allowed to burn out unassisted where this occurs without undue delay or threat to the fireline. 
parallel lane technique FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved A search technique dividing the specific origin area into lanes that are parallel to the advancing fire progression for the purpose of a systematic examination.
parallel pumping ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved Procedure by which the flow from two fire pumps is combined into one hose line.
parallel tandem pumping ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved Procedure by which the flow from two fire pumps is combined into a third pump.
paramedic EMSC Emergency Medical Subcommittee Approved An EMS professional who provides basic and advanced life support skills and interventions for patients within the EMS system.
parameter IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived A variable which can be measured quantitatively; sometimes, an arbitrary constant; associated with populations. One of the unknown values that determine a model.
paroxysmal EMSC Emergency Medical Subcommittee Approved Of, relating to or marked by paroxysms (the hypertension may be either sustained or paroxysmal).
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