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Operations Section Chief Type 2 - TEST

OSC2 decorative banner: photos depicting OSC2 position. OSC2 Position Description: The Operations Section Chief (OSC2), a member of the General Staff, is responsible for managing all operations directly applicable to the primary mission.

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OSC2 Incident Position Description

The Operations Section Chief Type 2 (OSC2) manages incident operations through the operations section, establishing and directing branches, divisions, groups, and units as necessary to support operations. The OSC2 leads the development and execution of the tactical assignments documented in the Incident Action Plan (IAP). The OSC2 reports to the Incident Commander (IC) and works in the Operations functional area.

The OSC2 performs position duties commensurate with Type 2 incident complexity and characteristics stated in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book). (OSC2 and OSC1 duties are identical but are performed at different complexity levels.)

Leadership Level

NWCG defines leadership values and principles for the wildland fire community. This position has been identified as a Level 4, Leader of Leaders (Provide Direction).

The distance between the leader and the led increases the challenges of leading. Subordinate leaders frequently work in other locations, so face-to-face communication is not always possible.

As a result, the circumstances for building trust are more complex; even so, the trust must withstand the pressures of time and distance, enabling leaders to confidently communicate intent and delegate responsibility. These leaders act as the conduit between the organization and the people on the ground, interpreting the vision into mission and translating abstract ideas so subordinate leaders can take definitive action.

Description

  • Function as a mid- to senior-level organizational leader.
  • Utilize leadership tools to provide strategic direction and influence others to achieve organizational goals.
  • Develop personal leadership skills and command presence to increase effectiveness within the organization.
  • Fulfill the responsibilities of an effective team member and contribute effectively to upper management decisions.
  • Perform as an effective organizational leader within one’s functional area.
  • Communicate the needs of subordinates up the chain of command.

Behaviors

  • Demonstrates expertise in job skills to advise senior leaders and to coach and mentor junior leaders.
  • Provides direction in situations with significant consequence to ensure mission accomplishment and reduce organizational risk.
  • Propagates creativity and innovation to ensure organizational efficiency and relevance and to increase team member engagement.
  • Propagates consistent leader's intent and supports upper management decisions to minimize internal and external friction and ensure alignment with broader efforts.
  • Demonstrates a commitment to continuing education and self-development to ensure personal and organizational growth and positive change.
  • Utilizes appropriate strategies to motivate the team to accomplish organizational goals.
  • Effectively delegates workload to develop future leaders and increase organizational work capacity.
  • Influences team and organizational change to ensure continual performance improvement.
  • Demonstrates the ability to use planning tools and leadership doctrine to produce an action plan to meet organizational goals.
  • Demonstrates emotional intelligence during interactions with team members and external stakeholders to build trust and influence team and organizational outcomes.
  • Demonstrates moral courage in difficult situations to build team trust and enhance personal character.
  • Demonstrates the ability to focus on team success over personal success in the service of the common good.
  • Applies doctrine and values within the team decision-making process.
  • Shares pertinent information to all team members to facilitate a shared understanding of salient components and maintain a common operating picture.
  • Demonstrates ability to use a variety of communication methods, including listening and questioning, to identify gaps in understanding or risks to the operation.
  • Demonstrates ability to provide meaningful self-assessment, team member assessments, and an overall team assessment to improve performance and strengthen team ethos.
  • Applies knowledge of styles and methods to defuse conflict in a high-stress environment.
  • Demonstrates adaptability and versatility in complex environments.
  • Demonstrates ability to accomplish mission while effectively managing team's timelines.
  • Uses vision to create a foundation for organizational success and forward thinking.
  • Promotes and propagates positive team climate and organizational culture.
  • Utilizes reward and recognition to motivate team.
  • Applies and adapts mentoring and coaching techniques.
  • Demonstrates ability to contextualize outputs from the risk management process to assess, modify, and implement organizational strategies.
  • Fosters organizational opportunities for team and individual growth and development.

Knowledge

  • Perform a critical assessment of personal staff ethos and how personal core values can guide decision-making.
  • Propagate command staff values, culture, and climate throughout team and organization.
  • Define the difference between vision and intent.
  • Understand various techniques to deal with conflicting stakeholder goals and interests.
  • Understand the responsibility that comes with position power.
  • Understand how stress physiology and psychology affect team health and performance.
  • Define how to build organizational resilience.
  • Understand the spectrum of firefighter health and well-being.
  • Exercise conflict resolution in a high-stress environment.
  • Identify inefficient personal habits that work against the team.
  • Understand situational awareness at the organizational level.
  • Develop strategies for creating common understanding of organizational environment.
  • Understand the importance of a common operating picture.
  • Discern relevant information from available information.
  • Develop and propagate consistent leader's intent up and down the chain of command.
  • Understand perspective audience, and develop and deliver appropriate messages.
  • Analyze how to manage emotions and self.
  • Understand, recognize, and apply personal emotional intelligence.
  • Initiate and sustain changes in leadership behavior.
  • Understand the ripple effect of decision-making at the organizational level and unintended consequences.

Development Goals

Self Study

For more information on leadership levels, see Wildland Fire Leadership Levels.

Prepare and Mobilize Click here to comment on this IPD

  • Ensure individual readiness.
  • Gather critical information pertinent to the assignment.
  • Confirm mobilization status of operational team members and or assigned resources.
  • Review current IAP, if applicable, and obtain incident status from IC or ordering unit.
  • Obtain incident update from current OSC regarding status of incident situation or branch operations before arrival.

Build the Team

  • Assemble appropriate operational team members and receive a team in-brief of the current incident status.
  • Coordinate an efficient transfer of position duties.
  • Facilitate and coordinate the ordering of operational resources.
  • Establish a common operating picture with Command & General Staff (C&G), IC, and assigned personnel.
  • Facilitate operational briefings.
  • Establish organization structure, reporting procedures, and chain of command of assigned resources.

Supervise and Direct

  • Establish and communicate objectives, priorities, work assignments, and performance expectations.
  • Identify, analyze, and use relevant situational information to make more informed decisions and take appropriate actions.
  • Adjust actions based on changing information and evolving situation awareness. Develop and implement contingency plans. Communicate changing conditions to assigned resources and supervisor.
  • Ensure IAP objectives and performance standards are met.
  • Monitor performance and provide immediate and regular feedback to assigned personnel.

Perform Command and General (C&G) Staff Responsibilities

  • Interact, coordinate, and establish cohesiveness with all C&G personnel.
  • Share pertinent operations information that may affect the team’s management of the incident.
  • Prepare for and participate in preplanning/strategy meetings.
  • Participate in Incident Management Team (IMT) in-brief and closeout.

Perform Operations Section Chief Type 2-Specific Responsibilities

  • Plan and activate section:
    • Identify division/group boundaries.
    • Order resources required for section operation.
    • Establish an operational period.
    • Establish protocol for providing Operations section daily incident accomplishments to the Situation Unit.
    • Establish a daily briefing/debriefing schedule with Branch Directors and Division/Group Supervisors.
    • Establish a process for resource requests/releases for operational planning purposes.
    • Establish branches, divisions/groups, and/or staging areas as appropriate.
  • Attend agency briefings and debriefings.
  • Participate in operational period briefing.
  • Provide daily briefings to section personnel.
  • Ensure host unit direction and policies are applied.
  • Manage operational periods to achieve objectives.
  • Identify the kind, type, and the number of resources required to achieve control objectives.
  • Periodically evaluate resource status and tactical needs to determine if resource assignments are appropriate.
  • Evaluate structure protection and urban interface needs.
  • Evaluate the current situation and determine if the present plan of action will meet incident objectives. Advise IC and other appropriate IMT personnel.
  • Makes expedient changes to current operations based on the complexity or magnitude of the incident and reports those changes to the IC.
  • Personally observe and review current operations to prepare tactics for the next operational period planning meeting.
  • Use fire behavior prediction information to plan/organize tactical operations.
  • Evaluate pertinent parts of Delegation and Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) decisions as directed by the IC.
  • Establish and maintain an appropriate span of control.
  • Ensure assigned resources have all necessary equipment and supplies to meet tactical objectives. Estimate immediate and long-range operational resources and logistical requirements. Think strategically.
  • Obtain regular updates from assigned resources.
  • Communicate Fire Weather Watches/Warnings, Spot Weather Forecasts, and Fire Weather Forecasts to assigned resources.
  • Monitor and address air quality impacts on personnel and the public. Consider the potential for smoke impacts to roads, communities, and incident facilities.
  • Inform IC regularly or as needed:
    • Status updates.
    • Evolving conditions or hazards that may require action.
    • Problems or unresolved issues.
    • Accomplishments.
  • Ensure assigned contracted resources meet contract specifications.
  • Coordinate with the Finance/Administration section to identify and request agreements as necessary.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of IAP or relevant plan and adjust as necessary.
  • Evaluate the progress of operations based on situation reports and evaluations from operations personnel.
  • Evaluate burning/ignition operations.
  • Establish air support protocols and communications. Coordinate and prioritize activities with aviation operations.
  • Report special occurrences (e.g., structure/improved property loss or damage, accidents, incident within an incident, political contacts) to supervisor.
  • Work with responsible land management agency and/or assigned Resource Advisor with to protect natural, cultural, social, and other resources. Notify IC when such resources are discovered and document suppression impacts.
  • Coordinate with assigned resources and provide Planning Section Chief a list of excess personnel and other resources.
  • Coordinate wildland urban interface (WUI) operations with local law enforcement, local fire departments, and other agencies authorized to implement public evacuation, perform structure protection, control traffic, and road closures.

Planning Duties

  • Provide incident narrative to Planning Section Chief.
  • Participate in the preparation of the IAP or other relevant plans.
    • Prepare or review special instruction portions of the IAP.
    • Complete operational portion of IAP as part of Operational Planning Worksheet (ICS 215).
    • Participate in the preparation of other necessary relevant plans
  • Coordinate with Situation Unit to approve updates to control line status.

Communicate and Coordinate

  • Ensure priorities and tactics, including any changes, are communicated and understood throughout the Operations Section.
  • Follow established processes and chain of command for collecting, producing, and distributing information. 
  • Ensure a clear understanding of expectations and timely communication within and across Incident Command System (ICS) functional areas and chain of command.

Manage Risk

  • Ensure the Risk Management Process is established and maintained throughout the Operations Section.
  • Apply the Risk Management Process as stated in the Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG) PMS 461:
    • Identify Hazards.
    • Assess Hazards.
    • Develop Controls and Make Risk Decisions.
    • Implement Controls.
    • Supervise and Evaluate.
  • Ensure Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, and Safety Zones (LCES) are established and known to all firefighters before they are needed. Refer to the guidelines stated in IRPG. 
  • Use Look Up, Down and Around in the IRPG to maintain situational awareness. Adjust actions accordingly. Develop and communicate contingency plans and trigger points.
  • Coordinate with Safety Officers to assist with the risk management process and provide input into the safety of operations.
  • Ensure the assigned resources follow safety guidelines appropriately.
  • Develop Incident Action Plan Safety Analysis (ICS 215A) with Safety Officer.
  • Plan for medical emergencies. Ensure assigned resources are prepared to execute the Medical Plan (ICS 206 WF). Ensure familiarity with medical responders, communication procedures, and transportation plan. Manage the medical emergency based on procedures stated in the IAP, the Medical Incident Report, or other relevant guidelines.
  • Monitor for signs and symptoms of fatigue, illness, or injury. Mitigate appropriately.
  • Account for location, health, safety, and welfare of assigned personnel.
  • Submit accident/incident reports with pertinent forms (SAFECOM, SAFENET, agency-specific forms) through the established chain of command. 

Document

  • Complete, authorize, ensure timeliness of, and route as required:

Demobilize

  • Assist in the development and implementation of the Incident Demobilization Plan, and coordinate with Demobilization Unit/Planning Section Chief.
  • Assemble and submit relevant operations documents for the final incident package.
  • Prepare the operations portion of the transition plan.
  • Plan for demobilization. Brief the assigned resources on demobilization procedures and responsibilities. Ensure incident and agency demobilization procedures are followed.
  • Participate in agency administrator closeout/After Action Review (AAR).
  • During the transfer of command:
    • Ensure continuity of operations.
    • Exchange critical safety information.
    • Communicate transfer of authority through an established chain of command.

NWCG Latest Announcements

NEW! D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder Course Available Now

Date:  May 15, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Dispatch Position and Curriculum Management Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce the new D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder (Instructor-led) course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). Developed through the National Coordination System Committee, this course introduces the structure and function of expanded dispatch, the qualities of an effective dispatcher, and provides hands-on experience with the Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) system. 

The D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder course aligns with the competencies and duties outlined in the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Expanded Dispatch Recorder, PMS 350-59, and is designed for individuals with no prior experience who may be called upon to support dispatch operations.

References:

D-110, Expanded Dispatch Recorder (Instructor-Led)

Expanded Dispatch Recorder (EDRC), Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Expanded Dispatch Recorder, PMS 350-59

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Leadership Committee IAP Flyer Now Available

Date:  May 8, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee promotes and enables leadership development across the wildland fire service. The committee provides education, training opportunities, and support for leadership innovation and best practices throughout the community.

A new IAP flyer is now available on the committee website, offering an overview of the products, curriculum, and learning opportunities the Leadership Committee develops. This resource is ideal for posting in your office, sharing with new employees, or distributing through your incident management teams to engage new voices in the leadership journey and reinforce a culture of self‑reflection, development, and growth.

References:

Leadership Committee 2026 IAP Flyer

Incident Operations Subcommittee Updates the Next Generation Position Task Book for FFT1

Date:  May 7, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

The NWCG Incident Operations Subcommittee (IOSC) has updated the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14. The FFT1 Position Task Book transitioned to the Next Generation (Next Gen PTB) format in June 2025 through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. Since then, IOSC has received feedback from the wildland fire community regarding coding for one of the tasks. Task #13 has been updated to include the option of evaluation in a simulation.

See IOSC Memorandum 26‑01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14 for more information.

References:

IOSC Memorandum 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1

NWCG Firefighter Type 1 Squad Boss Position Page 

NEW! S-212, Intermediate Faller (Online) Course Available Now 

Date:  April 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S‑212, Intermediate Faller (Online), course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). This second course in the series provides students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of an Intermediate Faller (FAL2), as described in the FAL2 Incident Position Description. This course is intended for individuals seeking to advance from Basic Faller (FAL3) to FAL2.

S‑212, Intermediate Faller is a fully online, self‑paced training program consisting of 13 units. Learners will engage with interactive, scenario‑based content designed to progressively build foundational skills and knowledge essential for the FAL2 role.

Students must be qualified as a Basic Faller (FAL3) prior to enrolling in S‑212, Intermediate Faller course.

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 2027.

References:

S-212 Intermediate Faller (Online)

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212