Retardant Crewmember

RTCM decorative banner: photos depicting RTCM position.

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The Retardant Crew Member loads Wildland Fire Chemicals (WFC) into airtankers and reports to the Mix Master (MXMS). The RTCM works in the Air Operations functional area.

Structure Protection Specialist (STPS) Crew Representative (CREP) Firefighter (FFT1/2) Single Resource Boss (CRWB, HEQB, ENGB, FELB, FIRB, HMGB) Task Force/Strike Team Leader (TFLD, STCR, STEQ, STEN) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS) Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Staging Area Manager (STAM) Single Engine Air Tanker Manager (SEMG) Deck Coordinator (DECK) Takeoff and Landing Coordinator (TOLC) Aircraft Base Radio Operator (ABRO) Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) Helibase Manager (HEB1/2) Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS) Air Tanker/Fixed Wing Coordinator (ATCO) Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) OPERATIONS SECTION CHIEF (OSC1/2) Operations Section Chief (OPS3) Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Structure Protection Specialist (STPS) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS) Crew Representative (CREP) Task Force Leader (TFLD) Crew Boss, Single Resource (CRWB) Heavy Equipment Boss, Single Resource (HEQB) Engine Boss, Single Resource (ENGB) Felling Boss, Single Resource (FELB) Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB) Helicopter Manager, Single Resource (HMGB) Operations Section Chief (OSC2) Staging Area Manager (STAM) Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS) Helibase Manager (HEBM) Deck Coordinator (DECK) Aircraft Base Radio Operator (ABRO) Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR) Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ) Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN) Operations Section Chief (OSC1) Advanced Faller (FAL1) Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Basic Faller (FAL3) Fixed Wing Base Manager (FWBM) Airtanker Base Manager (ATBM) Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT) Mixmaster (MXMS) Retardant Crew Member (RTCM) Single Engine Airtanker Manager (SEMG) Aircraft Time Keeper (ATIM) Ramp Manager (RAMP)

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to States under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, go to https://www.nwcg.gov/committees/incident-business-committee

Date: 
Oct 2021

Removed: A-104, Overview of Aircraft Capabilities and Limitations from Required Training.

Removed: A-116, General Awareness Security Training from Required Training.

Added: A-204, Manned Aircraft Capabilities and Limitations to Required Training.


Date: 
Jul 2020

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.


Date: 
Oct 2019

Updated: Required Experience to completion and certification of Position Task Book (PMS 311-94) as a Retardant Crewmember (RTCM).


Date: 
Nov 2018

Position created.

  • Current RTCM trainees must meet the qualification requirements outlined in the PMS 310-1.
  • Read the complete 2021 RTCM Transition Plan.

 

Page Last Modified / Reviewed: 
2022-11-07
Primary Committee: 
National Interagency Aviation Committee
Steward: 
Interagency Airtanker Base Subcommittee

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