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Safety Officer Complex

SOFC decorative banner: photos depicting SOFC position. SOFC Position Description: The Safety Officer Complex (SOFC) is responsible for all incident activities.

The Safety Officer Complex (SOFC) is responsible for monitoring the overall operation of an incident from a risk management perspective and providing recommendations to mitigate hazards in order to provide for the welfare of assigned resources. The SOFC may function as a member of the Command and General Staff (C&G) or may be a single resource. The SOFC may supervise the Medical Unit Leader (MEDL) or other members in the safety organization. The SOFC typically reports to the Incident Commander (IC) and works in the Command functional area.

USWDS Paragraphs

Incident Commander (ICT5)Safety Officer (SOFC)Safety Officer (SOF3)Liaison Officer (LOFR)Incident Commander (ICT4)Incident Commander (ICT3)Incident Commander (ICT2)Incident Commander (ICT1)Safety Officer (SOF2)Public Information Officer (PIO1)Public Information Officer (PIO2)Public Information Officer (PIO3)Agency Representative (AREP)Public Information Officer, Technician (PIOT)Incident Commander (ICCI)Safety Officer (SOF1)Public Information Officer (PIOC)Safety Officer (SOFF)

 

 

 

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, visit Incident Business Committee.

Date: Jan 2025

Removed: from "These Positions Maintain Currency For SOFC":

  • Safety Officer, Line (SOFR)

Removed: from "SOFC Maintain Currency For These Positions "":

  • Safety Officer, Line (SOFR)

Added: to "These Positions Maintain Currency For SOFC":

  • Safety Officer Type 3 (SOF3)

Added: to "SOFC Maintains Currency For These Positions ":

  • Safety Officer Type 3 (SOF3)
Date: Jan 2025

Removed: X-520, NWCG CIM Field Evaluation Form

Date: Jan 2024

Updated Positions Qualification Requirements as follows:

Added to SOFC Qualification Requirements:

  • *** S-420, Command and General Staff or L-481, Advanced Leadership for Command and General Staff or O-305, Type 3 All-Hazard Incident Management Team, and I-400, Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff, must be completed before initiating the NWCG Safety Officer Complex, Position Task Book, PMS 311-104.

Updated Required Training:

  • S-520, Advanced Incident Management OR Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC) OR Complex Incident Management Field Evaluation (PDF) OR a completed X-520,NWCG CIM Field Evaluation Form (PDF).
Date: Jan 2023

Added: 

To Required Training:

To Required Experience:

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Safety Officer Complex (SOFC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-104

To These Positions Maintain Currency For SOFC:

  • Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS)
  • Incident Commander Complex (ICCI)
  • Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1)
  • Incident Commander Type 2 (ICT2)
  • Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC)
  • Operations Section Chief Type 1 (OSC1)
  • Operations Section Chief Type 2 (OSC2)
  • Safety Officer, Line (SOFR)

To SOFC Maintains Currency For These Positions:

  • Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS)
  • Incident Commander Complex (ICCI)
  • Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1)
  • Incident Commander Type 2 (ICT2)
  • Safety Officer, Line (SOFR)

To Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills:

Date: May 2022

Position created.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Primary Committee: Risk Management Committee
Steward: Risk Management Committee
Key Stakeholder(s): Incident Command Subcommittee


Last Modified / Reviewed:

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NWCG Latest Announcements

Great Basin Cache Upgrading to New Inventory System

Date: May 7, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Great Basin Cache
Phone: (208) 387-5104
Fax: (208) 387-5573

The Great Basin Cache (GBK) is transitioning to a new inventory system to better serve the wildland fire community. During this upgrade, GBK will be unable to process standard orders from Part 1: Fire Supplies and Equipment and Part 2: Publications between May 8-20, 2025, with exceptions made for emergency fire orders. Orders will be accepted through close of business May 7.

To browse the latest available items, please refer to the National Fire Equipment System (NFES) catalogs. 

References:

NWCG NFES Catalog-Part 1: Fire Supplies and Equipment, PMS 449-1

NWCG NFES Catalog-Part 2: Publications, PMS 449-2

NEW! Air Operations Summary (ICS 220 WF) Now Available

Date: May 2, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
National Interagency Aviation Committee

The Air Operations Summary (ICS 220 WF) provides the Air Operations Branch with the number, type, location, and specific assignments of helicopters and air resources. The new ICS 220 WF also includes medical extraction capabilities and air resources tracking.

Understanding the capabilities of aviation assets is critical for effective medical and extraction responses. Coordination with the Medical Unit Leader is essential to ensure alignment and consistency between the ICS 220 WF and the Medical Plan (ICS 206 WF). 

References:

Air Operations Summary (ICS 220 WF)

National Interagency Aviation Committee

Incident Command System (ICS) Forms

Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book Available for Firing Boss, Single Resource

Date: April 30, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Fuels Management Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Firing Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-105, and the NWCG Position Task Book for Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB), PMS 311-105, are now available. 

These resources, part of the Performance Support Package developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators. 

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

 

References:

NWCG Firing Boss, Single Resource Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Firing Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-105

NWCG Position Task Book for Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB), PMS 311-105

Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book Available for Helicopter Crewmember

Date: April 28, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Helicopter Operations Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22, and the NWCG Position Task Book for Helicopter Crewmember (HECM), PMS 311-22, are now available.

These resources, part of the Performance Support Package developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

References:

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22

NWCG Position Task Book for Helicopter Crewmember (HECM), PMS 311-22