National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Helicopter Coordinator

HLCO decorative banner: photos depicting HLCO position. HLCO Position Description: The Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) reports to the Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) and is responsible for coordinating tactical or logistical helicopter mission(s) at the incident.

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The Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) coordinates helicopter mission(s) and incident airspace, manages incident air traffic, and is the link between ground personnel and incident aircraft. The HLCO is an airborne firefighter who coordinates, assigns, and evaluates the use of aerial resources in support of incident objectives. The HLCO reports to an Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD), Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS), or Operations Section Chief (OSC) on Type 1, 2, or 3 incidents. The HLCO works in the Air Operations functional area.

Operations Section Chief (OSC3) Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Structure Protection Specialist (STPS) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS) 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 Crew Member (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 Air Tanker Manager (SEMG) Aircraft Time Keeper (ATIM) Ramp Manager (RAMP) Operations Section Chief (OSCC) Crew Representative (CREP)

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: 
Jun 2022

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.


Date: 
Oct 1984

Position created.

 

Page Last Modified / Reviewed: 
2022-11-03
Primary Committee: 
National Interagency Aviation Committee
Steward: 
Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee

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