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NWCG Positions

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Position Catalog

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

History by Position

History by Year

Committee Assignments

Air Operations

Command

Dispatch

Finance/Administration

Logistics

Operations

Planning

Prescribed Fire

Prevention and Investigation

Alternative Pathways to NWCG Qualification

Position History By Year

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, establishes minimum NWCG position qualification standards for training, experience, physical fitness, and currency for national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. And position qualification standards are located in the NWCG Position Catalog. Each NWCG Position includes a record of all qualifications changes. A historical record of all changes is found here, organized by position. It includes positions which have been removed from the NWCG Position Catalog. An historical record of all changes is found here, organized by update year. A consolidated Position History is also available.



Year: 2025
Position Position Code Change Functional Area
Finance/Administration Section Chief Type 1* FSC1

Removed:
Required Training

  • S-520, Advanced Incident Management or CIMC, Complex Incident Management Course

Required Experience

  • Satisfactory performance as a Finance/Administration Section Chief Type 2 (FSC2)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Finance/Administration Section Chief Type 1 (FSC1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-46

Added:

The qualification pathway for this position is discontinued per NWCG direction on January, 2025. Responders with an active PTB will transition to the corresponding complex position PTB.

Added: Finance/Administration Section Chief Complex (FSCC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For FSC1" and "FSC1 Maintains Currency For These Positions".

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Removed: Finance Section Chief Type 3 (FSC3) from "These Positions Maintain Currency for FSC1" and from "FSC1 Maintains Currency for These Positions".

Position created.  

Finance Section Chief (Multi-Branch), Finance Section Chief  (Multi-Division) and IFinance Section Chief  (Multi-Leader) in 1984 PMS 310-1.

 Finance/ Administration
Receiving/Distribution Manager RCDM

Updated Positions Qualification Requirements as follows:

Deleted from "These Positions Maintain Currency For RCDM":

  • Service Branch Director (SVBD)
  • Support Branch Director (SUBD)

Added: Logistics Section Chief Complex (LSCC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For RCDM."

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Removed: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents (ICS-200) from "Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills." 

Added: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents (ICS-200) to Required Training.
Added: Transition Plan:

  • All qualified individuals will remain qualified. Individuals will be granted ICS-200 in responder’s records.
  • All trainee RCDM will be required to complete ICS-200 prior to position qualification.

Position created.

 Logistics
Documentation Unit Leader* DOCL

Added:

  • NWCG Incident Position Standards for Documentation Unit Leader, PMS 350-25
  • NWCG Position Task Book for Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL), PMS 311-25

Added: Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency for DOCL."

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Position created.

 Planning
Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher EDSP

Added: NWCG Incident Position Standards for Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher, PMS 350-57

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Removed: S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior (6 hrs).

Position created.

 Dispatch
Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment STEQ

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

  • Safety Officer, Line (SOFR)

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

  • Safety Officer, Line (SOFR)

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

  • Safety Officer Type 3 (SOF3)

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

  • Safety Officer Type 3 (SOF3)

Updated Positions Qualification Requirements as follows:

Added to "STEQ Maintains Currency For These Positions":

  • Safety Officer Field (SOFF)

Added: Operation Section Chief Complex (OSCC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For STEQ."

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Removed: Tactical Decision Making in the Wildland Fire (S-336) from "Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills."

Position created.

Combined STDZ and STPL positions into a Strike Team Heavy Equipment (STEQ) position.

 Operations
Position Position Code Change Functional Area
Operations
Planning
Prescribed Fire
Prevention and Investigation
Position Catalog
Logistics
Finance Administration
Dispatch
Command
Air Operations
Incident Position Management
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NWCG Latest Announcements

Task Group Volunteers Needed to Update the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289

Date: February 5, 2025
Contact: Julie Bennett, Incident Business Committee Chair

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) is requesting volunteers for a new task group to revise the 1981 version of the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289 and create an incident replacement job aid. The volunteers may be recruited from within or outside the Geographic Area Incident Business Committees.

References:

IBC Memorandum 25-02

IBC Correspondence

2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: February 4, 2025
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The NWCG Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1. 

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) are also included.  

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

NWCG Memo: 2025-01 January 2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters

Date: January 15, 2025
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters. Non-specification fire shelters claiming to meet Forest Service (FS) fire shelter specification 5100-606 were first found in February of 2023. As of September 2024, non-specification shelters are again being advertised and sold on the open market.

This Safety Warning outlines details and recommended procedures to purchase FS specification shelters made with materials and components that meet performance criteria and toxicity testing requirements outlined in FS Specification 5100-606. 

For additional information on identifying non-specification shelters, please view ETC Safety Warning 23-01.

References:

ETC Safety Warning 25-001: Non-specification fire shelters

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee

ETC Safety Warning 23-01

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Awards

Date: January 14, 2025
Contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee has awarded the 2023 Paul Gleason “Lead By Example” awards to individuals in the categories of Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Sam Bowen, Superintendent of the Mark Twain Veteran Crew with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Greg Titus, Zone Fire Management Officer for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Renae Crippen, Manager of the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Eric Carlson, Instructor with OMNA International.

References:

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Interview with Paul Gleason