National Wildfire Coordinating Group

S-340, Human Resource Specialist, 2011

S-340 Decorative banner. Group of photos depicting wildland firefighters performing various duties.

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Course Delivery Information

S-340 may be delivered as instructor-led (classroom) training.

Expectations of Instructors

  • Prepare thoroughly. Study the course content you are going to teach.
  • Establish a collaborative and constructive classroom environment.
  • Communicate expectations.
  • Encourage student engagement.
  • Respect student diversity in backgrounds, talent, experience, and learning style.
  • Professionally represent your instructor cadre, your home unit, and your agency.

Course Guidance

Course coordinators and instructors should be thoroughly familiar with the NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1.  The NWCG Standards for Course Delivery establishes standards for all aspects of NWCG training course management and delivery. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, and the course-specific guidance stated in the NWCG Training Catalog.

See S-340 minimum instructor qualifications

Recommended Class Size

Recommended class size: In order to facilitate exercises and discussion, instructors should maintain a maximum 6:1 ratio of students to instructors. This enables strong mentorship by the cadre to the students. Ideally, class size should be limited to 30 students.

Cadre Meetings

Conduct initial, pre-course, daily, and close-out instructor cadre meetings. These provide opportunities to plan, organize, preview materials, review training and exercises, and identify and address concerns and issues. Consider using an informal After Action Review process. Instructor cadre meetings are critical for instructors who do not have previous experience with the course.  Additional information, including a Cadre Meeting Checklist, is located in the NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1.

Course Materials

Each student must be provided the following:

Technical Considerations

All presentations should be downloaded and tested before the start of class to ensure compatibility with software.

PowerPoint presentations are built in an older version of Microsoft Office.  Some features may not work correctly with newer software or systems.  

For help, visit the Microsoft Office website or contact your local IT support personnel.

Course Evaluations

Use the NWCG Course Evaluation Feedback form to collect information critical to future training improvements.

Students and cadre members are asked to contribute course evaluations. Input is welcome on all aspects of the training course, including course content, pre-course work, reference materials, quality of instruction, delivery methods, and testing procedures.

 

2011 Version

Both the Fireline Handbook, PMS 410-1, and the Wildland Fire Incident Management Field Guide, PMS 210, are now discontinued. Existing references to these documents will need to be removed from course materials and exams.  Any existing paper copies of exams are now outdated. Course Coordinators, Lead Instructors, or Unit Training Officers may request access to the final exam and answer key by emailing blm_fa_nwcg_training@blm.gov.  All emailed requests must come from an official NWCG partner email address.

The following update is suggested for the S-340 final exam:

  • Question #4: List four items, other than office supplies, that should be included in an HRSP Supply Kit. (5 points)
    • Answer:  In the answer key, delete the Fireline Handbook as a possible answer.

 

Page Last Modified / Reviewed: 
2022-12-19

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