Intent

Regardless of aviation training or experience, all firefighters have a responsibility to voice concerns and even refuse a flight if they observe unsafe conditions. Review Aviation Watch Out Situations and other useful references in the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, Aviation section (blue) to better prepare yourself for working with aviation resources.

Facilitator Preparation

• Review the video and module tools.
• Reference the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461. Provide copies of the IRPG for students.
• Consider additional activities and discussion questions pertinent to the location and agency.

Facilitating the Discussion

• Share the intent of the module.
• Show the video.
• Facilitate a small or large group discussion using discussion questions and IRPG.

Discussion Questions

1. Locate and review Aviation Watch Out Situations in the IRPG. Discuss how changing conditions would warrant stopping a flight or operation. Specifically address the following changing conditions: Communications, Confusion, Conflicting Priorities, Weather, Turbulence, and Personnel.
2. Review how your module interacts with aviation resources. Discuss the following:
   1. Who on the incident is in charge of aviation resources on local incidents (Type 3, 4, or 5) and larger team incidents (Type 1 or 2)?
      1. How does the chain of communication change between incident types?
   2. Discuss hazards which may impact aerial operations. Refer to the Aviation section in the IRPG for examples.
      1. How do you communicate these hazards to both ground and aerial resources?
3. When using aerial resources, a risk benefit analysis should always be part of the tactical conversation. Discuss the following:
   1. Are current strategies and tactics utilizing aircraft justifiable? Is there a better way to accomplish the mission?
   2. Are there multiple aircraft working the incident?
      1. How does this impact communication (air-to-ground and air-to-air) and airspace coordination?
   3. Do you have an escape route when working under aircraft?
4. One Aviation Watch Out Situation asks if any rules are being broken. Recall situations where you may have seen aviation rules broken.
5. Another Aviation Watch Out Situation asks if communications are getting tense.
   1. Many factors may contribute to tense communication, such as structures/high-value assets threatened, multiple aircraft on scene, misunderstanding of who is in charge, etc.
      1. How do you manage tense moments?
6. And one Aviation Watch Out Situation asks about deviation from the assigned operation or flight.
   1. What factors might necessitate a change in operation or mission?
   2. How do you ensure safety when such changes occur rapidly?

Resources

• Publication: NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461
• Publication: NWCG Standards for Helicopter Operations, PMS 510
• Website: 6 Minutes for Safety – Aviation Watch Outs
• Website: Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center – Aviation search by Incident type.
• Website: RT-130, WFSTAR – Aviation Modules

Additional Video Information

• This video is also available as a download (zip file, size 1.3 GB) with .srt file for closed captioning (you may need to right click and Save As). For information on how to add closed captioning to a video, see this how to page.
• Note: For Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, right click the word download and select Save Link As; for IE, right click and select Save Target As.