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S-420, Command and General Staff, 2020

S-420 Decorative banner: Three photos of wildland fire incident command. A large group of firefighters gather to listen to morning briefing from command personnel. A group of incident command gather to hear a briefing on an incident. Four firefighters stand around a table reviewing maps.

 

Description

This course is designed to prepare students to function effectively as members of the Command and General Staff (C&G) on a Type 2 Incident Management Team (IMT). Students will participate in facilitated discussions, classroom exercises, and a simulated incident. Students will be evaluated by assigned coaches using an assessment and feedback rubric.

Objectives

At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the responsibilities and duties of each C&G position.
  • Demonstrate skills to establish and maintain a positive team climate.
  • Utilize various communication strategies to develop a common operating picture.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking, decision making, and risk management skills. 
  • Demonstrate a practical understanding of the Incident Management Operational and Strategic Planning Processes.
  • Given a simulated event, demonstrate the ability to perform as a C&G member on a Type 2 Incident Management Team.

Target Group

Personnel desiring to be qualified in a Command or General Staff position on a Type 2 Incident Management Team.

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Prerequisite Qualifications and Training

  • L-480, Organizational Leadership in the Wildland Fire Service.

OR

  • L-380, Fireline Leadership, OR L-381, Incident Leadership.

OR

  • L-180, Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service, plus completion of 40 hours in any supervision or leadership training course(s).

AND

  • Completion of pre-course work assignment.

Session Offerings

Nationally advertised course sessions can now be found on the NWCG Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP), https://wildlandfirelearningportal.net/.  Log on as a guest to search for session offerings of this course and to view other public content.  To search for a specific course, use the "Find Learning" menu item at the top of the page, then select "Upcoming Courses.”  To view Geographic Area training schedules, select the specific "Geographic Area" information using the drop-down menu at the top of the page.  Contact your local training officer for more information about local course sessions.

Delivery

S-420 is available as instructor-led (classroom) training.

Course Components and Hours to Complete

Component Hours:  Instructor-Led
Pre-course work 4-6
Pre-selection assessment N/A
Online Training N/A
Instructor-led training 38
Total Hours 42-44

Minimum Instructor Qualifications

  • Lead and unit instructors must be qualified as Command or General Staff Type 2.

See NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1, Instructor Standards for more information.

Certification Date:

2020-07

Previous Certificate date

2002-10

Functional Area: CGS Command

Primary Committee: Incident and Position Standards Committee

Steward: Incident and Position Standards Committee

Required for: FSC2, ICT2, LSC2, OSC2, PIO2, PSC2, SOF2

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Training Catalog now on Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Date: April 25, 2023
Contact: NWCG Training  

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has migrated the training catalog from the NWCG website to the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP) as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline processes and improve efficiency. To facilitate this transition, the training catalog remains available on www.nwcg.gov through April 2024.

Starting May 2024, the training catalog will no longer be accessible on www.nwcg.gov. However, you can still access the complete training catalog by logging in as a guest to the WFLP.

References:

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

 

NWCG Website Migration

Date: April 01, 2024
Contact: NWCG Webmaster

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group is thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to https://www.nwcg.gov, involving a comprehensive redesign of over 7,000 web pages. This enhancement is focused on improving user experience. The migration to the new NWCG website will commence on April 2, 2024, starting at noon EST and is expected to take a few hours. 

During the migration period, as the www.nwcg.gov domain-name-location updates across the Internet, you might encounter either the current or the new site depending on your location. We request your patience during this transition. If you are not redirected to the new site by April 3, 2024, we recommend clearing your browser’s cache and refreshing the page.

Please note that while navigating the revamped website, there may be instances of broken links or errors. Our dedicated web migration team has made significant efforts to minimize such issues prior to launch and will promptly address any that arise via use of analytic reports. We value your patience and understanding as we work towards enhancing your overall website experience.

WFSTAR 2023 Year in Review and 2024 Core Component Module Packages Available

Date: March 6, 2024
Contact: Joe Schindel 

The 2023 Fire Year in Review module and 2024 Core Component Module Packages for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) are now available on the NWCG website. The 2024 Core Component Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

 

References:

WFSTAR 2023 Fire Year in Review module

WFSTAR 2024 Core Component Module Packages

2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter

Date: March 6, 2024
Contact: NWCG

The NWCG Executive Board is privileged to share with you the 2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter. As we look into the future and navigate an incredibly complex and dynamic environment, we must remain focused on our mission while actively engaging in national conversations regarding numerous wildland fire initiatives. In 2024, we prioritize building upon our successes and committing to continuous improvement. Key priorities and considerations for this year include: 

  • Determining Core Workload
  • Ensuring Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) Success
  • Improving Efficiencies
  • Firefighter Health and Wellness
  • Engagement in National Conversations

Together we will continue to make significant strides in the challenging and vital work that lies ahead. 

 

References:

2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter