MEETING MINUTES

INCIDENT OPERATION STANDARDS WORKING TEAM

May 9 - 10, 2000

Whitefish, Montana

Members in Attendance:

• Ralph Alworth, FIRESCOPE Tom Bourn , NE States Rep
• Paul Broyles, NPS Rich Caballero, USFS
• Harlan Henderson, USCG Jim Karles, SE States Rep
• Bob Leaverton, IOSWT Chair Tim Murphy, Western States Rep
• Nate Shourds, BIA Phil Street, US F&WS
• Glenn Wiltshire, USCG Marc Rounsaville, USFS
• Rich Gale, NWCG Liaison

Guests:

• Wally Bennett (5/9)
• Steve Fry (5/9)
• Don Black (5/9)

Team Membership:

The following changes in IOSWT membership occurred at this meeting:

• Marc Rounsaville replaced Rich Caballero as USFS representative.
• Harlan Henderson replaced Glen Wiltshire as USCG representative.

NWCG Parent Group Update:

Rich Gale provided the following NWCG Parent Group update(s):

• Parent Group will be closely monitoring any operational impacts which may occur as result of the recent change in reducing incident assignment rotation length from 21 to 14 days.
• Parent Group has a high level of interest in the following IOSWT projects:  Crew Typing and  Type I/II Team Configuration
• Working relationship(s) are being pursued with Australia, New Zealand, and the International Association of Wildland Fire to jointly working on common wildland fire problems and issues.
• A steering committee is being formed to address ICS for "all risk" application.
• Gale is serving as the NWCG liaison to this committee with representation being solicited from FEMA, USCG, DOD, NEMA (National Emergency Managers Association), IACP (International Association of Chief of Police), EPA,and IMS Consortium. Gale reported that he was having some difficulty in findinga representative from law enforcement. Alworth would attempt to find a representative from California law enforcement to serve on this steering committee.
• Parent Group is exploring the need for establishing a Law Enforcement Working Team.

Red Card Dispatcher:

The National Dispatch Training Steering Committee has developed a Position Task Book (PTB) and Qualification Standards for the position of Initial Attack Dispatcher (IADP). The Training Working Team (TWT) has reviewed products developed for IADP and directed this steering committee to request IOSWT review PTB and position quals for NWCG approval. Caballero will prepare an IOSWT response to this proposal.

Crew Representative (CREP):

Some concern has been expressed with the 310-1 position performance requirement for CREP. IOSWT position is that all ICS and Fire Use positions listed in 310-1 need to perform said position before becoming fully qualified in the position, with no exceptions.

ICS Course Re-numbering:

To establishing a logical sequence to ICS course numbering, TWT has re-numbered several courses. These changes were incorporated in the most-current version of 310-1. Reports from course users are that the changes have caused confusion in the field as some courses that have been changed (ie:S-205 to S-215) had numbering which was well established for many years. Course re-numbering has also directly impacted IQS computerized tracking of training records.

USCG Planning Process Workshop:

Wiltshire reported that a Planning Process Workshop has been developed to provide USCG personnel with a one week hands-on orientation to the ICS planning process. This workshop places strong emphasis on the need for the Operations and Planning Sections to work together on incidents managed through ICS. A test course has been schedule for the first week in June in California.

IQS Review:

Broyles reported that an IQS review was taking place to study system components to determine its overall effect on a wide-range of ICS users (federal, state, local). As part of this review, a system ground-truthing occurred to testing system's ability to address future user needs, which included "all-risk" use.

FCC Narrow-Banding:

Concern has been expressed on the lack of agency uniformity in addressing the radio frequency narrow-banding issue. NWCG agencies are taking different approaches (analog vs digital technology) to the issue which may/will effect interagency communications. This may be more of an issue when dealing with day-to-day operations rather than on incident. Cost for doing a frequency change over in response to narrow banding will be costly.

Safety & Health Working Team (SHWT):

Broyles reported that SHWT was looking at the different driver regulations that govern vehicle operations when going to and returning from an incident. A need was identified to establish general guidelines that address vehicle operation regulations.

At the last SHWT meeting, George Ewan representing FIRESCOPE made a presentation on the ICS 208 (Site Safety Plan). SHWT felt that the form's intent had NWCG merit but the information required was more technical than what a NWCG user would be able to complete. Looking for a compromise, Ewan would get back to SHWT with form modifications that still meet OSHA regulations but required less technical information to complete form.

Fire Line EMT:

Alworth reported that FIRESCOPE has established guideline for the position of Fire Line EMT. These guidelines were developed in response to a firefighter fatality in Southern California involving a fire line EMT assignment. The Northern Rockies Geographic Area has also developed guidelines for an incident medical specialist program. IOSWT felt that each geographic area should address this need, as it would be difficult to establish a national standard in lieu of certification standards being different among states and regions.

NFPA 1051 Update:

Murphy reported that NFPA has developed wildland fire standards for two levels of Fire Fighter and Fire Officer. Standards were designed to parallel NWCG standards with (1) NFPA standards for Fire Fighter broken down into Fire Fighter and Advanced Fire Fighter and (2) NFPA standards for Fire Officer broken down into Single Resource Boss/ICT4 and Strike Team/Task Force Leader/ICT3. Standards have also been developed for the positions of Urban Interface Specialist and Coordinator. These standards will be released August, 2000.

Urban Interface Skills Update:

Murphy reported that a meeting occurred in San Diego to review existing NWCG curriculum to identify training components needed which address knowledge and skills added to selected PTBs for wildland urban interface. It was also reported that the National Fire Academy (NFA) was developing a self-study course for fire fighters and a chief officers course on urban interface wildland fire fighting.

ICS Position De-Certification:

In the current version of 310-1, there are guidelines for ICS position certification and re-certification. It was identified that there is no recognition on how a user of 310-1goes about de-certifying an individual who is no longer qualified for a specific ICS position.

Handcrew Typing Standards:

Field support for adding a third crew typing standard has been for the most part well-received and long time coming. There is some concern that the new standards will impact Type II crew availability (reduction in number of crews) and have a fiscal impact when addressing communication and fire/safety equipment requirements.

At the IOSWT meeting held in San Diego, a draft issue paper was prepared which outlines the reasons for expanding the number of crew types and a matrix which establishes new/revised typing standards for Type II and III crews. This draft was reviewed and finalized for distribution to the GACC managers and chairs for review and comment.

At the NWCG Parent Group meeting scheduled for October, 2000, final recommendations will be presented. If approved at the October meeting, these standards will take effect for the 2001 Fire Season. It will be emphasized when these new standards are implemented that this is a national standard and that each GACC has the ability to modify these standards for local use.

Type I/II Teams:

As expected, interest is "very high" with the review of Type I/II Team size and configuration. There is a general feeling that "why fix something that is not broken".

IOSWT is concerned that many of the comments being made were based on incomplete information and that "minds have been made up" on this issue without knowing all the information behind the review. It will be important that IOWST provide regular updates on progress made during this review to keep all interests parties informed with accurate information.

Some of the concerns that have been expressed with the possible changing of team size and configuration are as follows:

• Reducing team size will impact ability of teams to fill positions in a "timely manner"
• Teams will be placed "further behind the management curve" when taking over an incident if size and configuration are changed.
• Changes could impact the Incident Complexity Analysis which is currently under  IOSWT review and will be added to 410-1 (Fireline Handbook).
• Changing Type I team make-up will caused greater operational impacts than changes made to Type II team.

Based on information provided IOSWT and direction given by the NWCG Parent Group, the following "core issues" were identified which will govern this review:

• Availability of Personnel to Fill Teams
• Short vs Long Teams
• Fire Use (Varied Incident Use)
• Fully Utilizing Experienced Personnel (Team Assignments Could

Limit Currency for Other ICS Positions)

• Meeting Agency Administrator Needs
• Varied Team Configurations Among GACCs
• Cost & Size of Teams (Type I building off Type II)
• Team Membership (Desirability to Serve on a Team)
• Management of Teams (Different Levels within NWCG & GACC Hierarchy)
• Involvement by Agency Administrator in Team Management
• Team Typing (Is It Still Needed?)

With one of the issues that the NWCG Parent Group wanted addressed being team size standardization, IOSWT is looking into the feasibility of establishing a set number of team members by specific ICS position. Based on a IC meeting with the local Agency Administrator prior to taking over the incident and what ICS positions have already been filled on-incident, additional overhead orders would then be placed. In taking this approach, each incident will dictate team organizational needs with "direct" involvement by the Agency Administrator.

One of the possible benefits with taking this approach will be making available a significant number of personnel to support local, regional, as well as national incident management needs. A concern has been expressed that a team will face delays in filling orders if reduced in size. The "ROSS" ordering system may help in minimizing any ordering delay impacts.

If team size and configuration is changed, user expectations will need to also change. When a team is reduced in size, there must be an understanding that a team user will need to play an increased role in providing personnel support and not expect a smaller team to perform as a larger team would if the supplemental support is not provide or available.

Steve Fry, Wally Bennett (Type I Team IC's), and Don Black (Type I Team Deputy IC), were invited to provide a team perspective on this issue. They agreed that for this review to be successful, IOSWT needed to have representation from Type I and II teams, preferably IC's, and agency administrators (federal and state). It was decided that a one-day meeting in the Denver area would be scheduled for July to openly discuss all possible options with Street to coordinate meeting logistics. An issue paper will be developed and provided to meeting participants, which outlines the core issues and pertinent background information being considered in the review.

Fireline Hanbook (410-1):

In preparation for reviewing 410-1, the following issues have been identified which will need to be considered as part of this review:

• Which user group(s) will the 410-1 be serving?

• How much information is needed based on 410-1 user group(s)?

• How much ICS information will be needed in the 410-1?

• What information should be added and/or removed from 410-1?

• Should the 410-1 have a modular design to allow the user to "pick/choose" information that is of value to each individual user?

• Is 410-1 to serve as fire line "standards" or "guidelines"?

In the last few years, several documents and pocket guides have been developed containing information that may be useful for handbook inclusion. Handbook will need to complement any changes made to 310-1 and Position Task Books. Some of the information which will need to be included as part of the 410-1 updating are:

• Calculation of Control Forces
• Incident Complexity Analysis (formerly found in 310-1)
• Resource Typing Changes (Engines , Water Tenders, Crews)
• Urban Interface Operations

Current 410-1 provides a wide-range of fireline information for use by Fire Fighter through Agency Administrator. One of the drawbacks to the current 410-1 is it's size no longer supports the handbook being carried in one's pant pocket. Several of the pocket guides in use were developed to take specific information from of the 410-1 to allow it to be carried on one's person.

There is a general feeling that 410-1 may better serve two separate user groups: Fireline Responder and Fire Manager with Appendix Section(s), which serve both user groups. If the concept is determined to have merit, the next version of 410-1 may be divided into two, interchangeable handbooks.

The first step to be taken in the 410-1 review process will be to compare information found in 410-1 Chapters 1-6 against other existing handbooks and guides to identify the best, most-current information available for the initial attack & extended attack responder. IOWST chapter assignments for this review are as follows:

Chapter 1(Initial Attack) Alworth/Street

Chapter 2(Extended Attack) Karles/Rounsaville

Chapter 3(Transition) Bourn/Leaverton

Chapter 4(Large Fire Mgmt Teams) Murphy/Broyles

Chapter 5(Firefighting Safety) Shourds/Henderson

Chapter 6(Common Responsibilities) Boatner

Broyles will provide each member with appropriate reference materials to support this 410-1 comparison with other informational sources. The Safety & Health Working Team has offered their assistance in reviewing the chapter addressing Firefighting Safety.

Conference Call Schedule:

June 13^th, July 11^th, August 8^th, and September 12^th with calls starting at 1100 hours Mountain Time. Standish will need to contact team members prior to each call to confirm time and conference call number to be used as call number availability may change.

Meeting Schedule:

October 31^st - November 2^nd Yorktown, Virginia