Final

MEETING MINUTES

INCIDENT OPERATION STANDARDS WORKING TEAM

October 19-21, 1999

Quincy, MA

Members Attending: Ralph Alworth

Tom Boatner

Tom Bourn

Paul Broyles

Rich Caballero

Bob Leaverton

Tim Murphy

Mike Phillips

Phil Street

Glenn Wiltshire

Others Attending: Beth Spencer

                             Merrie Johnson (TWT Quals Liaison)

Steve Hart (TWT, 10/19 only)

Bill Leenhauts (FUWT, 10/19 only)

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Roger Browning will no longer be on the team as the SE States Representative. Phil Street is transitioning with Mike Phillips as the FWS rep. Nate Shourd has been nominated by the BIA to replace Rich Caballero.

OLD BUSINESS

310-1 Interim Document

310-1 was put out for use for the 1999 fire season to determine if there were any fatal flaws in the document. Comments were received from NPS, USFWS, BLM, the NE States, and PNW/OR State. The comments were in the following categories:

1. Confusion over use. (Document is for use for national mobilization)

• Seems to be confusion over page 1. Rich will redo page one with a statement regarding national mobilization and add to the Glossary the definition of "geographic area" and "national mobilization." Also add "national type 1 team" on page 8.

1. OJT vs. formalized training. (Cost of qualification)

• Concern regarding the cost and time of becoming and maintaining qualifications. Proposal to limit courses to those that are tactics and safety issues. This will be looked at in the position review below.

1. Position combination issues. (Fire Use vs. Fire suppression)

• Presentation by Bill Leenhautz of Fire Use Working Team. They felt that all the positions that were appropriate to combine had been and disagreed with some of the combinations the IOS WT had done. Specifically:

--Fire Use Manager/Incident Commander. Recommendation of FUWT to add the ICT2 as a prerequisite to Fire Use Manager. (Right now it is an "or" with Burn Boss). IOS WT agreed to this.

• • --Long Term Analyst/Fire Behavior Analyst/Prescribed Fire Analyst. We agreed to two positions. RXFA will be deleted and will essentially be the LTAN, with S390 and S491 added. The FBAN will be the other position. It was proposed that 492 and 493 be dropped for this position. These skills would have to be added to 590.

• • --Ignition Specialist/Firing Boss. FUWT felt these are two different positions with different prerequisites and skills. IOS WT agreed on two levels of Ignition Specialists. Bill will get the task book and quals standards to Rich to update.

• • --Rx Fire Behavior Monitor/Field Observer/Fire Effect Monitor. Field Observer will be mainly a suppression position. Fire Effects Monitor can be used for suppression, fire use and prescribed fire. Bill will get a recommendation on the fitness standard from the FUWT to Rich.

1. Position specific recommendations.

• Overall change from "knowledge and skills needed" to "Additional training which supports position development." This will need to be revised in Section F and the Glossary.
• A list of courses would be a good appendix.
• Suggestion to add required training to the PTB's for the trainee and evaluator to have a ready reference.
• Add statement to the front that unless otherwise stated, the position has a task book.
• Overall change from "none" to "no additional" under Knowledge and Skills.
• Overall change to say "agency established," some say "agency specific."
• Insert "annually" in the statement that each agency is responsible for "annually"certifying …to alleviate the problem of qualification cards being questioned when people are dispatched in March and were red-carded the previous summer.
• Criteria used to determine which course are required:

--Contains skill and knowledge to do the assigned job. (The course is the only way to obtain technical information with uniformity and consistency.)

• • --Necessary for safety of personal space and people within the positions control.

• • --Training and growth are stair steps.

• Position by position review:

--FFT2. Currently S130 and S190/Arduous.

• • --FFT1. Currently S131 (8 hours)/FFT2 prereq/Arduous. PNW wants this moved because 4 hours of course is safety which is covered in the annual firefighter refresher training.

• • --Staging Area Manager. No required training/Light

• • --Tractor/Plow Boss (applies to all single resources bosses, except the "Single Resource Boss, Crew" and the specific position course). Currently S230, S290, S205 and S233 (position course). S205 deleted at this level. Great Lakes thought S230 was too much. The training group felt this course was needed because you are dealing with individuals and need the leadership issue. We will forward a recommendation to the TWT to change the course title of S230 from "crew boss" to "single resource boss." S233 will be moved to knowledge and skills needed. (This will be done for all single resource boss position courses.) Add ICT4 to positions that maintain currency. (Add to all single resource boss positions, except felling and firing).

• • --Engine Boss. Currently S230, S290, S205 and S231 (position course). All the same changes as Tractor/Plow Boss. Ralph will research S230 to see if it meets the needs of Engine Bosses regarding urban interface. Delete S205. S231 moved to knowledge and skills needed. Add ICT4 to positions that maintain currency

• • --Firing Boss. Move S234 to knowledge and skills needed.

• • --Felling Boss. Move S212 to knowledge and skills needed.

• • --Dozer Boss. Delete S205. Move S232 to knowledge and skills needed. Add ICT4 to positions that maintain currency.

• • --Crew Boss. No changes.

• • --Crew Rep. Delete S205.

• • --STCR. Currently S330, S390, S205. Delete S390.

• • --STDZ. Delete S390. Add S205.

• • --STEN. Delete S390. Add S205.

• • --ST Tractor/Plow. Delete S390. Add S205.

• • --TFLD. (See attached diagram). Currently no required training. Add S330 and S390. Prereq STL plus TFLD or any 2 SRB (one of which must be either Crews or Engines) plus ICT4 plus TFLD. Positions that maintain currency ICT3 or any STL.

• • --ICT3. (See attached diagram). Add S390. Prereq ICT4 plus STL plus 2 SRB (one of which must be either Crews or Engines). STL maintains currency. Arduous.

• • --DIVS. (See attached diagram). Required training S339. Prereq experience TFLD plus DIVS or ICT3 plus DIVS.

• • --OSC2. Currently S420 and S430 (Operations Section Chief course). PNW feels S430 is better obtained by OJT. We agree, S430 moved to Knowledge and Skills needed. Prereq is DIVS. Positions that maintain currency Ops Branch Director and DIVS. Moderate.

• • --Ops Branch Director. Prereq is OSC2. Add 481 (needs to be added to branch director positions and to AOBD at the type 2 level)

• • --OSC1. No changes. 520 is required, the states have a problem with this, however, they can have there own teams, including type 1 team. For currency add OCS2 and OPBD.

• • --ICT5. No changes, except to update course number on Look Up, Look Down, Look Around. Merrie will follow up on this.

• • --ICT4. Required training S205. S200 and S234 (course name changed to Ignition Operations) are Knowledge and Skills needed.

• • --ICT2. Currency any section chief, no change. S481 is Knowledge and Skills needed.

• • --ICT1. S520. Prereq is ICT2. Currency is all SC type 1. PNW wanted FSC1 deleted and ICT2 added. We agreed to add ICT2, but will not delete FSC1.

• • --Area Commander. S520. Currency is Assistant AC in Planning or Logistics. Prereq is Assistant AC in Planning or Logistics.

• • --Burn Boss Type 2. No changes to courses, except the numbers have changed. Prereq add Ignition Specialist Type 2. Fitness says "agency established." Rich will verify with Bill Leenhauts regarding fitness consistency in the Fire Use positions.

• • --Burn Boss Type 1. Rich will check with Bill to see if 481 needs to be added here.

• • --Fire Use Manager. Course number change. Prereq Burn Boss Type 1, add ICT2.

• • --Rx Fire Manager 2. No changes except in course numbers.

• • --IARR. BLM proposed that prereq experience be changed to "agency established."

• • --Agency Rep. Change to "agency established."

• • --IOF3. No changes.

• • --Liaison Officer. Delete 402 course, it was never developed.

1. Impact on participation in national mobilization. (Cost and time to maintain quals)

1. Confusion between OJT trainees and Trainee assignments. (Same term being used for both)

• The TWT feels that the word "trainee" is defining two different things, the OJT trainee and the person with the taskbar, who knows the job and is being evaluated. IOS WT feels the 310-1 definition is clear: someone with the prerequisite experience, with the taskbar, who is being evaluated. Merrie will clarify this with the TWT. The IOS WT will write a memo to the TWT asking them to update the training module for the Wildland Fire Training Quals Manual to match the 310-1 definition.

1. Confusion about agency responses vs. responses from GACC's. (Comments are supposed to come through the agencies, with state comments coming through NASF)

Other Specific Agency Comments on 310-1

BLM RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Change 3 year currency for dispatch positions to 5 years. We determined 3 years was necessary because of how quickly things change in dispatching, especially regarding aviation. Will remain 3 years.
• Safety Office Type 1. Change to state Safety Officer Type 2 is prereq. We will change.
• Procurement UL. Equipment Time Recorded should be a prereq. (Dropped from last version). We will add.
• Planning SC 2. Resource UL was dropped from positions that maintain currency. (Both PNW and BLM want this added back in). We will add.
• Felling Boss. Want "agency specific certification" added to Knowledges and Skills. It is already implicit in 310-1 that agencies can supplement the requirements. Leave as is.
• Logistics Type 2. Want to know why Com UL, Med UL and Food UL maintain currency for Logistics Type 2. We will delete those positions as currency.
• Service Branch Director/Support Branch Director. Add Logistics T2 as currency position. We will add.

INDIVIDUAL USFS COMMENT

• Air Tactical Group Supervisor. This position has the same training as Helicopter Coordinator, why can't they maintain currency for each other? Because they have different skills required. Leave as is.

PNW COMMENTS

• Training Specialist. Would like any Single Resource Boss to be a prereq and want fitness changed to moderate because they do go on the line. We disagree with Single Resource Boss as person coordinates training, does not evaluate. The fitness is covered because any "none" position is required to have "light" if they go on the line. No changes.
• Safety Officer 2. Add Safety Officer 3 to currency. We will add.
• Aircraft Base Radio Operator. Would like RADO added as prereq experience. We will not change because person needs a knowledge of aircraft.
• FFT1 currency. Want FFT2 added. This does not need to be changed because if you are a FFT1, you would go out as this, not as a FFT2. Will not be changed.

FIRESCOPE COMMENTS

• Safety Officer 3. Want fitness requirement changed from moderate to arduous (PNW also wanted this changed) and currency should also be TFLD in addition to STL or ICT4. Fitness level will not be changed. We will add TFLD.

NPS COMMENTS

• AC Aviation Coordinator, Assistant AC/Logistics, Assistant AC/Planning would like "type 1" added to National Incident Management Team. We will add.
• HEGM. Would like prereq experience dropped to FFT1 or ICT5, currently it is ICT4. This has been discussed many times previously and decided. We will not change.

FWS COMMENTS

• Deck Coordinator. Would like fitness changed to light instead of moderate. Since this person is loading/unloading it will stay as moderate.

RESPONSE TO AGENCY COMMENTS. Each IOS WT member will write a response to their agency regarding the submitted comments and forward to Beth in Word by the end of November. She will merge and forward to Bob for a cover letter.

310-1 Presentation to NWCG

We presented a summary of the process of 310-1 to date and what we had decided at this meeting. Asked NWCG for their approval and coordinated support of document and implementation. We also requested some support for Rich and his workload. He will submit last revision to NWCG to approve or not at their January meeting.

ICS Form 208/Site Safety Plan

Proposed by FIRESCOPE that form be available for everyone if they wish to use it. We discussed forwarding it to Safety Officers at our Reno meeting (May 1999). The Safety and Health WT rejected this form after our Point Reyes meeting (April 1998) as they felt agencies are responsible for this, not IMT's. Rather than submit to the Safety Officers, we will submit through the SHWT again for comment. Ralph will have FIRESCOPE submit a formal letter to Bob who will forward to the SHWT Chair with a cover letter.

GIS/Damage Inspection Tech Specialist Mnemonic

Rich will forward to Mnemonics Board to get a mnemonic for this position.

FIRESCOPE Glossary of Terms/1999 Field Operations Guide

Glossary distributed by Ralph for information. He will send Field Operations Guide to IOS WT members in both a small version and an 8 ½ x 11 camera-ready version.

ICS 209/Incident Status Summary

Three versions—the original, the version developed by the Western Great Basin, and a revised form from Ralph. Rich researched and found that the intelligence community is split on this issue. Rich will forward all three to the Intelligence Group at their next meeting. Forms review is not until 2002, but if it is important enough we can go ahead and do. Rich will follow up.

Safenet Process

For information. This is the Fire Ops Safety and Health Network. Developed following the TRIDATA study to create a safety communications system for ground health and safety issues. Currently the process is being finalized.

Urban Interface Skills Task Group Update

TWT has budgeted for SME's (fire department people and Dave Engles) to look at interface skills already in the PTB's and what needs to be in the courses based on the PTB's. S205 will be dissected and added to other classes.

NFPA 1051 Update

NFPA is updating standards for wildland qualifications system. Paul Broyles, John Roberts and Tim Murphy are all involved. Currently it looks at FFT1, FFT2, ICT4, although it may be extended to other positions. Tim and Paul are trying to ensure it does not conflict with 310-1 too much. Process began in June 1999 and is scheduled to be a two year process. Travel for Tim was approved in the IOS WT budget.

3 Year Out-year Planning

Requested by NWCG. Bob will write up and forward to Jim Stumpf with a cover letter:

--Long/Short team (2000-2001) $3000

--Type 2 Crew Standards (2000) $3000

--410-1 (2000-2002) $8000 in 2001 and $8000 in 2002

--OSD/Operational System Description (map for ICS) (2001-2002)

--Position Manuals (2000)

--Glossary of Terms (2001)

--Global Forms Review (2002)

--Interagency Fire Operations Standards (2000-2001) in conjunction with 410-1

--Interface Training Package (2001) TWT should pick up cost

--NFPA 1051 (2000-2001) $3000

Interagency Operations Guide

These were developed by agencies because of dissatisfaction with 410-1. If 410-1 is revised, these may not be needed. Agencies can always create their own supplements to 410-1. Future agenda item included with 410-1 review.

OSD/Operational System Description

Reno agenda item. The OSD was on our 10-year plan to review. Rich will mail the current OSD to the IOS WT members to look at.

Complexity Analysis

Rodger Vorce brought all the different complexity analyses to the Reno meeting. The goal is to have one complexity analysis that is valuable in 410-1. Deferred until some other issues are determined such as long team/short team, type 2 crews, ICS question. We will look at in conjunction with 410-1 review. Save the stuff from Rodger for now.

Type 2 Crew Issue

Tasked to us from NWCG. Includes the following issues:

• Type 2 Radio Availability. (Standards on how many a type 2 crew should have)
• Type 2 Crew Issues:

--National Standards

• --Configuration/Equipment

• --Qualifications/Training

• --Threshold for use

• --Crew Categories (different from current ones)

• Existing information from recent reviews:

--Type I Crew Standards (national). Paul will get copies.

• --410-1

• --Military Use Handbook. Paul will get copies.

• --Alaska Crew Management Handbook. Tom Boatner will get copies.

• --National Crew Study. Paul will get copies.

• --Northern Rockies-Crew Study. Tim and Tom Boatner will get copies.

• --MIFF Handbook. Tom Boatner will get copies.

• --Inmate Crews. Ralph will provide.

• --PNW Contract Crews. Bob will contact Paul Rose for this information.

• --USFS Manual. Bob will get copies.

• --FIRESCOPE past research/Dave Driskill, CDF. Ralph will try to get this information.

• --SAFE brainstorms (March).

• External Input:

--Willie Begay, SW Board. Mike or Bob will contact.

• --Jeff Whitney. Mike will contact.

• --Paul Rose, USFS. Bob will contact.

• --Walt Prather, CDF, Sacramento (inmate crews). Ralph will contact.

• --MTDC training package for work crews.

• --Admin Pay Regulations (Federal agencies). On the Web. Bob will get

• --GACC inputs asking about recent experiences on fires, good and bad, after-action reports. Bob will contact.

• Process:

--Determine purpose—what are the crews going to be used for?

• --Identify strengths/weaknesses

• --Identify someone with type 2 crew experience with a vision. Have one or two of these people come talk to us, spark interest towards certain ideas. Consider the people under External Input above.

• --Vision of what a type 2 crew is/could be. What does the customer want? Maybe an IC or a FMO.

• --Take existing information, get new information, then determine purpose statement.

• --Don't redo the wheel.

• Gather all the above information and distribute to IOS WT members for discussion in February. Target is to complete purpose statement in February and complete the rest in May.

Long Team/Short Team Discussion

Tasked to us from NWCG. Need to look at Long and Short Team configuration: Fire vs. non-fire incidents, required positions, national standards, and other configurations. Issues include:

• Some teams are getting larger, states and some feds don't like this.
• States may not go to dispatches out-of-area because they are not reimbursed.
• Idea of a small nucleus team that can be added to.
• Pool concept. Pool of talent, rotate assignments through.
• People don't want to be on teams, ties them up, they get more dispatches as a single resource.
• Some resources don't want to be on type 1's anymore. Been there/done that.
• Response factor. Can move people fast if available and can be notified. May be a notification problem, not a dispatch problem.
• If you create core team, what positions? How do you dispatch other positions? How do you handle training? What is the response time?

Need to get external input over the next couple of months from GACC's (Bob will include with type 2 crew letter), home agencies and IC's. Future agenda item.

NEW BUSINESS

ICS Evaluation Guide

ICS 230-3, ICS Evaluation Guide. Cindy Wolfe would like to discontinue it at PMS as it was only ordered 15 times last year. We will need to look at in conjunction with our overall review of ICS.

IOS WT Charter

Ralph recommended looking at our charter for the following: including recognizing the previous team name (ICS WT), expand the duties of the Executive Secretary, list the membership of the team and possibly add a vice-chair. Some of this may be a good attachment to the charter. NWCG may be looking at all the team charters for duplications, overlaps and contradictions. Future agenda item.

Executive Secretary

The new Executive Secretary will be Claudia Standish from the Santa Fe NF. Beth will attend the San Diego meeting to transition with her.

CONFERENCE CALL SCHEDULE

November 9, 1999 – Time TBA

December 14, 1999 – Time TBA

January 11, 2000 – Time TBA

Rich will schedule and let Beth know time and phone number.

All calls on Tuesdays

FUTURE MEETING DATES

February 8-10, 2000 San Diego, CA

May 9-11, 2000 Whitefish, MT

October 31-November 3, 2000 Location TBA