Course Description: This is a leadership development recommendation that focuses on leadership within the context of large/complex incident management, to include team collective tasks and functions accomplished by large Incident Management Teams (IMTs). Individual tasks include functioning as a productive member of a staff organization, being a positive contributor to staff decision-making, maintaining a common operating picture, demonstrating staff member ethos, and projecting operational culture and leader’s intent.

This course is targeted at personnel desiring to become qualified as Command and General Staff (C&G) on an Incident Management Team (IMT). The intent is to produce C&G members who can effectively fulfill their responsibilities within the IMT decision process and act as organizational leaders within their own functional areas. This course focuses on leadership within the context of large/complex incident management. This includes team collective tasks and functions accomplished by large IMTs. Individual tasks include functioning as a productive member of a staff organization, being a positive contributor to staff decision making, maintaining a common operating picture, demonstrating staff member ethos, and projecting operational culture and leader’s intent.

THIS IS NOT A COURSE PACKAGE AVAILABLE FROM THE NWCG PRODUCTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

The NWCG Leadership Committee has maintenance responsibility for the L-481 course package and evaluation process. However, the delivery process used to meet this training recommendation will need to be determined by the hosting agency. Specific course information can be found at the Wildland Fire Leadership website at https://www.nwcg.gov/wfldp.

Selected course materials should address these topics:

• Establishing a staff value system, team culture, and command presence
• Developing and maintaining a team-level common operating picture
• Developing and communicating leader’s intent through a critical thinking process
• Propagating intent at all levels of the incident organization
• Effectively operate in the ICS system and utilize ICS products and doctrine
• Promoting integration of functional areas and a high-level of teamwork into strategic planning

Course Objectives: The intent of this training is to produce Command and General Staff members who can fulfill the responsibilities of an effective staff officer or section chief within an IMT, contribute effectively to an IMT’s decision-making process, and perform as an effective organizational leader in their own functional area and as a member of the IMT.

Course Components and Hours to Complete:
Pre-selection assessment N/A
Pre-course work 8
Onling training N/A
Instructor-led training 32
Total Hours 40

Target Group: Personnel desiring to be qualified in a command or general staff position on an Incident Management Team.

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Source: PMS 901-1 - Field Manager's Course Guide - April 2017

• Successful completion of L-480, Organizational Leadership in the Wildland Fire Service

OR

• Successful completion of L-380, Fireline Leadership

OR

• Successful completion of L-381, Incident Leadership

OR

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

AND

• Satisfactory completion of pre-course work.
  

Sean Flanagan

Forest Service RO

(423) 829-0535

sean.flanagan@usda.gov