All NWCG Announcements

Date: August 23, 2023
Contact: Emergency Medical Committee

NWCG announces the recipients of the 2022 Wildland Fire EMS Awards. The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties. 

Congratulations to all the awardees. Through leadership and initiative, they made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community.

• Kevin Knight – Outstanding Wildland Fire EMS Individual of the Year
• Silver City Interagency Hotshot Crew – Outstanding Wildland Fire EMS Crew of the Year
• Prescribed Fire Crew, Hoosier National Forest – Outstanding Wildland Fire EMS Crew of the Year
• Scott Phillips – Outstanding Wildland Fire EMS Distinguished Service Award
• Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District– Award of Excellence in Wildland Fire EMS/Rescue
• Idaho City Hotshot Crew – Award of Excellence in Wildland Fire EMS/Rescue

References:

2022 Wildland Fire EMS Awards Announcement

Submit 2023 Nominations

Date: August 02, 2023
Contact: Patrick Morgan and Keith Mitchell

The IOSC is seeking requests for revisions to the IRPG. The IRPG is updated periodically to reflect current standards and to add new information as needed. The current version of the IRPG was released January 2022, and the IOSC is targeting the next version of the IRPG to be available to the field by January 2025.

All requests should be submitted by October 31, 2023, to be considered for the next version of the IRPG.

References:

Memo 23-01

IRPG Request for Change

Date: July 10, 2023
Contact: Fire Prevention Education Team Subcommittee (FPETSC)

Two new publications from the Fire Prevention Education Team Subcommittee (FPETSC) are now available. The NWCG Fire Prevention Education Team Host Unit Guide, PMS 464, aids the interaction between host units requesting Fire Prevention Education Teams (FPETs) and the FPET itself and second, to clarify the different aspects of logistics, operations, information, safety, and business and finance support needed for FPETs.

The NWCG Fire Prevention Education Team Guide, PMS 474, provides information and guidance for successful use, management, and outcomes for FPET assignments and highlights the responsibilities and protocols related to FPETs.

References:

NWCG Fire Prevention Education Team Host Unit Guide, PMS 464

NWCG Fire Prevention Education Team Guide, PMS 474

Date: June 30, 2023
Contact: Incident Business Committee (IBC)

Currently, a fleet rate has not been established for agency or cooperator owned UAS. Most UAS and related support equipment are purchased and maintained at a local unit level with base funding. Therefore, unlike manned aircraft, a daily availability rate or applicable hourly flight rate for operations is not being assessed when a UAS is assigned to an incident. Incident replacement guidance for UAS is outlined is memo 23-09.

References:

Memo 23-09

Date: June 30, 2023
Contact: Interagency Airtanker Base Subcommittee (IABS)

The updated 2023 NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508 standardizes operations and procedures at interagency airtanker bases to ensure safe, efficient, and effective operations in support of interagency goals and objectives.

References:

• 2023 NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508

Date: June 29, 2023
Contact: 6MFS Subcommittee

As we approach the Week of Remembrance (June 30 - July 6), we all take a moment to reflect on the wildland fire incidents that took the lives of many of our brothers and sisters. Today, the 6 Minutes For Safety Subcommittee issued a letter to leadership to honor the fallen and to express the importance of lessons learned, checking in with your wildland fire families, and prioritizing the people who serve in the important mission of fighting wildland fire.

References:

6MFS Week of Remembrance

Date: June 23, 2023
Contact: Aitor Bidaburu and Sarah Lee

The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize the NWCG decisions related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) to date and to communicate the pathways for Type 3 Command & General Staff (C&G), Unit Leaders, and Division Supervisors (DIVS) to Complex C&G positions.

This memo does not include any new decisions and is only a summary of NWCG decisions to this point.

References:

Memorandum 23-005

CIM Story Map

Date: June 22, 2023
Contact: Data Standards and Terminology Board (DSTB)

Hello Wildland Fire Data Community! The Data Standards and Terminology Board has received a request for a new term/data standard. A few things about our process are maturing – this includes ensuring definitions capture only the essence of the term – and nothing more. Historically our definitions have been overloaded with rules, descriptions, and examples, all in an effort to ensure the term is understood. There is a place for that information, just not in the definition. You will see that we are now including those fields, when applicable, as part of the proposed term. If you have additional content that you think will help explain a term, please add it to your feedback.

Please review, share with your subgroups, and provide feedback. The comment period will close July 21, 2023.

Thank you for your engagement in the NWCG glossary process – your participation is key to our success.

Background: Apparatus Number is a field currently exchanged in IRWIN and was originally grandfathered in. The time has come to update the term and standard, but we need your help!

Proposed Data Value Rules:  String, max 75 characters
Proposed Data Element: Equipment Identifier
Proposed Data Element Description: The unique alphanumeric values assigned to an apparatus.
Supersedes: Apparatus Number - the external alphanumeric value painted on the side of the equipment.

References:

Glossary Request Feedback

Resource Ordering Systems Resource Item Data Entry Standards

Date: June 9, 2023
Contact: Data Standards and Terminology Board (DSTB)

The Data Standards and Terminology Board is requesting feedback on a glossary term. In this case, the proposal is for the addition of Business Rules. Historically we overloaded our definitions with definitions, descriptions, rules etc. We are now trying to separate the parts to make them distinct parts of a glossary term.

Please review, share with your subgroups, and provide feedback as appropriate. The comment period will close July 7, 2023.

Existing Term: Incident Complex
Incident Complex Proposed Business Rules –

1. Child records must meet large fire criteria specific to incident size to be included in an incident relationship within an incident complex. Child records must be at least 100 acres in timber or 300 acres in grass brush to be added to an Incident Complex.
2. Wildfire (WF) records that are Human Caused shall not be added to an Incident Complex.
3. Child records may only be in one Incident Complex at a time

References:

Glossary Request Feedback

Date: May 31, 2023
Contact: Incident Business Committee (IBC)

The NWCG Incident Business Committee (IBC) realized the file structure for COST and COMP unit folders needed additional refinement to the current standards. The same task group as previous was convened to address these types of files. The buying team group revised electronic document standards for buying team files now being housed on FireNet. The documents, have been approved by the IBC and are provided as national standards for incident finance electronic files and folders.

References:

Memo 23-08

Finance Working Files and Folder Matrix for FireNet

Finance Electronic Files Management Guidance

Structure for Finance Working Files Provided in FireNet

Buying Team Electronic Document Standard Operating Procedures

Structure for Final Finance eDoc Box Provided in FireNet