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RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)

RT-130 Decorative banner. Group of photos depicting wildland firefighters performing various duties.

Aquatic Invasive Species Mitigation for Ground Resources

Avoid the spread of aquatic invasive species by fire personnel and water delivery equipment by adhering to the procedures presented in this video.
Category: Operations
Core Component(s):
Local Topics
Estimated Delivery Time: 30:00
Video Length: 9:20

Intent

Stop or decrease the spread of aquatic invasive species by fire personnel and other water delivery equipment by adhering to the procedures presented in this video.

Facilitator Preparation

  • Review the video, module tools, and resources.
  • Decide which discussion questions (below) will best fit the level of the session audience.

Facilitating the Discussion

  • Show the video.
  • Facilitate a small or large group discussion using the selected discussion questions.

Discussion Questions

  1. What kind of equipment/supplies do you carry in the vehicle for decontamination?
  2. Do you prime the pump using water from the engine tank or the water source?
  3. How often do you inspect your foot valve? Do you carry a spare?
  4. Is aquatic invasive species mitigation a regular part of employee training?
  5. When on assignment, is aquatic invasive species a topic in the general briefing? How about at division breakouts?
  6. What type of apparatus do you have at the home unit for decontamination?
  7. Have you written a Job Risk Analysis for decontamination?  Have you identified and procured specific personal protective equipment (PPE) for this purpose?
  8. Why is aquatic invasive species mitigation important with regard to agency mission, public lands, firefighters, and the public?
  9. What aquatic invasive species are in your area or neighboring areas?
  10. What are the mitigation procedures for dealing with aquatic invasive species?
  11. What effects can these species have on waterways if they spread?

Resources

Additional Video Information

  • This video is also available as a download (zip file, size 140 MB) with .srt file for closed captioning (you may need to right click and Save As). For information on how to add closed captioning to a video, see this how-to page.
  • Note: For Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, right click the word download and select Save Link As; for Internet Explorer (IE), right click and select Save Target As.

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters

Date: January 15, 2025
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters. Non-specification fire shelters claiming to meet Forest Service (FS) fire shelter specification 5100-606 were first found in February of 2023. As of September 2024, non-specification shelters are again being advertised and sold on the open market.

This Safety Warning outlines details and recommended procedures to purchase FS specification shelters made with materials and components that meet performance criteria and toxicity testing requirements outlined in FS Specification 5100-606. 

For additional information on identifying non-specification shelters, please view ETC Safety Warning 23-01.

References:

ETC Safety Warning 25-001: Non-specification fire shelters

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee

ETC Safety Warning 23-01

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Awards

Date: January 14, 2025
Contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee has awarded the 2023 Paul Gleason “Lead By Example” awards to individuals in the categories of Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Sam Bowen, Superintendent of the Mark Twain Veteran Crew with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Greg Titus, Zone Fire Management Officer for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Renae Crippen, Manager of the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Eric Carlson, Instructor with OMNA International.

References:

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Interview with Paul Gleason

Updated NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Water Scooper Operations Unit

The NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating water scooping aircraft on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, and any local, state, or geographic/regional water scooping plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Updated NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee

The Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505. PMS 505 establishes standards for aerial supervision operations for national interagency wildland fire operations. 

References:

NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505