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Partners and Agreements

2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter  

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Partners and Agreements

To perform our mission effectively, NWCG maintains relationships with many partners in the wildland fire and emergency management communities. Those partners, and related agreements, include the following:

Agreements

Partners

The AHIMTA is a dedicated group of incident management, and public safety professionals from all disciplines, seeking to promote, support, and enhance the profession of incident management by establishing standards and promoting the cooperation of federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in all phases of incident management.

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG coordinates with the AHIMTA in an effort to better align overall implementation of the NIMS National Qualifications System, and to support their ongoing efforts that may affect wildland fire standards.

The CGAC provides communication and cooperation between the Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs), the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group (NMAC), and the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG). CGAC is chartered by NMAC.

CGAC Charter

Relationship to NWCG

CGAC may facilitate communication between Geographic Area Coordination Centers and NWCG.

The Disaster Assistance Support Program, (DASP), is a cooperative program between U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the U.S. Forest Service International Programs. The DASP enhances and supports OFDA’s capacity to respond to disasters by mobilizing a roster of more than 250 disaster management experts from the U.S. Forest Service and other domestic agencies. DASP has accessed the agency’s expertise to develop, manage and continually update many critical systems, procedures, guides and other tools to enhance and facilitate OFDA’s disaster planning, management and response.

Operating Plan for Detail Exchange between NWCG and DASP

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG and DASP have agreed to a detail exchange to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and business practices.

HSPD-5 required the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a mechanism for ensuring the ongoing management and maintenance of NIMS.

The Secretary established the National Integration Center (NIC) to serve as an asset for government agencies, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations that are implementing NIMS.

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG coordinates with the NIC in an effort to align wildland fire qualification standards with national qualification standards, and to support their ongoing efforts that may affect wildland fire standards.

To support the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s goals by improving the competencies of the U.S. officials in Emergency Management at all levels of government to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the potential effects of all types of disasters and emergencies on the American people.

  • FEMA EMI is the emergency management community’s flagship training institution, and provides training to Federal, State, local, tribal, volunteer, public, and private sector officials to strengthen emergency management core competencies for professional, career-long training.
  • EMI directly supports the implementation of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the National Response Framework (NRF), the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF), and the National Preparedness Goal (NPG) by conveying necessary knowledge and skills to improve the nation’s capability.
  • EMI trains more than 2 million students annually. Training delivery systems include residential onsite training; offsite delivery in partnership with emergency management training systems, colleges, universities; and technology-based mediums to conduct individual training courses for emergency management personnel across the Nation.
  • EMI is located on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center (NETC), Emmitsburg, Maryland.

 

Relationship to NWCG

EMI develops and maintains the ICS and all-hazard position specific training courses, as well as setting national instructor qualification standards and student prerequisites.

The Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) Information Technology (IT) Portal brings together applications, tools and user support services to support Federal, State, and Local government agencies which provide support for all wildfires and other incidents. This portal serves as an introduction to FAM-IT’s portfolio of applications and provides a consolidated repository of user guides, training materials, and other documents.

Relationship to NWCG

USDA Forest Service is the host agency for NWCG's website. FAM-IT is the Forest Service program providing this service. FAM-IT also develops and maintains many systems and applications which provide support to the NWCG mission to enable interagency wildland fire operations.

The Fire Management Board provides a mechanism for coordinated and integrated federal wildland fire program management and implementation. The Board, taking strategic policy and program direction from the Fire Executive Council, directs, coordinates and oversees the development and implementation of federal wild land fire policy and programs to provide consistent and cost-effective program management. The Board is accountable for and has the authority to coordinate federal program management and oversight.

 

Relationship to NWCG

The FMB may request NWCG organizational assistance and subject matter expertise to support FMB initiatives, rather than creating redundant SME groups. NWCG staff provide administrative support to FMB.

The GATRs provide cost effective and efficient interagency wildland fire management training responsive to the needs and direction of their respective Geographic Areas, and in support of the National training effort.


Operating Guidelines

Relationship to NWCG

The GATRs provide national leadership in the delivery of a significant portion of the NWCG training curriculum, including almost all 300 and 400 level training courses. The GATRs also provide critical leadership and input into NWCG training course development and revision.

The Incident Workforce Development Group provides national leadership to enable long-term development and sustainability of a national interagency incident workforce. Primary objectives are:

  1. Develop incident workforce data into useful decision support information;
  2. Use incident workforce data to identify impediments to Incident Management Team (IMT) participation;
  3. Assess and make specific recommendations for the following issues:
    • Roles and responsibilities for IMT direction, prioritization, and oversight;
    • Increasing internal and external (e.g. DOD, USGS, BOR, NRCS) IMT participation;
    • Improving NWCG qualification pathways;
    • Ensuring equitable experience opportunities among IMTs;
    • Number, type, and geographic location of IMTs;
    • IMT mobilization efficiencies;
    • Trainee management and efficiency in support of IMT staffing goals;
  4. Provide regular reports to the chartering entities to include:
    • Issue identification and recommendations related to the primary mission;
    • Areas of disagreement that require higher level of resolution.

 

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG is a signatory to the charter of this group, along with NMAC and FMB. This work continues efforts initiated by NWCG's Incident Management Organization Succession Planning (IMOSP), Evolving Incident Management Strategic Implementation Plan (EIMSIP), and Evolving Incident Management (EIM) projects to address incident workforce issues.

The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) provides leadership to the fire science community by identifying high-priority fire science research needs that will enhance the decision-making ability of fire and fuels managers, natural resource managers, and others to meet their management objectives. The program also meets the decision needs of those involved in developing and implementing fire-related policy.

The JFSP has established the Fire Science Exchange Network to open pathways to active science delivery. The Fire Science Exchange Network is a national collaboration of 15 regional fire science exchanges that provides the most relevant, current wildland fire science information to stakeholders. The exchanges bring together fire managers, practitioners, and scientists to address common needs and challenges.

Relationship to NWCG

JFSP collaborates with NWCG by working with committees to define research needs, supporting studies and syntheses to address these needs, and providing regional capacity for science delivery and continuing education.

The National Advanced Fire & Resource Institute (NAFRI) is a national level training center serving the interagency wildland fire community through the development and implementation of fire, fuels, resource, and incident management skills and educational processes.

Relationship to NWCG

NAFRI is the primary source of NWCG 500-600 level training course delivery.

The NCSWIC, through the Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (SWIC), promotes and implements strategics for achieving effective public safety communications by developing professional partnerships and collaborating with public safety agencies and policy makers.

Relationship to NWCG

The NWCG Executive Board has agreed to participate in a task force under NCSWIC to examine a proposal for a Communications Section within ICS.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.

NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering our mission. NFPA membership totals more than 50,000 individuals around the world.

Relationship to NWCG

Representatives of NWCG, and individual wildland fire agencies, participate on many wildland fire – related NFPA committees, bringing the interagency wildland fire perspective to the NFPA standards-making process.

The ICAC exists to improve communication and coordination between incident management teams, geographic area coordinating groups (GACGs), the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC), the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), and the Coordinating Group Advisory Council (CGAC). ICAC is chartered by NMAC.

ICAC Charter

 

Relationship to NWCG

ICAC may facilitate communication between incident management/area command teams and NWCG.

The NMAC mission is to provide national wildland fire operations management, priority setting, and resource allocation through multi-agency coordination.

Relationship to NWCG

NMAC coordinates the implementation of the National Response Framework and the National Incident Management System, ultimately putting into practice NWCG's standards for interoperability.

The PSOG provides management oversight and direction to the National Predictive Services Program. PSOG is chartered by the Fire Management Board.

Wildfires can cause complex problems, from severe loss of vegetation and soil erosion, to a decrease in water quality and possible flash flooding. PWRP's mission is to address post-fire emergency stabilization of these and other post wildfire problems, in order to protect public safety and prevent further degradation of the landscape and to mitigate post-fire damages to cultural resources.

Relationship to NWCG

The Post Wildfire Recovery Program (PWRP) assessment is part of the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) effort. The PWRP plans and implements BAER emergency actions and requires cooperation and coordination between NWCG member agencies as well as adherence to NWCG standards.

The National Fire Academy (NFA) works to enhance the ability of fire and emergency services and allied professionals to deal more effectively with fire and related emergencies. Free training courses and programs are delivered at our campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland, online and throughout the nation.

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG collaborates with NFA to provide easy access to quality training for emergency response personnel through centralized web-based distance learning.

The mission of the Wildland Fire Education and Training Collaborative (WETC) is to develop multiple sources of media, including but not limited to books, videos and classroom exercises, for the purpose of synthesizing the knowledge in fire science and to build as structure from which to move.

Relationship to NWCG

The NWCG Training Program has become a member of the Wildland Fire Education and Training Collaborative (WETC) in an effort to develop effective peer reviewed learning content for the wildland fire community. This relationship includes collaborative development of content used in NWCG courses and university courses.

The purpose of Wildland Fire Information and Technology is to promote interagency collaboration in the support of the business mission of the Wildland Fire Program. WFIT provides information and technology services and functions independent of agency or user location, thus providing a new level of flexible and adaptable technology for the users in the field.

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG participates in WFIT processes by defining wildland fire business requirements as described in

The Wildland Fire Leadership Council (Council) is an intergovernmental committee of Federal, state, tribal, county, and municipal government officials convened by the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, Defense, and Homeland Security dedicated to consistent implementation of wildland fire policies, goals, and management activities. The Council provides strategic recommendations to help ensure policy coordination, accountability and effective implementation of Federal wildland fire management policy and related long-term strategies through a collaborative environment to help ensure effective and efficient wildfire management, promote fire-adapted communities and create resilient landscapes to achieve long-range benefits for society and nature.

Relationship to NWCG

NWCG standards are developed and adopted by member agencies to support achievement of agency policies, goals, and objectives, some of which may originate from the intergovernmental work of WFLC.

The mission of the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center is to promote learning in the wildland fire service by providing useful and relevant products and services that help to reveal the complexity and risk in the wildland fire environment.

Relationship to NWCG

The WFLLC mission is to promote learning and collaboration among NWCG groups and the wider fire community.

Partners and Agreements
Last Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

The Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN)

Date: August 27, 2024
Contact: Incident Planning Subcommittee 

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Status/Check-In Recorder, PMS 350-32, NWCG Position Task Book for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN), PMS 311-32, and Checking In Resources Customer Service Job Aid, J-111 are now available.

The Performance Support Package, which for SCKN includes the Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Book, and job aid were developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. The Performance Support Package will support trainees, those qualified in the position, and evaluators.

References:

NWCG Status/Check-In Recorder Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Status/Check-In Recorder, PMS 350-32

NWCG Position Task Book for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN), PMS 311-32

Checking In Resources Customer Service Job Aid, J-111

The Next Generation Position Task Book and Incident Position Standards are now available for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF)

Date: July 26, 2024
Contact: Risk Management Committee 

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Safety Officer, Field, PMS 350-81 and NWCG Position Task Book for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF), PMS 311-81 are now available.

The Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) is responsible for monitoring operations on an incident from a risk management perspective to provide for the welfare of incident resources and the public. The new Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort.

References:

NWCG Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) Position

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Safety Officer, Field, PMS 350-81

NWCG Position Task Book for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF), PMS 311-81

Updated NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277

Date: July 25, 2024
Contact: Incident Planning Subcommittee 

The Incident Planning Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277.

The NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc) establishes the standards for collection and retention of records on wildland fires. This July 2024 update will provide incident management teams the most current standards required to maintain incident records and submit them to host units at the close of an incident.

References:

NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277

eDoc Box Directory (zip file)

NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle Typing Standard Request for Comment

Date: July 24, 2024
Contact: Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee 

The Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee has released Equipment Bulletin 24-002 NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard - Request for Comment. This bulletin outlines the proposed NWCG OHV typing standard, as well as the business need for establishing the standard. Comments on the proposed standard will be accepted through August 15th using the comment form linked below.

References:

ETC-EB-2024-02: NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard - Request for Comment

NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard Comment Form