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NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

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Alternative Pathways to NWCG Qualification

Alternative Pathways NWCG Qualification

Group of wildland firefighters walking through low hanging smoke. The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, establishes minimum NWCG position qualification standards for training, experience, physical fitness, and currency for national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. Position qualification requirements are located on the individual position pages of the NWCG Position Catalog.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL), NWCG position endorsements, and the National Fire Academy (NFA) Structural Fire Skills Crosswalk are methods for attaining NWCG PMS  310-1 positions outside of the qualifications pathway through formal processes and recognized programs. Use of these processes and programs are determined by each agency independently and only apply to positions identified in the NWCG PMS 310-1. The use of these alternate pathways ensures the critical knowledge and skills needed to perform on wildland fire incidents is attained while increasing response capacity through a shortened path to qualification.

The NWCG Standards for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), PMS 309, establishes the use of a formal competency-based qualification process that allows any credentialing authority to recognize and account for competence acquired through life-long learning and experience. RPL is a process that evaluates an individual’s formal and non-formal learning to determine the extent to which that individual has achieved the required competencies to perform effectively in a specific emergency management or responder position. It is widely recognized that a standardized NWCG RPL process will reduce redundant training, support efforts to increase speed and time to competency, and support efforts to boost national resource surge capacity.

The NWCG Executive Board is developing NWCG position endorsements for the 45 common positions shared with National Incident Management System (NIMS) National Qualification System (NQS). A position endorsement is defined as “Documentation validating specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that an [Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)] establishes beyond the minimum qualifications for a given position.” Endorsements allow utilizing NQS all-hazards qualified resources on wildland fire incidents. This process is not designed to review specific NWCG positions for use in all-hazards incidents.

Position analysis is underway. See analysis process for additional information. As recommendations are approved, they will be posted below. Target completion for analysis of all 45 positions is June 2022. 

NWCG Position Catalog 

Please Provide Endorsements Feedback 

Details Title Position Code Endorsed? Endorsement Approved Link to Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Incident Communications Technician will need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Incident Communications Technician No COMT Recommendations

LOFR Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

Required Additional Training

  • None

Required Additional Experience

  • Successful performance as a LOFR trainee on a wildland fire incident (no PTB required). Use NWCG Liaison Officer (LOFR) Position Task Book, PMS 311-05, as a guide for the trainee assignment. Document performance on a PTB Evaluation Record.

Physical Fitness Level: Arduous

 Liaison Officer Yes LOFR Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Logistics Section Chiefs Type 1 will need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Logistics Section Chief Type 1 No LSC1 Recommendations

LSC2 Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

The position for this endorsement is currently being evaluated to the new standards for Complex Incident Management, for current information regarding this change, please contact your NIMSIC representative.

 Logistics Section Chief Type 2 Yes LSC2 Recommendations

LSC3 Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

Required Additional Training

  • None Required

Required Additional Experience

Physical Fitness Level: None Required

 Logistics Section Chief Type 3 Yes LSC3 Recommendations

MEDL Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

Required Additional Training

Required Additional Experience

Physical Fitness Level: None Required

 Medical Unit Leader Yes MEDL Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position. All-hazards Operations Section Chief Type 1 need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements. Rationale for not endorsing is based on prerequisite experience (e.g., fire behavior, strategic operations, burn planning).

 Operations Section Chief Type 1 No OSC1 Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position. All-hazards Operations Section Chief Type 2 need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements. Rationale for not endorsing is based on prerequisite experience (e.g., fire behavior, strategic operations, burn planning).

 Operations Section Chief Type 2 No OSC2 Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position. All-hazards Operations Section Chief Type 3 need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements. Rationale for not endorsing is based on prerequisite experience (e.g., fire behavior, strategic operations, burn planning).

 Operations Section Chief Type 3 No OPS3 Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Planning Section Chief Type 1 will need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Planning Section Chief Type 1 No PSC1 Recommendations

PSC2 Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

The position for this endorsement is currently being evaluated to the new standards for Complex Incident Management, for current information regarding this change, please contact your NIMSIC representative.

 Planning Section Chief Type 2 Yes PSC2 Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Planning Section Chief Type 3 will need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Planning Section Chief Type 3 No PSC3 Recommendations

All-hazards Procurement Unit Leaders need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements. Rationale for not endorsing is based on the complexity of federal procurement regulations.

 Procurement Unit Leader No PROC Recommendations

PIOF Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

Required Additional Training

Required Additional Experience

  • No additional experience required

Physical Fitness Level: None Required

 Public Information Officer Yes PIOF Recommendations

PIO1 Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

Required Additional Training

Required Additional Experience

  • No additional experience required

Physical Fitness Level: None Required

 Public Information Officer Type 1 Yes PIO1 Recommendations

PIO2 Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

The position for this endorsement is currently being evaluated to the new standards for Complex Incident Management, for current information regarding this change, please contact your NIMSIC representative.

 Public Information Officer Type 2 Yes PIO2 Recommendations

RESL Position Endorsement Requirements, 2022

Required Additional Training

  • Review NWCG Standards for Electronic File Documentation, PMS 277, prior to assignment [note:  publication nearing finalization].

Required Additional Experience

Physical Fitness Level: None Required

 Resources Unit Leader Yes RESL Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Safety Officers need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Safety Officer Type 1 No SOF1 Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Safety Officers need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Safety Officer Type 2 No SOF2 Recommendations

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Safety Officers need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

 Safety Officer, Line No SOFR Recommendations
Showing 21 - 40 of 45 entries

 

 

Structural firefighters meeting NFPA 1001 or 1021 qualifications may utilize the Skills Crosswalk identified by the NFA to apply their existing fire suppression knowledge and skills towards qualification in three NWCG incident positions: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1), Engine Boss, Single Resource (ENGB), and Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN).

Refer to NFA for additional information.

The Gap courses have been designed to fill the knowledge gap between structural and wildand fire. The course, along with the associated position task book are required for structural firefighters prior to obtaining qualification in each of the three NWCG positions.

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514 - DRAFT

Date: July 18, 2024
Contact: National Interagency Aviation Committee 

A draft version of the new NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514, is now available. The NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating airtankers on wildland fires. As this is the first edition of these standards, the National Interagency Aviation Committee (NIAC) requests review and input into the 2025 final publication.

Please review and provide feedback by September 1st, 2024 for consideration. Feedback can be provided utilizing the NWCG Publication Review Form.

References:

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514 - DRAFT

NWCG Publications Review Form

Updated NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1 and NWCG Training Course Completion Certificate, PMS 921-1

Date: July 17, 2024
Contact: Training Delivery Committee 

The Training Delivery Committee (TDC) has updated the NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1 to reflect changes in the standards for course management and delivery. These changes have been reviewed and approved by the members of TDC over the past year. Significant updates include additional delivery methods, updated definitions, and instructions for the use of digital signatures on training certificates. The NWCG Training Course Completion Certificate, PMS 921-1 has been updated to lock after an electronic signature has been applied.

References:

NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1

NWCG Training Course Completion Certificate, PMS 921-1

IBC Memo 24-01: OF 297 Signature Order and 2024 Fire Season Use IBC Memo 24-02: Summary of Changes for SIIBM, PMS 902

Date: July 15, 2024
Contact: Incident Business Committee 

The NWCG Incident Business Committee (IBC) has recently released two memorandums. The first provides direction on the use of the Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297 for the 2024 fire season. Due to delays in hard copy printing, both the 2024 revision and the older version of the Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297 are acceptable for use during the 2024 fire season.

The second memorandum documents the updates of the newly revised NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management (SIIBM), PMS 902. The summary of changes attached to the memo covers the major updates and process changes from the 2022 version.

References:

IBC Memorandum 24-01: OF 297 Signature Order and 2024 Fire Season Use

IBC Memorandum 24-02: Summary of Changes for the NWCG Standards of Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

IBC Memorandum 24-02 Attachment: Summary of Changes

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552

Date: July 10, 2024
Contact: Incident Medical Unit Subcommittee 

A new publication from the Incident Medical Unit Subcommittee is now available. The NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552 will be used as a guide and as an opportunity to begin to build out Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) modules for the remainder of Fire Year 2024. These standards will be fully implemented as the minimum standard starting in January 2025.

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support outlines the roles, duties, qualifications, and equipment pertinent to REMS. A REMS team, strategically stationed at wildland fires, plays a pivotal role in prioritizing swift access and medical treatment to injured or ill firefighters for safe and efficient egress off the fireline. This ensures their rapid transport to definitive medical care in cases of emergency during firefighting operations, highlighting the invaluable contribution of the REMS team to firefighter safety and well-being.

References:

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552