National Wildfire Coordinating Group

1
National Wildfire Coordinating Group

• USDA Forest Service
• U.S. Department of the Interior
• Bureau of Land Management
• National Park Service
• Fish and Wildlife Service
• Bureau of Indian Affairs)
• States (through National Association of State
  Foresters)
• U.S. Fire Administration

2
National Wildfire Coordinating Group

• The purpose of NWCG is to coordinate programs of
  the participating wildfire management agencies to
  avoid wasteful duplication and to provide a means
  of constructively working together.  
• Its goal is to provide more effective execution
  of each agencys fire management program.  
• The group provides a formalized system to agree
  upon standards of training, equipment,
  qualifications, and other operational functions.

3
NWCGNRF/NIMS Committee

• Serves as a liaison between NWCG and DHS/FEMA to
  
• Provide expertise/guidance to DHS/FEMA and
  associated committees/work groups and where
  possible, positively influence changes as NIMS is
  implemented, revised, updated, and expanded
• Become a conduit to the NWCG member agencies for
  information to ensure NIMS compliance

4
NWCGNRF/NIMS Committee

• Develop internal and external partnerships and to
  try to prevent overlap or duplication of effort
  or activities related to NRF, NIMS, and related
  initiatives
• Facilitate more efficient and effective response
  guidelines for the emergency response community
• Ensure coordination of NRF activities and
• Remain engaged with DHS/FEMA in matters of mutual
  interest and benefit.

5

Standardized personnel training and qualifications
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Standards are the Key

• Plans based on standards exist from the local to
  the national level (including national and
  regional mobilization plans)
• Standardized templates exist from the local to
  the national level for interagency agreements for
  response and other cooperation
• Standardized business practices outlined in
  guides and handbooks
• Development and delivery of standardized training
  courses nationally, regionally, and locally

7
Qualification and Certification

• System is performance-based
• Standards for qualifications and certification
  for ICS positions using classroom training and
  experience
• Instructors must meet minimum criteria
• Students must meet criteria for training and must
  be nominated for courses
• Trainees must successfully perform at incidents
  with documentation (task book)

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Qualification and Certification

• Red Card system based on NWCG PMS 310-1
• Certification is done at the local level
• Computerized system for maintaining currency and
  tracking status ties in to automated resource
  management system

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Resource Management
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Resource Management

• Identification and typing based on capability and
  capacity (equipment, personnel, teams, supplies)
• Supply caches local, regional, national
• Ordering, tracking, status system (ROSS)
• Acquisition, procurement, contracts equipment,
  personnel, services, acquisition authority
  (buying teams)
• Local resources are used for local, state,
  regional, and national mobilization
• All of the above are based on standards and
  standardization

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Resource Ordering/Tracking/Status
Resource Management

• Resources are pre-positioned and moved in
  response to conditions
• Use automated system (Resource Ordering and
  Status System - ROSS) to
• Monitor status/availability
• Identify location
• Place order
• Dispatch
• Demobilize

12
Mutual Aid and Agreements

• Resources in the system are from NWCG agencies
  or other entities by agreement
• Agreements are pre-arranged based on need
• Local Agreements
• State Agreements
• Regional Agreements
• Compacts
• Interagency Agreements
• International Agreements

13
Mutual aid is provided and received based on
Operating Plans
The agreement is the what The operating plan
is the how
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NWCG Processes and AHIMTs

• Local AHIMTs should ensure that they meet the
  pending NIMS standards for Type 3 IMT
• Local FDs and AHIMTs should maintain agreements
  with their State Forestry agency
• This enables them to be used for regional and
  national mobilization with reimbursement of
  appropriate costs
• This may also enable them to shadow/share
  resources with State wildland IMTs
• AHIMT members should follow NWCG training,
  qualification and certification standards where
  possible (if higher than NIMS standards)