PNW Training Working Team

TWT INTERNAL Minutes

PNW Training Working Team

November 16-17, 2000 – Redmond, Oregon

Annual Course Selection

Attendees: Renee Beams-PNW Training, Mike Spencer-FS/BLM, Bill Donaghu-BIA,

Joe Stutler-Ops Working Team Rep, Dave Luse-WDNR, Dale Kamrath-Oregon Fire Service,

Dick Gormley-Washington Fire Service, Janet Kailin-NPS (representing Ken Till),

Diana Vancurler-PNW Training, Era Horton-Oregon Fire Service, Sharon Allen-Brick-PNW Training

Note-taker: Julia Genre

ACTION ITEMS

Status

Who

November Agenda Items

• 520 nominations and 420 qualification equivalency
• FY2001 PNWCG Sponsored Courses
• Strategic Planning, Follow-up
• PTB Reporting Procedure, Luse
• 2001 Program of Work
• Fire Service Liaison
• Supervisory Training Specialist filling
• Conference Call Scheduling
• 205
• S-400
• 400 Level Instructors, permission to instruct
• RX Courses
• FINAL TWT Charter
• S-445, talk with Beams regarding students
• 2001 meetings

OLD BUSINESS

Wildfire Conference

• Letter for the Wildfire Conference has not been forwarded to the PNWCG. Spencer will present the letter at the next meeting, which is December 19.

• Discussion from the Team that this request is late in the year for approval from PNWCG and that it won’t happen in 2001, try for 2002.
• Need to find out if the approximate $30,000 is in the account to get the conference up and started, need to check with Barbara Kennedy. Balancing of the money and how it’s supposed to be spent was done over a year ago. PNWCG sponsored the last conference in 1997.
• In the past there was another committee picked as a steering committee by PNWCG. Let PNWCG know that if there is not another group interested in putting on the conference, then the TWT would be willing to put it together.

Helicopter Crew Member

Agreed (consensus by TWT) to take this to the PNWCG 12/19 meeting, and move this topic forward. Attention chair with Terry Hueth signature.

Air tactical. Regarding “mobilization” and “demobilization” in the task book, classroom sign off.

TWT Charter

At last recollection, Ed Daniels had the Charter last in its last format. Donaghu (while Chair) was going to present to the PNWCG for approval, but never happened. Gormley has a copy and will scan and electronically send to TWT members for one last glance and approval. Will finalize at December meeting and present at the PNWCG meeting December 19. If anyone has the original electronic version, please send to Julia Genre () so that she can incorporate into the TWT home page.

S-420 Lead Instructor Follow-up

Don Perry as lead instructor? Spencer was supposed to call, Dave Luse will now call, need an answer for next years (2001) course being held at Redmond. Remind Don that he could attend the January beta test in Florida.

NEW BUSINESS

520/420

Related 420/520 bottlenecks in Operations, Safety and Air Operations (Air Branch Director). Beams indicated that Roswell included Air Ops in this November’s training. Possible solution for 420: keep the curse, but change the classroom, assigned to a two week assignment with fully qualified Command & General Staff on a complexity level I incident (NOT type I team incident). This would require a change in 310-1 because 420 is a required course. Brings back to performance-based training. Bring structured experience forward to PNWCG training working team as equivalent. Must have sufficient duration, complexity and address the key performance areas. Bring on a couple of folks not attached to team to evaluate 520? Perhaps it would work. Try it first on 420.

Suggestion: Run this as a test, identifying one team to do it with

• Have an outside the team bias review, getting a good 420 experience
• Field experience performance based experience training vs. field training
• Headings in the task book,
• Northern Rockies is running a 420 test course March 2001 (4 positions), requiring “completed” Ops task book prior to attending the course. They can do that, but cannot impose it on PNW.
• Redmond has 420 nominations, a problem, no solution yet, bottleneck. Rotation through different training areas because of the difficulty of pulling course together.
• 5 years ago, prerequisites are perhaps the problem
• CA North and South. Nominate a full team

Needs analysis, instead of asking for numbers, ask for names and with the nominations came in only 2 names matched the name list – very little correlation with actual nominations. Reflects differently of futuring. Also confusion with S-520 and S-420, agencies are thinking they didn’t know to send name in for 420 (WDNR didn’t send in nominations), there was a misconception.

• Addition needs for S-420 because some agencies are adopting a requirement for S-420 in their standardized PDs for FMOs but they are not aiming for teams necessarily.
• Groom 420 folks to increase participation
• Where are these folks going to go? On Type II Teams?
• Ideal: Present two FULL teams for Northern Rockies in nomination. Would have a better chance of getting more people. Beams and Allen-Brick will canvass again for nominations. By December 1 have names into Redmond, deadline. Have list together by December 8, 2000 for final selections on December 14.
• If nominated student is on a “team”, highest priority, and completion of task books? OPS Working Team, selection for S-520, need to coordinate to identify people who will be targeted for positions on teams.

• Next month are the applications for the 3-year Team rotations, apprentices and trainees proceed with mentoring, making the selection for S-520. On national team as trainee, pulls away from area training. Large outreach for a good application pool. Not sure if there will be enough for 3 “full” national teams, but will have 2 good strong teams.
• Where should the responsibility lie for nurturing folks along with S-420 and S-520 so that the TWT can make those selections? Someone needs to be focused on this task.
• December 13, Stutler plus 3 other ICs are going to Denver to discuss the national large fire suppression, how teams are put together. There may no longer be area teams, there will be teams.

Selected Nominated Students for S-520

Handout for nominated students S-520 Advanced Incident Management, reviewed list and names below were approved by TWT.

Spencer to contact NARTC to but Pam Adams back into S-520. Spencer to notify NARTC that some names have changed but want to keep the same 24 slots.

• Canadians have an interest to participate in S-520; they are transitioning from LFO to ICS.

Incident Commander

John Jackson, ODF

Robert Anderson, Spokane FD#9

Jim Furlong, USFS Wenatchee

Mike Robison, ODF-CFPA

James Walker, ODF-CFPA

Carl West, USFS Siuslaw (moved up from Operations as Pat Humphries is retiring and added Wordell to Operations)

Operations Section Chief

Bob Madden, Bend City Fire

Tom Wordell, USFS Umatilla

Planning Section Chief (no changes)

Bruce Holloway, Spokane County FD#3

Regina Molina-Huston, USFS Mt. Hood

Logistics Section Chief

Dave Klym, USFS WO detail

Jeffrey K. Ripley, Benton County Fire #1 (Question on this selection, Gormley will talk with Bob Gear regarding this nomination. Ripley’s area is Information)

Finance Section Chief (WILL TAKE MORE STUDENTS otherwise no changes)

Teresa Wright, NPS Seattle

Pam Adams, WDNR

Sherri Rockey, USFS Siskiyou

Jeane Sanderson, ODF SWO

Safety Officer

Dave Summers, USFS Deschutes

Joy Augustine, USFS Winema

Jim Springer, WDNR (HOLD, Luse confirmed, NOT Springer, someone else)

Steve Elefant, ODF

Information Officer (WDNR would like to keep 2 slots)

Sharon Sweeney, USFS Malheur

Cynthia Reichelt, USFS Colville

Nick Mickel, WDNR (Luse checking to see if can fill)

Gay Berndt, BLM Vale (Confirmed as an alternate)

Area Command

Bonnie Wood, USFS Malheur

S-420 Equivalency

• Further discussion of suggestion that we develop an alternative to S-420
• Using a training assignment (task book, evaluator S-420 measurements, grading) on team as a selection to S-420
• Complexity Level 1 incident (not Type I incident)
• Challenge the classroom, select a “team” and give it a test. Develop a model and test it. Stutler to take on the task and has the capabilities to do it. That experience is needed to meet their goals.
• TWT would need to write up a proposal for equivalency and submit to PNWCG. Sharon has instructions from the 5109.17, Chapter 20. 22.3 Equivalency Courses. All agencies approved it; the Forest Service made it direction.
• 2 proposals: 1) feasibility and 2) structure: lesson plan (basically it equals the task book)
• Stutler, taking the lead, will put together a proposal, do informally to let them know what we’re doing (examples Facilitative Instructor/Fire Service 1 & 2, TFM/RX-340 that were challenged and approved). Proposal to be done in coordination with Operations Working Team and Training Working Team. Stutler to have prior to the December 13-14 TWT meeting (mailed electronically). One element to add to the proposal, the Trainers must have a common understanding of what is expected of them as there is no standard on what the Trainer does. Must explain task, requirements of task completion, monitor and document.
• This is a different type of equivalency then we’ve looked at in the past. Courses were compared with equivalent courses, i.e. “classroom”. Now we’re looking to do “field” equivalent of course content. Overall course objective is to tie back to the task book.
• PNWCG could be monitoring it for great success, and they could assign someone to review, get PNWCG approval before the implementation

FY2001 Course Selections

Spencer to have BLM/FS names to Beams by COB next Wednesday, November 22.

Cancelled Courses

O-FPM, Fire for Program Managers Test Course. The contract with Missoula did not go through, move to a website to get 3 days to classroom. Secure some folks to CA North Ops, Interior agencies are affected the most, bring the course back next year.

S-358, Communications Unit Leader. Only nine (9) folks were nominated, just not enough to hold the course. Redmond will notify students of the cancellation.

Selections

RX-340, Introduction to Fire Effects. 115 nominations, 30 available slots. Four (4) BIA all alternates are okay, five (5) BLM, two (2) F&WS important as both are into Rehab, and 19 USFS (Spencer to select by November 22)

RX-90, Smoke Management Techniques. 69 nominations, 30 available slots. Taking all prioritize #1’s except for “other” students. Four (4) BIA, three (3) F&WS, 23 FS/BLM.

O-PREMODEL, Prescribed Fire Modeling Techniques. Preparation for Burn Boss and PNW class only. 89 nominations, 30 available slots. Five (5) BIA, two (2) F&WS, 23 FS/BLM

O-FMAA, Local Fire Management for Agency Administrators. Suggestion from Sharon to give list to Al Garr, Lead Instructor, for his recommendations on students (his cadre has not met yet). Course is in April and still has some lead-time. Discussion on the importance of all students to attend, larger facility? Another course? Could be easily expanded to 36 slots. This is a shared course with Great Basin.

O-FAC INST, Facilitative Instructor. 73 nominations, 18 available slots. Take all 19 #1 priorities.

S-301, Leadership and Organization Development. 156 nominations, 30 available slots. Held only once a year. Three (3) BIA, one (1) F&WS, four (4) ODF, 22 FS/BLM (Spencer to get names to Beams by November 22)

S-445, Training Specialist. (4 cadre members) 31 nominations, 18 available slots. Zero (0) Others, three (3) WDNR, two (2) ODF, discussion on six (6) known students who just want the course for “information” and skills to stay on their home unit, understanding of performance-based training. Look at those students as evaluators, audit or just participants in the back of the room. That leaves eight (8) #1’s and six (6) #2’s to make a total of 19 students.

Beams will contact each nominated student to find out there purpose for attending and make the decision on whether they will attend the official training, be auditor or recommend them for the workshop which follows the training.

Now plan for 24 students to start on Tuesday, end on Wednesday and workshop on Thursday. Redmond will be calling all previous training specialist students and invite them to workshop. The workshop is great for the fire service students as a certification (task book sign off).

O-I.AIR.OP, Intermediate Air Operations. 46 nominations, 30 available slots. Not recommended for any position, old 370 course. Five (5) ODF, 25 FS/BLM.

I-400, Advanced Incident Command System. 44 nominations, 30 available slots. One (1) NPS, four (4) ODF, two (2) Other, one (1) Fire Service, 22 FS/BLM

S-300

35 nominations for the Train-the-Trainer course at Redmond, Ralph Taylor bringing in a simulator, computer operator to run simulators. WDNR to bring computer as well.

490 Refresher

BIA will be doing a refresher for 490, questioning when the prework will be coming out?

Performance Task Book - Luse

• White paper, letter, to the PNWCG to adopt procedure (possible Team). Dave to have done by the 12/19 meeting – DONE.
• Who got certified, who got training, what’s on the incident qualifications card? Training Specialists give their recommendations and then the agency can choose to accept or deny the recommendations. Who or who didn’t get certified (who was recommended). Sort by agency. The issue that 62 students have been trained but no one is in the system (on assignments), questions rise, have they not been certified by the home unit? Needing to know where the recommendation for certification came from (incident)
• Feedback is needed from Overhead Teams with Training Specialists on how many people are getting recommendations for certification of qualification on an incident. These Training Specialists would send their list into Redmond.
• Possible lag time in system. For example on the Federal side, Forests are not meeting until February, March, or even later for last seasons assignments
• Suggest Training Specialist have the ability to input directly into a web-based database

Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group

Pacific Northwest Training Working Team

Fiscal Year 2000

Accomplishments

1)The addition of two new voting members DPSST, Oregon Fire Service Representatives to the TWT.

2)Development of a S-290 CDROM, knowledge retainment control group

3)Development of S-130 and S-190 power point presentations, proscenario

4)PBQS

5)Development of I-100, I-200 and I-300 courses in a power point presentation format for Training delivery.

6)Completion of 20 300-400 level incident management and prescribed fire training sessions.

7)Completion of the co-GA’s training presentation of fuels courses S-491, Long Term Risk Assessment and S-492, REWRAP as well as RX-340, Fire Effects for Resource Specialists (hosted by Northern Rockies) and S-420, Command and General Staff (hosted by Great Basin).

8)Completion of the delivery of two National “formative” test courses (S-460 Finance Section Chief, I-401 Multi-agency Coordination Group) and one “summative” test course (S-360 Finance/Administration Unit Leader).

9)Completion of the assistance with the development of a PNW process for “futuring” S-520/S-620 nominees/candidates.

10)Completion of the assistance with the hand-off of the Forest Service Wildland Fire Qualification Handbook (5109.17) in the PNW.

11)Completion of teleconferencing course and recommendations.

12)Completion in the TICS group, building and implementations of the National Wildland Fire Training Web page and the Pacific Northwest Training Page.

Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group

Pacific Northwest Training Working Team

Fiscal Year 2001

Program of Work

1)Design and conduct annual Training Officers Meeting. Scheduled for November 27-28, 2001

2)Strategic Planning

3)Conduct 22 to 24 courses during the training year ending May 2001 (FY 00-01 training season). Coordination done by Redmond Training Center.

4)Develop and evaluate a S-420 equivalent and implement 2001 field season.

5)Increase public and agency knowledge by the development of a power point presentation guide on the “Introduction to the PNWCG”.

6)Produce an I-100, I-200 and I-300 CDROM Self Study course (or adopt existing course from another source)

7)Produce S-130 and S-190 CDROM Self Study, with proctored test

8)Explore the possibility of revising the PNW Wildfire Conference in 2002.

9)Recruit and fill Fire Service Liaison Specialist position at Redmond. Establish work priorities for the position for remainder of year.

10)Access impact of NFP

11)Evaluate the performance of a equivalency review of I-100, I-200 and I-300 courses and NFPA course

12)Assess impacts of the adoption of PNWCG decisions in the new 310-1. Operations and TWT will both be involved in the process. On-going

13)Evaluate and implement when feasible the use of new technology for training delivery. Ongoing.

14)Coordinate training needs with other GA’s, assess performance based training needs, analyze course attendance, cancellations, and track incident assignments for last five years of IARR, FNSC, and ATGS. (Redmond IATC). Ongoing.