U.S. Forest Service/Bureau of Land Management
Fire and Aviation Management
Briefing Paper
Date: March 13, 2015
Topic: FY 2015 Alaska and Pacific Northwest Aerial Supervision Program
Background: The Alaska (AK) and Pacific Northwest (PNW) Region (Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service) currently have five exclusive use air attack aircraft and five full-time Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) positions. The primary mission of the AK/PNW ATGS program (Program) is to provide an efficient and effective response to wildland fires and other incidents, conducted with the highest regard for personnel safety, environmental protection and cost containment.
Key Points:
- The five dedicated ATGS positions and exclusive use aircraft are located in the PNW geographic area and all of the exclusive use ATGS platforms are funded by the BLM (1) and Forest Service (4)
- All five exclusive use aircraft will be considered ATGS training platforms for Forest/District, Regional and National ATGS trainees
- The AK/PNW Regional Aviation Group has an ATGS Coordinator and ATGS position to help support the National and AK/PNW Aerial Supervision Program
- The AK/PNW Light Fixed-Wing Program Manager provides oversight of the PNW Aerial Supervision Program
BLM State Office (OR/WA)/Regional Office (AK/PNW) and Regional Aviation Group (RAG) Program Goals:
- Create standard budgets for all ATGS programs hosted at the Forests and District (Completed)
- Hire a GS-462-9 ATGS located in Redmond, OR (Completed)
- Hire a GS-462-11 ATGS Coordinator located in Redmond, OR (Completed)
- Solicit and award aircraft for LaGrande, OR and Wenatchee, WA that can serve as a national ATGS aircraft platform(Completed)
- Utilize two of the existing AK/PNW ATGS platforms and ATGS personnel to support Region 3 (R3) operations (Completed)
- Re-solicit two aircraft contracts (LaGrande and Wenatchee) for 150-155Days to support R3
- Evaluate options to add one ATGS platform and one ATGS position on the Rogue River/Siskiyou, Umpqua, and Willamette National Forests and an ATGS on the Colville National Forest(Adding an ATGS on the Colville National Forest with Washington Office Off-the-Top funding)
- Provide an efficient and effective response to wildland fires and other incidents, conduct missions with the highest regard for personnel safety, environmental protection and cost containment
- Increase Regional aerial supervision support to the fire and aviation community by providing training opportunities in the class room and in the field
- Investigate the use of technology and data transfer to provide the most accurate, effective, and efficient fire information possible to fire managers as a component of the decision support system.
- Create a 2015 BLM/FS Aerial Supervision Program Expectations Letter that outlines the AK/PNW State Office/Regional Office and Regional Aviation Group expectations in 2015
- Clarify the interagency position funding of the COFMS ATGS located in Redmond, OR
- Approve the 2015 Pacific Northwest Area Shared Resources Agreement Pacific Northwest Fire, Fuels, & Aviation Management and Pacific Northwest Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Host Units by April 15, 2015
- Create a Quality Assurance Program for the AK/PNW Aerial Supervision Program
PNW Aerial Supervision Program SORO/RAG Tasking:
- In concert with RAG, develop an Aerial Supervision Mission Statement for the Program by June 1, 2015
- In concert with RAG, address and resolve 30% the Findings identified in the Pacific Northwest Region Aerial Supervision Program Management Review Report (August 4, 2014) July 1, 2015
- Create a PNW Aerial Supervision Operations Plan by June 1, 2015
- In concert with RAG, assist in the development and execution of the annual PNW RT-378 training
Contact: Aaron Schoolcraft, Assistant Director, Aviation, AK Forest Service and PNW Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service, 503-808-2359; Kim Reed, AK/PNW Aviation Operations Division Manager, 541-504-7264; or Mary Verry, AK/PNW Light Fixed-Wing Program Manager, 541-504-7255