Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group
NW Center Managers Advisory Council
Charter
1.
Background
The Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group (PNWCG) was formed to expand
operational cooperation and coordination between various public agencies having
jurisdictional responsibility for wildland fire management. PNWCG approved NW Center
Managers Advisory Council in 2010 to provide a formal interagency structure that would
provide consistent oversight and organization to matters concerning the governance
and operation of the Interagency Dispatch Coordination System.
Forming this Advisory Council gives the NW Center Managers and the Interagency
Dispatch Centers they supervise direct communication with each other and with parent
groups and organizations within the Multi-Agency Coordination System at the
Geographic Area and National levels. Improved communication enables them to
address fire management leadership on issues that affect dispatch operations and to
develop and evolve consistent and effective business practices in response to an ever
changing work environment. The intent is to augment, and not supplant,
communications that already exist between individual Dispatch Centers and the local
governing boards that supervise them. Establishing this link is critical to raising
awareness of and to address Multi-Agency Coordination System issues that may not or
only indirectly impact the individual agencies that comprise the local governing boards.
2.
Name
The name of this advisory council is the NW Center Managers Advisory Council,
hereafter referred to as NW CMC.
3.
Authority
NW CMC is established pursuant to the charter authority granted to the parent group,
the Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group (PNWCG) through the respective
agency fire management leadership for the Federal Departments of Agriculture and the
Interior and the states of Oregon and Washington to assist in accomplishing the
PNWCG’s mission and goals.
NW CMC Chair has the authority to develop and execute an annual program of work in
addition to tasks assigned by PNWCG. The NW CMC Chair has authority to make
contacts, assign work, and commit resources that are available within the membership.
The Chair may request further resources and authority as needed.
NW CMC October 28, 2010
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4.
Purpose
The purpose of the NW CMC is to provide interagency oversight and leadership to the
interagency coordination system and strive for cost effective and timely coordination
when mobilizing wildland fire agency and contracted emergency response resources for
wildland fire and all-hazard response. The Council will serve as an advisory group to
provide advice to PNWCG on all Geographic Area dispatch related issues. They will
serve PNWCG as a formal source of advice and counsel on the validity and applicability
of proposals from other entities that have a direct or indirect effect on National and
Geographic Area mobilization procedures.
5.
Membership
Center Managers from each of the 19 NW Interagency Dispatch Centers, the 4
BIA/Agency Dispatch Centers, and the WA DNR-Olympia and OR-Salem Coordination
Centers comprise the membership of NW CMC, as well as the Emergency Operations
Manager and Center Manager from NWCC.
Officers include a Chair and Vice-Chair selected from the membership; each serves a
staggered two year term.
The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center Manager serves as the Advisory
Council’s liaison with PNWCG.
6.
Organization
NW CMC acts under the approval of PNWCG in accomplishing its program of work. The
NW CMC Chair may create tasks groups as necessary to accomplish specific tasks.
Liaisons from other groups, subject matter experts from other areas of expertise, and
stakeholders may be consulted or recruited as task group members in order to facilitate
these accomplishments.
7.
Cooperation and Coordination
NW CMC will work through PNWCG and local governing boards to ensure appropriate
coordination, collaboration, and information sharing with strategic partners to
accomplish the specific tasks of this Council.
8.
Responsibility
In accordance with PNWCG intent, NW CMC members will act “as a body of resident
experts to provide advice and develop recommendations on processes and procedures”
relative to the dispatching, allocation and mobilization of wildland fire resources.
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Further, NW Center Managers are responsible for engaging their Dispatch Center Staff
as subject matter experts and as sources for information critical to defining issues and
practices that affect the Dispatch Coordination system.
9.
Deliverables
- Standards
- Guidelines
- Reviews, Assessments and Recommendations
10.
Charter Amendments
Changes to, or revocation of, this charter must follow PNWCG operating principles.
11.
Charter Approval
This charter is effective as of the date of approval by the PNWCG Chair and shall remain
in effect until revised or revoked.
Approved:
Chair, Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group
NW CMC October 28, 2010
Date
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