USDA Forest Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
FINAL REPORT
Assessment Contacts
Elizabeth Walatka
Robert Kuhn
US Forest Service
US Forest Service
WO Strategic Planning, Budget & Accountability
WO FAM Planning & Budget
ewalatka@fs.fed.us
rkuhn@fs.fed.us
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The wildland fire community includes three major components: federal land management
agencies, states, and local jurisdictions. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
and the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) comprise the bulk of the federal wildland
fire program. The federal National Wildland Firefighter (NWFF) community includes USDA
Forest Service (FS) and the DOI Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service
(NPS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The NWFF
within the two Departments conduct firefighting activities in an integrated fashion, with many
common planning and operational protocols, facilities, and resources.
The purpose of this Interagency Workforce Assessment is to identify how agencies recruit
employees into wildland fire positions; how they are oriented, trained, retained and developed in
their fire careers; and how they are eventually retired from fire positions. In addition, the
assessment identifies issues facing the current and future NWFF workforce and presents a
comprehensive analysis of the workforce to assess demographics, attrition forecasts, historical
trends and location distribution.
Generally the Team’s key finding is the NWFF workforce is currently effective and there is no
evidence that a mass exodus of NWFF employees is imminent. The NWFF should be proactive
and develop proper monitoring tools and implement a strategic succession plan so that the
workforce will continue to remain stable and efficient for years to come.
Fire Program Resources
This assessment focuses on those positions billing 51% or more of their time to the fire
program. Figure ES-1 displays the five-year average distribution of the 51% or more NWFF
workforce amongst the different organizations. The FS employs 67% of the total NWFF
workforce and DOI makes up the remaining 33%. BLM holds the highest percentage within DOI
with 15% of the NWFF workforce.
Figure ES-1: Distribution of the NWFF 51% or More Workforce
NWFF
ES-1
Executive Summary
Grade
The grades follow the typical fire career path. Forestry/Range Aids are entry level positions and
are lower grades, whereas leads and supervisors have multiple years of experience and
leadership responsibilities, thus they are higher grades. Fire Management Officer (FMO)
positions perform higher level policy development and implementation duties, so their
responsibilities and skill sets are higher level and lend themselves to higher grades. The
Forestry/Range Technicians’ grade structure ranges from GS-01 to GS-12, consequently the
grades vary greatly. However, in all agencies the preponderance of technicians is graded as
GS-05, 06 or 07. The second highest number of technicians range from GS-01, 02, 03 or 04
because this position serves as the entry level position for permanent employees. The range of
grades for this position title demonstrates the lack of consistency among NWFF agencies in
position titles and position descriptions.
Age
Similar to the grade distribution, age typically increases along the fire career path. The 25 and
under age group primarily fill the entry level positions, Forestry/Range Aid and some technician
positions. The majority of FMO‘s range from 36 to 55 years old, due to the time, skills and
experience required to attain this higher level position. The Lead positions serve as first level of
supervision and thus are usually in the middle of their careers, so it is not surprising that the
majority of positions are filled with 26 – 45 year olds. Finally, the technician positions include
every age group since this position includes grades from GS-01 to GS-12. Employees may start
as a lower graded technician in a permanent position, progress to a Lead and then return as a
higher graded technician as they move up in their careers.
Length of Service
Forestry Aid positions and FMO positions, the two positions generally at the beginning and end
of a career path, show the largest differences in length of service (LOS). The majority of aid
positions have fewer than five years of service, while the majority of FMO positions have more
than 15 years of service. The LOS varies greatly within the technician and lead positions,
though both position types rely heavily upon personnel with ten years of service or less. It is not
surprising that personnel hold these positions early in their careers, since the technician position
is the entry level position for permanent employees and Leads are the entry level leadership
positions.
Appointment Type
The workforce performing 51% or more fire duties is primarily composed of full time or full time
seasonal employees. The full time employees perform daily fire tasks throughout the year, and
assist in incidents across the United States. The FS, BLM and BIA rely greatly upon full time
seasonal employees because the agencies require significant numbers of full time employees
when the fire workload is extremely heavy during peak fire season.
The NWFF workforce uses both permanent and temporary positions. Permanent positions do
not have established time limits, whereas temporary positions have a finite time limit, usually
less than one year. As shown in Figure ES-2 below, permanent positions account for 72% of
the direct fire and fire management program workforce, while the remaining 28% are temporary
positions. The use of temporary and seasonal positions allows NWFF agencies to increase the
workforce for a specific period of less than one year.
NWFF
ES-2
Executive Summary
Figure ES-2: Five-Year Average of Permanent or Temporary Status of NWFF Employees
6c Retirement
Employees covered by the 6c Retirement Benefit are subject to a mandatory retirement age of
57 years old unless they move into a non 6c-covered position in a federal agency. Fifty-three
percent (53%) of the entire NWFF workforce billing 51% or more of their time to fire are covered
by the 6c Retirement Benefit.
Based on 2009 workforce data, 16% of the 6c covered employees will reach mandatory
retirement age in 2020 or earlier with an additional 12% reaching mandatory retirement age by
2025. By the year 2030, 46% of all 6c covered employees will have reached the mandatory
retirement age and in the ten years following 2030, another 44% will reach mandatory
retirement age. By 2041, 90% of all employees that were 6c covered in FY 2009 will have
reached mandatory retirement age. The average age for NWFF employees with the 6c benefit
is 37 years old.
The overall NWFF population (51% or more) will not be adversely impacted by mandatory 6c
retirement in the immediate future. However, there are certain agencies and positions where
the 6c workforce should be monitored to ensure critical shortages do no occur unexpectedly.
FS should closely monitor their lead and supervisor workforce. Human Resource
Management staff (HRM) should adjust agency hiring/promotion practices to effectively
move personnel into these positions.
FS should continue to focus on hiring personnel into entry level 6c-covered fire positions.
NPS and FWS should develop a strategic plan to effectively promote or hire personnel
into 6c-covered FMO positions.
Diversity
The NWFF workforce should reflect and represent the local civilian labor force. The DOI did not
provide the assessment team with race/national origin (RNO) data, nor did BLM and NPS
provide gender data so the team was unable to fully compare these agencies’ NWFF
workforces against the civilian labor force.
NWFF
ES-3
Executive Summary
Figure ES-3 identifies the five-year average RNO distribution for the FS permanent workforce.
Figure ES-3: Five-Year Average Distribution of Race and National Origin for FS
Permanent Workforce
The figure above shows the five-year average, but it is also important to investigate how the FS
fire positions compare to the entire civilian labor force (CLF) over the five year period. The FS
NWFF workforce has a comparatively significant Hispanic population and high non-minority
population, thus these populations are higher than the CLF data. The workforce also has a
higher Native American population than the CLF. Both FS NWFF and the CLF employ similar
numbers of Asian Pacific Islanders. The one RNO category that FS NWFF falls short of the
CLF in is African American men and women.
The Team also compared gender to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Protective Service
Occupation data (Firefighting, Law Enforcement, Transportation Security Screeners, Wardens,
etc.) and discovered that the firefighter workforce is predominantly male in all organizations and
even more predominant in the BLS Firefighter 2010 statistics. Based on this analysis, the FS,
BIA and FWS are doing comparatively well at recruiting and hiring females into the NWFF
workforce. Overall, the FS NWFF workforce is comparative with both the BLS Household Data
Annual Averages and the CLF.
Population Trends
The workforce analysis indicated that there are no issues that require immediate action, but
some positions require monitoring so that each agency can strategically fill positions with
qualified personnel to ensure no critical shortages occur.
NWFF
ES-4
Executive Summary
FS
The FS should monitor both Permanent Supervisory Forestry Technicians and FMO positions.
Supervisory Forestry Technicians vacated their positions at an average rate of 4.6% (net 55
employees) per year leaving these positions unfilled. Permanent FMO positions demonstrated
an increasing population trend of less than 1% (3 employees). Although it is difficult to trace the
exact position titles feeding the FMO positions, the data indicates that 13 employees came from
other fire positions and five personnel were new to the FS during the five year analysis. While
the FMO population is stable, the FS should still monitor these positions since the traditional
NWFF career path does not directly feed into the FMO position.
BLM
The BLM may potentially see a critical shortage in Permanent Forestry/Range Technicians and
FMO-qualified employees if current trends change. Employees vacated permanent
Forestry/Range Technician positions at an average rate of 6.2% (28 employees); however, this
trend may be offset if the BLM continues to increase hiring into temporary Forestry/Range
Technician positions as they did in FY 2009. Permanent FMO positions maintained a steady
population averaging no net population increase or decrease from FY 2005 to FY 2009. No
employees separated from fire, but an average of two employees per year retired from these
positions. An increase in the number of separations or retirements from FMO positions could
have critical impacts on the sustainability of the BLM FMO population since there is not a direct
career path feeding FMO positions.
BIA
The BIA should strategically hire both Forestry/Range Aids and Technicians to ensure the
workforce can meet workload demands, particularly wildfire events which fluctuate in severity
from year to year. Employees vacated Aid positions at an average rate of 12.2% (6 employees)
and Technician positions decreased at an average rate of 9.5% (26 employees) over the study
period.
NPS
The NPS should strategically evaluate Permanent Forestry/Range Technicians. This position
decreased by 6.3% (8 employees) on average over five years even though the fire workload
remained steady.
Fire Program Financial Analysis
The resource costs associated with the fire program are outlined in Table ES-1. These costs
include only the “base 8” hours for personnel billing 51% or more of their time to fire.
NWFF
ES-5
Executive Summary
Table ES-1 – Total Annual Regular Time Cost FS 51% or more NWFF Employees Billed to
Fire Job Codes (in Millions)1
FY 2005
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
Five-Year
Average
FY 2009
Region 1
Region 2
Region 3
Region 4
Region 5
Region 6
Region 8
Region 9
Region 10
WO
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
25.5
17.2
28.2
26.8
99.2
35.4
14.7
8.8
0.7
11.8
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
27.5
16.9
30.3
27.7
103.5
34.6
15.8
9.7
0.9
13.7
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
29.0
16.9
28.7
26.6
107.3
36.0
17.2
10.7
0.9
16.1
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
29.9
17.1
30.8
27.6
114.6
36.8
17.9
10.0
0.8
17.9
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
31.0
20.0
31.5
28.5
122.0
38.6
18.9
10.2
1.0
5.3
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
28.6
17.6
29.9
27.4
109.3
36.3
16.9
9.9
0.9
13.0
Unknown Region &
Other Offices
$
2.7
$
4.3
$
3.9
$
3.6
$
16.0
$
6.1
Total $
268.3
$
280.6
$
289.4
$
303.4
$
307.0
$
295.8
Since FY 2005, the cost of the fire program has increased. Due to drought, climate change, and
unprecedented fuels accumulation in the forests, fire seasons average 70 days longer than they
did 20 years ago. Fires are burning hotter and faster than ever before, causing extensive injury
and damage to forests, watersheds, and property and requiring greater firefighting efforts. As
expected, California and Northwest costs have steadily increased each year and Great Basin
has been steadily increasing since FY 2006. The total average five year cost for the FS fire
51% or more base wages was over $295 million.
DOI did not provide financial data for the resources associated with its fire program.
Recommendations
Based on the analysis, findings, and subject matter expertise, the assessment team developed
21 recommendations to improve the NWFF organization and workforce:
1. Pause agency/interagency workforce initiatives related to fire until leadership develops
governance for consistency across NWFF
2. Develop standard interagency practices for workforce initiatives
3. Develop seamless method to obtain data on interagency level
4. Standardize FMO position descriptions across the FS (initiated by w/HRM Fire Team FY11)
5. Develop method to identify and document the roles of fire management program positions
6. Develop method to identify all 6c covered positions within interagency fire workforce
7. Develop interagency policy to use Social Security Number or unique identifiers for reporting
purposes
8. Correct inconsistent personnel coding in data systems
9. Review NWFF retirement trends in five years
10. Evaluate organizational effects of 6c employees under FERS compared to historical data of
CSRS
11. Benchmark emergency response organizations for employee development ideas
1
Data provided by Payroll Accounting System (PAS)
NWFF
ES-6
Executive Summary
12. Develop comprehensive workforce succession plan for NWFF
13. Review and resolve position inconsistencies between agencies
14. Develop deliberate approach to identify NWFF career paths
15. Evaluate feasibility of conducting Fire Hire on interagency basis
16. Evaluate and resolve the difficulty in obtaining and verifying retirement data
17. Incorporate data housed in Incident Qualification and Certification System into agency
learning systems
18. Expand provision of temporary support during wildland fire operating agreements to cover
daily operation activities
19. Identify and evaluate challenging recruitment and retention locations within NWFF
20. Develop website partnership to advertise NWFF positions
21. Future assessments should assess impact of Isabella v. Department of State ruling
The NWFF has the workforce needed to perform fire duties and meet the firefighting mission. In
order to ensure the NWFF workforce does not meet a critical shortage in any of the primary fire
positions in the future, the assessment team developed the above 21 recommendations. The
key to each of the recommendations is that the five land management agencies must work
together towards joint implementation to continue to be successful.
Conclusion
The growing concern that the NWFF was facing an immediate lack of qualified staff to meet
wildland fire responsibilities served as the impetus of this study. However, the dire workforce
predictions are unwarranted.
NWFF agencies use key workload factors to staff their fire organizations with the proper number
and position mix, and take advantage of a variety of permanent, full-time, seasonal and
temporary appointment types to ensure staffing meets seasonally fluctuating workload
demands. All agencies use seasonal positions in a cost effective manner, with many of the
lower level positions (Forestry/Range Aid and lower graded Forestry/Range Technicians)
serving in a temporary capacity with the leads, supervisors and management (positions
requiring institutional knowledge and more experience/education) serving in a full time
permanent capacity. The grade structure accurately reflects the work with the majority of the
workforce falling within the GS-01 to GS-09 range. The age of the workforce correlates with the
grade structure in that most of the employees are 26 – 45 years old. Demographically, the
NWFF mirrors the CLF firefighter workforce with the majority of positions being filled with nonminority men.
The 6c retirement analysis revealed that the NWFF workforce attrition rates are not adversely
impacted by the benefit. However, certain agencies should monitor positions closely to ensure
a critical shortage does not occur due to the 6c benefit, including FS’ lead and supervisory
positions and NPS and FWS’ FMO positions. HR for these agencies should review and adjust,
if necessary, strategic hiring/promotion plans to ensure there is a pipeline to these higher level
positions.
There are also areas that do not present workload issues, but could be improved to create a
stronger NWFF community. With the focus on diversity initiatives in the government, NWFF
should design recruiting and outreach programs to strive to attract a more diverse workforce.
NWFF
ES-7
Executive Summary
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
1.1
Purpose of the Assessment ......................................................................................... 1
1.2
Background.................................................................................................................. 2
1.3
Purpose and Scope ..................................................................................................... 2
2 Assumptions and Constraints ................................................................................................. 8
2.1
General Assumptions................................................................................................... 8
2.2
General Constraints ..................................................................................................... 9
3 Hiring and Onboarding ........................................................................................................... 9
3.1
Impacts of Hiring Initiatives .......................................................................................... 9
3.2
Hiring Authority ...........................................................................................................11
3.3
Recruiting ...................................................................................................................12
3.4
Position Announcements and Application and Prescreening Process .........................13
3.5
Decision and Hiring Process .......................................................................................13
3.6
Onboarding and Orientation ........................................................................................14
4 Career Development ............................................................................................................ 18
4.1
Training.......................................................................................................................18
4.2
Career Advancement ..................................................................................................20
4.3
Retirement ..................................................................................................................21
4.4
Career Development Findings Summary ....................................................................23
5 NWFF Workload ................................................................................................................... 23
5.1
Workload Analysis ......................................................................................................23
6 NWFF Workforce.................................................................................................................. 34
6.1
NWFF Population........................................................................................................34
6.2
Regional Distribution of NWFF Employees .................................................................36
6.3
Functional Makeup of the NWFF Workforce................................................................39
6.4
Appointment Type .......................................................................................................47
6.5
6c Retirement Analysis ...............................................................................................50
6.6
NWFF Workforce Diversity ..........................................................................................58
6.7
Interagency Coordination and Cooperation .................................................................61
6.8
NWFF Workforce Summary ........................................................................................62
7 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 63
8 Attachments ......................................................................................................................... 67
8.1
Acronym List ...............................................................................................................67
8.2
NWFF
Definitions ...................................................................................................................69
i
Final Report
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2
Exhibit 3
Exhibit 3a
Exhibit 4
Exhibit 5
Exhibit 6
Exhibit 7
Exhibit 8
Exhibit 9
Title
Personnel, Recruitment, and Onboarding Documents and References
Workforce Trend Analysis
FS NWFF 51% Workforce Analysis by Position Category
DOIS NWFF 51% Workforce Analysis by Position Category
Financial Data Analysis for Forest Service NWFF Workforce
Financial Data Analysis for Department of Interior NWFF Workforce
Forest Service NWFF Personnel Data Analysis Details and References
Department of Interior NWFF Personnel Data Analysis Details and References
Retirement Analysis
Recommendations
FIGURES
Figure
Figure 1.1
Figure 4.1
Figure 4.2
Figure 5.1
Figure 5.2
Figure 5.3
Figure 5.4
Figure 5.5
Figure 5.6
Figure 5.7
Figure 5.8
Figure 6.1
Figure 6.2
Figure 6.3
Figure 6.4
Figure 6.5
Figure 6.6
Figure 6.7
Figure 6.8
Figure 6.9
Figure 6.10
Figure 6.11
Figure 6.12
Figure 6.13
Figure 6.14
Figure 6.15
Figure 6.16
Figure 6.17
NWFF
Title
Governance Structure of Wildland Fire Operations
Traditional Career Path of NWFF Positions
Recommended Career Path of NWFF Positions
Wildfire Workload by Agency 2005 – 2009
Number of Wildfires by Region 2007 - 2009
Significant Wildfires in 2009
Comparison of Number of Wildfires to Acres Burned from 2005 - 2009
Number of Employees Compared to Number of Wildfires
Number of FS Hours Compared to Number of FS Fires
Number of DOI Employees Compared to Number of Wildfires
DOI’s Bureaus Number of Fires Compared to Number of Hours
Distribution of the NWFF Workforce
Number of FS Employees by Region Compared to Number of WFPR and WFSU
(Wildfire) Hours
Five-Year Average Regional Distribution of NWFF Employees
Five-Year Average Grade Distribution of NWFF Employees
Five-Year Average Age Distribution of NWFF Employees
Five-Year Average Length of Service Distribution of NWFF Employees
Five-Year Average Appointment Type Distribution of NWFF Employees
Five-Year Average Permanent or Temporary Status Distribution of NWFF
Employees
Five-Year Average Direct Fire and Fire Management Program Positions by
Permanent or Temporary Status
Mandatory Retirement Distribution of FY 2009 6c Covered Employees
Mandatory Retirement Distribution of FY 2009 6c Covered Employees by Position
FS New 6c Position Analysis
DOI New 6c Position Analysis
Five-Year Average Distribution of Race and National Origin for FS Permanent
Workforce
Permanent Full Time FS Fire Workforce vs. Civilian Labor Fire Force
Five-Year Average Gender Distribution of Direct Fire Employees
Five-Year Average Gender Distribution of Fire Management Program Employees
ii
Final Report
TABLES
Table
Table 1.1
Table 3.1
Table 3.2
Table 4.1
Table 5.1
Table 5.2
Table 5.3
Table 5.4
Table 5.5
Table 6.1
Table 6.2
Table 6.3
Table 6.4
Table 6.5
Table 6.6
Table 6.7
Table 6.8
Table 6.9
NWFF
Title
Acreage Managed by Wildland Firefighting Agency
Key Fire Management Positions
Delegated Decision Authority for Selection of Agency Positions
Eligibility Criteria by Retirement System for Transferring to a Secondary Covered
Position
NWFF Analysis Region Cross Walk
Regional Acreage Managed by Wildland Firefighting Agencies
Number of Wildfires and Prescribed Fires from 2005 – 2009
Number of Acres Burned due to Wildfires from 2005 – 2009
Total Annual Cost FS NWFF Employees Billed to Fire Program
Five-Year Average NWFF Population vs. Total Agency Population
Five-Year Average Number of Employees by NWFF Region
Five-Year Average of Direct Fire and Fire Management Program Employees by
Region
Direct Fire and Fire Management Program Population Trends (Permanent
Employees)
Primary Position Population Trends (Permanent Employees)
Five-Year Average Movement of Employees Holding Temporary Positions
FY 2009 Overall Mandatory Retirement for FS and DOI NWFF Employees (Stagnant
Workforce)
NWFF Employees Covered by the 6c Retirement Benefit
Movement of Employees between Wildland Fire Agencies
iii
Final Report
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE OF THE ASSESSMENT
The purpose of this Interagency National Wildland Firefighter (NWFF) Workforce
Assessment is to identify how agencies recruit employees into wildland fire positions; how
they are oriented, trained, retained and developed in their fire careers; and how they are
eventually retired from fire positions. In addition, the assessment identifies issues facing
the current and future NWFF workforce and presents a comprehensive analysis of the
workforce to assess demographics, attrition forecasts, historical trends and location
distribution.
The United States Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) conducted
this assessment at the request of the Fire Executive Council (FEC). The FEC requested
this assessment in 2009 because of the escalation in the occurrence and scope of wildland
fires and the commitment by the federal wildland fire agencies to support all-hazard
incidents (i.e., hurricanes, terrorist attacks, pandemic, etc.). Prior to this effort, the FEC
commissioned three management efficiency assessments (MEA) in the areas of Aviation,
Dispatch, and Training. These MEAs are the products of federal interagency management
efficiency study teams and contain recommendations to federal wildland fire agency
leadership, including suggestions related to business processes and rules, and the
refinement of management systems and tools.
Although nothing identified in this assessment requires immediate action, each agency
needs to be aware of the identified issues so that they can strategically fill and develop
positions to more efficiently and cost effectively fight wildland fires. The primary position
analysis and the race/national origin (RNO) analysis in this document may identify potential
changes beneficial to the recruiting and hiring process for critical NWFF positions.
The wildland fire community includes three major components: federal land management
agencies, states, and local jurisdictions. The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the United States DOI comprise the bulk of the federal wildland fire program.
The federal NWFF community includes USDA Forest Service and the DOI Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
The National Wildland Firefighters within the two Departments conduct firefighting activities
in an integrated fashion, with many common planning and operational protocols, facilities,
and resources. The state agencies are partners with the federal agencies, as land
ownership and protection responsibilities are intermingled. In many areas of the country,
the counties, local rural fire departments, and volunteer fire departments share wildland fire
protection responsibilities through agreements with federal and state agencies.
NWFF
1
Final Report
1.2 BACKGROUND
The five federal agencies that comprise the NWFF workforce manage almost 684 million
acres or over one million square miles of public lands as outlined in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1 – Acreage Managed by Wildland Firefighting Agencies
Agency
FS2
BLM3
FWS3
BIA3
NPS3
Total
(in millions)
Acres
Managed
(in millions)
193.0
256.0
96.2
66.0
84.6
683.8
Square Miles
302,000
400,000
150,000
103,000
132,000
1.1
During most wildland fires and other critical incidents, the agencies dispatch aircraft, fire
apparatus and personnel to areas of most critical need regardless of land management/
ownership (State, Federal, or Private). The flexibility in this firefighting community allows
these agencies to work collaboratively, optimizing the use of their combined resources
fighting fires.
1.3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The FS and DOI conducted a joint assessment of the NWFF workforce to address concerns
regarding long term workforce viability. The purpose of this study was to assess the current
interagency NWFF workforce to identify how agencies recruit, orient, retain, develop and
retire employees in fire careers. In addition, the assessment was to identify the current
NWFF workforce and perform a comprehensive analysis to assess demographics, historical
trends and location distribution. In order to conduct a useful and more manageable
process, the assessment was divided into two phases. Phase I focuses on primary federal
fire personnel, performing fire duties 51% or more of their time (referred to herein as the
51% workforce), and Phase II will focus on federal personnel performing fire duties less
than 51% of their time.
1.3.1
Assessment Team Members
The following team members performed the assessment, supported by consultants from a
private sector firm, Management Analysis, Inc.
Name
2
3
Agency & Title
Role
Gilbert Zepeda
FS Deputy Regional Forester Southwest Region
Co-Lead
Amy Lueders
BLM State Director - Nevada
Co-Lead
Dan Olsen
FS, Director, Fire, Aviation, Air Management,
Southern Region
Lead Subject Matter
Expert
Darlene Hall
FS, Chester Airbase Manager, Lassen National
Forest
NFFE Representative
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2012/releases/02/restoration.shtm
http://www.doi.gov/facts.html
NWFF
2
Final Report
Name
Agency & Title
Role
Merrie Johnson
FS Director, National Advanced Fire & Resource
Institute (NAFRI)
Subject Matter Expert
Mike Kerrigan
FS Forest Fire & Aviation Staff Officer, Carson
National Forest
Subject Matter Expert
John Philbin
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Regional Forester,
Western Region
Subject Matter Expert
Vickie Huelster
FS, Workforce Planning & Program Analysis,
Albuquerque Service Center (ASC) - Human
Resource Management (HRM)
FS, Strategic Planning, Budget and
Accountability - Management Analysis Studies
Staff Lead, Washington Office
FS, Fire & Aviation Management Planning and
Budget Specialist, Washington Office
Subject Matter Expert
Betsy Walatka
Robert Kuhn
1.3.2
Oversight/Support
Contracting Officer
Representative
Oversight/Support
Contracting Officer’s
Project Inspector
NWFF Mission and Organization
The NWFF workforce is not a distinctly defined organization, but represents personnel
performing wildland firefighting activities under common standards for training and fireline
qualifications so that similarly qualified positions are interchangeable on a wildland fire
regardless of employing agency.
Personnel from each organization perform activities in support of their respective
organizations’ mission, goals and objectives, and under the strategic direction and
leadership of the national wildland fire community.
Wildland fires occur nationwide throughout the calendar year, and “fire seasons”, the most
likely months of the year a wildfire will occur, vary geographically. Since wildfires cross all
jurisdictions, the NWFF must work together to leverage limited resources and assets to
effectively and efficiently respond to incidents. Although specific missions differ amongst
the five agencies, the common goal is to protect the land for the people of the United
States.
1.3.2.1 NWFF Resources and Duties
Many positions perform work as part of the NWFF mission. The NWFF agencies
conduct fire management planning, preparedness, prevention, suppression, restoration,
rehabilitation, monitoring, research, and education on a collaborative basis and involve
multiple cooperators and partners. Agency administrators and their fire management
staff at the local level, state/regional offices, geographic areas, and the national office
are also responsible for pre-event planning and preparedness, providing local response
resources and direction for initial attack, and supporting extended attack and large fires.
For this assessment, a "firefighter" means an employee in a position whose duties are
primarily to perform work directly connected with the control and extinguishment of fires
or the maintenance and use of firefighting apparatus and equipment.4 Included in this
definition are federal firefighters who are entitled to a benefit that generally allows them
to retire younger than a non-covered federal employee, due to the arduous nature of
firefighting. This provision allows federal firefighters to receive retirement benefits after
4
US Office of Personnel Management, CSRS and FERS Handbook. Chapter 46 - Special Retirement Provisions for Law
Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Air Traffic Controllers, and Military Reserve Technicians.
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meeting specified age and service requirements while also requiring them to retire or
stop working in firefighting positions by age 57. The law was enacted in order to “permit
the Government to maintain a young and vigorous workforce in rigorous firefighter
positions through youthful career entry, continuous service, and early separation”.
When appropriate and authorized under law, the NWFF workforce responds to non-fire
incidents, all-hazard incidents, and declared emergencies such as floods and
hurricanes, since these incidents often require the use of wildland fire resources (e.g.,
incident management teams, personnel, equipment and services). While much of this
support occurs locally, major incidents as diverse as the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes,
the 2003 space shuttle Columbia accident, the 2003 response to Exotic New Castle
Disease, and response to the September 11, 2001 attacks required significant national
level support. In these cases, the resource dispatching and incident information
processes used were the same as those used for response to wildland fire incidents.
1.3.2.2 NWFF Positions
Fire duties typically fall into in four main categories:
Direct Fire - Positions that perform "boots on the ground" fire duties.
Fire Management Program - Positions that manage and have direct policy
influence on the wildland fire program.
Support - Positions that provide support (products, materials, information, etc.)
directly to Direct Fire positions (e.g., cache workers provide materials for
firefighters to perform fire line duties).
Administrative and Business Management - Positions that provide administrative
and other business (e.g., budget & finance) support to the NWFF community.
The team pulled position titles from agency human resources management (HRM)
systems and the Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) since these
systems do not interact with other agency learning systems. The majority of positions
within NWFF are direct fire and fire management program positions, since the remainder
of the workforce typically supports those directly performing fire activity or fire program
policy development and implementation. A primary firefighting position performs work
directly connected with the control and extinguishment of fires or the maintenance and
use of firefighting apparatus and equipment. A secondary position is “in a firefighting or
law enforcement field; and in an organization having a firefighting or law enforcement
mission; and either a Supervisory position in which the primary duties are as a first-level
supervisor of primary law enforcement officers or firefighters in rigorous positions or an
administrative position, executive, managerial, technical, semi-professional, or
professional position for which experience in a rigorous law enforcement or firefighting
position, or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a mandatory
prerequisite”.5 Within these two categories, there are five main functional position titles.
Of these functional titles, Forestry/Range Aid, Forestry/Range Technician, Lead
Forestry/Range Technician and Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician are generally
“boots on the ground” direct fire positions. The fifth main functional title, Fire
Management Officer (FMO), generally supervises the aid and technician positions. The
four common direct fire position titles comprise 90.4% of the total 51% NWFF direct fire
population while FMO positions comprise 56.6% of the NWFF fire management program
population.
The following descriptions outline each of the five main direct fire and fire management
program functions.
5
http://www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook/C046.pdf
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Forestry/Range Aid- Entry level fire position (GS-01/02/03). Performs fire
prevention and suppression, prescribed burning crew duties; assists with fire
dispatch; lays or directs hose in the use of water; moves dirt, chops brush, and
fells small trees; and searches out and extinguishes burning materials.
Forestry/Range Technician – Position requires college education or previous
experience (GS-01-12). Performs fire suppression of wildfires as a crew member
on an engine, helitack or hotshot team; maintain facilities in campgrounds, and
provide visitors with information; clears, repair or constructs some of the FS’s
100,000 miles of trails; and plants trees or shrubs to rehabilitate a damaged site.
Lead Forestry/Range Technician – Position requires experience and is the
beginning leadership level in fire (GS-05/06/07). Performs and leads wildland
firefighting work such as monitoring, mapping and collecting fire weather and
behavior observations, as well as ignition and suppression. This position is selfsupported and may work independently on isolated portions of the fire with little
or no logistical support.
Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician – Higher level leadership position in fire
(GS-07/09). The primary purpose of this position is to perform wildland
firefighting work and to supervise crews performing such work; observes,
corrects and evaluates crew skills; serves as a senior firefighter on a handcrew
or prescribed fire crew; performs all aspects of wildland and prescribed fire
operations including preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding, and mop-up;
collects fire weather data, fuel and/or soil moisture samples, maps projects, and
maintains records; and resolves simple informal complaints, reports on
performance, and suggests awards, reassignments, etc.
Fire Management Officer - Higher level position responsible for the applicable fire
management program on a unit (for FS, generally GS-09, 10 or 11 at a District
and GS-12 or 13 fire staff officer on a Forest). Participates in, coordinates,
and/or manages natural resources programs and projects; provides fire
management training; develops fire management plans to achieve resource
management objectives; implements fuels/vegetation management plans; and
performs work involving the review and analysis of forestry resource issues in
order to implement forestry resource plans and/or management programs. This
position generally supervises the fire positions listed above on the unit and is an
important step in the fire career ladder towards higher management positions.
1.3.2.3 NWFF Appointment Types
Due to the type and seasonality of work the NWFF performs, it is common for each
agency to use a combination of full time, seasonal, permanent and temporary
appointment types to appropriately staff the workforce. Although there is year round
work for NWFF, each region has specific peak fire seasons during which the agencies
may supplement the workforce with seasonal positions. Seasonal positions perform
annually recurring periods of work of less than 12 months. Many seasonal employees
are permanent employees who are annually placed in non-duty/non pay status and
recalled to duty in accordance with pre-established conditions of employment. NWFF
uses six appointment types to accommodate routine and peak workload:
Full Time – Employees who are regularly scheduled to work the number of hours
and days required by the administrative work-week for their employment group or
class. Work 2080 hours annually.
Part Time – Employees who are regularly employed on a prearranged scheduled
tour of duty that is less than the specified hours or days of work for full time
employees in the same group or class. Work 16 – 32 hours a week year-round.
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Full Time Seasonal – Two types of appointments - work full time 18 weeks on
and have 8 weeks off (18/8) or work 13 full time weeks on and have 13 weeks off
(13/13).
Part Time Seasonal - Employees work 832 – 1664 hours per year.
Intermittent – Employees who are employed on an irregular or occasional basis,
with hours or days of work not on a prearranged schedule, and with
compensation only for the time actually employed or for services actually
rendered (i.e., employment without a regularly scheduled tour of duty).
Intermittent Seasonal – Employees work based on sporadic and unpredictable
requirements on a seasonal basis.
Temporary – A position that has been established for a limited period of less than
a year and which has not been occupied for more than a year.
1.3.2.4 NWFF Incident Governance Protocols
The governing structure for response and information flow is generally the same,
regardless of incident size, following established Incident Command System (ICS)
protocols. The amount and kind of resources used are location and seasonally
dependent and made available via multiple interagency operating agreements. The ICS
is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazards incident management approach that:
Allows for the integration of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and
communications operating within a common organizational structure;
Enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and functional
agencies, both public and private; and
Establishes common processes for planning and managing resources.
ICS is flexible and useable for incidents of any type, scope, and complexity. ICS allows
its users to adopt an integrated organizational structure to match the complexities and
demands of single or multiple incidents making it an ideal system for wildland fire
response. Using ICS ensures that all responders, no matter their agency or jurisdiction,
understand the management approach to the incident.
One unique characteristic of the ICS is that an employee is qualified for specific ICS
positions based upon individual training and certifications rather than by grade level. For
this reason, a lower-graded employee may be higher in the command structure than a
higher-graded employee working the same incident.
1.3.2.5 Fire Management Leadership
Five principal organizations promote common policies, procedures, and programs within
the federal and non-federal wildland fire community. The Wildland Fire Leadership
Council (WFLC), Fire Executive Council (FEC), National Fire and Aviation Executive
Board (NFAEB), Office of Wildland Fire Coordination (OWFC), and National Wildfire
Coordinating Group (NWCG) provide coordinated strategic leadership and direction for
the wildland fire community.
There are three principal levels of wildland and incident operations: National MultiAgency Coordinating Group (NMAC), Geographic Area Coordinating Group (GACG),
and Sub-Geographic/Local Area Multi-Agency Coordinating Groups. These levels range
from national interagency coordination to local responsibilities. Figure 1.1 shows the
governance structure and major organizational responsibilities of coordinated wildland
fire operations.
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Figure 1.1: Governance Structure of Wildland Fire Operations
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2
2.1
ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS
GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS
This assessment incorporated the following general assumptions about the NWFF workforce:
The public expects protection from wildland fire and smoke with minimal losses, negligible
environmental impact and lowest possible costs.
In the future, the NWFF workforce will continue to be an amalgam of personnel cooperatively
performing firefighting activities between the federal, state and local wildland firefighting
agencies.
Increased wildland fire prevention and suppression activities in remote areas will require
more firefighters; therefore, resource managers will need to balance the protection of
developed areas against that of remote locations all within the confines of available
personnel and equipment.
The NWFF workforce will continue to receive formal Federal Emergency Management
Agency tasking for operational support during declared national emergencies, placing
increased demands on wildland firefighting resources.
Habitation pattern shifts and increasing large fire suppression costs will continue to require
the NWFF business function to be proactive in seeking ways to maintain high levels of
workforce readiness.
Implementation of certain changes to the current NWFF workforce will require involvement of
non-federal cooperators.
All data supplied by the agencies for this assessment is accurate and complete within the
limitations described herein.
The financial data (the number of hours billed to fire program codes) accurately reflects time
that the personnel are performing fire duties.
All workforce analysis of employees in the 6c retirement benefit assumes that positions held
by covered employees are 6c covered positions. The analysis does not account for 6c
covered positions filled by employees who do not meet the 6c eligibility requirements. The
assessment team attempted to compile a detailed listing of all of the positions within the
NWFF community covered by the 6c retirement benefit, but was unable to locate a complete
listing for any agency that was inclusive of the numbers and locations of these positions.
All workforce analysis on employees’ retirement coverage is based on individuals’ coverage
as delineated in HRM reports.
The use of five fiscal years (FY) of data accounted for fluctuations in workload associated
with fire season severity to allow for representative conclusions regarding workforce trends.
The assessment assumed that historical trends are accurate and that projections based on
those trends accurately reflect the best available information.
Gaps and overages are inevitable due to new hires, retirements and turnover in the
workforce.
Different generations of NWFF personnel have different expectations with regard to career
development, training, communication, and family values.
Federal hiring processes and policies may change in the future and the national wildland fire
agencies will adapt to these changes.
Improvements to hiring practices within the FS are underway and will be completed within
two years of this assessment.
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2.2
GENERAL CONSTRAINTS
The following general constraints are applicable to the NWFF workforce. Some of these constraints
are addressed further in Sections 5 and 6 .
Budgets will generally remain constant; the agencies anticipate no increases in the near
future.
The unpredictable nature of fire and the associated workload presents the following
challenges for the NWFF workforce:
3
o
Detailed workforce analysis and development assessments are complicated and
cumbersome to update.
o
Lack of fire season predictability creates a work/life balance challenge for NWFF
employees.
o
A national workforce management strategy will be difficult to implement.
o
Personnel databases, financial databases and historical fire databases are not
electronically linked, presenting a challenge to those attempting to obtain workforce
planning data and examine trends.
o
The NWFF workforce is not a distinctly defined organization, but a combination of
personnel from the various national wildland firefighting agencies performing
firefighting activities. Similarly trained and qualified employees conduct the same
tasks, meet the same standards and are interchangeable in the fire incident
organization. The underlying support mechanisms, such as human resource
management, training and financial systems differ among all agencies/bureaus and
have no overarching interagency governance group.
HIRING AND ONBOARDING
Even though the NWFF is an interagency workforce, the FS and DOI have separate and different
recruiting, hiring, and onboarding processes.
3.1 IMPACTS OF HIRING INITIATIVES
Three initiatives directly affect the manner in which the NWFF community performs recruiting
and hiring. In 2004, the FS and DOI land management agencies implemented the Interagency
Fire Program Management (IFPM) Qualification Standards and Guide to establish minimum
qualification standards for key fire positions. In 2008, the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) launched an initiative to streamline the recruitment and hiring process at federal
agencies.6 The FS’ Fire Hire initiative is a program developed in 2000 to efficiently hire
firefighters. Each of these initiatives affects firefighter hiring in different ways.
3.1.1
FS Fire Hire
The FS developed Fire Hire as a special hiring initiative to increase the number of firefighting
and fire-related positions, both permanent and temporary, and to consolidate and streamline the
hiring effort. The effort uses direct hire authority to provide units the flexibility to effectively
recruit for competitive appointments for positions in shortage or critical occupations. Under Fire
Hire, applicants apply directly to the agency.7
The following is short synopsis of the process used in 2010 in Region 3. Other FS regions follow
similar processes.
6
7
US Office of Personnel Management, End to End Hiring Roadmap, http://www.opm.gov/StaffingPortal/EndToEndRoadmap.asp
http://www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs/fire-hire.html
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Application Submittal – For each program event, the application process is open for 6-8
weeks and all positions are under the open and continuous recruitment (OCR).
Application Review – Subject Matter Expert groups spend one week reviewing,
evaluating and rating applicants in each of the programmatic areas (i.e., dispatch,
aviation, engines, hotshots, fuels, and fire management).
Applicant Hiring – Selecting officials convene to review ratings and make offers, filling
positions beginning at the GS-09 level downward. This allows them to subsequently
backfill any vacancies created by job offer acceptances under Fire Hire. An additional
group of Forest Supervisors reviews each position candidate prior to the issuance of job
offers to ensure selections meet diversity, merit and qualification requirements. At the
end of each event, all fire position vacancies that are GS-09 level and below are filled.
This mass hiring event is coordination and time intensive, but it eliminates the burden of
hiring for positions throughout the year.
Though all regions use similar processes, there are slight implementation differences in Fire
Hire across the FS. For instance, Forest Service Region 5 (California) conducts two Fire Hire
events per year, a January session focused on less than full time positions (i.e., positions that
work 13 weeks and are off 13 weeks or positions that work 18 weeks and are off 8 weeks) and
an October session for full time positions. Region 5’s implementation of Fire Hire was so
successful that in FY 2010 Region 3 and HRM shadowed the events and then implemented the
program. Region 4 shadowed Region 3 in January and October 2010 and then implemented
the program, while Region 2 shadowed both Region 4 and Region 5 in early FY 2011.
The FS discussed the program with the DOI bureaus, but to date only the FS uses Fire Hire.
3.1.2
Interagency Fire Program Management
In 1995, the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture signed the Federal Fire Policy directing
wildland fire management agencies to establish fire management qualifications based on
program complexity, and to staff existing and future agency administrator and fire management
vacancies with qualified individuals.
In the years that followed, fire management and human resource management experts
developed the IFPM Standard which for the first time established minimum qualification
standards (MQS) for 14 key fire management positions, outlined below in Table 3.1. The MQS
established by IFPM include: 1) OPM basic qualification requirements for the appropriate
occupational series for each position; 2) primary and secondary core NWCG incident
management qualifications; 3) additional required NWCG training courses; and 4) specialized
experience.
These standardized MQS are selective placement factors that an employee must meet at the
time of hire. The standardization of the IFPM MQS across interagency boundaries promotes
consistency and safety among the federal wildland community by establishing qualification
standards that apply across the federal wildland workforce. The development of IFPM
standards enabled DOI and FS to develop grade structures and agency-standard position
descriptions for these 14 positions. This standardization paved the way for streamlined
recruitment initiatives such as the use of OCR.
Implementation of IFPM commenced on October 1, 2004, and concluded on October 1, 2010 at
which time all incumbents and new hires in IFPM-covered positions were required to meet the
MQS for their positions. The implementation deadline mandated removal of all non-MQSqualified incumbent employees from IFPM-covered positions, and required that applicants
possess the IFPM minimum qualifications to be eligible for key positions.
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IFPM standards provide a solid foundation for the recruitment and development of fire
management positions. They are intended to ensure that incumbents of IFPM positions
possess the minimum ICS qualifications in Command and Operations sufficient to manage local
Type 3, 4, and 5 incidents consistent with the unit’s historical complexity level and the positions’
official job title.
Table 3.1 – Key Fire Management Positions
IFPM Category Positions
National Fire Program Manager
Engine Module Supervisor - Supervises Four or
More Crew Members
Geographic Area Fire Program Manager
Helicopter Manager
Unit Fire Program Manager
Senior Firefighter
Wildland Fire Operations Specialist (N/A for FS)
Center Manager - Initial Attack Dispatch Centers
with Moderate and High Complexity Only
Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist
Lead Initial Attack Dispatcher / Assistant Center
Manager
Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) Superintendent
Initial Attack Dispatcher - Senior Fire Dispatcher
Supervisory Fire Engine Operator - Supervises
Three of Fewer Crew Members
Initial Attack Dispatcher - Fire Dispatcher
3.1.3
Federal Hiring Reform
OPM and the Chief Human Capital Officers Council developed a hiring guide to simplify the
federal hiring process and improve the applicant's experience with it. The initiative sparked from
concerns that the federal government would lose a significant portion of its workforce through
attrition, primarily due to retirements, between 2008 and 2012. The government’s ability to
replace skills and experience lost depends on its ability to efficiently and effectively recruit, hire,
and retain new talented and high performing employees. The NWFF community as part of the
federal government experiences the same issues.
The initiative acknowledged that the current federal hiring process could be improved across all
agencies. Changes include much shorter announcement periods, faster generation of referral
lists, and significantly reduced candidate selection time. The implementation of these initiatives
has a potentially large impact and will improve the community’s ability to hire permanent,
seasonal and temporary staff in a timely manner.
3.2 HIRING AUTHORITY
The FS and DOI rely upon a number of hiring authorities for filling fire positions. Agencies
primarily use Demonstration Project (DEMO), Merit Promotion, or Delegated Examining
Authority.
The OPM signed a delegation agreement with the DOI that provides DOI authority for
competitive examination and certification. This delegation allows the bureaus to take on
functions normally performed by OPM, to include development of rating schedules, evaluation of
applicants, and making referrals. Delegation for competitive examination is used for unique
positions when candidates are not available through in-service placement or thorough external
non-competitive sources. Similarly, the FS utilizes DEMO authority for external hiring that
provides blanket hiring authority for specific series’.
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Both the FS and DOI use Merit Promotion as means of hiring. The Merit Promotion program
deals with the placement, promotion, transfer or reassignment of a competitive service
employee. The program provides career opportunities, allows current employees to broaden
experiences and qualifications, and ensures promotion potential is recognized and considered
in a fair manner.
If a position is concurrently advertised Merit and Demo, an internal employee must apply to both
advertisements separately to be included on both certificates of qualified applicants for
employment. The agency may hire from either certificate for a single position but cannot
combine the certificates and consider all applicants as a single candidate pool.
BIA
Unique to the BIA is their requirement to give preference to Native Americans (Indians and
Alaska Natives) when hiring. Tribes may operate any BIA program as authorized under the
Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (Public Law 93-638). The
tribe’s personnel system governs the employees in the program. There are employees who
entered the federal workforce from tribal organizations who do not meet the requirements for
a primary 6c-covered position, although they performed duties in the tribal organization
identical to duties included in a federal 6c classified position.
3.3 RECRUITING
The FS and DOI recruit internal and external candidates for the fire program. The agencies
tailor the recruiting mechanism to the position vacancies and the type of candidate desired.
3.3.1
External Candidates (Outreach Programs)
DOI and FS
Agencies typically use external outreach programs to target specific demographics such as
gender, race and national origin to cultural and regional locations for a certain position. Both
agencies use programs designed to tell the wildland firefighting story to educate the public and
draw in non-federal applicants; however, these are not nationally organized outreach programs.
These outreach programs are operated in locations such as urban areas, military installations,
high schools, colleges, and state employment offices.
FS
In addition to the external outreach efforts, the FS formed a National Recruitment Team and
issued a Strategic Recruitment and Diversity Plan in 2010. The National Recruitment Team
focuses on the agency’s top ten mission critical occupations, all of which serve the fire
organization. The goal of the Strategic Recruitment and Diversity Plan is to ensure the agency
has “…the right employees, with the right skills, at the right time at the right places.”8 The FS
uses this plan during recruitment to ensure senior leaders and managers hire a highly skilled
and diverse workforce to support the agency’s mission. The FS also encourages units to recruit
for positions that may be filled through the non-competitive authorities for “on-the-spot” hiring.
DOI
Since external programs are used to target specific demographics, the DOI maintains a listing of
firefighter and fire-support positions that are consistently difficult to fill on a regional level. This
listing informs recruiters and managers which positions typically require a focused effort and
also serves as a listing of possible opportunities for people they meet during a recruiting event.
8
http://fsweb.asc.fs.fed.us/HRM/workforce_planning/2011_Forest_Service_Recruitment_&_Diversity_Plan(9-9-2010).pdf
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3.3.2
Internal Recruitment
In addition to external outreach programs, both DOI and FS use http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
(USAJOBS) to internally alert employees about job opportunities. Employees can identify
desired job alerts under their profile in USAJOBS. The FS employees can also set up alerts in
the Avue Technologies Digital Services Corporation database (Avue) to notify them of vacancy
announcements, position advertisements, and internal outreach notices.
3.4 POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS AND APPLICATION AND PRESCREENING
PROCESS
3.4.1
Position Announcement
Both the FS and DOI use USAJOBS to post vacancy announcements. DOI also uses
USAJOBS for the application portion of the recruitment process, while the FS uses the Avue
Central employment platform which is external to OPM’s USAJOBS website. Since the Avue
system does not connect with the USAJOBS website, a potential applicant is required to
complete applications in both systems to apply to FS and to other federal positions.
OCRs provide a continuous list of interested and qualified applicants ready for referral. 9 An
OCR allows a vacancy announcement to remain posted indefinitely, and is useful for positions
that are common across the agency. This streamlined process also helps the FS achieve
leadership’s commitment to filling positions within 80 days of receiving an approved form SF-52,
Recruit to Fill.
3.4.2
Application Process
The application process for OCRs is the same as for other announcements and FS applicants
must use Avue. Applicants may choose up to nine duty locations, and have the flexibility to
update any information or change their choice(s) of duty location at any time. To remain active
on OCRs, applicants must revalidate their interest every 60 days.
3.4.3
Prescreening Process
Both DOI and the FS use electronic application submittal and prescreening. The prescreening
process evaluates whether an applicant completed all questions properly. The system rejects
incorrectly completed applications.
The Avue system used by the FS is a self-rating system and applicants are entirely responsible
for correct completion of the application. Prior to electronic signature, Avue performs a system
review designed to detect certain deficiencies. DOI uses the USAJOBS site for the application.
3.5 DECISION AND HIRING PROCESS
DOI and FS have different selection authorities, hiring decision levels and processes, and each
bureau within DOI has different applicant screening processes as outlined in Table 3.2.
Differences in levels of decision authority can contribute confusion around selections for NWFF
positions because of the large variance in decision authority among the various agencies. They
are different bureaus with different missions with decision authority for selections delegated in
accordance with relevance to mission accomplishment.
9
The FS has 60 Centralized Permanent Fire Announcement OCRs as of December 2010. The majority of the Centralized Permanent
Fire Announcement OCRs are for the 462 series, with the other series’ being 401, 2151, 2181 and 2101.
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Table 3.2 – Delegated Decision Authority for Selection of Agency Positions
DOI
FS
GS-13 and Above – Washington Office
processes and provides job offers
GS-14 and Above – selection authority (including
directed reassignments within and between units)
for hires, promotions, reassignments, details,
term appointments and temporary actions (>120
days) lie with the USDA Secretary, FS Chief,
Associate Chief and Deputy Chiefs (including
Associate Deputy Chiefs).
GS-12 and Below - Some state HRM offices are
able to make offers, but some states allow local
offices to make offers once the individual is
screened by the state office.
GS-13 and Below (Except Line Officers)–
Selections involving permanent hiring, promoting,
transferring, detailing, or temporary promotions
for positions at GS-13 and below and Wage
System positions may offer at Forest Staff
Officer, Nursery Supervisory, WO/RO/Branch
Chief level.

BLM – all OCR hires are screened at
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and
all others are screened at the local or
regional level in HRM

NPS and FWS – hires are screened at the
local and/or regional level

BIA – uses USA staffing and hires are
screened by Regional Centers for Excellence
Line Officer Positions at GS-13/GS-12 – Lowest
level of decision authority is the WO Staff
Director
Following the decision process, the selectee receives a tentative job offer from HRM. This offer
starts the clock on completion of pre-appointment requirements under Homeland Security
Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12). Prior to issuing a formal job offer, the agencies require a
completed Federal Declaration of Employment (OF-306), medical evaluations, drug testing, and
fingerprinting for background checks. Prospective employees who fail to successfully complete
these items within pre-established timelines will not receive formal job offers. If a prospective
employee does not satisfactorily and timely complete the items, the agency must go back
through the selection process.
3.6 ONBOARDING AND ORIENTATION
Once hired, a new employee entering the NWFF organization must be oriented to the agency,
its mission, and the interagency wildland fire community at large. Both DOI and FS have a
standard administrative orientation process, but there is not a standard process for onboarding
a new employee into the interagency fire community. The following sections discuss the
orientation programs used by each agency.
3.6.1
FS
The FS intermittently conducts weeklong orientation programs for new agency employees but
the infrequency of such sessions places the bulk of the orientation responsibilities on individual
units. Each office has a unique indoctrination process, but ASC-HRM issues a Supervisor &
Employee Responsibilities Checklist that provides common recommendations for tasks that
should be completed during the employee’s first year. The checklist covers topics ranging from
pre-reporting activities, first day activities, first month activities, first year activities, and
separation activities from the agency. The checklist also provides references for finding
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additional information and tools for tracking progress and completion dates. This process
continues throughout the first year of employment to assist the new employee with learning
about the FS and its many local, national and international programs.
3.6.2
BLM
BLM’s orientation program consists of employees being provided an employee handbook and
accompanying employee orientation video series, personnel forms, an orientation plan, and
attendance at an onsite office orientation program, if available. Within the first year, supervisors
work with new employees to complete the Interview with the Employee and the Supervisor form
and Orientation Checklist Part I. Once completed, this checklist is signed and returned to the
National Training Center (NTC) for certification.
The BLM continues education and programs for wildland fire employees after the first year with
its Pathways program. This on-going program is designed to provide a bureau-wide perspective
of the organizational culture, develop and maintain strong interpersonal working relationships,
develop an appreciation of individual differences and a supportive work environment, and
develop a stronger sense of community throughout the BLM.
3.6.3
NPS
The NPS has a similar general orientation program to BLM, called Fundamentals.10 The
program is organized into five sections, taken in sequence and completed within a one-year
period. Online courses are self-paced, and classroom courses are offered multiple times a
year. The following are the five sections and their topic areas:
NPS Fundamentals I – NPS Mission and History (online course)
NPS Fundamentals II – Introduction to NPS Operations (classroom course)
NPS Fundamentals III – NPS Career Management and Retirement Planning (online
course)
NPS Fundamentals IV – Managing Work Life in the NPS (online course)
NPS Fundamentals V – Building Trust, Teams, and Leaders (classroom course)
3.6.4
FWS
As part of the new employee’s orientation, the FWS conducts an Employee Foundations course
designed to introduce new employees to the FWS.11 In addition to a regional orientation and an
office orientation, Employee Foundations provides an overview of FWS and its principles of
consultation, communication, and collaboration in the effort of conservation.
Employee Foundations is a 4.5 day course provided at the FWS National Conservation Training
Center (NCTC) campus. The course is mandated for all permanent, two-grade interval
employees within their first year with the FWS.
The FWS also conducts a separate week-long fire orientation course for non-fire
professional/management level personnel entering the fire program. This course is also taught
at the NCTC and is designed to educate managers, who may have had little or no exposure to
the fire program, about the program and its policies at all levels (field, region, and national
levels).
10
National Park Service Training, NPS Fundamentals, http://www.nps.gov/training/fund/index.htm
US Fish & Wildlife Service New Employee Orientation Program, USFWS Employee Foundations.
http://training.fws.gov/orientation/Foundations.htm
11
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3.6.5
BIA
BIA also has a weeklong orientation course for forestry positions and a new employee training
course. At the time of this study, BIA was unable to provide any additional information about
their on-boarding and orientation program.
3.6.6
Lack of Human Resources Management Standardization
The NWFF and support (systems, dispatch, etc.) workforce works together effectively; however,
the HRM function should standardize some of its practices to improve the hiring and onboarding
process within agencies and across the land management agencies. The paragraphs below
outline three areas, position standardization, hiring process, and onboarding/orientation, for
HRM to improve upon.
3.6.6.1 Position Standardization
The FS does not consistently use position titles and position descriptions to reflect work
performed within the NWFF. For example, FMO positions perform some of the most critical
unit level work within the fire management organization but this assessment found that the
official HRM position title and/or working title for these positions varied significantly across
the agency, as did position descriptions. The official position title Fire Management Officer
infrequently appears in FS HRM systems to describe the ever-present fire management
program lead at the district, zone, and forest organizational levels. Titles for this position
range from Forest Technician to Biologist and often do not contain FMO in either the position
title or working title. As a result of these varied position descriptions, there is:
Inconsistency in performance expectations;
Inconsistency in job selection criteria;
Inconsistency in grade levels across units performing work of similar complexity; and
Difficulty in analyzing data and developing gap or trend analyses for groups working
on agency workforce planning and employee development initiatives.
Standardization of titles and position descriptions to eliminate these inconsistencies will
improve the effectiveness of the NWFF organization and improve the efficiency of HRM
during hiring and performance assessments.
3.6.6.2 Hiring
Each agency uses different position postings and grade levels; however, the firefighter
positions perform the same functions across agencies. As identified by the Service First
directors, one agency’s position description might grade out differently from another,
potentially resulting in employees working next to each other performing the same job for
different pay.12 If all fire agencies standardized the firefighter positions, HRM would be able
to hire faster, since the postings and grades would be set and would not require independent
classification and similar HRM efforts. The NWFF workforce would benefit from a
standardization of positions/grades, as the personnel would have a better understanding of
positions in the other agencies. Another benefit may be that firefighters remain with their
agency longer instead of leaving to take the same position in another agency because the
grade is higher. Standardization would allow HRM more time to focus on other items with
the time saved from developing postings/grading positions and could also save money on the
new hire process as personnel move among agencies to attain a higher grade.
12
The Service First Organization in Region 6 is a pilot organization in which the workforce is comprised of employees from multiple
agencies to provide streamlined, one-stop shopping across agency jurisdictional boundaries for public land users.
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At a minimum, the HRM personnel should meet semi-annually to discuss hiring processes
and determine global best practices. In addition, the Fire Hire program developed by the FS
has been a success and DOI has shown interest in adopting this program. The FS and DOI
HRM representatives should meet to discuss the program in further detail as, using this
program would allow for greater standardization. However, as discovered by the Service
First Organization, standardization and improvements across agencies will not be resolved
without the support and advocacy at the highest agency level.
3.6.6.3 Onboarding
It is understandable that onboarding processes differ by agency since agency missions and
information technology systems differ, but onboarding for NWFF would benefit from
standardization across all agencies. Because the NWFF organization operates as one
cohesive workforce during incidents, the information given to new employees should be
consistent. Without a standardized onboarding process, personnel from different agencies
continue to receive varying degrees of information, possibly causing knowledge gaps and
differences in understanding.
3.6.7
Hiring and Onboarding Findings Summary
The Fire Hire program is the primary means of hiring FS employees for both temporary
and permanent firefighting and fire-related positions on the units that utilize it. This
success has led to discussions regarding implementing the Fire Hire program under a
joint DOI/FS effort, but no further developments have been made.
The IFPM requirements represent a standard by which to consistently develop the
workforce to ensure qualified candidates to fill future vacancies.
The federal hiring reform initiatives positively impacted the hiring process for the NWFF
community. The recruit-hire process is shortened drastically due to shorter posting
periods, faster generation of referral lists, and reduced candidate selection time.
Electronic application screening does not allow applicants to correct erroneous data or to
request clarification of required information. This may cause qualified applicants to be
rejected for simple errors.
The self-rating nature of the application systems may inadvertently eliminate a qualified
applicant from consideration or move through an applicant who does not meet
qualifications. The shortened 80 day hiring model magnifies these frailties.
There is currently no method of measuring the success of NWFF outreach programs.
The Avue system provides the FS with a potential means of evaluating the success of
outreach programs. An optional survey is the last step in the Avue application process,
but it is limited in scope and does not allow for substantive feedback.
Once hired, a new employee entering the NWFF organization must be oriented to the
agency, its mission, and the interagency wildland fire community at large. Both DOI and
FS have standard administrative orientation programs, but there is not a standard
process for onboarding a new employee into the interagency wildland fire community.
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4
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
When assessing any workforce, it is vital to understand career development in order to determine
whether the path promotes longevity of service and career advancement. The assessment team
identified three areas that impact an NWFF employee’s development: training, opportunities to
advance and the mandatory retirement age.
4.1 TRAINING
Federal wildland fire agencies have long used a variety of workforce resources, both internally
and externally, to execute the full range of fire and fuels management programs. With the
increase in funding and hiring as a result of the National Fire Plan in 2000, land management
agencies transformed a mostly bi-professional workforce to a more dedicated professional fire
management workforce. Likewise, efforts to improve firefighting and emergency response
capabilities increased among tribal, state, and local partners. The challenge to the agencies is
how to balance wildland fire-specific training needs with agency-specific training needs for
positions, while standardizing and executing a wildland fire-specific training program for both
federal and non-federal partners. The IFPM Qualification Standards and Guide establishes
minimum qualification standards for key fire management positions that can form the basis for
standardizing positions across agencies.
4.1.1
Incident Management Qualifications
The state and federal agencies use the NWCG’s Publications Management System (PMS) 3101, “Wildland Fire Qualifications System Guide” which establishes the minimum standards for
ICS certification (qualification), including training, experience, physical fitness level, and
currency standards for most wildland fire positions. The PMS 310-1 outlines the training portion
of the qualification standard as a performance-based training system requiring trainees to
demonstrate successful position-specific performance to become qualified.
Initial training for firefighters is provided by the new employee’s home unit, upon completion of
their onboarding and orientation. Interagency wildland fire training occurs through four separate
sources of learning products, processes and services: NWCG, agency-specific, geographic
area-specific, and support training programs. The NWCG performs the bulk of the training
development work, including nearly all courses required for certification in one of the 250
incident positions (about 103 courses plus job aides). The National Advanced Fire and
Resource Institute (NAFRI) provides development and revision for 15 of the advanced fire
management courses. Development of 100 and 200 level courses is done at the local or zone
level, while 300 and 400 level courses are developed at the geographic area level. Course
trainers must meet training standards, as well as be current and qualified at or above the
position they are instructing.
Position Task Books (PTBs) serve as the primary tool used to record, evaluate and demonstrate
competencies for specific NWCG positions. A trainee must be qualified in the prerequisite
position(s) before a PTB can be initiated, and cannot become fully qualified until all required
training is successfully completed and the PTB is certified. PTBs require successful completion
of a combination of classroom training, self-study, and field work.
4.1.1.1 Limitations to NWFF Qualifications
The following bullets outline various limitations and issues that exist within the current
training and qualifications environment for the NWFF workforce, as identified by the
assessment team:
Experience vs. Traditional Classroom Requirements – Various initiatives over the
last few years have resulted in requirements for training from both a traditional
educational process and from field experience. While both types of training are
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recognized as critical to success in NWFF careers, the training systems currently
available to the workforce have not adjusted to provide an efficient means of
accomplishing both.
Incident Command vs. Career Development – Employees may maintain
qualifications within the ICS as well as qualifications needed to perform their duties
under their official agency positions. However, not all NWFF positions are covered by
the IFPM and those employees not covered perform ICS duties possibly in addition to
the requirements of their official position.
Time Limitations – The 6(c) provision of the federal law enforcement officers and
firefighter’s law was intended to “permit the Government to maintain a young and
vigorous workforce in rigorous firefighter and law enforcement positions through
youthful career entry, continuous service, and early separation.” As such, the timing
of executing qualifications training for the NWFF workforce becomes critical. The
time and experience required to advance through the ranks of the NWFF workforce
combined with staggered and inadequate course offerings limit the potential for
employees to meet all requirements for holding upper management positions prior to
reaching mandatory retirement age.
Career Specialization – Clearly defined standards and qualifications for positions
and associated career tracks provide employees with necessary transparency for
their career development. However, the highly specialized careers that exist in the
NWFF workforce create the potential for employees to become too specialized in a
career track early on in a career. This may hinder opportunities to develop diverse
skills in other career areas without increased training requirements thereby limiting
promotion opportunities.
Workforce Demographics – In conjunction with the time limitations identified above,
workforce demographics may limit career opportunities for employees who enter the
NWFF workforce later in life, due to the time necessary to complete training
requirements and gain experience for advancement.
Portability - Individual managers determine whether to accept qualifications of an
incoming firefighter upon transfer from another agency. FS accepts NWCG
qualifications of other agencies that use the PMS 310-1 requirements, even though
the Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 5109.17 has additional requirements. For
example, if a DOI employee transfers to the FS, all of their certified qualifications will
transfer to the FS. If the employee is in trainee status for an NWCG qualification,
then they will be required to attain the additional Forest Service Handbook (FSH)
5109.17 requirements needed for certification.
Maintenance and Consistency – The basis for an NWCG qualification certification is
meeting the training requirements in place at the time of the certification. The
requirements for certification may change with policy updates, with an unintended
consequence of requiring many NWFF’s to take additional unanticipated training prior
to certification. Changes to NWCG qualification policies could also affect career
advancement by adding an additional level to a career track or providing an incentive
for a short-cut.
Managerial and Soft Skills Development - The IFPM minimum qualification
standards focus primarily on NWCG qualifications in command, operations,
prescribed fire and specialized experience requirements commensurate with the
position. The additional training required for certain positions mainly focuses on
skills, classes or position-specific and common competencies, but does not require
successful completion of curriculum in the areas of program management planning,
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budget development, and soft skills areas (e.g., written communication). This may
leave some NWFF employees lacking in skills not directly related to firefighting.
4.2 CAREER ADVANCEMENT
The NWFF community does not have a consistent and widely communicated approach to
employee career development. The IFPM sets standard qualifications for fire positions and
provides a foundational piece to guide the development of NWFF careers for 14 key fire
positions across all agencies. Consequently, the qualification requirements for these positions
are visible at more levels within the fire organizations. While these qualifications may be visible,
the agencies still need user friendly career tools and learning paths to help guide individuals in
personal career development. Without these tools, agencies cannot optimally develop
employees for targeted areas within the organization. These tools would provide greater
efficiencies to the agency by making employees more competitive for positions earlier in their
careers.
The various career paths available within the fire community further complicate this issue.
NWFF employees may not understand the career options available to them or the long term
implications of career decisions, and therefore may not may not develop or follow a clear
learning path. Employees may lose time in their careers if they take a wrong turn or miss an
infrequently offered but necessary training session.
Figure 4.1 shows the traditional career path for the positions focused on in this assessment.
* These two positions are not considered primary fire positions for this study, but analysis shows they are the primary
positions feeding into the FMO position.
Figure 4.1: Traditional Career Path of NWFF Positions
Forestry/Range Aids move to Forestry/Range Technicians, who then move to Lead Forestry/Range
Technician or Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician positions. Since Lead Forestry/Range
Technician positions are a GS 05, 06, or 07 grade level while Forestry/Range Technician positions
span grade levels GS-01 – GS-12, the employees moving from Lead Forestry/Range Technician to
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a Forestry/Range Technician position are moving to a higher graded position within the NWFF
organization. This same issue occurs with Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician. There appears
to be a gap between what positions feed into FMO positions. FMO positions feed back into
Forestry/Range Technician positions and presumably other fire positions, but employees do not
appear to move readily from Supervisory or Lead Forestry/Range Technician positions into FMO.
FMO positions in the FS are difficult to trace because FMO is used primarily as an ICS designation
and not always used as an official position title. The DOI data indicates that employees move into
FMO positions from Fire Management Specialist and Assistant Fire Management Officer at the
highest frequency, followed by Range/Forestry Technician and Supervisory Range/Forestry
Technician positions.
The traditional fire career path is convoluted and confusing. To improve understanding for
those outside the organization, as well as to make it easier for those within the organization, the
desired career path should be simple and straightforward as depicted in Figure 4.2.
Figure 4.2: Recommended Career Path of NWFF Positions
Implementing the desired career path will require a serious coordinated effort by HRM for all the
wildland agencies. At a minimum, HRM would need to write new position descriptions, regrade
the positions so that the grade “flows” with the position, and then transition the current
employees into the corrected positions.
4.3 RETIREMENT
A special retirement benefit for federal law enforcement officers and firefighters in section
8336(c) of Title 5, United States Code (5 USC 8336(c)) is often referred to as “6c retirement.”13
The 6(c) provision of the law allows a covered firefighter to receive special retirement benefits
after meeting certain age and service requirements. The laws were intended to “permit the
Government to maintain a young and vigorous workforce in rigorous firefighter and law
enforcement positions through youthful career entry, continuous service, and early separation.”
Subsequent legislation changed eligibility criteria, actual benefits, and provisions such as
maximum entry age for a position, voluntary retirement with enhanced annuity computation, and
mandatory retirement age to clarify the law’s intent. A detailed listing of legislation and
important dates for the Firefighter/Law Enforcement Officer (FF/LEO) “6c” benefit is in Exhibit 1.
The OPM delegated to USDA the authority to approve position coverage and make rulings on
individual coverage for the 6c special retirement benefit for employees under the Federal
Employees Retirement System (FERS) in 1987 and for employees under the Civil Service
Retirement System (CSRS) in 1993. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) defines the
conditions required of a position to allow agency certification of coverage under the firefighter
retirement benefit.14
13
Law enforcement officers are outside the scope of this assessment. Subsequent discussion of 6(c) retirement system is as it relates to
the NWFF workforce can be found in Exhibit 1.
The FERS definition of a firefighter does not include positions in which duties are primarily to maintain or use firefighting apparatus and
equipment.
14
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Final Report
The FS has further defined that a firefighter eligible for coverage under the 6c special retirement
benefit is a position whose primary duties are defined as “on the line” wildland firefighter
experience gained through containment, control, or the suppression or use of wildland fire.15
While the positions carry the designation of 6c retirement benefit eligible, an applicant to a
position must personally qualify for coverage and meet the age requirements to be eligible for
the benefit. To qualify for a primary/rigorous firefighter position, an individual must not have
reached their 37th birthday or would not have reached the age of 37 after subtracting years of
past firefighter/law enforcement officer primary/rigorous covered federal service creditable
towards retirement eligibility from the applicant’s age.
Non-deduction service (i.e., any federal civilian service where no FERS deductions were
withheld) performed after December 31, 1988 is not creditable towards FERS retirement, and
cannot be credited for these purposes. However, non-deduction service performed prior to this
date (before or after becoming covered by FERS) is potentially creditable under FERS annuity
computation rules and therefore may be used to meet this requirement.
CSRS definitions apply to FERS firefighters prior to 1987 or after 1986 and before an employee
first becomes subject to FERS deductions if that service was either (1) covered by CSRS
deductions at the time or (2) non-deduction service that is creditable in a CSRS component of a
FERS annuity.
A Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) ruling (Robert P. Isabella v. Department of State and
Office of Personnel Management, 2008 M.S.P.B.146) under the Veterans Employment
Opportunities Act (VEOA) of 1998 determined that veterans may not have to meet maximum
entry age requirements. Applicants who are entitled to veteran’s preference are eligible to
request a waiver to the requirement. In instances where the requirement is waived, the
corresponding mandatory retirement age for these individuals will also be higher because it will
be reached after the 20 years of coverage under the special retirement provisions for the
entitlement to an immediate enhanced annuity.
One of the goals of the 6c retirement benefit is to have a workforce with continuous service. As
a result, employees must remain in a primary/rigorous or secondary covered position in order to
maintain individual eligibility. The criteria for current employees to transfer from a
primary/rigorous position to a secondary position are different for CSRS and FERS employees.
Table 4.1 below outlines the eligibility criteria for continuing coverage under the benefit.
Table 4.1 – Eligibility Criteria by Retirement System for Transferring to a Secondary Covered Position
Employee in
Primary/Rigorous
Position
CSRS Retirement
FERS Retirement
15
Employee Eligibility Criteria for a 6c Secondary Covered Position
There is a direct transfer from a primary/rigorous position to a secondary coverage
without a break in service that exceeds 3 days.
The employee is continuously employed in a secondary covered position since
transferring (Note: there can be no voluntary break in secondary service after January 19,
1988).
If, while subject to FERS deductions, the employee is a direct transfer from a
primary/rigorous position to a secondary coverage without a break in service that
exceeds 3 days.
The employee has completed three years (accumulated 36 months) of service in a
rigorous federal position, including any federal civilian service where no FERS deductions
were withheld (e.g., temporary positions including those after 1988).
The employee is continuously employed in a secondary covered position since moving
from a rigorous position without a break in service that exceeds 3 days.
The three types of wildland fire are defined to include wildfire, wildland fire use, and prescribed fire.
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Final Report
Analysis of the NWFF workforce eligible in FY 2009 for the 6c retirement benefit is in Section
6.5 below.
4.4 CAREER DEVELOPMENT FINDINGS SUMMARY
The current Position Task Book system has inadequate classroom and scenario based
opportunities and does not allow for panel reviews or other alternative methods of
assessing individual skills and qualifications in lieu of formal training. The PTB system
underutilizes time pressure decision tools (e.g., sand table).
Agencies have inconsistently implemented additional task books outside of the NWCG
system for specific positions. For example, the airtanker base manager position requires
a completed task book to operate within the FS and the BLM fire and aviation hierarchy,
but not for the NPS, BIA or FWS aviation system where the position is filled as a
technical specialist without specific training or qualifications.
The MSPB ruling (Robert P. Isabella v. Department of State and Office of Personnel
Management, 2008 M.S.P.B.146) with regard to waiver of the maximum entry age of 6c
covered employees will result in a new workforce tracking requirement for the NWFF
community and its supporting organizations (e.g., HRM).
NWFF employees typically move through positions along a traditional career path: aid to
technician to lead to supervisor though this path can be convoluted. The path should be
changed to a more straightforward position and grade structure
Analysis demonstrated that FMO positions are not fed primarily by direct fire positions.
This finding identified a potential disconnect between the direct fire workforce and the
fire management program workforce with regard to employee development and strategic
workforce planning that needs to be researched further to develop an appropriate
solution.
5
NWFF WORKLOAD
5.1 WORKLOAD ANALYSIS
The NWFF community is diverse in both organization and administration between the different
agencies. The assessment team faced the challenge of finding a common method to identify
and quantify the full NWFF workforce across all agencies. In addition to overall analysis of
lands managed, number of prescribed fires and wildfires, and acres burned, the team
determined that the best way to analyze workload was to identify individuals who performed fire
duties by the work hours they charged to fire.
The team obtained data that identified the number of “base 8” (regular time) hours an employee
billed to a fire budget line item (e.g., Wildland Fire Hazardous Fuels (WFHF), Wildland Fire
Preparedness (WFPR), Wildland Fire Suppression Unit (WFSU), and Rehabilitation and
Restoration (WFW3) for FS) from each agency’s financial data warehouse for FYs 2005-2009.
They then extracted the data pertinent to Phase 1 - personnel performing fire duties 51% or
more of their time. Following identification of the NWFF employees, the team matched
employees to available HRM data. Obtaining data from different systems resulted in data gaps
and challenges with synthesizing the data but the “missing” employees do not represent a
statistically significant population within the NWFF workforce analysis.
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Final Report
5.1.1
Lands Managed
DOI and FS maintain different geographic boundaries for their Regions. Table 5.1 contains a
crosswalk of the “NWFF Analysis Regions” against the corresponding FS and DOI NWFF
geographic regions. From this point, discussions of regional distribution refer to the NWFF
Analysis Region adopted for this assessment.
Table 5.1 – NWFF Analysis Region Cross Walk
NWFF Analysis Region
FS Region(s)
DOI NWFF Region(s)
Alaska
Region 10
Alaska
California
Region 5
Northern California
Southern California
Great Basin
Region 4
Eastern Great Basin
Western Great Basin
Eastern
Region 9
Eastern
Northern Rockies
Region 1
Northern Rockies
Northwest
Region 6
Northwest
Rocky Mountain
Region 2
Rocky Mountain
Southern
Region 8
Southern
(Two National Grasslands in Western
Texas included with Region 8)
Southwest
Region 3
Southwest
Table 5.2 below displays the acreage managed by each wildland firefighting agency. The
workforce planning process also accounts for the total number of acres for which the NWFF
workforce has wildland fire management responsibilities.
Table 5.2 – Regional Acreage Managed by Wildland Firefighting Agencies16
(Acreage is in Millions)
FS
Region
BLM
BIA
#
%
#
%
Alaska
22.0
11%
84.0
33%
1.3
2%
California
20.7
12%
15.0
6%
0.0
0%
Great Basin
24.2
13%
75.1
29%
0.0
Eastern
12.2
6%
0.30
0%
1.3
Northern Rockies
28.2
15%
13.7
5%
Northwest
25.0
13%
16.2
6%
Rocky Mountain
26.2
14%
26.4
Southern
13.0
7%
0.8
Southwest
21.0
11%
193.0
100%
Total
#
FWS
%
#
NPS
%
#
%
77.0
80%
54.7
65%
1.9
2%
8.5
10%
0%
2.9
3%
3.5
4%
2%
2.9
3%
1.4
2%
11.7
18%
2.9
3%
1.8
2%
4.0
6%
0.9
1%
2.3
3%
10%
11.5
17%
1.9
2%
3.6
4%
0%
3.0
5%
3.9
4%
5.2
6%
24.5
10%
33.2
50%
1.9
2%
3.6
4%
256.0
100%
66.0
100%
96.2
100%
84.6
100%
16
http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL32393.pdf, http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2012/releases/02/restoration.shtm, and
http://www.doi.gov/facts.html Due to the manner in which the Assessment Team decided to identify regions for this study, the numbers in
the table are close approximations rather than exact numbers.
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Final Report
The NWFF agencies manage almost 684 million acres of land across the United States. While
the percentage of FS lands is fairly evenly distributed across the regions, the DOI bureaus tend
to have one or two areas of land concentration. BLM manages higher percentages of public
land in Alaska and the Great Basin, half of all BIA managed lands are in the Southwest, and the
largest percentages of FWS and NPS lands are in Alaska.
5.1.2
Wildfires and Prescribed Fires
The fire environment is dynamic with a broad number of factors that influence fire behavior,
including the specific characteristics of the combustible materials (fuels) on site; terrain; climatic
and weather variables such as winds, drought, relative humidity, temperatures; atmospheric
stability and seasonality. All of these variables play a critical role in fire season severity, driving
wildland fire impact, response and reaction. The NWFF agencies tailor the wildland firefighting
approach for a specific fire towards these variables, in consideration of fire size, lands at risk,
proximity to Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and other relevant factors. The WUI, where houses
or communities meet or intermingle with wildland vegetation, presents special firefighting
challenges such as ingress/egress, communication, power lines, fuel lines and tanks, water
source concerns, and residents’ safety. Population density in WUI areas generally means
greater risks to life and property from fires.
The physical fire suppression effort generally involves combinations of ground forces and
aviation support that work together to remove vegetation and alter fuel connectivity by
constructing physical breaks (firelines) to stop progression of the wildfire.
The agencies intentionally set prescribed fires as one component of fire management, to alter,
maintain, or restore vegetative communities; achieve desired resource conditions; and to protect
life, property, and values that would be degraded and/or destroyed by wildfire. Few alternative
treatments can compete with prescribed burning from the standpoint of effectiveness and cost.
NWFF workload fluctuates with fire season severity and such factors as total number of fires,
fire sizes, resources deployed and response type (e.g. Initial Attack, Extended Attack). An
important workload factor when determining personnel resources is the annual number of fires –
wildfire and prescribed (Rx) – although wildfires are the more resource intensive workload.
While wildland fires are not planned events, the agencies are generally able to control the
timing, number and sizes of prescribed fires. Since prescribed fires are intentionally set
controlled burns, personnel support is generally substantially lower and agencies generally do
not deploy other firefighting resources. The need for prescribed burning fluctuates with the
cumulative fire threat posed by the agency managed lands. Prescribed burning generally
occurs outside of the “normal” fire season for a region. Table 5.3 outlines numbers of wildfires
and prescribed fires at the agency level.
Table 5.3 – Number of Wildfires and Prescribed Fires from 2005 – 2009
2005
Agency
Wildfire
2006
Rx
Wildfire
2007
Rx
Wildfire
2008
Rx
Wildfire
2009
Rx
Wildfire
FS
7,331
3,782
10,403
5,138
8,486
4,771
7,113
3,193
7,691
BLM
2,655
522
3,848
584
2,613
462
1,941
447
BIA
5,127
216
6,768
254
4,593
284
4,934
254
FWS
518
1,201
524
1,314
396
1,228
425
NPS
395
226
537
233
489
271
16,026
5,947
22,080
7,523
16,577
7,016
Total
Totals
Rx
Wildfire
41,024
20,679
2,545
552
13,602
2,567
4,375
2,186
25,797
3,194
821
448
1,227
2,311
5,791
396
223
426
815
2,243
1,768
14,809
4,938
15,485
8,575
84,977
33,999
The data shows that over the five year assessment period, the FS had the largest number of
wildland and prescribed fires, more than double the next largest number of fires which were on
BIA lands. Almost half of the wildfires (48%) and 61% of prescribed fires occurred on FS land.
NWFF
25
Rx
3,795
Final Report
As Figure 5.1 below shows, 2006 was an intense year for wildfires for most agencies. The
number of wildfires for FWS and NPS remained relatively stable from year to year, while there
was more annual change in workload for the other three agencies.
Figure 5.1: Wildfire Workload by Agency from 2005 – 2009
It is important to identify fire workload by region, to assess distribution of employees across the
United States, as outlined in Section 6.2 below. Figure 5.2 below compares the number of
wildfires by region.
3,000
2,716
2,682
2,548
2,500
2,256
2,091
Number of Wildfires
2,225
2,000
2,095
1,857
1,668
1,500
1,000
500
97
140
37
0
2007
2008
2009
Northern Rockies
Rocky Mountain
Southwest
Great Basin
Northwest
Southern
Eastern
Alaska
California
Figure 5.2: Number of Wildfires by Region from 2007 - 2009
NWFF
26
Final Report
The data shows that wildfires were more prevalent in the Southwest in 2007 and 2009 and in
the Southern region in 2008. Wildfires in California and the Northwest were also consistently
high from year to year.
Although it appears that Southwest has the largest wildfire workload, the California region has
the largest overall wildfire workload. Fire is a fact of life in Southern California where it is not a
question of if, but when a fire will occur, and how much damage it will cause. According to the
2011 Angeles National Forest Fire Plan, a fire started anywhere on the four Southern California
National Forests may be a threat to adjacent communities. The 3.5 million acres that
encompass the four Southern California National Forests are located in one of the driest, most
fire-prone areas in the United States, with thousands of structures in or around their borders and
millions of residents who live in those structures. Decades of fire suppression practices have
resulted in the development of unnaturally dense stands of trees and accumulations of brush
and other highly flammable fuels. Housing and other development adjacent to forest
boundaries is increasing without adequate buffer of defensible space from fire. Cumulative
drought, extensive insect- related tree kill in western forests, and regional shifts of population
into the wildland urban interface have resulted in an increased level of wildfire activity that
scientists predict will continue into the future. All these factors (climate, land characteristics,
and proximity to populated areas) explain why California requires a high number of NWFF
resources as outlined below in Table 6.2.
The fire severity also impacts resources. Significant fires are defined as a minimum of 100
acres in timber fuel types and 300 acres in grass and brush fuel types or are managed an
incident management team. In 2009, there were 1,101 significant fires across the nation. As
extracted from the ICS-209 reports, Figure 5.3 illustrates the locations of these fires by the
managing agency.
Figure 5.3: Significant Wildfires in 2009
NWFF
27
Final Report
The most severe fires managed by federal agencies occur in the western part of the United
States, whereas the states tend to manage the majority of significant fires in the south and
Texas. This information, coupled with financial data, lands managed, number of fires and acres
burned allows agencies to identify the number and type of resources and locations needed for
appropriate regional resource allocation.
5.1.3
Wildfire Acres Burned
There are multiple factors in fire resource planning because fire workload is not predictable. In
addition to lands managed and total fires, it is important to understand the destruction of lands
in relation to number of fires since wildfires vary in size, intensity, and complexity. Table 5.4
accounts for the number of acres burned by wildfire per agency, per year.
Table 5.4 – Number of Acres Burned due to Wildfires from 2005 – 2009
FS
BLM
BIA
FWS
NPS
Total
2005
781,148
3,591,721
194,757
1,842,177
128,761
6,538,564
2006
1,896,071
2,406,622
376,824
236,746
73,566
4,989,829
2007
2,835,577
2,021,009
266,593
501,038
102,459
5,726,676
2008
1,234,479
330,981
168,336
95,952
89,061
1,918,809
2009
715,677
989,029
200,562
821,838
182,047
2,909,153
The number of fires does not directly correlate to the acres burned because fires vary in size
and complexity. Figure 5.4 below compares of the number of wildfires to the acres burned for
2005 through 2009.
Figure 5.4: Comparison of Number of Wildfires to Acres Burned from 2005 - 2009
NWFF
28
Final Report
As shown in Figure 5.4, the number of fires was the highest in 2006; however, the largest
number of acres burned occurred in 2005 and 2007. This generally indicates that 2005 and
2007 saw a greater number of larger fires, while 2006 had a large number of smaller fires.
5.1.4
Employee Analysis by Workload (Number of Wildfires)
Section 6 details the number of employees and attributes of the NWFF workforce. However
before discussing the workforce as a whole, it is important to determine that the workforce is
staffed appropriately for the workload. The assessment team did not conduct a detailed, taskby-task workload analysis for the wildland fire community, but identified two factors to show that
the NWFF community is staffed correctly: number of fires and success rate. Wildfires are the
key workload indicator as these fires are unplanned events that range in severity and size,
serving as the main task for fire personnel. Each year the agency uses historical data to identify
the target number of containment lines. The agency’s wildland fire workforce is considered
successful if 97% of these lines contain the fire during the initial attack.
FS
Figure 5.5 compares the number of FS employees against the number of FS wildfires.
Figure 5.5: Number of Employees Compared to Number of Wildfires
FY 2006 was the most intense fire season for FS over the fire year study period. The number of
employees that year was also the highest. In FY 2007 and FY 2008, the number of wildfires
decreased and so did the number of FS employees. From 2008 – 2009 the number of wildfires
increased slightly as did the number of employees. Based on the definition of success for initial
attack, the FS achieved this goal each year under study by meeting or exceeding the 97% goal.
In FY 2005 and FY 2009, FS earned a 98% success rating and a 97% success rating for FY
2006 – FY 2008. There is a direct correlation between the number of wildfires and the number
of employees and as such the FS has been adjusting staffing appropriately based on the
estimated workload while continuing successful performance.
In addition to the direct relationship found between the number of employees and wildfires, the
assessment team also analyzed the number of hours charged to the appropriate fire job code
NWFF
29
Final Report
against both wildfire and prescribed fire. The FS uses four budget codes within the fire program
to which NWFF employees bill their time: WFPR, WFSU, WFHF, and WFW3, defined below.
Wildland Fire Preparedness - Program Code WFPR: Wildland Fire Preparedness protects
National Forest System lands from damage by wildfires, commensurate with the threat of life,
values, at risk, public values, and management objectives. WFPR provides support to the basic
fire organization and capability to prevent forest fires and ensure prompt and effective initial
attack suppression operations. When a wildland fire occurs, each preparedness activity has its
own transition point at which the funding changes from preparedness program fund WFPR, to
suppression program fund WFSU.
Fire Suppression and Fire Operations - Program Code WFSU: Suppression provides funding for
resources to efficiently suppress wildland fires on or threatening National Forest System lands,
and other Federal and non-Federal lands under fire protection agreements.
Hazardous Fuels Reduction - Program Code WFHF: The objective of the hazardous fuels
reduction program is to reduce the undesired effects of large, destructive wildfires by reducing
the volume of hazardous fuels on forests, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands. The fuels
treatment program focuses on reducing the risk of wildland fire and long-term damage to
resources and property in high priority areas. The desired outcome of the hazardous fuels
program is to reduce the risk of unplanned and unwanted wildland fire to communities and to
the environment. Prescribed fire is charged to this code.
Emergency Supplemental Rehab & Restoration – Program Code WFW3: These funds are
expected to be used for critical tasks to restore and rehabilitate lands damaged by catastrophic
wildfires, emphasizing treatments on fires that occurred within the previous three fiscal years,
and certification of natural regeneration on fires that occurred within five fiscal years.
Figure 5.6 below displays the total number of base 8 (regular time) hours charged over the five
year period as documented by the Payroll Accounting System (PAS) for wildfires (WFPR and
WFSU) and prescribed fires (WFHF) compared to the actual number of fires.
NWFF
30
Final Report
Figure 5.6: Number of FS Hours Compared to Number of FS Fires
The figure above illustrates that the majority of base hours charged (overtime is not included in
this analysis) are to preparing for and suppressing wildfires. With the exception of FY 2009 the
number of hours correlates to the number of wildfires (i.e., when the number of wildfires
increases/decreases so do the number of hours charged). However, in FY 2009 even though
the number of fires was higher, the number of acres burned was the smallest over the five year
study period as shown in Table 5.4. These wildfires were suppressed quickly, therefore fewer
hours were charged to fire preparation and suppression. On average, 51% of the FS NWFF
employees charged time to WFPR.
Prescribed fires are planned events, typically occurring outside the peak fire season. The
number of fires set and acreage for each is determined prior to starting the process; therefore,
the number of hours charged to hazardous fuels reduction is more predictable than for wildfires.
Over the five year study period, the average hours billed to prescribed fires was 2.5 million
hours. The years where more hours were charged to wildfires (FY 2006 and FY 2007), fewer
hours were charged to prescribed fires and years where fewer hours were charged to wildfires,
more hours were charged to prescribed fires (FY 2009).
Based on the analyses above, the FS staff charging 51% or more of their time to fire is the
appropriate size to achieve success and they should remain vigilant in adjusting the staff based
on workload demands.
DOI
Figure 5.7 compares the number of DOI bureau employees to the number of wildfires over the
five year study period.
NWFF
31
Final Report
Figure 5.7: Number of DOI Employees Compared to Number of Wildfires
The staffing for BIA and NPS directly correlates to the number of wildfires. FY 2006 was the
most severe wildfire year over the five-year study period and since then the number of wildfires
has decreased and so has the agencies’ staffing. FWS had the highest number of wildfires in
FY 2005 and FY 2006, but had the fewest number of employees. However, in FY 2007 as the
number of wildfires increased so did the number of employees. BLM staffing remained relatively
stable throughout the first four years of the study period even though the number of wildfires
varied greatly with the exception of FY 2009. There was an increase in wildfires during this year
and there was also an increase in the number of employees. The DOI bureaus maintained a
success rate of 98% each of the years under study.17
The team also assessed the total “base 8” hours by DOI bureaus for all employees billing 51%
or more of their time to fire. Figure 5.8 below shows how each bureau’s hours compare to the
number of wildfires and prescribed fires.18
17
18
Success rate per Jeff Whitney, Executive Director for Wildland Fire Program Analysis and Planning (DOI/USFS)
The hours in this figure are provided by the Agency’s Data Warehouse
NWFF
32
Final Report
Figure 5.8: DOI’s Bureaus Number of Fires Compared to Number of Hours
The number of hours BLM charged to fire was fairly steady for the first four years of the study; however,
BLM’s “base 8” hours spiked from 2008 – 2009. The spike, one million more hours charged to fire from
the previous year was because the average fire size increased from 170 acres to 388 acres. BIA’s
primary workload is wildfires. Since 2006, the wildfires have been decreasing and so has the number of
hours charged to fire. This decrease shows that BIA’s hours directly correlate to the work being
performed. The number of hours FWS charges for wildfires and prescribed fires is steady over the five
year study period. This makes sense as there is very little fluctuation in the number of wildfires and
prescribed fires. NPS’ hours correlate to the number of wildfires. 2006 and 2007 were intense wildfire
years and these years also had the highest number of hours charged to fire. 2009 was an anomaly with
a high number of prescribed fires and an average wildfire year yet had the fewest number of hours
charged to fire. With the exception of the BLM, which had a significant increase in hours between FY
2008 and FY 2009, all of the other bureaus are showing slight decreases in the hours charged to the fire
program.
NWFF
33
Final Report
The above analyses indicate that the DOI is staffing their NWFF wildland firefighting bureaus
correctly. The staff is adjusted based on the workload and each year they are successful as
defined by the outlined performance metrics.
5.1.5
FS Fire Program Financial Analysis
The resource costs associated with the FS fire program are outlined in Table 5.5. These
costs include only the “base 8” hours for personnel billing 51% or more of their time to fire.
Table 5.5 – Total Annual Cost FS NWFF Employees Billed to Fire Program19
FY 2005
Region 1
Region 2
Region 3
Region 4
Region 5
Region 6
Region 8
Region 9
Region 10
WO
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
Unknown Region &
Other Offices
25.5
17.2
28.2
26.8
99.2
35.4
14.7
8.8
0.7
11.8
FY 2006
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
27.5
16.9
30.3
27.7
103.5
34.6
15.8
9.7
0.9
13.7
FY 2007
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
29.0
16.9
28.7
26.6
107.3
36.0
17.2
10.7
0.9
16.1
FY 2008
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
29.9
17.1
30.8
27.6
114.6
36.8
17.9
10.0
0.8
17.9
Five-Year
Average
FY 2009
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
31.0
20.0
31.5
28.5
122.0
38.6
18.9
10.2
1.0
5.3
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
28.6
17.6
29.9
27.4
109.3
36.3
16.9
9.9
0.9
13.0
$
2.7
$
4.3
$
3.9
$
3.6
$
16.0
$
6.1
Total $
268.3
$
280.6
$
289.4
$
303.4
$
307.0
$
295.8
Since FY 2005, the cost of the fire program has increased. Due to drought, climate change,
and unprecedented fuels accumulation in the forests, fire seasons average 70 days longer
than they did 20 years ago. Fires are burning hotter and faster than ever before, causing
extensive injury and damage to forests, watersheds, and property and requiring greater
firefighting efforts. As expected, California and Northwest costs have steadily increased
each year and Great Basin has been steadily increasing since FY 2006. The total average
five year cost for the 51% workforce base hours was over $295 million.
6
NWFF WORKFORCE
In an effort to better understand who makes up the NWFF workforce, the assessment team
analyzed personnel data to determine the number of personnel performing work by agency,
position types, grade levels, race and national origin (RNO), and the potential impacts of
the 6c retirement benefit. Exhibits 2 – 8 contain detailed information, charts, graphs and
tables of the workforce analysis.
6.1 NWFF POPULATION
Prior to describing the organization in terms of specific attributes, it is important to
understand what the entire NWFF workforce looks like from an agency and interagency
perspective. An important part of this understanding relates to the employees who charge
51% or more of their hours to fire versus part time NWFF employees (under 51%) who may
include employees who charge less than one pay period annually to fire.
19
Data provided from the Payroll Accounting System (PAS)
NWFF
34
Final Report
Table 6.1 below displays the five-year average of NWFF employees compared to the total
population of the corresponding agency.
Table 6.1 – Five-Year Average NWFF Population vs. Total Agency Population
Less than
51%
FS
NWFF
51% or
More
Total
Total
Agency
Population
Percentage of
Agency
Population
19,084
9,277
28,361
38,686
73.3%
DOI Overall*
7,205
4,620
11,825
47,728
24.8%
BLM
3,873
2,048
5,921
10,970
54.0%
BIA
482
660
1,142
4,563
25.0%
FWS
673
508
1,181
9,233
12.8%
NPS
2,177
1,404
3,581
22,962
15.6%
*DOI total only includes BLM, BIA, FWS, and NPS.
As shown in the table above, an average of 73% of the FS population charged time to a fire
job code compared to approximately 25% of DOI’s population.20 In DOI, BLM has the most
significant percentage of NWFF employees at 54% of the overall population.
This assessment focuses on those positions billing 51% or more of their time to the fire
program. Using the NWFF population data above, Figure 6.1 displays the five-year
average distribution of the 51% or more NWFF workforce amongst the different
organizations. As shown, the FS employs 67% of the total NWFF 51% or more workforce
and DOI makes up the remaining 33%. BLM holds the highest percentage within DOI with
15% of the total NWFF workforce.
Figure 6.1: Distribution of the NWFF Workforce
20
The total number of individual employees that billed to a fire program are defined as the NWFF workforce and do not represent a
maximum number of employees on board at any point in time of the year.
NWFF
35
Final Report
The sections below break down the 51% or more NWFF population by various attributes
and demographics to determine whether there are workforce trends that need to be
addressed, and whether they need to be addressed by a specific agency or as an
interagency community.
6.2 REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF NWFF EMPLOYEES
NWFF employees across the United States are strategically located at specific geographic
locations for optimal response capability based on agency fire preparedness and planning
analyses. To ensure there are enough personnel resources to cover a region, each agency
must determine the workload for that area. At a very high level, this analysis factors in the
land values (value of timber), the number of fire chains required to be produced per hour
using historical data to distribute the chains across the regions, historical fire data (severity
and acres burned), as well as total acreage managed within a specific area. By identifying
personnel resources using these factors, every area has adequate coverage to complete
day-to-day work with enough flexibility to assist other areas when significant fire incidents or
other devastating events occur. Table 6.2 outlines the average number of employees by
NWFF region.
Table 6.2 – Five-Year Average Number of Employees by NWFF Region
NWFF Analysis
Region
Alaska
California
Great Basin
Eastern
Northern Rockies
Northwest
Rocky Mountain
Southern
Southwest
Washington Office
(WO)
Other Offices and
Unknown Region
Total
DOI /
BLM
FS
DOI / BIA
DOI /
FWS
DOI / NPS
DOI
Subtotal
Total
NWFF
31
3,496
980
273
969
1,260
551
456
926
207
218
183
918
125
238
205
15
142
6
13
47
18
67
18
88
29
336
-
15
35
24
94
39
53
33
187
30
-
27
396
116
145
31
81
209
269
125
5
260
627
1,105
257
262
390
535
500
633
11
291
4,123
2,085
530
1,231
1,650
1,086
956
1,559
218
127
-
43
-
-
43
170
9,277
2,048
660
508
1,404
4,620
13,897
California and the Great Basin have the greatest number of over 51% NWFF employees,
with 45% of the employees assigned to those two areas. The FS has the largest
presence in California and the Northwest. DOI has the largest presence in the Great
Basin, with BLM having the majority of employees. The BIA employees are highly
concentrated in the Southwest Region as the majority of the fire workload is completed
by BIA in that region. The FWS and the NPS have the highest concentration of NWFF
employees in the Southern Region.
As discussed in Section 5 above, several workload factors determine distribution of
agency employees, number of wildfires is the primary factor. Figure 6.2 below shows
the number of FS employees by region and the average number of hours billed to
fighting wildfires using the WFPR and WFSU job codes.
NWFF
36
Final Report
Figure 6.2: Number of FS Employees by Region Compared to Number of WFPR and
WFSU (Wildfire) Hours
This analysis illustrates that the number of hours charged to fighting wildfires in the regions
correlates with the number of regional FS employees. For example, the five regions with
the highest number of hours billed to fighting wildfires also have the largest number of
employees. The same is true for the regions that charge fewer hours to fighting wildfires;
the fewer the hours spent fighting wildfires, the smaller the employee population in the
region. The figure depicts that the FS has properly staffed its regions based on the primary
workload indicator, wildfires.
DOI does not use the same method as FS to capture its program’s hours using specific job
codes for fire; therefore the assessment team could not perform the same personnel
analysis by region to determine whether the bureaus were appropriately staffed.
Figure 6.3 displays the percentage of each agency’s NWFF population by region.
NWFF
37
Final Report
Figure 6.3: Five-Year Average Regional Distribution of NWFF Employees
NWFF
38
Final Report
6.3 FUNCTIONAL MAKEUP OF THE NWFF WORKFORCE
In addition to defining which employees perform fire duties 51% or more of their time, the
assessment team developed a method of quantifying NWFF employees by the work
function that they performed. Using the position categories discussed in Section 1.3.2.2
the team segregated the functions into direct fire and fire management program.
On average, 74% of the NWFF 51% workforce falls under the direct fire category and 10%
under the fire management program category. The remaining 16% falls into the support
and administrative and business management categories. These distributions remain
consistent when temporary positions are removed from the analysis. These distributions
are generally consistent for the NWFF workforce at the BIA and FS, but more varied among
BLM, NPS, and FWS.
Table 6.3 below contains the five-year average number of employees in the direct fire and
the FPM category by agency and region.
Table 6.3 – Five-Year Average of Direct Fire and Fire Management Program
Employees by Region
Forest
NWFF Analysis Service
Region
DF
Alaska
Forest
Service
Fire
Mngmt
Prog
BLM Fire
Mngmt
BLM DF Program
BIA Fire
FWS Fire
Mngmt
Mngmt
Program FWS DF Program
BIA DF
NPS Fire
Mngmt
NPS DF Program
Total
Fire
Mngmt
Total DF Program
22
6
147
13
-
-
5
7
10
6
184
32
2,988
228
128
12
7
4
24
9
264
16
3,411
269
Great Basin
783
109
591
75
14
17
1
10
57
14
1,446
225
Eastern
Northern
Rockies
Northwest
180
50
-
-
13
5
59
19
65
10
317
84
809
79
87
15
50
8
27
7
18
2
991
111
1,004
124
181
12
7
6
36
11
47
7
1,275
160
Rocky Mountain
402
76
154
19
69
11
18
12
134
18
777
136
Southern
324
76
14
0
22
6
128
32
152
14
640
128
Southwest
735
102
106
17
272
27
16
7
73
8
1,202
161
21
34
1
3
-
-
-
-
2
1
24
38
7
15
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
15
7,275
900
1,411
165
454
84
315
114
824
95
10,279
1,358
California
WO
Other Offices
Total
As shown in Table 6.3, the 51% direct fire workforce in California is twice as high as any
other region. Each organization has different population distributions, but nearly 70% of the
51% NWFF population in the direct fire category is located in California, Northwest,
Southwest, and the Great Basin. As show in Figure 5.2 in Section 5.1.2 above, these
regions have a consistently high wildfire workload.
As expected, the number of employees categorized as fire management program is much
lower than the number of direct fire employees, since there is a far greater workload in
planning, preparing, and fighting fire than with program functions such as policy
development. The majority of positions (94%) in the fire management program category
are permanent. This is not unexpected, however, since these positions manage and have
direct policy influence on the wildland fire program throughout the year. Unlike the direct
fire category, the fire management program positions are dispersed across the various
NWFF
39
Final Report
regions as every region has program responsibilities and policy functions that are not
directly attributed to fire and lands managed workload.
The data above represents the average, but population trends are an important factor in
identifying any major issues that the NWFF community needs to address as a whole or a
specific agency needs to address. Table 6.4 denotes trends for both direct fire and fire
management program employees from 2005 – 2009.
Table 6.4 – Direct Fire and Fire Management Program Population Trends
(Permanent Employees)
Direct Fire
Population Trend
Average
Change in
Employees
Fire Management
Program
Population Trend
Average
Change in
Employees
FS
↓
17
↓
2
BLM
↑
9
↔
0
BIA
↓
21
↔
0
FWS
↑
5
↑
4
NPS
↓
10
↑
4
Agency
Although the data indicated trends within each agency’s direct fire and fire management
program populations, no immediate action is required because the trends are slight.
However, NWFF management should continue to monitor direct fire and fire management
program position trends to ensure increases and decreases remain appropriate. To further
identify which positions within direct fire and fire management program may require closer
monitoring, Table 6.5 outlines the average population trend for the five primary positions
over the five year period.
Table 6.5 – Primary Position Population Trends (Permanent Employees)
Agency
Forestry/ Range Aid
Forestry/ Range Technician
Lead Forestry/ Range Technician
Supervisory Forestry/ Range
Technician
FMO
FS
Population
Trend
BLM
Population
Trend
BIA
Population
Trend
FWS
Population
Trend
NPS
Population
Trend
↑
↔
↓
↑
↔
2 Employees
0 Employees
7 Employees
1 Employee
0 Employees
↑
↓
↓
↓
↓
37 Employees
27 Employees
25 Employees
4 Employees
6 Employees
↓
↑
↓
↑
↑
18 Employees
22 Employees
1 Employee
3 Employees
2 Employees
↓
↑
↓
↑
↑
55 Employees
2 Employees
1 Employee
4 Employees
1 Employee
↑
↑
↑
↔
↔
4 Employees
1 Employee
3 Employees
0 Employees
0 Employees
The following bullets highlight the positions that need to be monitored by the agencies to
ensure the workforce does not experience critical shortage of personnel in the future. The
NWFF
40
Final Report
increases and decreases in the positions described below account for people leaving the
positions (i.e., leave for another position within the organization, separate from agency).
The data the team gathered for this assessment detailed actual data, therefore the team
was unable to determine if some of the positions that decreased were abolished by the
organization.
FS
o
Permanent Supervisory Forestry Technician positions decreased at an
average rate of 4.6% (Net 55 employees) over the five year study period.
Supervisory Forestry Technician positions will theoretically reach a critical
shortage (50% of current population) in approximately 9.6 years if this trend
continues.
o
Permanent FMO positions increased less than 1% (4 employees). Although
it is difficult to trace the exact position titles feeding the FMO positions, the
data indicates that 13 employees came from other fire positions and five
personnel were new to the FS.
BLM
o
Permanent Forestry/Range Technician positions decreased at an average
rate of 6.2% (27 employees). The BLM Forestry/Range Technician
population will reach critical shortage (50% of current population) in
approximately 7.3 years if this trend continues. Most of these employees
(51%) moved into Lead and Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician
positions. This trend may be offset if the BLM continues to increase
temporary Forestry/Range Technician positions as they did in FY 2009.
o
Permanent FMO positions maintained a fairly steady population increasing
by one position. No employees separated from fire, but an average of two
employees per year retired from these positions. 29% of the total FMO
population (43.2% of the 6c covered population) will reach mandatory
retirement prior to FY 2020. An increase in the number of separations or
retirements from FMO positions could have critical impacts on the
sustainability of the BLM FMO population
o
Permanent Forestry/Range Aid positions decreased at an average rate of
12.2% (7 employees). The BIA Forestry/Range Aid positions will reach a
critical shortage (50% of current population) in approximately 4.1 years if this
trend continues.
o
Permanent Forestry/Range Technician positions decreased at an average
rate of 9.5% (25 employees). The BIA Forestry/Range Technician
population will reach critical shortage (50% of current population) in
approximately 4.5 years if this trend continues.
BIA
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Final Report
NPS
o
Permanent Forestry/Range Technician positions decreased at an average
rate of 6.3% (6 employees). The NPS will reach a critical shortage of
Forestry/Range Technician positions (50% of current population) in
approximately 7.8 years if this trend continues.
Although the team did not identify any issues that require immediate action, each agency
needs to be aware of the issues described above so that they can strategically fill positions
to ensure no critical shortages occur. The primary position analysis and the RNO analysis
in the sections below may identify attributes that are needed in the workforce and could be
used in the recruiting and hiring process for the critical positions identified in the above
bullets.
6.3.1
Primary Position Attribute Analysis
As discussed in Section 1.3.2.2 , NWFF Positions, the assessment team focused on five
primary positions that directly relate to the NWFF functions and workload: Forestry/Range
Aid, Forestry/Range Technician; Lead Forestry/Range Technician, Supervisory
Forestry/Range Technician, and FMO. By outlining specific attributes such as grade, age
and length of service the attributes of the NWFF workforce become more apparent.
Figure 6.4 below shows the percentage distribution of grade ranges for each primary
position, by agency.
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Figure 6.4: Five-Year Average Grade Distribution of NWFF Employees
The grades follow the typical fire career path. Forestry/Range Aids are entry level positions and
are lower grades, whereas leads and supervisors have multiple years of experience and
leadership responsibilities thus they are higher grades. FMO positions perform higher level policy
development and implementation duties, so their responsibilities and skill sets are higher level and
lend themselves to higher grades. The Forestry/Range Technicians’ grade structure ranges from
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Final Report
GS-01 to GS-12, consequently the grades vary greatly. All agencies have the majority of their
technicians at grades GS-05, 06 or 07. The second most populous range is GS-01, 02, 03 or 04
due to these grades serving as the entry level positions for permanent employees. The range of
grades for this position title demonstrates the lack of consistency among NWFF agencies in
position classification and position descriptions.
Age is another important workforce assessment attribute. Figure 6.5 provides a breakdown of age
range by position and agency.
Figure 6.5: Five-Year Average Age Distribution of NWFF Employees
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Similar to the grade distribution, age typically increases along the fire career path. The 25
and under age group primarily fill the entry level positions, Forestry/Range Aid and some
technician positions. The majority of FMO positions range from 36 to 55 years old, due to
the time, skills and experience required to attain this higher level position. The Lead
positions serve as first level of supervision and thus are usually in the middle of their
careers, so it is not surprising that the majority of positions are filled with 26 – 45 year olds.
Finally, the technician positions include every age group since this position includes grades
from GS-01 to GS-12. Employees may start as a lower graded technician in a permanent
position, progress to a lead and then return as a higher graded technician as they move up
in their careers.
Length of service (LOS) also requires analysis, particularly since it is a condition for 6c
mandatory retirement. For this assessment, the team calculated the number of years of
government service from each employee’s service computation date. Figure 6.6 below
displays the average LOS for NWFF employees between FY 2005 and FY 2009.
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Figure 6.6: Five-Year Average Length of Service Distribution of NWFF Employees
Forestry Aid positions and FMO positions, the two positions generally at the beginning and
end of a career path, show the largest differences in LOS. The majority of aid positions
have fewer than five years of service, while the majority of FMO positions have more than
15 years of service. The LOS varies greatly within the technician and lead positions,
though both position types rely heavily upon personnel with ten years of service or less. It
is not surprising that personnel hold these positions early in their careers, since the
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technician position is the entry level position for permanent employees and leads are the
entry level leadership positions.
6.4 APPOINTMENT TYPE
6.4.1
NWFF Appointment Type
Unlike many functions, fire positions have workload peaks throughout the year that vary by
location. This is largely due to the geographic, climatic and other factors that result in fire
seasons that are staggered by location and severity throughout each year. These spikes
allow the NWFF agencies to take advantage of different appointment types to cost
effectively staff the organization with full time, full time seasonal, part time, part time
seasonal, intermittent and intermittent seasonal employees.
Figure 6.7 illustrates how each agency constructs its staffing using the different
appointment type options.
Figure 6.7: Five-Year Average Appointment Type Distribution of NWFF Employees
The workforce performing 51% or more fire duties is primarily composed of full time or full
time seasonal employees. The full time employees perform daily fire tasks throughout the
year and assist in incidents across the United States. The FS, BLM and BIA rely greatly
upon full time seasonal employees because the agencies require significant numbers of full
time employees when the fire workload is extremely heavy during peak fire season.
6.4.2
Permanent and Temporary Analysis
The NWFF workforce uses both permanent and temporary employees. As shown in Figure
6.8 below, permanent positions account for 72% of the direct fire and fire management
program workforce, while the remaining 28% are temporary positions. Since fire workload
is seasonal, the use of temporary positions allows NWFF agencies to increase the
workforce for a specific period of less than one year.
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Final Report
Figure 6.8: Five-Year Average of Permanent or Temporary Status of NWFF Employees
The most important factor of permanent versus temporary status is whether the agencies
use this status effectively. Figure 6.9 below identifies the rates at which agencies use
temporary status, and for which positions.
Figure 6.9: Five-Year Average of Direct Fire and Fire Management Program Positions by
Permanent or Temporary Status
The NWFF organization is effectively using permanent and temporary positions. Amongst
the NWFF agencies, the FS most heavily relies on temporary positions, using temporary
positions within all primary direct fire and fire management program positions. The majority
of temporary positions for the FS, as well as the DOI bureaus, are within the
Forestry/Range Aid and Forestry/Range Technician categories. The Forestry/Range Aids
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and some of the lower graded Forestry/Range Technicians perform lower level tasks
predominantly associated with fire incidents, work that is more seasonal in nature that lends
itself to temporary appointments.
6.4.3
Impact of Using Temporary Positions
The assessment team perceived a negative connotation among NWFF employees
regarding temporary positions. Consequently, the team analyzed the data to substantiate
whether temporary employees were permanently leaving the agencies in higher than
normal numbers.
There are two types of time-limited temporary positions. One has an appointment limitation
of 24 months and the other has a limitation of 1,039 hours per year. These limitations may
affect the return of personnel year after year. To perform this analysis the team reviewed
movement from temporary to permanent positions, as well as employee separations.
Table 6.6 outlines the movement of temporary positions of NWFF employees billing 51% or
more to the same fire program (agency) over the five year period.
Table 6.6 – Five-Year Average of Movement of Employees Holding Temporary Positions
Total Number of Employees
Holding Temporary Positions
that Billed 51% or More to
Fire
Percentage of Employees
that Separated from Fire
Percentage of Employees
that Moved to Permanent
Positions that Billed 51% or
More to Fire
Percentage of Employees
that Moved to Permanent
Positions that Billed Less
than 51% to Fire
Total Movement
FS
BLM
BIA
FWS
NPS
2,630
236
29
42
610
6%
15%
16%
20%
31%
4%
20%
6%
19%
4%
2%
5%
0%
0%
1%
12%
40%
22%
39%
36%
The FS temporary employees had very little movement to permanent positions and
separation averaged 6%, indicating that many employees return annually to temporary
positions. Both FWS and BLM have larger percentages of employees moving from
temporary to permanent positions. DOI bureaus have a higher rate of separations among
temporary positions; however, the 31% NPS rate is the greatest. Separations may
decrease in the future due to President Obama making federal health insurance available to
temporary wildland firefighters beginning in July 2012. In order to accurately identify the
reason for separation the agencies would need to distribute a survey or other feedback
form to collect that information.
Based on the analysis, 60% or more temporary employees return to the fire agency
workforce each year. It is unclear how many of these temporary employees move from one
fire agency to another. Since the majority of temporary employees return to the workforce
or move into permanent positions, there is little loss of institutional knowledge. This fact,
coupled with temporary positions providing necessary flexibility, shows that the land
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Final Report
management agencies should continue to use temporary positions to staff parts of the
NWFF workforce.
6.5 6C RETIREMENT ANALYSIS
Mandatory retirement was another important factor considered when forecasting whether
gaps will occur in the NWFF workforce. Employees covered by the 6c retirement benefit
are subject to a mandatory retirement age of 57 years old. Exhibit 1 provides details
regarding mandatory and voluntary retirement of employees covered by the 6c benefit. The
assessment team attempted to locate a list of all NWFF positions covered by the 6c
retirement benefit, but neither the FS nor DOI maintains such a list. As a result, all
workforce analysis on employees in the 6c retirement benefit assumes that 6c covered
employees occupy 6c covered positions.
The sections below detail the impact of 6c retirements using only FY 2009 data; therefore it
does not take into consideration additional personnel hired after FY 2009. The analysis and
findings should be used to identify positions that should be monitored more closely. It
should also be used to alert management to the positions may need to be filled more
aggressively in the future since it takes three to four years for personnel to gain the training,
qualifications, and experience necessary to fill the higher level positions.
6.5.1
Analysis of Overall NWFF 6c Retirement for FY 2009
Figure 6.10 below displays the distribution of the mandatory retirement date for all NWFF
positions covered by the benefit in FY 2009. This data does not account for any NWFF
personnel hired after 2009.
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Final Report
Figure 6.10: Mandatory Retirement Distribution of FY 2009 6c Covered Employees
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51
Final Report
Sixteen percent (16%) of the 6c covered employees will reach mandatory retirement in
2020 or earlier with an additional 12% reaching mandatory retirement by 2025. By the year
2030, 46% of all 6c covered employees will have reached the mandatory retirement age
and in the ten years following 2030, another 44% will reach mandatory retirement. By
2041, 90% of all 6c covered employees in FY 2009 will have reached mandatory
retirement. The average age for NWFF employees with the 6c benefit is 37 years old.
Table 6.7 below shows the overall 6c retirement data by Department if the workforce was to
remain stagnant and no additional employees were hired after FY 2009. The retirement
rate for both FS and DOI is the same by 2020. By 2025, FS will retire an additional 11%
and DOI will retire an additional 13% of the original FY 2009 workforce. Forty-six percent
(46%) of FS’ FY 2009 NWFF workforce will reach mandatory status by 2030 and 48% of
DOI’s FY 2009 NWFF employees will reach mandatory retirement.
Table 6.7 – FY 2009 Overall Mandatory Retirement for FS and DOI NWFF Employees
(Stagnant Workforce)
Mandatory Retirement by
2020
Mandatory Retirement by
2025
Mandatory Retirement by
2030
FS
16%
27%
46%
DOI
16%
29%
48%
6.5.2
Distribution of 6c Retirement by Position
The assessment team used a snapshot in time to perform the retirement analysis, choosing
the end of FY 2009. Table 6.8 below shows the percentage of 6c covered employees in the
NWFF workforce for the four position categories in each of the land management agencies.
Table 6.8 – NWFF Employees Covered by the 6c Retirement Benefit
Department of the Interior
FS
BLM
BIA
FWS
NPS
DOI
Overall
Total
NWFF
Workforce
Direct Fire
64%
71%
68%
71%
40%
62%
63%
Fire Management
Program
54%
58%
28%
61%
64%
54%
54%
Support
5%
7%
6%
37%
3%
7%
6%
2%
13%
6%
9%
1%
8%
5%
56%
56%
55%
62%
29%
48%
53%
Administrative
Business
Management
Functions
Total Workforce
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Final Report
An average of 63% of direct fire employees are covered by the 6c benefit. This percentage
gradually increased over the five fiscal years of the study. The team attributes this increase
to position description consolidation and standardization and uniform assignment of benefit
coverage that occurred during a multi-year a USDA review of the benefit. In addition, an
average of 54% of fire management program employees is covered by the benefit, a
percentage that remained consistent over the five year period. Smaller percentages of the
workforce in the Support and Administrative & Business Management functions are covered
by the benefit, as these positions are not typically “rigorous” positions. Figure 6.11 below
displays the distribution of the mandatory retirement date for the Lead Forestry/Range
Technicians, Supervisory Forestry/Range Technicians, Forestry/Range Technicians, and
FMOs covered by the benefit in FY 2009.
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Final Report
Lead Range/For Tech
Supv Range/For Tech
FMO
Range/For Tech
200
By 2030 population will
reach mandatory status:
180
Lead Range: 26%
Supv Range: 58%
FMO: 91%
Range: 35%
160
140
Number of Employees
By 2025 population will
reach mandatory status:
120
Lead Range: 12%
Supv Range: 36%
FMO: 64%
Range: 18%
100
80
60
By 2020 population will
reach mandatory status:
Lead Range: 6%
Supv Range: 19%
FMO: 41%
Range: 10%
40
20
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041
2042
2043
2044
2045
2046
2047
2048
2049
2050
0
NWFF
Figure 6.11: Mandatory Retirement Distribution of FY 2009 6c Covered Employees by Position
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Final Report
6.5.2.1 Forestry/Range Technician
Among Forestry/Range Technician employees 2,919 of the 3,725 (78%) held 6c-covered
permanent positions. As shown, 10% of the 6c covered employees will reach mandatory
retirement in 2020 or earlier with an additional 8% reaching mandatory retirement by
2025.
The total Forestry/Range Technician population shows an average decrease of 0.7%
annually. While not a significant concern to the overall NWFF population, the decrease
has a bigger impact for the BLM and BIA because it represents a much higher
percentage of their total Forestry/Range Technician population. However, the
distribution above becomes irrelevant at a certain point because the entire population
turns over rapidly in this position. The average time for a new employee in this position
is approximately 4.6 years. Most employees typically advance through the NWFF
hierarchy and then return to a higher graded Forestry/Range Technician towards the end
of their careers.
This position will have lower mandatory retirement rates because it is an entry level
position with higher turnover rates as employees move to higher level positions.
6.5.2.2 Lead Forestry/Range Technician
Among permanent Lead Forestry/Range Technicians, 922 of the 973 employees (95%)
held 6c covered positions. As shown, 6% of the 6c covered employees will reach
mandatory retirement in 2020 or earlier with an additional 6% reaching mandatory
retirement by 2025.
The total Lead Forestry/Range Technician population showed an overall average
increase of 0.6% annually; however, the FS is declining in the number of Lead
Forestry/Range Technicians by 2.7% (19 employees). The average time that employees
remain in Lead Forestry/Range Technician positions is 6.7 years. The data shows that
6c retirements will not cause a critical shortage of lead positions; however, the FS
should monitor the decreasing trend and adjust hiring/promotion practices if the trend
continues.
6.5.2.3 Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician
Among permanent Supervisory Forestry/Range Technicians 1,518 of the 1,633
employees (93%) held 6c covered positions. As shown, 19% of the 6c covered
employees will reach mandatory retirement in 2020 or earlier with an additional 17%
reaching mandatory retirement by 2025.
The Supervisory Forestry/Range Technicians remain for approximately nine years
before moving to a different position or leaving the service. This is longer than the
technicians and leads, because this is a higher level position with more responsibility.
Once employees reach this level there are fewer positions to move up the career ladder.
Overall the Supervisory Forestry/Range Technicians are decreasing an average of 2.9%
annually; however, FS decreased by 4.6%. DOI has experienced a steady Supervisory
Forestry/Range Technician population over the five years.
The movement of employees out of Supervisory Forestry/Range Technician positions –
at a rate of 2.9% indicates that the percentage of employees reaching mandatory
retirement within 10 to 12 years will continue to increase. The FS should review their
workforce plan to identify why the population is changing rapidly and develop a strategic
plan to effectively recruit or promote employees into supervisory positions.
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6.5.2.4 Fire Management Officer
Among Fire Management Officers 531 of the 715 employees (74%) that held permanent
positions held 6c covered positions. By 2020, 41% of the 6c covered employees will
reach mandatory retirement with an additional 13% reaching mandatory retirement by
2025.
Upon initial review, these percentages are alarming; however, there is a logical
explanation for the percentage being so high. The FMO positions are generally the
highest level positions within the hierarchy; therefore, employees holding these positions
will be both older and have higher average LOS than other positions. As such, the time
to mandatory retirement will be shorter than that seen for entry level NWFF positions.
The total FMO population is increasing 0.3% annually however the NPS and FWS
experienced a slight decreasing population trend over the five year analysis. Since FMO
positions are not line positions and typically are at the top of the hierarchy, employees
remain in the position on average for 17.1 years. If the population trend does not
change, 6c mandatory retirement will impact the NPS and FWS before it becomes a
concern for the rest of the NWFF workforce. The NPS and FWS should closely monitor
the FMO positions and develop a plan to increase the movement of employees into
these positions. The other agencies also need to monitor the FMO positions because
the traditional NWFF career path does not feed directly into FMO positions as one would
expect. The agencies should determine why this is occurring to ensure a good
candidate pool for filling vacated FMO positions.
6.5.3
Analysis of New 6c Positions
The impact of 6c mandatory retirement is not complete without reviewing whether there are
any new incoming personnel under the 6c retirement benefit. The data collected by the
assessment team does not allow for a direct comparison of employees leaving the agencies
to incoming personnel; however, a high level analysis was performed to identify new 6c
positions and how long these positions have until retirement.
Figure 6.12 illustrates the number of new FS 6c positions over the five year period and the
average years to retirement for those hired into the 6c positions.
Figure 6.12: FS New 6c Position Analysis
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Final Report
As shown, the number of 6c positions hired into the FS drastically decreased over the five
year period from 88 to four. Since the FS is seeing a population decrease in lead and
supervisory positions and a decrease in incoming 6c positions, the FS should focus on
recruiting 6c aid and entry level technician positions so that they can move through the
hierarchy into the lead and supervisory positions. The personnel that FS is hiring into 6c
positions have at least 26 years until they retire which is positive for workforce longevity and
also indicates those they are hiring are younger and thus probably entering the workforce
as an aid or technician.
Figure 6.13 represents the analysis of incoming 6c positions for DOI.
Figure 6.13: DOI New 6c Position Analysis
Unlike the FS, DOI has had a steady trend of incoming 6c positions. On average, DOI
bureaus hire 37 6c positions annually. Since 2007, the number of years to retirement has
sharply increased, showing that younger personnel are being hired. This is a positive trend,
as long as the bureaus are able to effectively move these personnel through the hierarchy
in order to retain their service until age 57.
6.5.4
6c Retirement Findings
The overall NWFF population (51% or more) will not be adversely impacted by mandatory
6c retirement in the immediate future. The data in the sections above only represent the FY
2009 workforce and does not take into consideration that the wildland fire agencies will hire
in the out years. However, there are certain agencies and positions where the 6c workforce
should be monitored to ensure critical shortages do not occur unexpectedly.
FS should closely monitor their lead and supervisor workforce. HRM needs to
adjust their hiring/promotion practices to effectively move personnel into these
positions.
FS should focus on hiring more 6c personnel into entry level fire positions.
NPS and FWS should develop a strategic plan to effectively promote or hire
personnel into 6c FMO positions.
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6.6 NWFF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
The NWFF workforce should reflect and represent the local civilian labor force. The NWFF
community comprises a large percentage of both the FS and DOI and is therefore a critical
partner in helping the agencies accomplish their mission for diversity.
The DOI did not provide the assessment team with race/national origin (RNO) data, nor did
BLM and NPS provide gender data. Therefore the workforce diversity analysis for the
NWFF community is incomplete.
6.6.1
RNO Analysis
Figure 6.14 identifies the five-year average RNO distribution for the FS permanent
workforce. As shown, the 51% FS NWFF workforce has a higher Hispanic population than
either FS as a whole or the FS NWFF workforce in its entirety (10% versus 7%). In addition
80% of the 51% FS NWFF population is White compared to 82% of the total FS NWFF
workforce and 84% of the total FS workforce. The 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Household Data Annual Averages reported that 6.4% of the 310,000 employed in the
firefighting occupation were Black or African American, 0.5% were Asian and 9.6% were
Hispanic or Latino.21 The diversity of the FS workforces is comparative to the BLS 2010
demographics for the firefighting occupation.
Figure 6.14: Five-Year Average Distribution of Race/National Origin for FS Permanent
Workforce
21
Bureau of Labor Statistics Household Data Annual Averages http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.pdf
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Final Report
The figure above shows the five-year average, but it is also important to investigate how the
FS fire positions compare to the entire civilian labor force (CLF) over the five year period.
Figure 6.15 compares the FS permanent full time fire workforce against CLF.
Figure 6.15: Permanent Full Time FS Fire Workforce vs. Civilian Labor Fire Force
The FS NWFF community is similar to the 2000 and 2009 CLF data. As identified earlier,
the FS NWFF workforce has a comparatively significant Hispanic population and high nonminority population, thus these populations are higher than the CLF data. The workforce
also has a higher Native American population than the CLF. Both FS NWFF and the CLF
employ similar numbers of Asian Pacific Islanders. The one RNO category that FS NWFF
falls short of the CLF is African American men and women. In early 2012 the FS stated that
for the next five years, diversity will be one of the key factors in hiring new employees.
6.6.2
Gender Analysis
The following figures compare the gender distribution of each NWFF organization’s 51%
direct fire and fire management program workforce to the BLS data regarding Protective
Service Occupations.22 In Figure 6.16 shown below, the firefighter workforce is
predominantly male in all organizations and even more predominant in the BLS Firefighter
2010 statistics. Based on this analysis, the FS, BIA and FWS are doing well at recruiting
and hiring females into the NWFF workforce.
22
Bureau of Labor Statistics Household Data Annual Averages http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.pdf
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Final Report
Figure 6.16: Five-Year Average of Gender Distribution of Direct Fire Employees
Figure 6.17 shows the gender distribution among employees holding fire management
program positions. Data regarding the gender distribution of first-line supervisory/managers
of firefighting and prevention workers was not available from the BLS data because the total
employment was less than 50,000. As shown below, the BIA and FWS have a higher
percentage of males in fire management program positions than direct fire positions. The
FS has a nearly equivalent distribution of males to females in fire management program
positions compared to direct fire positions.
Figure 6.17: Five-Year Average of Gender Distribution of Fire Management Program
Employees
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Final Report
While the wildland firefighting agencies have greater diversity goals, the NWFF community
has a number of unit locations where the diversity of the workforce pool does not represent
populations that realistically allow the unit level to meet the overall diversity goal. Although
unit level managers may hold diversity as a core value in filling positions, the applicant pool
may create significant challenges for meeting agency diversity goals. The assessment
team identified that few of the hiring initiatives discussed in this document and in Exhibit 1
extend beyond the initial recruitment and hiring stage. The team believes that agencies
could lessen the gender and diversity gaps with targeted outreach and recruitment efforts.
6.7 INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AND COOPERATION
The interagency nature of the NWFF community requires employees to be able to operate
effectively both within their agency and with other wildland fire agencies; however, there are
business processes and administrative constraints creating barriers. The Provision of
Temporary Support during Wildland Firefighting Operations (Interagency Agreement June
2010) addresses the need for emergency response cooperation, but there are missed
opportunities to gain efficiencies in day-to-day operations. Significant cost savings may
also be realized by the elimination of redundancies within an interagency office. The
Management Efficiency Study Report on Interagency Wildland Fire Dispatch and Related
Services identified a number of recommendations regarding operations within an
interagency environment. In addition, Sections 3 and 4.1 identify differences in the hiring
and training processes among the wildland fire agencies and the potential impacts to both
the employee and the agency.
Currently, developmental opportunities available to employees are limited to within their
agency due to administrative hurdles. It is unclear how frequently employees separate from
one wildland fire agency to work for another.
Although the assessment team identified barriers to the portability of positions within an
interagency operation, analysis indicated that employees do move between agencies. The
table below summarizes the movement of employees between agencies (i.e., the employee
did not bill hours to fire the following FY from the originating agency but did bill hours to
another agency the following FY) for FY 2005 – FY 2008. The data in this assessment did
not contain a unique identifier for all NWFF employees within their specific agency. SSN
was available for the NPS, FWS, and FS employees, but the assessment team had to use
employee’s names to cross reference data between BIA and BLM. As a result, the data
summarized in Table 6.9 may not encompass all employee movement due to name
formatting differences between the agencies.
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Final Report
Table 6.9 –Movement of Employees between Wildland Fire Agencies
To
From
FS
FS
Totals
Total
Number of
Separations
Percent of
Total That
Moved
Between
Agencies
BLM
BIA
FWS
NPS
17
1
0
31
49
1862
3%
8
2
13
37
472
8%
0
13
22
398
6%
0
0
119
0%
216
1231
18%
275
4082
7%
BLM
14
BIA
3
6
FWS
0
0
0
NPS
156
55
0
5
Total
173
61
8
7
26
The highest movement was seen between FS and NPS, possibly because SSNs were
available to compare between them. This may also be due to compatibility in a similar job
function, and the fact that many Forests and Parks are in close proximity and afford an
employee the ability to work for a different agency without having to move. Employees in
both permanent and temporary positions moved from NPS to FS. Further research is
required to capture and analyze the full amount of employee movement between each of
the wildland fire agencies, as well as the reasons for the movement. One area that should
be researched is the career development paths of employees that moved between
agencies and the success of those employees within the NWFF community as a result of
different operational experience and training.
Flexibility within an organization creates an environment where the workforce is better able
to react and respond to mission requirements. If daily work is interagency, then exposing
employees to different agencies benefits of all agencies. One way to resolve some of these
barriers and improve effectiveness of the NWFF organization would be to expand the
Provision of Temporary Support during Wildland Firefighting Operations to include daily
operation activities.
6.8 NWFF WORKFORCE SUMMARY
The growing concern that the NWFF was facing an immediate lack of qualified staff to meet
wildland fire responsibilities served as the impetus of this study. However, the dire
workforce predictions are unwarranted.
NWFF uses key workload factors to staff their fire organization with the proper number and
position mix, and then takes advantage of permanent and temporary appointment types.
All agencies use seasonal positions in a cost effective manner, with many of the lower level
positions (Forestry/Range Aid and lower graded Forestry/Range Technicians) serving in
temporary capacity with the leads, supervisors and management (positions requiring
institutional knowledge and more experience/education) serving in a full time permanent
capacity. The grade structure accurately reflects the work with the majority of the workforce
falling within the GS-01 to GS-09 range. The age of the workforce correlates with the grade
structure in that most of the employees are 26 – 45 years old. Demographically, the NWFF
mirrors the CLF firefighter workforce with the majority of positions being filled with nonminority men.
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There are areas that require closer monitoring to ensure there is not a critical gap in the
workforce in the future. These positions include:
Agency
Position
FS
Permanent Supervisory Forestry
Technician
BLM
Permanent Forestry/Range Technician and
Permanent FMO
BIA
Permanent Forestry/Range Aid and
Permanent Forestry/Range Technician
NPS
Permanent Forestry/Range Technician
The 6c retirement analysis revealed that the NWFF workforce attrition rates are not
adversely impacted by the benefit. However, certain agencies need to monitor positions to
ensure a critical shortage does not occur due to the 6c benefit. In addition to those
positions noted in the table above, the FS needs to also monitor lead positions and NPS
and FWS needs to monitor FMO positions in regards to the 6c retirement benefit. HRM for
these agencies should review and adjust, if necessary, strategic hiring/promotion plans to
ensure there is a pipeline to these higher level positions.
There are also areas that do not present a workload issue, but could be improved to create
a better community. With the focus on diversity initiatives in the government, NWFF should
design recruiting and outreach programs to strive to attract a diverse workforce. The areas
that could be improved include the number of African Americans and Asian Pacific
Islanders.
Overall, the NWFF workforce is currently effective and there is no evidence that a mass
exodus of NWFF employees is imminent. However, the NWFF should be proactive and
develop proper monitoring tools and implement a strategic succession plan so that the
workforce will remain stable and efficient for years to come.
7
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the analysis, findings, and subject matter expertise, the assessment team developed
21 recommendations to improve the NWFF organization and workforce. For more details refer
to Exhibit 9 of the report.
1. Pause agency/interagency workforce initiatives related to fire until leadership
develops governance for consistency across NWFF. The NWFF Workforce
Assessment Team identified at least 27 groups working on workforce initiatives for agency
specific and the interagency wildland fire community. This number of simultaneous efforts
could result in inconsistent data causing duplicative and conflicting information and
recommendations.
2. Develop standard interagency practices for workforce initiatives. The analysis
conducted for this assessment was highly detailed but also highly cumbersome. A
standard methodology of systematically evaluating the NWFF workforce with regard to
organizational structure, workforce demographics, population trends, and forecasts needs
to be developed and implemented for the wildland firefighting agencies.
3. Develop seamless method to obtain data on interagency level. The team was
challenged to identify sources of data for this assessment. The availability of data and
time associated with obtaining the data handicapped the speed with which the assessment
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team could progress. If data barriers were removed, the assessment team would have
been able to perform a much more efficient analysis of the NWFF workforce.
4. Standardize FMO position descriptions across the FS (initiated by HRM Fire Team
FY11). The assessment team found that the official HRM position title and/or working title
for individuals working in FMO positions varied significantly across the Agency Position
Descriptions. As a result, there may be inconsistencies in position descriptions,
performance expectations, grades, and job selection criteria.
5. Develop method to identify and document the roles of fire management program
positions. The positions included in Fire Program Management are not consistent across
the wildland fire community. The differences in positions within the Fire Program
Management workforce makes it difficult for the NWFF community to conduct workforce
management. A clear distinction of the role each position plays within their respective
agency’s wildland fire program would strengthen the understanding of each program
across the NWFF community.
6. Develop method to identify all 6c covered positions within interagency fire
workforce. The assessment team attempted to identify a detailed listing of all of the
positions, both encumbered and vacant, within the NWFF community covered by the 6c
retirement benefit, but was unable to locate a listing for either agency. The inability of
wildland fire agencies to access this level of detail of the 6c covered NWFF workforce
limits the accuracy of any retirement analysis and prevents identification of vacancies
within the 6c workforce.
7. Develop interagency policy to use Social Security Number or unique identifiers for
reporting purposes. The data used in this assessment was obtained from multiple data
sources from each agency. Aside from SSN, a unique identifier was not available to allow
for accurate cross-referencing of data between the data systems. Additionally, the time
required to obtain permission to access the data required for this assessment that
contained SSNs was both cumbersome and time intensive. Enabling the use of SSN would
drastically simplify the data consolidation process of synthesizing financial and personnel
data that was required for this assessment and increase the ability to provide timely and
accurate responses to data requests.
8. Correct inconsistent personnel coding in data systems. Data provided from agency
personnel systems was found to have inconsistencies with regard to the coding of some
data fields. Inconsistent data between the wildland fire agencies creates opportunities for
inaccurate conclusions to be drawn with regard to the NWFF workforce.
9. Review NWFF retirement trends in five years. The federal workforce falls under two
retirement systems, CSRS and FERS, and each has a special benefits provision
commonly referred to as 6c. While employees under either system may not immediately
retire upon eligibility, it is not unreasonable to expect the FERS workforce to separate
sooner than their counterparts since FERS is both portable and does not have a financial
incentive for additional service compared to CSRS. The impact the retirement of
employees covered by the FERS system may have on the NWFF workforce is not yet
understood or documented. Therefore, the projected retirement rates in this study should
be used cautiously.
10. Evaluate organizational effects of 6c employees under FERS compared to historical
data of CSRS. Historical data regarding the retirements of 6c employees is biased
towards the voluntary retirement eligibility criteria under the CSRS retirement system. The
majority of the population of 6c employees currently in the NWFF workforce is covered by
the FERS retirement system. These employees may become eligible for voluntary
retirement prior to CSRS covered employees in the past. As a result, the employees may
vacate a 6c covered position prior to mandatory retirement and if not properly planned for,
the agencies may have vacancies in critical NWFF positions.
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11. Benchmark emergency response organizations for employee development ideas.
Agencies do not have the tools and information needed to develop and subsequently
implement a successful workforce plan. Data was not available in the format needed in the
past to enable the cross referencing and analysis required (e.g., attrition and retirement
rates) to develop a comprehensive succession plan for the NWFF workforce.
12. Develop comprehensive workforce succession plan for NWFF. A number of
workforce development plans currently exist, but are generally lacking tools and guidance
on actual implementation. The plans do not have a corporate approach (i.e., interagency
fire community) and are lacking investment strategies. By not having a long term, strategic
workforce succession plan the NWFF organization is reactive to change rather than
proactive.
13. Review and resolve position inconsistencies between agencies. The NWFF
community does not have a consistent, widely-communicated approach to employee
career development. Consistent employee development allows the NWFF community to
proactively develop the workforce needed to effectively accomplish their missions.
14. Develop deliberate approach to identify NWFF career paths. Positions within the
NWFF have a number of anomalies and various career paths may be taken by employees.
The availability of a tool of this nature would empower NWFF employees to make
development decisions earlier in their career.
15. Evaluate feasibility of conducting Fire Hire on interagency basis. FIREHIRE
partnerships between the FS and DOI bureaus would eliminate duplicative work and
resources necessary to conduct a FIREHIRE event for each separately. In addition,
partnering may result in an increased applicant pool and a resulting stronger workforce.
16. Evaluate and resolve the difficulty in obtaining and verifying retirement data. The
Assessment Team found that obtaining Avue data for historical FS recruitment efforts at
the agency level was difficult. The team was unable to obtain any recruitment data for DOI
bureaus. The inability to obtain and verify recruitment data limits the NWFF workforce
from assessing the applicant pool for positions, incorporating data into workforce planning
efforts, and evaluating the success of targeted outreach and recruitment strategies.
17. Incorporate data housed in Incident Qualification and Certification System into
agency learning systems. The IQCS system does not currently interact with agency
learning information systems. Incorporation of appropriate data would provide the NWFF
workforce with visibility of all career development training they have completed in one
location.
18. Expand provision of temporary support during wildland fire operating agreements to
cover daily operation activities. There are constraints and barriers to the interoperability
of daily business within the NWFF community. The efficiencies gained in day-to-day
operations by having operations be completely interoperable would be significant in both
tangible and intangible ways. Agencies would experience seamless completion of work
once administrative boundaries are removed. Additionally, redundant positions could be
reduced by combining operations.
19. Identify and evaluate challenging recruitment and retention locations within NWFF.
Although the team could not locate specific data identifying locations where retaining and
recruiting employees is a challenge, discussions with employees from all agencies during
the course of the assessment identified this challenge. The NWFF community could
capitalize on the experience and resources available at the corporate level to develop and
implement strategies to mitigate recruitment and retention difficulties at the unit level.
20. Develop website partnership to advertise NWFF positions. Each wildland fire agency
advertises and recruits independent of each other where efficiencies could be gained for
the whole if the agencies partnered. Individuals external to the NWFF community may
become confused by the interagency nature of the wildland fire organization. Collaborating
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to develop a marketing tool such as a website provides the wildland fire community with
the opportunity to communicate consistent messages from one location.
21. Future assessments should assess impact of Isabella v. Department of State ruling.
The Isabella ruling allows the maximum entry age (MEA) to be waived for some
individuals, potentially resulting in employees reaching the mandatory retirement age of 57,
but not having the requisite years of service required to actually retire. The NWFF
community should proactively assess the impacts this ruling will have on the workforce and
operations in the future.
The NWFF has the workforce needed to perform fire duties and meet the firefighting mission.
In order to ensure the NWFF workforce does not meet a critical shortage in any of the primary
fire positions in the future, the assessment team developed 21 recommendations. The key to
each of the recommendations is that the five land management agencies must work together
towards joint implementation to continue to be successful.
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8
ATTACHMENTS
8.1 ACRONYM LIST
Acronym
Meaning
ASC
Albuquerque Service Center
BIA
Bureau of Indian Affairs
BLM
Bureau of Land Management
BLS
Bureau of Labor Statistics
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
CSRS
Civil Service Retirement System
DEMO
USDA demonstration project hiring authority
DEU
Delegated Examining Unit
DoA
Department of Agriculture
DOI
Department of the Interior
FEC
Fire Executive Council
FERS
Federal Employee Retirement System
FMO
Fire Management Officer
FS
Forest Service
FWS
Fish and Wildlife Service
FY
Fiscal Year
GACG
Geographic Area Coordinating Group
GS
General Schedule
HRM
Human Resource Management (formerly Human Capital Management (HCM)
HSPD
Homeland Security Presidential Directive
ICS
Incident Command System
IFPM
Interagency Fire Program Management
LEO
Law Enforcement Officer
LOS
Length of Service
MEA
Maximum Entry Age
MSPB
Merit System Protection Board
NAFRI
National Advanced Fire & Resource Institute
NFAEB
National Fire and Aviation Executive Board
NIFC
National Interagency Fire Center
NMAC
National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group
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Acronym
Meaning
NPS
National Park Service
NWCG
National Wildfire Coordinating Group
NWFF
National Wildland Firefighter
OCR
Open Continuous Recruitment
OPM
Office of Personnel Management
OWFC
Office of Wildland Fire Coordination
PMS
Publication Management System
RNO
Race and National Origin
RSAW
Regularly Schedule Administrative Workweek
SES
Senior Executive Service
SSN
Social Security Number
WFLC
Wildland Fire Leadership Council
WO
Washington Office
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8.2 DEFINITIONS
Accessions – include appointments from civil service registers which are career or careerconditional appointments, excepted appointments, appointments to the Senior Executive
Service, temporary appointments from registers, temporary appointments pending the
establishment of registers, reappointments, reinstatements, restorations and returns to duty,
and transfers.23
Administrative Workweek - The administrative workweek is a period of 7 consecutive
calendar days beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday.24
Alternative Work Schedule – This term refers to both flexible work schedules and
compressed work schedules.24
Basic Work Requirement – The number of hours, excluding overtime hours, an employee is
required to work or to account for by charging leave, credit hours, excused absence, and
holiday hours, compensatory time off, or time off as an award. A full time employee must
work the equivalent of 80 hours per pay period. The basic work requirement for part time
employees is the number of hours established by a personnel action. 24
Basic Workweek – The 40-hour workweek which generally does not extend over more than 6
of any 7 consecutive days for full time employees, except when employees are placed on a
first 40-tour of duty, required to perform standby duty, or allowed to work a flexible or
compressed schedule. 24
Classification Standard – Classification standards are issued by OPM to relate the grade
level definitions in title 5 to specific work situations and thereby provide the basis for assigning
to each position the appropriate title, series, and grade.25
Competitive Service – the competitive service consists of all civil service positions in the
Executive Branch except: (a) positions that are specifically excepted from the competitive
service by or under statute; (b) positions to which appointments are made by nomination for
confirmation by the Senate, unless the Senate otherwise directs, and (c) positions in the
Senior Executive Service (SES). The competitive service also includes civil service positions
outside the Executive Branch that are specifically included in the competitive service by
statute.23
Compressed Work Schedule - The RSAW for a compressed schedule is a fixed schedule
consisting of the basic work requirement plus any regularly scheduled overtime; and extends
over fewer than 10 days per pay period. A work schedule that requires (FS Policy):
a) In the case of a full time employee, an 80-hour biweekly basic work requirement that is
scheduled by the Forest Service for less than 10 workdays.
b) In the case of a part time employee, a biweekly basic work requirement of less than 80
hours that is scheduled by the Forest Service for less than 10 workdays and that may
require the employee to work more than 8 hours in a day.24
23
24
25
US Office of Personnel Management, Federal Civilian Workforce Statistics Employment and Trends as of July 2009.
Forest Service Handbook (FSH) Section 6109.11 – Pay Administration, Attendance, and Leave Handbook, June 2008.
US Office of Personnel Management, Introduction to the Position Classification Standards, TS-134, July 1995.
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Emergency or Disaster – A major emergency or disaster (such as a wildfire, tornado,
hurricane, or earthquake) that results in severe adverse effects such as loss of life or property
for a substantial number of people.24
Excepted Service and Senior Executive Service – Title IV of the Civil Service Reform Act of
1978 created the Senior Executive Service (SES). Personnel in the Executive Branch in
managerial positions classifiable above the GS-15 of the General Schedule (GS) and not
designated above level IV of the Executive Schedule, or their equivalents, are in the SES.
Exceptions include positions in Government corporations, intelligence agencies, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and administrative law judges. The Foreign Service Act of 1980
created a Senior Foreign Service, effective February 15th, 1981, which parallels the SES in
most respects. Examples of excepted positions include the entire U.S. Postal Service and
veterans’ service under Veterans Readjustment Act Appointments, positions for which it is not
practical to hold a competitive examination such as teachers in dependents’ schools overseas
and attorneys, positions of a policy-determining and confidential nature, and most positions in
the Legislative and Judicial Branches. Foreign nationals holding jobs overseas are excepted
by Executive Order. 23
Firefighter means an employee occupying a rigorous position, whose primary duties are to
perform work directly connected with the control and extinguishment of fires. On December
20, 2006 the definition was adjusted to – Primary duties defined as on the line wild land
firefighter experience gained through containment, control, or the suppression or use of wild
land fire. Three types of wild land fire have been defined and include wildfire, wild land fire
use and prescribed fire.26
First 40-Hour Workweek – The RSAW for a first 40-hour schedule is an irregular schedule
wherein it is impracticable to prescribe a regular schedule of definite hours of duty for each
workday; and extends over not more than 6 days of the 7 days of the administrative
workweek.24
Fixed Work Schedule – The specific days and clock hours are set, and the employee may
not vary the time of arrival or departure.24
Tour of Duty Under a Fixed Schedule – The hours of a day (a daily tour of duty) and the
days of an administrative workweek (a weekly tour of duty) that constitute an employee’s
regularly scheduled administrative workweek.
Flexible Hours (also referred to as "flexible time bands") – The times during the workday,
workweek, or pay period within the tour of duty during which an employee covered by a
flexible work schedule may choose to vary employee’s times of arrival to and departure from
the work site, consistent with the duties and requirements of the position.24
Flexible Work Schedule (FWS) – (FS Policy) The RSAW for a flexible schedule is a flexible
schedule consisting of the basic work requirement plus any regularly scheduled overtime;
indicates the days and times during the administrative workweek when an employee is
regularly scheduled to work; and may be flexed in accordance with the following. The core
and flexible hours are set by the Forest Service within which an employee shall complete the
basic work requirement. The Forest Service has designated core hours and days when an
26
US Office of Personnel Management, CSRS and FERS Handbook. Chapter 46 - Special Retirement Provisions for Law
Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Air Traffic Controllers, and Military Reserve Technicians
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employee shall be present for work. It has also designated flexible hours during which an
employee may elect to work in order to complete their basic non-overtime work requirement.
A flexible work schedule requires:
a) In the case of a full time employee, an 80-hour biweekly basic work requirement that
allows an employee to determine employee’s own schedule with supervisory
approval within the limits set by the Forest Service.
b) b) In the case of a part time employee, has a biweekly basic work requirement of
less than 80 hours that allows an employee to determine employee’s own schedule
with supervisory approval within the limits set by the Forest Service.
Tour of Duty under a Flexible Schedule – The limits set by the Forest Service within which
an employee shall complete the basic work requirement. This includes flexible and core time
bands.24
Full Time Employees – those employees who are regularly scheduled to work the number of
hours and days required by the administrative work-week for their employment group or
class.23
Full Time – A regularly scheduled tour of duty which requires the employee to be in a leave
and/or duty status for 80 hours each biweekly pay period. 24
Indefinite Appointments – See Temporary or Indefinite Appointments23
Intermittent Employees – those employees who are employed on an irregular or occasional
basis, with hours or days of work not on a prearranged schedule, and with compensation only
for the time actually employed or for services actually rendered (i.e., Employment without a
regularly scheduled tour of duty).23
Intermittent – Work based on sporadic and unpredictable requirements which prevent
advance scheduling of a regular tour of duty. Employees work on an as-needed basis, are
paid only for those hours worked, and are not entitled to earn or use leave.24
Law Enforcement Officer means an employee occupying a rigorous position, whose primary
duties are the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted
of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States, or the protection of officials of the
United States against threats to personal safety.26
Length of Season – Agencies determine the length of the season, subject to the condition
that it be clearly tied to the nature of the work. The season must be defined as closely as
practicable so that the employee will have a reasonably clear idea of how much he or she can
expect during the year. To minimize the adverse effects of seasonal layoffs, an agency may
assign seasonal employees to other work during the projected layoff period. While in nonpay
status, a seasonal employee may accept other employment, Federal or non-Federal, subject
to the regulations and applicable agency policies.27
Maxiflex Schedule – A type of flexible work schedule that contains core hours on fewer than
10 workdays in the biweekly pay period. A full time employee has a basic work requirement of
80 hours for the biweekly pay period, but may vary the number of hours worked on a given
27
US Code of Federal Regulation, 5 CFR 340.401.
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workday or the number of hours each week within the limits established by the Forest Service
unit.24
New Hires – new appointments of individuals who currently are not Federal civilian
employees to positions in the competitive service, excepted service, and Senior Executive
Service, including reinstatements based on prior service.23
Non-Standard Tour of Duty – A non-standard tour of duty is established to meet unusual
circumstances for which a deviation from the standard workweek is necessary. A nonstandard tour may be used, for example, for employees who are (1) Teaching at educational
institutions; (2) Employed as wilderness rangers; and (3) Located at remote field camps such
as survey or trail maintenance crews.24
Non-Temporary Employees – An individual whose appointment is not limited to 1 year or
less.24
Occupational Series – This field identifies the exact occupational group to which the
employee’s position has been classified. A position’s series is a subdivision of an
occupational group or job family consisting of positions similar, as to specialized line of work
and qualifications requirements. An occupational group is the major category of white collar
occupations, embracing a group of associated or related occupations (e.g., the Accounting
and Budget Group, GS-0500).25
Overtime work – The work hours in excess of 8 hours per day or 40 hours in an
administrative workweek that is officially ordered or approved in writing and performed by an
employee. For employees on first 40-hour tours and alternative work schedules, see FSH
6109.11, chapter 10.24
Part Time Employees – those employees who are regularly employed on a prearranged
scheduled tour of duty that is less than the specified hours or days of work for full time
employees in the same group or class.23
Part Time – A regularly scheduled tour of duty which generally requires an employee to be on
duty no less than 16 hours and no more than 32 hours per week.24
Permanent Appointments – include employees who are (1) in the competitive service who
hold career appointments and who either have completed probation or are not required to
serve probation; (2) in the competitive service who hold career-conditional appointments, or
who hold career appointments and are service probation; (3) in the excepted service whose
appointments carry no restrictions such as conditional, indefinite, specific time limitations, or
trial periods; (4) in the excepted service who are service trial periods or whose tenure is
equivalent to career-conditional tenure in the competitive service; and (5) in the Senior
Executive Service (SES) who are not serving under “limited term and limited emergency”
appointments.23
Permanent Position – one which has been established without time limit, or for a period of a
year or more, or which, in any event, has been occupied for a year or more (regardless of the
intent when it was established).23
Position Description – The official description of management’s assignment of duties,
responsibilities, and supervisory relationships to the position. 25
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Regularly Scheduled Administrative Workweek (RSAW) – The RSAW is used to make
determinations on an employee’s entitlement to compensation for leave, excused absence,
injury, training, travel, and premium pay. The RSAW for each employee should be
established prior to the start of the administrative workweek, and it should correspond to the
employee’s actual work requirements. For full time employees, the days, hours, and meal
periods established within an administrative workweek of 7 consecutive days beginning on
Sunday when employees are regularly scheduled to work. For part time employees, the
officially established days, hours, and meal periods within an administrative workweek during
which the employee is regularly scheduled to work. 24
Regularly Scheduled Work – Work that is scheduled in advance of an administrative
workweek. 24
Restorations and Returns to Duty – includes employees who exercise reemployment rights
following military service and those returning to duty following a reduction in force, from
suspension or leave without pay that was scheduled to exceed 30 calendar days, from
seasonal furlough, or pending action on reopening appeal. 23
Rigorous position - A position with the duties so rigorous that employment opportunities
should be limited (through establishment of a maximum entry age and physical qualifications)
to young and physically vigorous individuals.26
Seasonal Employment – Annually recurring periods of work of less than 12 months per year.
Seasonal employees are permanent employees who are placed in non-duty/non pay status
and recalled to duty in accordance with pre-established conditions of employment.27
Appropriate Use – Seasonal Employment allows an agency to develop an experienced
cadre of employees under career appointment to perform work which recurs predictably
year-to-year. Consistent with the career nature of the appointments, seasonal
employees receive the full benefits authorized to attract and retain a stable workforce.
As a result, seasonal employment is appropriate when the work is expected to last at
least six months during a calendar year. Recurring work that lasts less than six months
is normally best performed by temporary employees. Seasonal employment may not be
used as a substitute for full time employment or as a buffer for the full time workforce.
Secondary Position – Defined as a position clearly in a firefighting or law enforcement field;
and in an organization having a firefighting or law enforcement mission; and either a
Supervisory position in which the primary duties are as a first-level supervisor of primary law
enforcement officers or firefighters in rigorous positions or an administrative position,
executive, managerial, technical, semi-professional, or professional position for which
experience in a rigorous law enforcement or firefighting position, or equivalent experience
outside the Federal government is a mandatory prerequisite.26
Senior Executive Service – See Excepted Service and Senior Executive Service23
Separations – include quits, discharges, terminations, reductions in force, removals,
transfers, extended leave without pay, suspensions, furloughs, deaths, and retirements.23
Standard Work Schedule – The RSAW for a standard work schedule is a fixed schedule
consisting of 40 hours per week and 8 hours per day plus any regularly scheduled overtime;
and does not extend over more than 5 of any 7 consecutive days. 24
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Temporary or Indefinite Appointments – include all other employees who do not fall within
any of the classifications described under Permanent Appointments.23
Temporary Position – one that has been established for a limited period of less than a year
and which has not been occupied for more than a year.23
Trade, Craft, or Labor Occupations – If a position clearly requires trades, craft, or laboring
experience and knowledge as a requirement for the performance of its primary duty, and this
requirement is paramount, the position is in a trade, craft, or labor occupation regardless of its
organizational location or the nature of the activity in which it exists.25
Transfers – Employees who, without a break in service of one full workday, change from a
position in one agency to a position in another agency, including mass transfers of employees
between agencies as a result of transfer of functions.23
Variable Day Schedule – A type of flexible work schedule in which a full time employee has a
basic work requirement of 40 hours in each week of the biweekly pay period, but the
employee may vary the number of hours worked on a given workday during the week within
the limits established by the Forest Service unit.24
Variable Week Schedule – A type of flexible work schedule in which a full time employee has
a basic work requirement of 80 hours for the biweekly pay period, and the employee may vary
the number of hours worked on a given workday or the number of hours each week within the
limits established by the Forest Service unit.24
White Collar Occupations – A position is considered white collar, even if it requires physical
work, if its primary duty requires knowledge or experience of an administrative, clerical,
scientific, artistic, or technical nature not related to trade, craft, or manual-labor work.25
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