NRCG - Northwest Montana Zone
Meeting Notes
October 27, 2004
Attendees: Bob Rebarchik, USFWS, Fred VanHorn, GNP, Dan Cassidy DNRC, DC
Haas, DNRC, Marcy Goheen, KNF, Charlie Webster, KNF, Bill Naegli, Sanders County,
Martha Smith, MT DES, Allen Chrisman, FNF.
NRCG Committee Updates:
• Business: Bill Caldwell sent a note: IIBMH to be revised this winter. Don’t
expect much in change of rates. DNRC working with an interagency group on a
Geographic Area competitively bid engine and tender contract. Also will look at
severity and standby rates in lieu of EERA’s. Decision: If NRCG does not
move forward with adopting competitive bids, Northwest Montana Zone
needs to reconsider how to approach this. Can’t justify EERA rates for
Severity or Standby. Dan Cassidy is on the DNRC Business Management
Committee, will be liaison. Bill will be retiring this winter – need a replacement
for him on the NRCG committee. Decision: Biddy Simmet (GNP) will be the
NWMT Zone representative to the Business Committee. Jane Packer, FNF,
will be the Alternate. Thanks to both of these individuals for their interest.
• Fire Use: Committee is nonfunctional at this time, but Dennis Divoky and Paul
Mock are an ad hoc group who can respond as necessary.
• Operations Committee: Mark Romey unable to attend. Unclear on who
manages the Type II Teams – has become conflicted in the Western Montana
Zone. Meeting November 9 of the Western Montana BOD for the Type II Teams
to address some of the issues. Question on how many teams the Geographic
Area can support.
• Training Committee: Neil Nelson unable to attend – sent report. Concern over
the L-380 and L-381 classes – Forest Service moving ahead to meet their needs,
but other Agencies don’t have a vehicle to do that. FPA – training selections
coming to GNP – noms were not submitted through the training coordinator –
mass confusion about who is making the nominations and selections and
notifications. Lack of communication regarding how priority FPU’s were set.
Units need to be cleaning up fire history and weather information to prepare for
analysis. Message: Northwest Montana Zone concerned about the
apparent lack of coordination in the Northern Rockies regarding FPA, the
lack of communication, and the lack of involvement by the Zones in
establishing the priority FPU’s. Would like to facilitate training of all FPU reps
in the Zone at the same time. May not be possible. Dan Rose to attend
upcoming sessions.
• Northwest Mobilization Board: established to set up rotation out of the
Geographic Area. Concern that at lower preparedness levels, that perhaps we
should be sending Agency engines and saving taxpayer dollars. Different Zones
handle the engine rotation differently. Need to do something that recognizes cost
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of Agency engines and gives taxpayers value, while being reasonable with
contractors. Decision: Will ask Mob Board to check with other Zones on
how they are handling, and report back before finalizing next year’s plan.
Prevention: Marcy Goheen. Prevention Plan was drafted last year – not sure
where it wound up, and whether it required signature. Charlie will follow-up on
whether it was added to the Zone Operating Plan or the MAC Plan.
Prevention meeting in Bozeman last week. The Northern Rockies will be hosting
the Prevention Workshop in April 2005. New Chair of the Northern Rockies
Prevention Committee is Jamie Rosenthal from the Southwest Land Office,
DNRC. Media Coordinator: Jeremy Pris, DNRC will take the lead. Allen
Chrisman will check with Denise Germann, FNF, to see if she would be
interested as an Alternate.
Prevention Position vice Mark Stanley – FNF will not fund that position at this time.
Discussion of funding the position from the Zone – no one has budgets to contribute
significantly to that position. At a minimum we need a Chair to oversee development of
the Northwest Montana Fire Prevention Plan and monitor implementation. Decision:
Marcy will step in for one year, Jeremy Pris will co-chair with the plan to take over
lead next year. Board would like draft Prevention Plan for review by February 1,
2005. Agencies to provide names of representatives to Marcy.
Zone Chair vice Cathy Calloway: Dan Cassidy is willing to act as Vice Chair. Fred
VanHorn will continue as MAC Chair. Decision: Charlie Webster will volunteer to
be the Chair, and can attend the NRCG meeting on Wednesday. Will revise
Charter, and more clearly define the roles and terms of Chair and Vice-Chair, set
up organization for notes and information. (Thanks, Charlie!)
Restrictions Coordinator: Will roll up in the MAC Plan and address at that point.
Annual Operating Plan: Expectations for the Zone to produce an Operating Plan for
the year – didn’t get completed in 2004. Flathead will take the lead for coordinating the
revision of the Draft. Need to assess how much is included from Kootenai, GNP,
DNRC. Question on how much involvement with the county. Representatives: Neil
Nelson for the Kootenai, Mike Frislie for GNP, DC Haas for DNRC, and Carol
Beinhold for FNF. Flathead will forward draft plan for review. Intend to have it
complete in late winter of 2005.
Spring Zone Meeting: Will be scheduled before the Spring NRCG BOD meeting –
usually in April. Charlie and Dan will set date and location once NRCG sets their
meeting date.
Restrictions Addendum: See attached list of contacts, and separate document. Get
comments back to Marcy by January 1, 2005.
Charter: Charlie and Dan will work on this. Will need to define quorum, length of
service of officers, etc.
Boorman Engine Academy: DC reports it will be June 14-17, 2005. They will need
one or more IOF3 trainees. Good opportunity to make some progress in task book.
GNP may have one – others need to check and let DC know.
Thanks to Bill Naegeli and Sanders County for hosting the meeting with
refreshments!!
Business Committee Update:
I will be unable to attend the zone meeting as the NRCG Business committee meeting
is scheduled in Missoula at the same time. I don't have much to report. The main item
is that as previously discussed at the spring meeting, Biddy Simet (NPS)has agreed to
be my replacement (I retire Dec 10)and she will also be attending the meeting in
Missoula with me. I have given her my e-mailing list so she can continue distributing
info to zone folks who want it.
I do have a couple of items that are on the radar screen. The supplements to the IIBMH
will likely get a major revision this winter since the white pages were new this summer
and there is a need to make them match. In my personal opinion I don't think their will
be much of a change in the rates, if anything, they may reflect a minor increase related
to personnel costs. We just didn't get many complaints about the rates to my
knowledge.
Another item of interest is that DNRC is working with an interagency group, and is very
interested in promoting a geographic area wide competively bid engine and tender
contract. A DNRC procurement officer would like to see this happen by spring 2005,
but because of the complexity of such things I wouldn't expect it until 2006. Regardless,
I think you will see it happen sometime fairly soon. One other issue is the high costs for
equipment used on severity and paid under an EERA. The concern is the task forces
mostly sit but get paid the full work rate under the EERA. I will be arguing that the
EERA may not be the right tool then, so don't try to change the EERA back to include
"standby rates", rather we should develop a different contract for "severity" equipment.
We've been down the "standby" path twice in my history and it hasn't worked yet. With
administrative personnel becoming more scarce and the use of contract equipment
increasing, Iwould expect the problem to be worse than before if we tried it a third time.
Sorry I can't be there. It has been great working with all of you for these many years.
Bill Caldwell
Northwest Zone Training Committee update for 2004 fall meeting.
10-20-2004 (Neil Nelson)
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46 nominations received and will be prioritized October 27-28, 2004 for out of
Geographic Area Training (NARTC, etc).
217 nominations received for NRTC courses (Missoula).
L-380 and L-381: These leadership courses are being offered only to the Forest
Service at this time. A sole source contractor presents them and the cost for L380 is $771 and for L-381 is $1083. With moneys received from the WO the cost
for L-380 has been reduced to $456 and for L-381 to $652. Each Forest will be
given an allocation; the method of how many each forest will get will be
determined at the Fall meeting October 27-28.
Zone Training Schedule is in draft form at this time (attached); plan to have it out
and posted on the Northern Rockies Training page by mid November of 04.
MOU and Contactor Liaison position was filled with Tim Murphy at Regional
level.
The NWZ has four MOU training providers listed. Three were active this past
season and audits were conducted on two of the three. Both were found to be
doing an average to above average job. Each zone will audit sufficient number
of Training Providers in their zone to assure all Training Providers are audits at
least once every three years. The zones have the discretion to audit more often
if they so desire. The audits do not need to be done by Zone Training Committee
members. Anyone familiar with NWCG Course requirements and who has
knowledge of the NWCG 310-1 and other reference materials can be authorized
by the Zone Training Committee to conduct the audit.
A group of contractors were forming a contractors association in the NWZ. Not
sure of the status of this as they have been in contact with Tim Murphy.
The NWZ Mobilization Board established the annual rotation for out of area
dispatches for engines and water tenders/trucks. KIDC and FIDC use the same
Board and plan and it seems to be working fine. There is a separate rotation for
each Center and it is shown in the plan (attached). To my knowledge no out of
area dispatches for FIDC or KIDC.
NWZ Training committee members: KNF—Neil Nelson, Chair; FNF—Carol
Bienhold; NWLO/DNRC/Counties—Wally Bennett; GNP—Mike Friselie.
Northwest Montana Area
Restrictions and Closure Contact List
October 27, 2004
Name
Phone
Fax
e-mail
Lead Agency Administrator
Agency
Cathy Barbouletos
406-758-5251
751-5351
cbarbouletos@fs.fed.us
NW Zone
Restriction Coordinator
NRCG
USFS Regional Office
Kootenai National Forest
Vacant
406-329-3409
329-3132
cscofield@fs.fed.us
406-283-7733
© 293-1587
406-283-7742
283-7710
cwebster@fs.fed.us
283-7709
drose@fs.fed.us
Alternate
Glacier National Park
Cathy Scofield
Charlie Webster
Dan Rose
Fred VanHorn
406-888-7822
888-7946
fred_vanhorn@nps.gov
Mitch Burgard
406-888-7811
888-7809
mitch_burgard@nps.gov
Alternate #2
Dennis Divoky
406-888-5801
888-5810
dennis_Divoky@nps.gov
Alternate #3
Vacant
406-758-5261
758-5393
dblack@fs.fed.us
406-751-2269
© 250-2292
406-751-2248
751-2286
dhaas@state.mt.us
Alternate #1
Flathead National Forest
Alternate
Montana DNRC
Alternate
Allen Chrisman
VACANT
DC Haas
Wally Bennett
751-2288
wbennett@state.mt.us
827-8200
marsmith@state.mt.us
827-4388
sanderscooem@metnet.state.mt.us
406-293-6295
©293-1129
293-2515
lcema@libby.org
Steve Stanley
406-883-7253
883-7358
lakeoem@digisys.net
Dick Giffin
406-883-5548
758-5562
femac@digisys.net
John Fraley
406-758-5561
MOB 249-6913
SAT 254-3816208
406-752-0163
© 250-8233
406-751-4564
Jeremy Pris
406-721-2271
751-2286
jpris@state.mt.us
SW MT Area Coordinator
Tad Kolwicz DNRC
406-542-4255
542-4285
tkolwicz@state.mt.us
Central MT Area
Vacant
406-3294922
406-8582218
676-2554
bob_rebarchik@fws.gov
817-3527986
david.sheperd@bnsf.com
MT DES District 1 Rep.
Martha Smith
Sanders County
Bill Naegeli
Lincoln County
Marc McGill
Alternate
Lake County
Alternate
Flathead County
Alternate
Dept. Fish Wildlife & Parks
Kalispell MT.
NW MT Area
Media Coordinator
Alternate
406-827-8200
© 544-4987
406-827-6955
VACANT
Allan Marble
Gary Mahugh
North Idaho Area
Brian Shiplett
208-666-8650
US Fish & Wildlife
Bob Rebarchik
406-329-4749
USF&W Lost Trail Rep.
Ray Washtak
406-758-6879
Salish Kootenai Tribal Pgrm
Tony Harwood
406-676-2550
Montana Rail Link
gbcmahugh@centurytel.net
jfraley@state.mt.us
ray_washtak@fws.gov
tonyh@cskt.org
800-338-4750
ext. 564
BNSF Whitefish
Area Manager
BNSF RPG
Glen Smith
David Sheperd
817-352-1983
Loram Inc
Pat Mulligan
503-239-2311
kcmull@web-ster.com
Loram Inc.
David Abell
406-849-5970
abell@digisys.net