NRCG Conference Call
May 18, 2004
Present: Tom Corbin, Phil Gill, Greg Greenhoe, Jim Kelton, Tom Maloney, Tim
Murphy, Tracey Nimlos, Rodd Richardson, Mike Santucci, Brian Shiplett, Len Dems,
Brett Waters, Mark Romey, Kathy Elzig, Allen Chrisman, Rick Hafenfeld, Bob Quirino.
Aviation & Ground Resource Strategy—there is a tremendous amount of competition for
the money left from the cancelled airtanker contracts. As early as today Congress may
bring FAA in to do airtanker certifications. Will have to renegotiate contracts if agencies
decide to accept FAA certifications. NRCG Aviation committee met to work on a
response to the NMAC request for an airtanker contingency strategy. Draft strategy
paper was mailed out yesterday afternoon.
DNRC has already made arrangements for the CL-215s from MN on the state compact
agreement. DNRC will pay daily availability. Will be available in the NR, but not for
NMAC movement. Will not ask for NMAC funding for these. Suggestion was made to
go for NMAC money for 4 additional CL-215s and add those to our paper. Will also
need managers to go with those. We could put 2 in Helena, 2 in CDA and 2 in Kalispell.
Forest Service will ask for 7 SEATS and 4 managers. Should show the SEATS that are
already negotiated by the BLM and IDL with a footnote that they are funded at the local
level and not available for movement outside the GA. DNRC 215s would come on the
end of June. Type 3 helicopters will be under normal severity procedures, will only ask
NMAC for Type 1 and Type 2. Helicopters are as listed on chart with the addition of 1
for Billings. Will request 4 additional ATGS platforms with supervisors. Forest Service
will ask for funding for 10 additional jumpers and an aircraft. Aviation group will put
together a package explaining what we are doing with the CL-215s.
Geographic Area strategies: Will ask NMAC for authority to use closest helicopter (even
if they are on an exclusive use contract) as a CWN for initial attack without NICC
approval. Should encourage initial attack units to launch aerial resources before someone
is on the ground to be quicker on the draw. Encourage units to take a closer look at how
they use heavy iron and use more in initial attack.
Will have one more draft out later today and then submit to NMAC tomorrow. John and
Rick will work together to put out next round of recommendations for NRCG.
NR IMT Configuration—Paper presented by Allen Chrisman. If “approved by hosting
agency,” means ordering agency administrator must approve before extra positions are
dispatched. Agency Administrator will have option of approving part or the entire
request. Will ICs make maximum use of qualified individuals not selected by team?
How many new support positions come on line because of this proposal? ICs will
attempt to track these questions throughout the summer. Will send letter back to Ops
committee documenting the approval of this proposal and outline concerns and questions.
May want to go to NWCG this fall to change standards for Type 1 Teams.
Type 2 Team Rotation—paper presented by Allen Chrisman. Would like to extend the
core season for Type 2 teams to May 1. Command and general staff needs to be available
outside the core season to cover early season. Approved by BOD. Ops committee needs
to make a recommendation for ending date for the season.
NWCG memo re: Incident Qualifications—Tim will go back to NWCG saying the
portion of the letter regarding qualifications of the jurisdictional agency is confusing
people and they may want to rework it.
DNRC out of area dispatch policy for engines—DNRC can no longer hire RFD and VFD
firefighters when they go out of area because of legal, liability and cash flow issues.
RFD and VFDs would have to sign up on EERAs, which means they would have to meet
DOT requirements and pay their own workers comp, etc. There was concern that local
gov’t was not given the opportunity to voice their concerns before the decision was made
and that it came out so close to fire season. DNRC will ask Fire Chiefs for a rep to their
business committee and fire policy committee.
Tracey will send out the MAC Operating Guide for review. Also get your new
delegation letters in.
FARSITE runs—how badly do we need them? Help with NMAC presentation and
severity requests to the governor. Would like to be able to combine them with the
assessed valuation layer that Dave Caulkin is working on for us.
Agency Administrator call on May 26 at 0900. Get severity requests for June in to
Tracey by May 28.