Communication, Prevention and Investigation (CPI) Working Team
June 27, 2012
Place/Time: Conference Call, 0930 - 1130
In Attendance
Lauren Maloney, Chair (BLM/USFS)
Claire McGrew, Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM)
Esther Hernandez, Washington State Patrol (WSP)
Len Diaz, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Note taker: Len
Meeting topics are in bold print.
Review and Approval of March 27, 2012 Meeting Notes
Minutes unanimously approved by group.
2012 Program of Work – Recap
1) CPI and the prevention workshop planning committee coordinated on the Prevention
workshop at Salishan and will continue this through the year for the 2013 workshop.
2) The team wrote a report summarizing the PNWCG’s 2011 accomplishments and has begun
distributing it using the communication plan it also prepared.
3) A Fire Restriction web site is under development and the team is working to help coordinate
PNW fire restriction information appearing on the site.
4) A presentation of Fire Adapted Communities (FAC) will be made to the PNWCG. This task
was added June 27th after the group discussed a lack of clear understanding of the Cohesive
Strategy and FACs at multiple levels.
PNWCG Annual Accomplishment Report
As identified in the PNWCG strategic plan, the team prepared a communication plan for
distribution of the PNWCG annual accomplishment. Tom drafted it and had input on the plan
from Lauren, Trish and Nancy. The next step is to complete distribution of the finalized PNWCG
annual accomplishment report to the field, including sending it out to appropriate mailing lists.
This has begun but has probably not yet reached all target audiences. Lauren is identified in the
communication plan as the person to assure this is complete. Each person in the group was asked
to share within his or her own agency to help increase circulation.
Training Issues –Options, plan - PIO training and Fire Investigator training
Lauren will attend a training meeting in November to discuss the number of individuals in need
of S-203 and FI-210. These individuals should be included in the training needs assessment done
each year by each training area. It appears as though a lack of communication is occurring
between fire management personnel and those needing training courses. Lauren will try to learn
more about “priority trainee” lists in the region and will share the CPI WT’s interests and
concerns regarding training in the PNW with the group that meets in November. Len will help as
needed.
PNWCG Prevention Website
The PNWCG CPI WT website can be reached by going through the PNWCG website. Presently
there are miscellaneous documents from 2001 through 2004, 2010, and 2011. No links are
available at the site. The group agrees that adding more information, including relevant links to
other sites with tools for fire investigation, prevention and public information will improve the
site’s value.
Cohesive Strategy/Fire Adapted Communities
The Cohesive Strategy phase II will conclude in September. The understanding of the Cohesive
Strategy is mixed. Creating Fire Adapted Communities (FACs) is one of the three major
components of the national Cohesive Strategy. Some locations are well aware of the Cohesive
Strategy, while others are not. A variety of agencies and organizational levels are aware, but at
the same there is not a clear understanding of the Cohesive Strategy. This is affecting the
reasoning and purpose of work to increase FACs. A presentation will be made to the PNWCG
explaining FACs and the role that the CPI WT can play in helping to promote increased FACs in
the PNW. It is suggested the presentation begin by offering a basic understanding of the
Cohesive Strategy. Lauren will take the lead and Len will help.
Fire Restrictions.net Project – Status update
Lauren continues to work on the concept. Len still needs to check with Tribes in the SW and
Northern Rockies as to how well it works for them.
Representative Updates (All)
Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal: There is a new Training Development Specialist for the
WUI working on a website to share training information. The Oregon Garden Safety Home
(OGSH) is nearing completion. The new composition roof has been installed. Message boards
have been completed. The project is scheduled to be completed by September 1st. Lauren
suggested the next CPI meeting take place at the OGSH. Office staff is looking at budget
analysis and what the agency can and can’t afford. Judy Okulitch is retiring June 30th. Claire is
now the PIO for Fire, Life Safety and Education
Washington State Patrol: June 14th there was a state mobilization. A half of an FTE has been
added to help with Mobilization, Quality Assurance, and IFSAC certification. It is hoped that
future budget cuts do not cut further into the program.
BIA: All the prevention dollars are distributed. Prevention is one of the few areas in the BIA
budget that has not been reduced.
BLM: Purchase of Smokey supplies has been hampered by a DOI memo. This is causing a
number of problems for the field. Explosive targets are suspected to have caused several
wildfires in neighboring states. A delicate balance is taking place between naming specific
manufacturers of explosive targets in fire restrictions and having hard evidence of fire causes.
Lauren is coordinating the rostering of the NW Fire Prevention Education Team (FPET), which
is “up” nationally June 26th through July 9th and it seems likely the team will be ordered. There
is another fire prevention education team leader from the Flathead who may be available to help
if the PNW needs it.
Future Meeting Schedule
Next meeting will be in early October.