Pacific Northwest Coordination Group Steering Committee (PNWCG)
February 14 & 15, 2012
Robert Duncan Plaza, 333 SW 1st Ave, Portland Oregon 97204
Final notes
Attendees: Joe Shramek, WADNR and proxy for Washington Fire Marshal; David Summer,
R6 USFS and proxy , BLM, Feb 14); Cory Winnie, BIA; Pam Ensley, USFWS; Mark Havener;
Tod Johnson (representing Sue Husari), NPS; Dave LaFave, Washington Fire Service; Mariana
Ruiz-Temple, representing the Oregon Fire Marshal; Nancy Hirsch, ODF (Feb. 15) Pat Kelly,
Executive Director/Facilitator; Jan Mathis BLM-SORO, recording secretary. Guests: Dean
Vendrasco, Chair Oregon Geo Board; Gerry Day, Washington Geo Board; Dan O’Brien,
NWCC, liaison to Center Managers Advisory Council; Brian Watts, Chair Incident Commander
Advisory Council; John Szulc, BIA, Chair, Operations Working Team and Training Working
Team; Shelby Gales, Fire Safety Ops, BLM & FS; Bobbie Scopa, BLM, (Feb 15).
_________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Meeting called to order at 0900 hrs.
Leader’s Intent
Joe Shramek
The next two days will provide a strong opportunity for an exchange of ideas between the
working teams, advisory councils and the steering committee.
Today’s agenda
(Handout 1 – PNWCG SC Meeting Agenda, Friday, Feb 14 & 15, 2012, 1p)
Task Order Tracking
Pat Kelly
(Handout 2 – Task Order Tracking, January 30, 2012, v.30, 1p)
Update on open task orders.
Tracking Commitments
(Handout 3 – Tracking commitments, February 9, 2012, v. 23, 1p)
Item 1, we should update the Charter in the upcoming months.
January notes
(Handout 4 – PNWCG SC Meeting draft notes, v.1, 7pp)
Jan Mathis
SC Safety Strategy, Fire Ops Safety Training
Shelby Gales
(Handout 5 – Fire Operations Safety Training Action Plan, 2pp)
It has been decided to conduct 3 separate 1-day sessions over a one-week period:
Tues, Wed & Thurs, but in 3 different locations.
The weeks of May 14 & June 11 have been selected due to a poll with the agencies.
The NIMO team is working on the best 3 locations to hold the training.
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 1
Geo Board Discussion
Dean Vendrasco / Gerry Day
OR Geo Board – new – invitation to each Geo Board Chair to meetings.
Topic: WA Geo Board – Joe Shramek – good work over the years with WA Geo Board, and
there’s good communication between PNWCG. Review what the relationship is, and should be,
with the PNWCG, both Geo Boards, OWT, and liaison for Geo Boards.
How to best coordinate the flow of decisions and coordination? We decided it would work best
through the OWT, our liaison, to facilitate the flow from PNWCG to Geo Boards and info back
to PNWCG. Liaison or guidance? Bobbie Scopa is currently the liaison.
Dean Vendrasco – OR Geo Board – 17 members, Dean is the Chair, Kevin Martin, Deputy
Chair, takes over in Aug.
 By-laws are in place
 Operating Guide in place (borrowed from WA Geo Board)
 Decisions – not to change in 2012 for last year of 3-year rotation.
 Opened ICAPS and filled holes on current items. Just recently put together the rosters
for 2012. Created one alternate list and one trainee list (a new decision) for each team to
draw from.
 2013 needs to increase interagency participation, it will be a one year commitment for
all IMT members except IC and Deputy IC.
 Also, want to address the number of ADs on the teams, but to be respectful – and
important to our training – over the next several years.
 We changed the name of all the teams from areas to numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4 – this name
change is to be used in 2012.
 We also changed the rotation, to spread out the assignment and each team gets exercised
and experience – we expect push back on this but the board have worked with AAs on
this concept. Spread the number of assignments so employees have similar days out or
assignments. WA reports this has worked, there have been speed bumps, but after 10
years, it works. The value of having AAs help implement is very important. Looking
ahead to 2013 with the utilization of teams will be different.
 Getting the 17 member board down to lesser numbers is good.
 Will we continue to utilize ICAPS? We don’t know yet.
 Convey the message to the sub-geo area meetings on team numbers, rotations, etc.
 There’s a meeting in Bend with Geo Board and OR IMTs at the end of May.
Gerry Day – 1999 the WA Geo Board started – existing board members did lion’s share of
work. A lot of history is recorded. The current board consists of 9 members, two-thirds are
new members. Last year, the meeting was cancelled, we missed the 5 ICs, Geo Board and AAs
from the area at a sit-down meeting. The meeting was conducted via conference calls and
executed as best as we could. 2011 is the first year that not all teams got an assignment.
Out of 146 assignments, 26 have been out of state. There’s an issue of assignments out of state.
A decision to be made on the 28 of this month.
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 2
Other 2 items:
Delegation to the ICs, there’s the challenge of team diversity in terms of better interagency
mixing. There could be better team integration. Have enlisted the help of the ICs to address
this issue.
Teams going short. IC’s had 3 different rosters, short for C&G
Standard teams of 27 + 1
50 member team
A commitment was made from the ICs at their January meeting, they will take a short team.
A short team is now an option for agency administrators.
What’s on the horizon:
 IMT re-invention (also called IMT successional planning)
 Getting all IMTs through CIMC (Complex Incident Management Course) or 520
training.
Gerry is looking forward to having a liaison to coordinate the calendars of the Oregon &
Washington Geo Boards to be in-sync with the IC Council and other groups.
Most significant issue is sending teams out of state:
 What defines out-of-state? Dave LaFave said that he doesn’t consider Oregon out-ofstate since it’s in our region. Also as an IC, out-of-state is out of the region.
Need to define what is considered out-of-state?
Gerry asks what are the PNWCG Steering Committee thoughts on decision-making? Is it done
on a consensus basis?
 (Pat Kelly) The charter and guidelines are silent on decision-making. There’s no voting
provision. The informal understanding is that it’s done on a consensus basis with three
criteria necessary for consensus: 1) a decision you can live with though it might not be
your personal first choice 2) a decision you can explain, a 3) a decision that you can
advocate within your agency.
COOP Success Stories
Pam Ensley / Cyndi Sidles
Pam would like the members to look at the success stories, especially the first page and see if
there are any stories that are missing. Would like to compile as many of these stories to submit
to the Cohesive Strategy Steering Group.
Cyndi needs the information by March 15.
EWCG Request (Eastern Washington Coordination Group) Joe Shramek
(scope the issue)
The EWCG has requested to post their notes on the PNWCG website. (through Chief Gormley)
Are there any other similar groups in Washington State?
What are the expectations does the PNWCG have for the EWCG? (they are active, have AOP)
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 3
There are two other groups in Washington State, One in the Columbia River Gorge and one in
Western Washington (includes 4 western DNR regions).
In Oregon, there’s a group in Central Oregon and in the Gorge. South Central Oregon,
Lakeview/Klamath Falls.
The time may be ripe with the dispatch center effort to develop working relationships with these
groups in the geographic area. (Dan O’Brien)
Do we have the capacity and time to take this issue on right now? (Joe Shramek)
Do we go beyond providing factual answers to the inquiries from the letter to Chief Gormley?
Is there anything we need to do differently? (posed to DNR guys)
(Gerry Day) The PNWCG master agreement and operating plans are enabling for different
groups to spring up and get something done in their areas.
Propose to revisit this topic with these thoughts in mind:
 Look at the larger issue on how we might want to engage these kinds of groups after
discussion with the WT & AC.
 Make a decision on posting the notes.
 Get an inventory of other wildland fire groups in Oregon & Washington.
Hot Topics
Agencies and states resources. Staffing levels, budget.
(critical resources available)
Pam Ensley
No changes at FWS with resources for 2012, 2013 looks to be quite a different story.
BLM – similar in 2012.
FS – current budget is down. Fuels is down about 14%. Unintended consequences is still to be
determined. Average budget to a forest is down 10 to 15%. No additional contingency funds
will be available. FS is waiting for word to see if additional funding will be available from
conference call today at 11am. Stayed tuned.
BIA – Steady for preparedness. Fuels is down 30%.
NPS – Budget reduction in fuels. May be seeing a reduction in fuels seasonal hires which could
lead to fewer resources to share
WADNR – Revenue forecast for the state is down, however we have a good strategy for initial
attack capability and good support. In terms of drastic reductions in our capability, we should
be okay.
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 4
Geo Boards would like to have reoccurring meetings with the chairs of the working teams (?)
John Szulc will take that back to the OWT.
ODF – Staffing levels the same. (Nancy Hirsch)
Adjourned at 1200 hrs for PNWCG SC/WT/AC Annual Workshop
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Reconvened at 1300 hrs
Follow-up items from Annual Workshop
(Handout 6 – Summary of WT/AC needs, 1 p)
Pat Kelly
1) “Teams needs” list
2) Others
GIS WT – David Summer will bring clarity next week with who is acting for Dale Guenther.
Also, the fire history grants map is due this March. Is this product still on track?
When Working Teams and Advisory Councils are reporting to the Steering Committee make
the opportunity for all team members to attend.
Due 2/24 – Pat to craft language for a response from groups by April 1 (see flip chart for text)
Question from each Working Team & AD2 to look at POW and what their top priorities are,
both for their Work Team & PNWCG, what’s missing and (see flip chart)
Cohesive Strategy – we need to get alignment on how we’re going to engage. Give it due
diligence and keep an eye on any signals that we need to address. Pam Ensley could request Joe
Stutler to give regular up-dates to the PNWCG, in person or via conference call. Keep this
topic as a standing agenda item. (David Summer)
Fuels WT – Continued updates on National initiatives.
CPI – Support for members to devote budget, staff or time.
FEN – Continued support, commitment and recognition of the mission. (critical training
outcomes)
IBPWT – Keeping new members on WT. Support WT members.
TWT – Consider task force on future of management of R6 ET contract/FF contract.
 Should we activate this as an issue? Maybe look at a different way to do business.
 Check with NWSA to see what recommendations/alternative they may have. They
offered up a recommendation at the meeting yesterday. (David Summer)
o Bobbie Scopa to speak at a NWSA convention in a couple of weeks, could bring
up the subject.
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 5
Proposal: Since the FS/BLM/ODF heard from NWSA at a meeting yesterday, they can contact
the NWSA and find out what they believe would be a viable alternative(s). (David Summer)
o If there’s merit, then Bobbie could bring the information back to the PNWCG for
review.
OWT – Clear, concise task orders.
IC Council – Continued support. Course correction when needed.
AWT – clear direction with an understanding that staff time is limited.
CMAC – need to be completely clear on SC expectations, continued support.
Carry Over List
Pat Kelly
(Handout 7 – PNWCG SC Running agenda Items/carryover topics/future agenda items, 1 p)
Review of unscheduled carryover items: keep or discard?
Liability associated with managing incidents for other agencies
 Action: Pat to email Nancy Hirsch for input before decision made.
Issues related to Fire Marshal IMT’s leaving in middle of shifts
 Action: Frame up the issue and put on the agenda for the June meeting.
EMAC update (carry over from July 2009)
 Discard
Full discussion of IFPL’s and their administration (Carl has a statement)
 Discard
Fire Restrictions coordination (paper from Dale G)
 Discard – the CPIWT has taken on this task.
Non-fire personnel to enhance the IMT candidate pool
 Discard
Safety Strategy
3 entities we haven’t heard from yet on their Safety Programs:
WA Fire Service (Dave LaFave)
WA Fire Marshals (Paul Perz)
Oregon Fire Marshals (???)
What is PNWCGs Vision for Safety? One approach is to have Sue Husari draft up something
for us and this could be adopted within a couple of months.
 Joe Shramek will ask Sue Husari to craft up a vision statement for PNWCG.
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 6
EWCG
Joe Shramek
3 questions have been posed to us:
1) Post notes to PNWCG website. Answer is yes, just need to develop a link that says
‘affiliated groups’ or something like that.
2) Are there any other active groups in Washington?
3) What are the expectations from PNWCG?
 Joe Shramek will respond to their inquiries. He will pull together the inventory for
Washington, but will need assistance compiling inventory for Oregon.
 Nancy Hirsch could assist with Oregon info.
 Pat Kelly will work on the website part.
AA Executive Briefing
Decision made to have a briefing for new executives.
Location: Portland at the NWCC.
Date/Time: June 20 at 11am
 SC members to query the execs to see if the interest is there and will report back at next
meeting. If yes, David to host.
Alaska Agreement
A task order has been issued to create modules made up from folks from the Pacific Northwest
(in the shoulder seasons.) It’s time for implementation, however, from recent conversations
with the ICs indicated that this wouldn’t work. What can we do at this point to move forward?
There seems to be room for discussion on this topic.
There will be 2 important topics will be on the March agenda – report out on the succession
plan and a report out on the Alaska agreement.
Pam Ensley to coordinate with Joe Stutler to give an update on the Cohesive Strategy to the
committee in March. (30 minutes)
Hot Topics
EW Dispatch Boundary
Dan O’Brien
(Handout 8 – Creating Sub-Geographic Dispatch Areas for Improved Incident Response, 5 pp)
Update on the proposal to organize Eastern Washington into distinct sub-geographic dispatch
areas. This is on our March agenda for an in-depth discussion.
Geo Area IA
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 7
BLM-FS issue. What to do with reduced budgets, field personnel and ff resources. What can
we do to be more mobile and agile and share resources across boundaries?
Concerned about the mobile part is how to pay for it?
 Operational end – folks on the ground can work that out.
 There’s enough PR, SU or Severity money out there. Would like need to develop
criteria or some sort of standardized process so the NWCC can get funding to pay for
these resources.
Dan O’Brien will pursue this idea further and report back to the PNWCG SC in the next 2
months.
AOP
David Summer to ask Brenda Johnson, CiCi Chitwood and Alan McGuire-Dale who is handling
the AOP. The 2012 AOP update is being coordinated by Alan McGuire-Dale of the FS.
AAR
+Good meeting
Adjourned at 1500 hrs
Handouts
Handout 1 – PNWCG SC Meeting Agenda, Feb 14 & 15, 2012, 1p
Handout 2 – PNWCG SC Task Order Tracking, Jan 30, 2012, v 30, 1p
Handout 3 – PNWCG SC Tracking commitments, Feb 9, 2012, v 23
Handout 4 – PNWCG SC meeting Jan 18, 2012, draft notes v.1, 7pp
Handout 5 – Fire Operations Safety Training Action Plan, Jan 19, 2012, 2 pp
Handout 6 – Summary of WT/AC needs, 1 p
Handout 7 – PNWCG Running agenda items/carryover topics/future agenda items,
Feb 6, 2012, v.4, 1 p
Handout 8 – Creating Sub-Geographic Dispatch Areas for Improved Incident Response, 5pp
2.14-15.2012 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 8