Pacific Northwest Coordination Group Steering Committee (PNWCG)
150 Harrison St, Portland Oregon
November 10, 2011
Final meeting notes
Attendees: Chair, Carl Gossard, BLM-SORO; Joe Shramek, WA DNR (with WA Fire Marshal’s proxy),
Ken Snell, USDA FS; Sue Husari, NPS; Pam Ensley, USFWS; Cory Winnie, BIA, Mariana Ruiz-Temple,
OR Fire Marshal; Nancy Hirsch, ODF; Pat Kelly, Executive Director/Facilitator; Tabatha Dubanski, USDA
FS, recording secretary, presenters: Dan O’Brien, Dale Guenther, called in: Shelby Gales.
Decisions & taskings
Safety Strategy (pg 3)
 A letter regarding the Ops Safety Conference will be going out for a 72-hour review.
2012 Chair/Vice Chair (pg 3)
 Joe Shramek to be Chair & Pam Ensley to be Vice-Chair.
NWCM AC (pg 3)
 NWCC to take map and develop dispatch “Super Center” strategies, due by March 2012.
Technology adopt-a-team effort (pg 3)
 Agreed to maintain current $5,000 per team / per year for the technology adopt-a-team effort.
Program of Work (pg 4)
 Pat Kelly will provide an updated POW from today’s feedback.
GIS WT Map (pg 4)
 Final GIS map to be produced by the Feb 2012 Annual Meeting.
Crew Agreement 2013 (pg 4)
 PNWCG supports ODF is pursuing a 2013 IFCA.
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Leaders Intent
Carl Gossard
Today’s agenda
Pat Kelly
(Handout 1 – PNWCG SC Meeting agenda, Nov 10, 2011, 1p)
(Handout 2 – PNWCG SC AC/WT liaisons/Chairs, 1 p)
(Handout 3 – PNWCG SC member contact list – June 2011, 1p)
Current Task Orders/tracking
Pat Kelly
(Handout 4 – PNWCG SC Task Order Tracking, Oct 24, 2011, v.28, 1p)
October notes (postponed)
11.10.11 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 1
Annual Workshop
Carl Gossard
Incident Business Practices Working Team will provide logistics support.
We would like to cover the following at the workshop:
1. Current status of each unit
2. Reinforce/clarify operating procedures
There’s a travel issue due to budget cuts (FS)
Location:
 Prefer a government facility
 ODF offers up to $300 if funding is needed for a facility
 Tualatin Valley Fire (last option)
Concepts and Objectives:
 We want to provide more time for teams to meet and work together:
o Structure for 7 Work Teams and 4 Advisory Councils
o Core will remain the same as last year
o 30-60 minutes needs to be provided for open discussion
o 2011 objectives same as last year
o Solicit ideas / topics
 Actings for BLM and FS will be in-place (January)
o Meeting will be the 3rd week of February.
 Provide for orientation of Steering Committee Members for January.
 Working Teams and Center Managers Advisory Council need 15 minutes to present
 Provide space as option for pre-meeting / post.
 11-12 am on Tuesday will have room available for groups to have discussions
 1-5 pm & 8-12 am for 2 days (previous year)
 Chair to have time at end to do “open forum” discussion
 Have former SC Chairs give their long term perspective. Sue/Cory/Pam
 Meeting dates Feb 14-15, 2012
 Make sure liaisons are actively engaged with their WT in preparing for the workshop
 Chairs for WA be present at Feb 2012 meeting
 NWCG people invited in past (no show). Plan to invite again in 2012.
Safety Strategy
Carl Gossard / Ken Snell / Shelby Gales
(Handout 5 – Ops Safety Conference letter to Steve Gage, 1p)
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Shelby Gales will be agency rep, provide advice & guidance.
NIMO team to handle administration/implementation.
This year, conference to include single digit GS’s.
Hotshots interested in helping instruct 101 type discussions
Final version to be presented for 72-hr review
Will devote 30 minutes at PNWCG SC meetings for progress. Washington Fire Service,
Washington Fire Marshal and Oregon Fire Marshal have not submitted agency safety
information summaries.
11.10.11 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 2
Decision:
 A letter regarding the Ops Safety Conference will be going out for a 72-hour review.
Cohesive Strategy
Pam Ensley
Phase 2 to define analysis, collaborate and indentify regional alternatives.
Phase 3 update
Teams of scientists keep changing it and continue to need more research. Pick & shovel work completed.
Now going to politicians. OMB involved.
2012 Chair / Vice Chair
Carl Gossard
(Handout 6 – PNWCG SC Chair/Vice Chair, 1999-2011, v 5, 1p)
 Decision: Joe Shramek to be Chair & Pam Ensley to be Vice-Chair
Break for lunch 1130, reconvened at 1215 hrs
NWCM AC
Dan O’Brien
(Handout 7 – Identifying Opportunities for Improving Interagency Dispatch Coordination Services, 1p)
(Handout 8 – Dispatch Boundaries map for Oregon and Washington 2011, 1p)
(Handout 9 – An Outline of NW Dispatch Coordination Issues & Opportunities, Oct 31, 2011, 4 pp)
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Pam asked PNWCG to go through the NW Dispatch Coordination issues & opportunities
Question: are Dispatch Centers multi-funded?
National Parks have gone to a voice-over internet, separate from fire & law enforcement
Level of service decreased when combined
ODF (Travis Medema)
o Ground up works best
o Needs to happen locally
NWCC (Dan O’Brien)
o Mandate vs. request
o Direction is helpful
PNWCG can support. We should have a vision (GACC vision?)
Now it’s a local ground up effort, what can PNWCG do to help?
NWCC (Dan O’Brien)
o Super Center is a good idea. He can take back to dispatchers.
o Goal is to have a white paper by March.
What are technology barriers opposed to social?
Group has to be on-board with concept.
 NWCC to take map and develop dispatch “Super Center” strategies, due March 2012
Technology adopt-a-team effort
Dale Guenther
(Handout 10 – PNWCG Adopt-A-Team update, 1p)
 Decision: maintain current $5,000 per team / per year for the technology adopt-a-team effort.
11.10.11 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 3
NMAC/GMAC Issues
Carl Gossard / Dan O’Brien
(Handout 11 – Issues for NMAC/GMAC, 2 pp)
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Short / Long Teams – Mob guide has definition.
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Discussion for GAC is what other GACs are doing? Find out what a new model would be that works
for PNW R
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NASF – State can’t get into ROSS. AD clearance.
CRNW utilize only for NW. GISP (?) on Red Card for other, is reverse true?
Is everyone using the same form? 215A?
Question regarding meeting. Chairs for each GAC. Deadline was 10/28/11.
Program of Work
Carl Gossard / Pat Kelly
(Handout 12 – PNWCG Program of Work, 8 pp)
 Pat Kelly will provide an updated POW from today’s feedback.
Hot Topics
GIS WT Map
 Decision: Final GIS map to be produced by the Feb 2012 Annual Meeting.
Crew Agreement 2013
 Decision: PNWCG supports ODF in pursuing a 2013 IFCA.
Dispatch
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Dispatch boundary responsibilities. At December PNWCG SC meeting, Bobbie Scopa and Dennis
Strange to show slides on this topic.
IC Council Attendance Messages
 Conceptual PNWCG to Geo Boards / ID Master Agreement policy, review & appeal post bi-laws?
o Ken Snell contacted Larry Nickey
o Letter needs to be written
o Do we want to define a more formal structure?
 Changes to bi-laws would have to be in writing and presented to PNWCG
o Letter written
o Master bi-laws will be used as authority
Discussion
 Reference Master Agreement (pull out sentence)
 Formal link with PNWCG and Geo Board members
o Create document
PNWCG connection with Geo Boards
 Adapt bi-laws same for 2 geographic (areas?)
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Letter inviting Dean Vendrasco (Oregon) and Gerry Day (Washington) to the Feb 2012 Annual
Meeting to be drafted by Carl Gossard and Joe Shramek to send out.
AAR
+Good timing on lunch
11.10.11 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 4
+POW went well – accomplished
+Follow through with safety
+Tababtha Dubanski volunteer to take notes
-Move closer to Washington
Handouts
Handout 1 – PNWCG SC Meeting agenda, Nov 10, 2011, 1p
Handout 2 – PNWCG SC AC/WT liaisons/Chairs, Nov 8, 2011, v 25, 1p
Handout 3 – PNWCG SC member contact list – June 2011, 1p
Handout 4 – PNWCG SC Task Order Tracking, Oct 24, 2011, v. 28, 1p
Handout 5 – Ops Safety Conference letter to Steve Gage, 1p
Handout 6 – PNWCG SC Chair/Vice Chair, 1999-2011, v 5, 1p
Handout 7 – Identifying Opportunities for Improving Interagency Dispatch Coordination Services, 1p
Handout 8 – Dispatch Boundaries map for Oregon and Washington 2011, 1p
Handout 9 – An Outline of NW Dispatch Coordination Issues & Opportunities, Oct 31, 2011, 4 pp
Handout 10 – PNWCG Adopt-A-Team update, 1p
Handout 11 – Issues for NMAC/GMAC, 2 pp
Handout 12 – PNWCG Program of Work, 8 pp
11.10.11 PNWCG SC Meeting, pg 5