Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 start time 1300 hrs.
Attendees: Paul Bell, Chair PNWCG SC; Jon Rollens, AWT; Ken Snell PNWCG SC; Sarah
Robertson, OWT; Randy Johnson, OWT; Carl Gossard, PNWCG SC; Mike Spencer, TWT; John
Ingrao, PNWCG SC; Jeff Bonebrake, IWT; Dave Lafave, Acting PNWCG SC; Dan O’Brien, Fire
Environment WT, Cory Winnie, PNWCG SC; Leanne Mruzik, Fuels WT; Cyndi Sidles, Fuels
WT; Pam Ensley, PNWCG SC; Jim Furlong, PNW IAC rep; Brenda Johnson, IBPWT; Kathy
Shelton, IBPWT; Rico George, PWT; Esther Hernandez, PWT; Joe Shramek, PNWCG SC;
Dolly Davis, Interagency Contract WT; Dale Guenther, GISWT; Pat Kelly, Executive
Director/Facilitator; Jan Mathis BLM-SORO, notetaker.
Introductions/Welcome Paul Bell
Welcome to the 2 nd Annual Steering Committee/Working Team Meeting. Thanks to Sarah and crew for putting this all together, and thanks for attending!
Some of the goals and objectives:

Provide an overall view of the PNWCG structure and operations.

Share the Strategic Plan and welcome input from the Working Teams.

Validate the currency of all the WT Charters.

Review completed and in progress task orders.

Review communication enhancements

Jim Edmonds will present our new website and report on the progress of that.
We’re all dealing with a tremendous amount of change and the downturn of the economy has been tough to deal with. My hope is that with communication and patience, we can work through these issues, move forward and do what we need to accomplish.
Overview Pat Kelly
(Handout #1 – PNWCG Steering Committee/Working Team meeting agenda, 1 p)
(Handout #2 – PNWCG Steering Committee WT Liaisons/Chairs, 1 p)

Our hope is to have a functional website up and running this year.

The Steering Committee signed a new master Charter in May of 2008.

We now have 11 members with the formal inclusion of both state Fire Marshals.

We have a new logo which we encourage all PNWCG entities to use.
Strategic Plan
Program of Work
Cory and Pam
Accomplishment Report
(Handout #3-PNWCG Strategic Plan, Feb 18, 2009, 12 pp)
(Handout #4-PNWCG 2009 Program of Work, Feb 18, 2009, 8 pp)
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 1

(Handout #5-Accomplishment Report, 8 pp)
 Big T’s are the task orders from the Steering Committee to your Working Team. There were 11 Big “T’s” assigned last year.
 The little t’s are those tasks that are identified in your Charters. The expectation is that you will accomplish these within your Working Team and agency expertise. A little “t” can turn into a Big “T” if you feel it’s important enough.
A Program of Work has been put together for 2009. The tactics described in the Strategic Plan are used as a pick list by the steering committee. The Working Teams will help us define which ones are the highest priorities tomorrow .
An annual Accomplishment Report will be used for monitoring implementation.
The Strategic Plan, Program of Work and the annual Accomplishment Report will be available on the PNWCG website that is currently being updated.

We will dedicate a major portion of a meeting each year to work on the Strategic Plan.
Strategic Directions
Accomplishments for 2008 to acknowledge : o Established the IC Council as an advisory to the SC. o IC council AAR fall 2008. o The OWT planned and conducted WT / SC meeting.
o Strategies and combining WTs to increase efficiencies, this is on-going. o We hired Pat 1 ½ years ago as our Executive Director which has helped with accomplishing goals. o Our membership has grown, added the fire marshals.
Fire Environment Working Team Chair Dan O’Brien / Liaison Cory Winnie
(Handout #6 – FENWT Briefing Paper, 2 pp)
Meet twice each year. We haven’t been tasked with a Big T yet, but have projects they work on:

Organize and gain funding for a Fire Environment Workshop, scheduled for January 2010.

Our goal is to drum up interest in fire analysis and recruit folks into LTAN, FBAN duties.

Working with Brian Goff on developing a review process. Currently, drafting a white paper to put before PNWCG SC later this spring.

Working on understanding WFDSS and the tools within the program. One way to do that would be through the Fire Environment Service Center. The goal of the center is to provide information and support to decision makers and analysts in the field.

The group wants to look more closely at FLAME, a tool used for making tactical decisions.

Wondering if there is a review panel in place to look and and evaluate all of the tools out there, and is it our role to take that particular task on.
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 2


WFDSS is a topic that will be discussed at the March PNWCG SC Meeting.
GISWT Chair Dale Guenther / Liaison John Ingrao
Coordinating an interagency map showing fuel treatments, it was approved this morning and a final product will be brought to the meeting tomorrow.

Charter approved this morning by SC and is finalized.
Meet 2 times a year, once in the winter and once in the summer.
Working on other projects, little t’s

Integrated fuels treatment standard that the agencies can use; who, what, when, where.

Engine water sources – locations for water for engines and tenders.

Interagency set of aviation maps.

Fire perimeters – no single source for reporting fire perimeters. Working with NIFC on this.

Discussed the Tri-Working Team and the task order to coordinate the core standards. ftp site used nationally ftp.nifc.gov
with Kim Kelly. Used by all the fed agencies to transfer files during an incident.
Question for SC should PNWCG write a letter to NWCG. Ad hoc effort going on with Shawn
Triplett for coordinating with us. A letter would help.
The perimeters are there at the ftp site, but there is no formalized structure in place.

Decision and Action: A letter will be drafted from PNWCG to NWCG by Dale and ready for the March meeting.
Fire Investigation WT Chair Jeff Bonebrake / Liaison Randy Simpson (not attending)
Haven’t recruited any more members.
Little t’s that we’re working on:
 Arson database that we’re populating

New fire investigation training at the national level, with beta testing going on.
Suggest a Big T to populate the group. We’re looking at a charter to keep people involved.

Propose that the SC take charge and get the IWT going again.
Information WT Chair Rod Nichols / Liaison Sue Husari (neither attending)
Report from the Information Working Team is that it is in rejuvenation mode. They are modeling after the national group. Key focus is to expand training opportunities.
 There’s one Big T from the SC, to review the website.
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 3


Will need to work with Sue Husari on this at the March meeting.
Fuels WT Chair Leanne Mruzik / Liaison Pam Ensley
(Handout #7 – Fuels Working Team Briefing Paper, 1 p)
We’re back and up and running. Currently have 4 members, could use reps from ODF and DNR.
Propose to call it the Fire Use and Fuels Management WT. Open to suggestions from the Steering
Committee. Haven’t set up a meeting pattern yet. Will start working on their priorities and tasks.
Would like the SC committee to review the task orders to see which ones they want the WT to work on.

Work on updating the Charter

Start a Program of Work

Will meet again on Feb 23 rd
 Looking for direction from the SC on the scope and scale we’re supposed to be operating.

Put on the agenda for a future PNWCG SC meeting:

Take a look at the task orders from 05 & 06.

The proposed name change.

Update the Charter.

Guidance on the initial program of work.
PNW IC Council Chair Jim Furlong
(Handout #8 – PNW IC Council (PNICC) Briefing Paper, 2 p)
PNW IC Council has been formally sanctioned under the SC as an advisory council. The charter was approved in the Spring 2008. The council is on an activity basis rather than an agency rep basis. We represent and bring the Incident Commander perspective to the SC, provide advice and council. It’s been a successful arrangement.

We have a fall AAR.

The Spring preparedness meeting will be held Apr 2-3, 2009 in Eugene, Oregon.
At the Fall AAR meeting, 25 issues were identified that need to be worked on, the top 6 issues are:
1.
Information Technology
2.
Key Decision Log
3.
Short Teams
4.
Workforce Capacity
5.
Type 3 Incidents
6.
In-Brief/Close-out
Two of the 6 issues have already been addressed.
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 4

IBPWT Chair Kathy Shelton / Liaison Joe Shramek
(Handout #9 – PNWCG Incident Business Management Working Team Annual Report, 1 p)
The charter’s out of date. Our tasking from SC in 2008 is how to pay for 420 and shadow assignments. Meeting schedule is annually at a minimum. Continually communicate via email and phone.

Have identified the issues and work to solve them.

Priorities are to coordinate business activities.

Offer business advice.
 We don’t set incident business rules. We follow and interpret the current rules.

In 2008, refined the cost share template. Ton i Chambers led the effort.

Recurring events include the Spring Interagency Business Meeting – usually 100 attend.

Tasked the team to update the Federal Operating Guidelines.

Continue to sponsor I-Suite training.

We sponsor the equipment rates committee – it has little impact, may not continue.
.
Question: Why do the S420 not charge their time to the incident?
Answer: Under the appropriations for FS and DOI, it states that all instructors salaries are to be paid out of preparedness. Cadre is there to provide instruction. There will be National Policy coming out from NWCG on this issue by the end of the year.
.
National Fire Plan WT Chair Mark Gray (not attending) / Liaison Paul Bell
(Handout #10 – NFPWT Briefing Paper, 1 p)
Meet 4 times a year. The name is somewhat misleading, suggested that the name be changed.

They went out in the field to monitor some projects. It was very interesting.
 They’ve taken a program that was somewhat unruly to a more streamlined approach. By the time the application gets to the group, they try to balance out how the money is awarded. This makes the process more bearable. 36 applications make it, with 12 being awarded, which is a better percentage.

Placeholder for March agenda for the NFPWT to present prioritizations.
Fire Program Assessment WT Chair Skinner/Acting Liaison Cory Winnie
Completed the first phase. WT is active, have had a couple of workshops. The charter should be coming up at the March meeting.
Prevention WT Chair Esther Hernandez/Liaison Joe Shramek
(Handout #11 – PWT Briefing Paper, 2 pp)
Team has been around for awhile. Used to meet monthly, however membership is going through a lot of change right now. Plan to meet quarterly. Charter is new and approved.
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 5


Their main focus is to put together the Prevention Conference and the IFPL. They haven’t put together the Prevention Conference at Salishan for awhile.
 Haven’t had a task order in a number of years.

The team needs some guidance.

Work on the Wildfire Awareness Week.

Work on the Prevention website.
Interagency Contract WT Chair Dolly Davis / Liaison Paul Bell
(Handout #12 – Contract WT Briefing Paper, 1 p)
The charter is on the PNWCG SC agenda for March. The main focus on the Interagency Contract
WT is on engine, tender and crew agreements.

They go to other meetings and inform folks in the community, dispatch and vendors as to what’s going on with the agreements.

Now there are templates at the National level, the team doesn’t have latitude to make changes.

Suggest that the SC take a close look at the charter and the mission.

Action: Dolly will get the draft Charter to Paul Bell.
Aviation WT Chair Jon Rollens / Liaison Ken Snell
(Handout #13 – Aviation Working Team Briefing Paper, 1 p)
Group meets quarterly. Charter currently unavailable, but is being reconstructed via the website.
Ongoing tasks:

Update the aircraft numbers and location prior to field season – done. (Big T)

Update PNWCG Master Agreement Ops Plan – Aviation Section – done (little t)
2008 tasks

(Big T) Helicopter Hoist and Extraction Tasking = 75% done.

(Little t) Consider proposing adoption of Cooperator Approval Protocol document for the
PNW geographic area.

(Little t) Vetted the Air-to-Ground frequency effort through the AWT to provide adequate dissemination and understanding.
Operations WT Chair Sarah Robertson / Liaison Ken Snell
(Handout #14 –Powerpoint Presentation documents & Charter, 8 pp)
Meet monthly except during fire season. Charter is current.
Our focus is to coordinate an Interagency Approach to all hazardous incident management for
Washington and Oregon.
Task orders:

Integration of the IC council.
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 6


Finalized the IC charter

Worked on the proposal to consolidate IC boards

Joe Shramek worked on the Shadow assignment for t3.

Performed staff work for the AWT Medivac, added to the proposal to increase the medical care on the line.

Assisting the contract WT with Best Value, provided feedback on that.

Logistics for this meeting (a Huge T)
Other items that they’re working on: o The 526-520 nominations processes. o Oversight to the Type 1 teams. Nominations for Type 1 teams.
Carl comments on providing medical care on the line. This is an issue that keeps coming up and we need to identify the level of care that we can provide. Should we follow National guidance?

Action: Pam will find out what has been done on this issue with the NSHWT (National
Safety Health Working Team) and report back to the SC.
Training WT Chair Mike Spencer / Liaison Carl Gossard
(Handout #15 –Training Working Team Report, 3 pp)
Conference calls have been effective and now moving into video conferencing.
The core mission of this team is training delivery. Charter is close to being finished, want to take it back to the team.

Went through the courses in Redmond for the 300 and 400 courses. Kept them all.

Exploring other ways of delivering training.

Increased our efforts in alternative training delivery systems, ie. distance learning, use of pods and video conferencing, etc.

The normal PNW training conference was cancelled due to travel restrictions, but they replaced it with a conference call with 60 participants.

Workforce capacity and efficiency training, MOU.

Action: Task the TWT to bring back the criteria for the association to look at and validate. (Ask Carl for his edits on this one)

Anticipate a tasking to revisit the language in the MOU.
Adjourned at 5:09 pm.
Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 meeting start time 0800 am
Introductions & Welcome comments Paul Bell
Thanks to everyone for their participation yesterday. Pat has a really good agenda planned and it should be a very productive day. Let’s begin!
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 7

Broke out into 2 groups to review and get feedback on the Strategic Plan and the Program of
Work. (Handout #16 – PNWCG Strategic Plan and 2009-2010 Program of Work, 1 p)
One large item and essential to the success of PNWCG is to:

Address and clean up the Working Team issue.
Paul Bell’s Group
Pam
Their top two items:
1.
Efficiency w/ WT’s & council structure – define WT, Task Groups, PNWCG or Steering
Group? a.
Struggling teams / combinations b.
Dan’s concept / WT’s – task groups c.
Liaison’s role / (conference call – focused hour w/ liaison, etc.)
2.
Sub-Geo Groups a.
Workshops / training / tradition??
-Increased efficiency of PNWCG - communicate “PNWCG value” to our agency administrators.
-Fire Safety – licensing? What can we do to improve our fireline medical capability?
Fatal Flaw: There are a couple of emerging issues that we have not identified:
-Smoke Management
-Investigation WT
Ken Snell’s Group
Ken
Fatal Flaws: #2 & 5 are very similar – suggest combining 2 & 5 to make a total of 5 Strategic
Directions in the Strategic Plan
Strategic Direction #3 to include the private sector
1.
Raise the Priority of Strategic Direction #2 (Governance)
2.
Develop a strategy to help AA / IMT make more informed decisions about risks being taken.
Risk=FF Safety, NR, cost, political capital.
3.
SC should review existing WT to make sure we have the right number and type.
Pat addresses the Steering Committee - do they want all four of these areas to go ahead for 2009-
2010?

Decision: There were three overarching priorities that need to be addressed by the SC in
2009-2010. We’ll commit that to the revised Program of Work.
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 8

1.
Working Team & PNWCG issue
2.
Governance Structure & Sub-Geo Groups
3.
Safety Risk theme

Pat will work on correcting the Fatal Flaws that have been identified, ie. the Emerging
Issues.
Adjourned at noon.
Handouts
Handout #1 – PNWCG Steering Committee/Working Team meeting agenda, 1 p
Handout #2 – PNWCG Steering Committee WT Liaisons/Chairs, 1 p
Handout #3 – PNWCG Strategic Plan, Feb 18, 2009, 12 pp
Handout #4 – PNWCG 2009 Program of Work, Feb 18, 2009, 8 pp
Handout #5 – Accomplishment Report, 8 pp
Handout #6 – FENWT Briefing Paper, 2 pp
Handout #7 – Fuels WT – Fuels Working Team Briefing Paper, 1 p
Handout #8 – PNW IC Council (PNICC) Briefing Paper, 2 pp
Handout #9 – PNWCG Incident Business Management Working Team Annual Report, 1 p
Handout #10 – National Fire Plan – NFPWT Briefing Paper, 1 p
Handout #11 – Prevention WT – PWT Briefing Paper, 2 pp
Handout #12 – Contract WT Briefing paper, 1 p
Handout #13 – Aviation Working Team Briefing Paper, 1 p
Handout #14 – Operations WT – Powerpoint Presentation documents & Charter, 8 pp
Handout #15 –Training Working Team Report, 3 pp
Handout #16 – PNWCG Strategic Plan & 2009-2010 Program of Work, objectives & process, 1 p
SC/WT Meeting Feb 18-19, 2009 pg 9