Pacific Northwest Coordination Group Steering Committee (PNWCG SC)
13 November 2009 @ Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC)
Meeting notes – final version
Attendees: Paul Bell, ODF; Ken Snell, R6 USFS; Jim Walker, OR Fire Marshal with John Ingrao’s
(Oregon Fire Chiefs) proxy; Mike Matlick, WA Fire Marshals; Pam Ensley, USFWS; Cory Winnie, BIA;
Tod Johnson, NPS; Pat Kelly-Executive Director/Facilitor; Jan Mathis, BLM-SORO, notetaker;
Gerry Day and Dave Quinn, NWCC; presenters, Jim Furlong; Sherri Coady, Gary Sterling; Louisa Evers.
Leader’s Intent
Welcome – let’s efficiently work through our agenda today.
Finalize Agenda
(Handout #1 – PNWCG SC Meeting Agenda, Nov 2009 v.2, 1 p)
Paul
Pat
(Handout #2 – Initial Release of PMS 900 – NWCG Operating Principles and Guidelines, 44 pp)
Jan Finalize September notes
(Handout #3 – PNWCG SC Draft Meeting Notes v.2, 6 pp)
Jan will finalize note and post to library/website.
IC Council Issue 1 – IT Jim Furlong
(Handout #4 – Briefing Information Paper, IT Support for NW IMT’s, 2 pp)
(Handout #5 – PNWCG Adopt an IMT, 1 p)
This is one of 6 topics that came out at last year’s IC Council meeting and the last one to address.
How do we support the teams better?
Dave Lafave and Chris Schulte worked on the briefing paper and Dale Guenther came up with the 3 issues listed on the front page of document:
1. Standard basic IT package – some level of agreement on what will make up a basic pkg.
2. Prioritize and purchase the equipment – haven’t come up with any way to purchase equipment yet. Four alternatives identified (full description on pg 2 of briefing paper) Current Process,
Current Process Modified, Develop IT kits similar to radio kits, Fund Team IT modules. The 4 th option seems to be the best alternative.
3. Long-term sustainability and support. (refer to Handout #5 – PNWCG Adopt an IMT, 1 p)
Each agency could adopt a team or teams and have the agency support those teams, CTSPS on the team would work with Dale Guenther, then the adopting agency, through their own procurement processes would purchase the equipment. How do you equitably adopt a team?
The IC Council would like the PNWCG SC to:
1. Agree on adoption approach
2. ODF, OSFM and FS – NIMO continue IMT support as in the past.
3. Other IMTs will be supported by agencies as per the table (in Handout #5) o Get the teams onto a server, which would be the biggest purchase the first year. o The team would then indentify up to $10,000 in addition to that to get them going. o $5,000 would be allowed each year thereafter to replace/acquire new equipment.
PNWCG SC Meeting November 13, 2009 pg 1

If this is agreed on, these steps would allow implementation and greatly increase efficiencies.
 There’s a certain level of support for the proposal.

SC members will take this information back to their agencies.
 This topic will be put on December’s agenda for a decision.
NWCC Lease Acquisition/Facility Plan for 2011
(Handout #6 – NWCC Space Request, 1 p)
Sherri Coady & Gerry Day
FS is the lead for the Facility (they will pay the lease and then be reimbursed through cost share agreements)
1. The other agencies need to agree to the space request that NWCC submitted. o The space is the same footprint as the current space. o Under 10,000 sq. ft. will meet our needs. o Request that each agency sign off for their share of the whole facility. (based on the workload)
2. Need to know from each agency who the person will be that Sherri will go to for paying their share?
3. Figures are based on $30 to $40 a sq. ft.
Gerry and Dan O’Brien will be working with Sherri and GSA. Dan O’Brien has the lead.

Are the agencies in agreement that Gerry and Dan to act as their agents?
 Gerry requests from Tod to find out from Park Service, who the person will be who can confirm that the Park Service is good for its share of the facility.
Currently, they’re working on the solicitation. The issue of parking was discussed.
If you have any questions, Sherri’s contact info is: scoady@fs.fed.us
503-808-2381
PNW WT Restructure Paul Bell / Cory Winnie
Paul & Cory met with the IBP/Contracting WT. It was a good meeting. Draft charter has been drawn up,
Kathy sent to Paul/Cory/Joe, not ready to launch yet, but a very good start. Will have a final draft in
December. Cory is the liaison.
 There will be a Charter and Program of Work for January 2010 meeting.
(Ken) Potential agenda topic: discussion on contracting. Conceptual or as POW?
 Need to re-do our working guidelines. Refer to sub-groups as Working Team Sub-
Committee.
Task a WT with organizing the February 2010 WT/SC meeting Pat Kelly
(Handout #12 – Task Order 0901-01 Planning & Logistics for the SC/WT Workshop, 3 pp)
OWT
AWT
IBPWT
2 years
New Chair
Reformed
PREV/COMM WT
TWT
FMWT
GIS WT
Reformed
Selected
Reformed

Decided to task the TWT with organizing the February 2010 WT/SC meeting.
PNWCG SC Meeting November 13, 2009 pg 2

Initial Ideas on Meeting
1. Get new Chair, Vice-Chair info out.
2. Understand new alignment. a. charters / finalize
3. Where PNWCG is headed.
4. Is this a one day meeting?
5. Is it a cc available meeting?
6. In Dec, decide how to get the Program of Work / Strategic Plan together for Feb.

Ask Carl to invite the chair of TWT to join us for Dec meeting.
Fire Prevention & Investigations, Communications WT Mike Matlick / Paul Bell
Good conference call included Steve Wilson, Esther Hernandez, Paul Perz & Mike Matlick. o Working to re-do charter, merging 3 charters into one. o What the POW will be is still being worked on.
Need some direction from this group. How can the SC most effectively help Esther get the WT energized?
 Pat will send a draft of the Investigations Charter to Mike Matlick & Paul Bell.

Mike will draft up a Task Order and send to Pat Kelly who will finalize.
 Charter due by February.
 Esther to get a list of members and Mike will bring to the December meeting.

Another update to be put on the December agenda.
Fire Program Assessment Tod Johnson
(Handout #7 – NW Geographic Are FPA Advisory Council Charter, 5 pp)
(Handout #8 – Pacific NW FPA Advisory Council, Annual Operating Plan, 4 pp)
Tom Skinner, Chair of the Advisory Council, has put together a charter. Tod brought for the SC to look at for accuracy. Tod will send back any edits to Tom. An Annual Operating Plan was also created, it’s a basic plan, however, right now there are a couple of names missing.
Suggest that they take a look at the IC Councils Charter as an example.

Charter will be ready for signature in December.
Fuels Management WT Pam Ensley
(Handout #9 – Charter Draft Fuels Management Working Team, 3 pp)
(Handout #10 – Joint Fuels Management (Fuels) & NFP Grants Working Team, 3 pp)
(Handout #11 – Fuels Management Working Team, Proposed 2010 Program of Work, 1 p)
Draft Charter, Program of Work and Meeting Minutes reviewed and discussed.

Good with the charter.

Question on the POW about the map (annual grants based fuel treatments map)

Strategic fuels report update.
PNWCG SC Meeting November 13, 2009 pg 3

On where we’re going for priorities:

Have combined the 2 teams.

Still have some holes that a couple of agencies need to fill to be a member of this WT?
…
FS & BLM. Who do they want

ODF grants, prior to Dec 15, need to get someone on the committee.

Westside Risk Assessment is asking each agency for a data steward (a checker).
They would be asked to look up land fire data, risk assessments, etc. Proposal that the data steward be from one of the members of the Fuels Management WT. Makes sense as they will be working towards the same goals. Think about it to see if makes sense to you.



Question in the Fuels Mgmt WT mind that they want to discuss: block grants for ODF.
Grants sub-group – do they have member names?
Which grants does the PNWCG want to be shown on the annual map?

On 2010 POW, will add that the Fuels Managment WT to continue the work that the GIS
WT started.
Working in conjunction with the GIS WT and Dale Guenther, the Fuels Mgmt WT can be the keeper of that product.
 Make sure each of the agencies (FS, BLM & ODF) have their chosen rep at the Dec 15 meeting.
TO 0904-02 Medical Protocols Gary Sterling
(Handout #13 – Aviation Safety Manager Team, Task Order 0904-02, 4 pp)
We’ve found that hoist capabilities in the PNW are very few.
NPS does have a short haul program, it’s not a standardized program, but they do train and are carded.
The problem is that they are four hours out and the other options are not reliable, ie the Guard (which are not manned 24 hrs a day and depends on current deployment).
This plan is a good starting point on a complex problem. Developed some protocols. The document has been sent to Dr. Jui.
If you call the 1-800 number and there’s no one there, then you may have to take whatever means to evacuate an injured fire fighter from the field. There is a tremendous amount of risk involved. We would not want to rely on this, the preference would be rather to use hoist capable such as the NPS ship.

Where to from here?

Is there concurrence to going with this plan?

Maybe we should look in-house, are there a ship(s) that we want to dedicate to aerial extraction?
Do we want to rely on this or establishing something with Boise?
 To put on December’s agenda.

Gary to send document out electronically to the PNWCG SC and AWT for comments and input.
Fire Knowledge Transfer Consortium Louisa Evers, Bernard Bormann & Tom DeMeo
(Handout #14 – Pacific NW Consortium for Enhanced Fire Science Delivery & Adoption, 4 pp)
The consortium put together to look at new ways to get science to the field. They cover Oregon and
Washington. Emphasis is on the more fire-prone areas. We have quite a few partners and hope to expand out to other groups. Currently focusing on 5 groups:
PNWCG SC Meeting November 13, 2009 pg 4


Federal & State Agencies

Large private landowners (timber, ranchers)

Non-governmental (nature conservancy, etc)

Individual landowners

Any interested individuals or community groups.
Right now, we’re getting organized, going out to talk to folks in the field, finding better ways of delivering science.
Working on building on current partnerships, building networks between the science community and field practitioners.
Our approach is to work with members in the field on a project. How can we help them use the info out there to identify the problems, come up with solutions?
At the end of January there will be a workshop at the FWS to begin the dialogue with the science community, partners and others.
The consortium discussed questions and concerns with the SC. Would like to connect with Regional leadership, adopt and formalize this model and lend credibility to the consortium. The focus in on fuels projects, not modeling.

Request a letter of support from PNWCG to the Joint Fire Science Board to include with proposal package for funding in February 2010.

They will compose a letter, send to Pat who will format then send out to PNWCG SC for
3-day review.
 Future agenda item: In-depth discussion on the consortium. They would like to get back on the agenda and talk to the PNWCG in more detail, discuss topics that were brought up at this meeting.
HOT TOPICS
Short discussion of oversight of T2 IMT’s
OWT – AD use
Process is working well. This year the OWT will have more data available to them than the past.
Try to model after Washington State. The next step could be to meet with the Geo Boards and get them to elect a Steering Committee to do the Team Management. This could help us with successional planning and with the AD use issue.
How / who to do AOP 2010
Need to identify who’s going to work on this. Paul wants to make sure we have enough time to get it done, reviewed by DOJ and signed. Travis Medema?

Come prepared to identify representative to work on AOP.
AAR
+ Volume of things daylighted is good.
+Conference call with Pam went well. Prediscussion helped!
-Keep ‘em healthy
-May need to finish, not stretch out topics until next meeting.
-Have outside speakers in A.M.
PNWCG SC Meeting November 13, 2009 pg 5

Handouts
Handout #1 – PNWCG SC Meeting Agenda, Nov 2009 v.2, 1 p
Handout #2 – Initial Release of PMS 900 – NWCG Operating Principles and Guidelines, 44 pp
Handout #3 – PNWCG SC Draft Meeting Notes v.2, 6 pp
Handout #4 – Briefing Information Paper, IT Support for NW IMT’s, 2 p
Handout #5 – PNWCG Adopt an IMT, 1 p
Handout #6 – NWCC Space Request, 1 p
Handout #7 – NW Geographic Are FPA Advisory Council Charter, 5 pp
Handout #8 – Pacific NW FPA Advisory Council, Annual Operating Plan, 4 pp
Handout #9 – Charter Draft Fuels Management Working Team, 3 pp
Handout #10 – Joint Fuels Management (Fuels) & NFP Grants Working Team, 3 pp
Handout #11 – Fuels Management Working Team, Proposed 2010 Program of Work, 1 p
Handout #12 – Task Order 0901-01 Planning & Logistics for the SC/WT Workshop, 3 pp
Handout #13 – Aviation Safety Manager Team, Task Order 0904-02, 4 pp
Handout #14 – Pacific NW Consortium for Enhanced Fire Science Delivery & Adoption, 4 pp
PNWCG SC Meeting November 13, 2009 pg 6