PNWCG Steering Committee
June 19, 2002
Meeting Minutes
Attendees:
Skip Simmons, DNR
Earl Cordes, Jefferson County Fire/OR Fire Service
Bill Lafferty, ODF OR
Barbara Kennedy, SORO
Nancy Orr, State Fire Marshall’s Office
Bob Appling, NPS
Gary Cook, OPS WT
Mike Dykzeul, OFIC
Jerry Williams, BLM
Laurie Perrett, USFS
Gerry Day, NWCC
Pam Ensley, USF&W
Cory Winnie, BIA
 NWCG Meeting, Whitefish MT – Bill Lafferty
Bill attended the meeting in which they discussed what role the Geographic Areas
should play. A draft charter is expected in July and should be finalized by the
September NWCG meeting. The PNWCG chair should sit on advisory group to
communicate and attend NWCG meetings. Decision flow chart is not working well
and needs to be revised and placed on website.
Type 2 crew standards were raised requiring more radios, etc. Crew types are
complex and confusing. The IOS WT is not satisfied with product and feel that more
work needs to be done. IMT teams need to know how to manage crews. Postponed
need for type 3 crew radio requirements due to wires getting crossed with SRV crews.
Crew requirements need to be revised for distribution. Other regions differ from the
PNW. IMT configuration will not be decided until the fall. Jim Payne is working on
the interagency response to the 30-mile action plan. The NWCG charter also needs to
be revised.
Decision: Two letters to be drafted, one on crew typing issues and the other on the
communication and decision process, including decision-making matrix. These are to
be drafted by Barbara Kennedy with Bill Lafferty’s assistance for Bob Anderson’s
signature by the July 17th meeting.
 NWCG Correspondence Distribution Process – Barbara Kennedy
NWCG items are going to Bob Anderson. His intension is to send them to PNWCG
members for them to then distribute. Laurie suggested that if someone has a problem
with something distributed by the NWCG, that the member(s) have a conference call
to discuss it. Barbara will make sure that everyone is on Bob’s mailing list.

Operations Working Team Recommendations – Dave Cook
o Night Mobilizations (handout given)
Dave recommended adding to the end of the first sentence “unless a threat to
imminent life exists”. Gerry Day brought up the point of who decides what
imminent life is. Everyone agreed to adopt as written with the recommended
revision, review it again at the end of fire season. All supported with the
exception of Bill Lafferty who said that it was not complete enough to support
and had concerns that teams will not have the support they need once they
arrive, and ODF will continue to follow their own dispatching policy. Pam
Ensley said that it creates issues but is worth working on, she supports it in
WA and OR.
o
IMT 50-O Numbers (copy of Bob’s letter handed out)
All agencies strongly felt that they all had to stand behind Bob Anderson’s
May 22, 2002 letter from PNWCG to NWCG to keep 50-O numbers as is.
This will leave the Pacific Northwest standing alone on this issue. Dave noted
that a National IC said that if they did not have 50 they would turn down an
assignment. Bill Lafferty suggested negotiating every deployment but leave
50-Os as is, and do nothing instead of the PNW trying to force their way on
others.
o
Helicopter Managers
Since this has already been implemented due to lack of time to respond, the
OPS WT had no recommendation. Before system was implemented, there
were 20 qualified, after it was implemented there was only one. The system
was updated and there are now 20 again. The OPS WT has concerns about
non-fire managers coming into fire positions.
o
NW Preparedness Plan (copy of plan handed out)
Consensus was to support the plan, which will be finalized by Gerry Day,
with the following recommended changes:
1. Page 1, 3rd paragraph first sentence
2. Page 2, 4d
3. Page 4, “Assigned to” column added
Pam will distribute to all PNWCG members along with a cover letter for each
member to distribute.
o
Disengagement Threshold Chart (included in handout letter drafted to Tom
Leuschens from PNWCG)
The OPS WT looked at the Disengagement Threshold Chart (outcome of 30
Mile). The FS and BLM do not support Leuschens idea. Skip from DNR felt
that something is needed due to the level of experience of fire personnel.
Everyone agreed that the chart needs to be valid and not just another tool that
adds to what we already have; it is more of a management tool and not a strict
policy. There was also discussion regarding the data being incorrect. The
idea needs to be validated, and is it really something that is needed. There
will be field-testing in Okanogan/Wenatchee this summer supported by
Sonny.
Decision: Review TI assignments led by Jerry Williams.

National Fire Plan Coordinator Position – Laurie Perrett
Margaret Peterson of the FS will fill in for the short term starting the end of June.
For the long term, Laurie was told by agency administrators at BLM and FS that
they have people in mind for the position. They will fund the position, which will
be high level, possibly non-fire, and will be a full-time job requiring a two-year
commitment. The group supports Laurie’s suggestion to have faith in the
FS/BLM that they will find an acceptable replacement.

Master Agreement – Barbara Kennedy
Plan needs to be revised next year, as it will be the plan’s fifth year. PNWCG
needs to decide whether or not to include new members, possibly the Fire Service.

2002 Operating Plan Revision – Barbara Kennedy
Barbara Kennedy will send a copy of the last Operating Plan to all members and
give an idea of what to look at. Each agency needs to provide input; Barbara
cannot do this task alone.
Action: Barbara, Gerry Day, Cory Winnie, and Mark Forbes, National Park
Service to meet and discuss plan on 7/16/02.

MAC Training – Laurie Perrett
o Over 30 people attended
o Critiques were good
o In terms of adjustment – take advantage of agencies there to discuss agency
missions
o Keep exercise in, it went very well
o Stay with basic format
o Blue handbook needs to be revised by Gerry Day
o Get possible new or additional MAC coordinators to Gerry Day – ASAP
o Mike will take slide package to Boise

30-mile Update – Laurie Perrett
Proposed administrative action letter given to those in Okanogan and Wenatchee
who were involved in tragedy. An administrative review team worked from
December – May interviewing and re-interviewing people to create a report. The
FS is trying to keep proposed actions confidential. On July 11th a day after the
anniversary, there will be a dedication ceremony on site, to be held mid-day. July
10th will be a private dedication for family members. The FS is required to give
an update on 30-mile every sixty days.

Status on Contract Crew Issues – Bill Lafferty
Last Fall ODF brought up the poor administration of contract crews of which
there are currently 250. It is not being monitored to the extent that it needs to be.
We need to look for ways to cover costs of the contracts administration. The
Contract WT is looking for data on how much time is spent working on it to make
sure that the contract is met. In March, Alex Polasky of the Oregonian, took
interest in allegations of some fraud, alcohol and drug use. Oregon OSHA will
meet with ODF on July 3rd, regarding the list of uninvestigated allegations and to
understand each others roles.
Decision: Bob Heaton (CWT Chair) will be asked by Laurie and Jerry, to help
build a draft task order for the Contract WT to give recommendations on
alternatives to administer the contract. This is to be completed by the November
meeting.

National Guard Training in Oregon – Bill Lafferty
Last year all funds (plus some) were spent. Need to find a way of getting people
trained before a crisis, they need the full 130/190 course, a refresher won’t be
enough. Question rose of how will it be done and how will it be funded? It could
possibly be located near Bend, OR. By getting training done ahead of a crisis,
$30,000-$40,000 could potentially be saved. The cost is still $400,000-$500,000
to train 20 crews, although there may not be 20 crews available this year and need
to check with the NG. The severity funds used in past years, has been 100% for
FS/BLM. Congress reduced suppression funds this fiscal year.
Decision: Everyone supported flushing out concept and what kind of
documentation to submit to make a request for funds. Need to get 2000 severity
request for revision.
Agenda Items held over for July 17th meeting:
 Department of Energy participation in PNWCG – Bob Anderson
 Status of outstanding task orders – Bob Anderson
 Task orders to implement Strategic Plan – Bob Anderson