PNWCG Steering Committee Minutes
2/l 7199
Cory Winnie - BIA
Terry Hueth - BLM - Chair
Dennis Macomber - FWS
Mike Ziolko - ODF
Joe Stutler - USFS
Jonh Boro - ODF
Bob Anderson - Washington State Fire Chiefs
1. Minutes of the January 7 meeting were approved as read.
2. Incident management team participation with Alaska - John Bore/Joe Stutler
PNWCG approved the concept of integrating personnel from AK/NW Areas on to the three
area national incident management teams. The Operations Working Team was given the task
of establishing the team selection process and reporting back to the steering committee with
recommendations at the April 14 meeting.
3. Sub-geographic area meeting attendance by steering committee members.
The steering committee appointed liaisons to the sub-geographic area coordination groups.
These members will represent the steering committee at local coordination group meetings in
the NW Area.
4.
Working team programs of work.
A last call was made for programs of work from the various working teams. Programs,
including requests for funding from the steering committee, will be approved and prioritized
at the March 10 meeting. Programs with budget items have been received from the Training,
Engine/Tender and Operations working teams, as well as a briefing and funding request from
the Weather working team for the weather station network analysis.
5.
Area response to 3 lo- 1 review.
A letter with the Area response was distributed. (Enclosure # 1)
6.
Strategic planning.
Joe Stutler will advise the steering committee on team makeup and tasks. Teams will discuss
final products at the April 14 meeting.
7.
The training coordinator position at RAC will be re-advertised by BIA by the end of
February.
8.
Next steering committee meeting will be held on April 14 at 0900 at Ft Vancouver NHS.
GE’ l-0-6-100
January21, 1999
.
,
Pacific Northwest W&Wire Coordinating Group
Mr. Don A&y, State Forester
Montana Dept. of Natural Resources
2705 Spurgin Road
Missoula, MT 59804-3199
Dear Mr. Artley:
It has come to the attention of the Paciftc Northwest Wildfire Coordination Group Steering Committee (PNWCG)
that a January 12, 1999, DRAFT version of the new “Kitdland and Prescribed Fire Qualification @teem Guide”,
PMS 3 10-l is currently being reviewed for possible adoption. The PNWCG finds the process and the timeline of
this review of great concern considering a document of such sign&ant impact and importance to wildfire
management agencies at the national, state and local levels.
The method for this review, to our knowledge, involves only one individual from a PNWCG member agency. We
also understand that the deadline for retuming the reviewer’s completed 20-page questionnaire and comments forms
is January 22, 1999. This effectively allows only a few workdays to complete this very important review.
As you may recall, an equally restrictive timeline was associated with the initial phase of the input process in 1997.
and was strongly criticized by our state partners and a number of geographic area groups, including PNWCG. Our
preferred approach in the Pacific Northwest for issues with multi-agency impacts and implications is to deal with
them on an informed interagency basis. For an issue of this magnitude, PNWCG would prefer that NWCG allow for
an interagency review process with adequate time for local input.
Based on the report from our single reviewer, the PNWCG wishes to go on record in support of his recommendation
that the January 12,1999, DRAFT version of the 3 10-I be rejected and that additional review be required following
the modifications noted in his response. While there are significant system improvements contained in the DIUFT,
there are also significant change% both in system language and increased position standards that we feel are
unacceptable and unworkable as “minimum standards” for national mobilization. Further we ask that NWCG allow
all geographic area groups a minimum of six weeks to review and develop an interagency recommendation through
the IOSWT to NWCG on the final version of the 310-l.
We appreciate your consideration of this request. We feel that a review by the agencies that participate in national
mobilization will be important to the continued broad acceptance of the 3 10-l as the national standard
Sincerely,
Clark Seely for
Terry Hueth
PNWCG Chair
V
TH:CWS:bn
cc:
PNWCG Steering Committee
PNWCG Training Wortig Team
PNWCG Operations Working Team
File
Pacific Northwest Coordinating Group
Summary of Action Items
Action Items
YYMM-Item#
Description
Assigned to:
Requested
Date
Status
October 1996
The Operations Working Team will draft
a document that includes the following
proposals and present it to the steering
committee at the January 9 meeting:
1 .Establish the criteria for OH team
positions, availability and dispatching.
Establish guidelines for local
management oversight.
2.Establish guidelines for for mgt.
oversight of area teams similar to those
under which type 1 teams operate.
3.Establish guidelines for a recruitment
process would allow area-wide recruiting
as is done with type 1 teams.
4.Draft a proposal for encouraging the
recruitment of persomlel from Type 2 to
type 1 teams.
Boyes
1 I9197
Recommendations
submitted 1 l/96.
July 1997
The Operations Working Team is
directed to study the number, location,
size and efficiency of 3 agency and 2
state fire caches in the NW Area.
Edrington
Winter 97.
9712-1
Formal request to technology working
Boyes
Recommendation to
contract this survey to
individual or group
outside of the
agencies. Item to be
finalized at Jan 99
meeting.
Letter sent to Tech
Group.(Sinnett)
Ginny Vincent is
webmaster.
Completed
Edrington
On-going.
On-going.
Day
FY99
Job description is
under construction.
Conference call
1 l/24.
team, to develop a web page for
PNWCG.
9712-2
9712-3
97 12-4
9802-5
A directive to the Training Working
Team that addresses the problem of a
lack of candidates for some training
courses.
A proposal to the Rx Fire Working Team
to either use the current agreement
covering the use of contracted resources,
or explore the possibility of writing a
new contract to cover their use.
Operations Working Team will
coordinate with area Incident
Commanders on setting an agenda for
the annual IC meeting. Decision to hold
team meetings during this week will be
left to ICs.
Explore creation of an executive
secretary position within PNWCG.
Collect lists of duties of executive
secretaries of similar wildfire steering
committees and fire boards in other
areas.
Hueth
Macomber
Pacific Northwest Coordinating Group
Summary of Action Items
9803-6
9809-7
9810-8
981 l-9
9812-10
9902- 1 I
Training Working Team directed to
develop the process for implementation
of newly formatted task books in the NW
Area.
Operations Working Team directed to
review the experience requirements for
a type I incident commander (ICT 1) on a
national team. Alternatives to review
include: 1) Accept PNWCG
requirements;2)Use only 3 lo- 1
requirements;3)Use 3 lo- 1, except
require satisfactory performance as a
type II operations chief.
Recommend a system for the
identification and development of future
ICS.
The Contracting Working Team is
directed to develop and recommend
standards for type 2 crews provided
under contract.
The Training Working team is directed
to study the feasibility of implementing
the NPS Fire Management Intern
Program by the year 2000.
Hueth
The Technical Communications Working
Team is directed to prepare for approval
the guidance, procedures and
responsibilities necessary for the
establishment and maintenance of a
dedicated PNWCG web site.
The Operations Working Team is
directed to establish a process for
integrating Alaska and NW Area
personnel on the three Type I lMTs.
Williams
October 1998
Boro/Seely
March 1999
Till
February 1999
Sirmett
February 1999
Williams
April 1999
Completed.