PNW Fire Environment Advisory Council
Spring Meeting: March 25 and 26, 2010
In Attendance: Dan O’Brien, Steve Todd, Todd Rankin, Louisa Evers, Teresa Vonn, Brian Potter, Deb Roy
(Deb on 3/26 only).
March 25th
I.
Overview of Fire Behavior Workshop
The group was pleased, overall, with how the workshop went. Evaluations were very positive. Some
highlights:
 Hit a bit of a bump on Day 2 of the workshop in the FARSITE section—this was handed off from
Jenny R. to Jason L. (Jenny was sick) and so there was some catch up to do.
 Todd R and Jason L also talked about the spread of technical ability in the class…felt maybe in
the future it would be better to simply have models illustrated and students follow along.
 Students felt a bit lost in the FBAN portion of the workshop…panel speakers tended to lecture
about the FBAN job.
 LTAN portion went better…Panel tended to relate anecdotes rather than lecture.
 Students had a desire for greater attention paid to Rx fire and how to use models in support of
analysis and planning.
Items to consider for future sessions:
 Target specific audience with a specific training (seems like a no brainer, this…but it also
illustrates the need for “remedial” modeling courses as opposed to a workshop, which implies a
level of skill).
 Alternate years so the workshop can focus on either recruitment (limited student capability) or
continuing ed from practicing analysts.
 Overlapping workshops so that continuing ed “fades” into a recruitment workshop; use
presentation of case studies as the transition segment of the course.
Action items:
 White Paper: Develop a support network for analysts and tech specialists that integrates with
Fire Behavior ‘S’ courses; curriculum would illustrate knowledge/application/career pathways
enabled by the training. (Todd R/Dan O’B)
 Push issue up to Nat’l FENC (Dan O’B or John S)
 Develop new workshop structure and agenda (Group). Engage Janean Crighton for insights to
how best to structure curriculum (Brian P).
II.
Overview of Decision Support Roundtable
Went well overall. Highlights:
 Didn’t quite meet the expectations of developing business rules governing Long Term
Assessments, or their development in WFDSS.
 Agency Administrators liked the idea of building “strategic breathing space” that would inform
decision-making early on…fill in or fine tune info later on with LTA. (Bill Aney/Dan O’Brien
setting up protocols to do this in 2010)
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Much discussion about the gray area of LTA’s with respect to FENC’s mission. What’s inclusive
of the fire environment and what isn’t? Elements of risk assessment, however they fall out in
the assessment, FENC concerns.
Much discussion concerning the best venue for eliciting information from agency
administrators…do we tag onto existing AAR’s and meetings (group: No, generally) or set up our
own venues (group: YES)?
Much discussion about facilitating meetings with AA’s, facilitation exercises that would elicit
genuine concerns, issues, perspectives, perceptions, as opposed to leading them to conclusions.
Decision: Maintain AA meet independent of other venues.
Action Items:
 Develop innovative venues for the next AA roundtable. Adult Ed facilitators (Janean C?) or “staff
ride” the LTA process.
III.
Charter and Strategic Intent Updates
Remainder of the day was spent updating these documents.
March 26
IV.
Charter and Strategic Intent Update
Final edits and document review.
V.
Strategic Plan
Drafted “Guiding Principles” and program goals. Developed objectives for each goal, then at least one
example each of Critical Success Factors/Barriers/Strategies so that group could work independently on
completing the plan…this allowed us to get through the agenda in allotted time.
Action Item:
 Completed plan input returned to Dan O’B by July 1 for compilation and review.
VI.
Selecting New Leadership
FENC Chair: Dan O’Brien, by unanimous vote.
FENC Vice-Chair: Teresa Vonn, by unanimous vote.
Group discussed contingencies of the chair stepping down and whether this should be written into
Strategic Intent. It was suggested, and generally agreed upon, that the group would deal with the
matter as it occurred. In the meantime, governance docs already note that the Vice-Chair steps up in
the Chairs absence.
VII.
Other Business
Brian Potter: GOOGLE is our best “one-stop shopping” for fire behavior info. Problem is know how to
sift available info. Need to develop a comprehensive search guide.
Action Item:
 Brian P/Louisa E will draft a search guide for narrowing fire environment topics in GOOGLE or
other search engines. FENC will review at Fall Meeting.
 Set up evaluation of guide—FENC and others. If guide works out, promote it.
Louisa Evers: Presented CMAP(?), a tool for diagramming fire behavior events/effects for causal
relations. Group discussed its potential uses in LTA’s, case study catalogues. Other uses.
Next Meeting: Conference call on July 2—updates on Action Items and other business.