Pacific NW Fire Environment Council
Conference Call Notes: Sept 8, 2010
Attendees:
Dan O’Brien
Julia Ruthford (for Steve Todd, NWS)
Brian Potter
Teresa Vonn
Krisann Kosel
John Saltenberger
Deb Roy
Brett Fay
Paul Schlobohm (Branch Director, Equipment & Technology)
Kelly Martin (Chair, Fire Environment Committee)
1. Paul Schlobohm—E&T Branch coordinates efforts of the committees within the Branch and with
those in other branches. With regard to Fire Environment Committee:
a. One committee that’s responsible for a wide range of activities (by virtue of its makeup—an aggregate of subcommittees—NFDRS, Predictive Services, Fire Wx, Fire
Behavior, etc.)
b. Provides input
c. Draw information from the ground
d. Feedback to policy directives
e. Validate programs and directives
f. Testbed for ideas/pilot programs
g. Outstanding FENC task—RAWS network assessment
h. With NWCG reorg, expect more guidance to committees/sub-committees.
2. Kelly Martin—Fire Environment Committee is a diverse group of people from a variety of
subcommittees:
a. Currently revalidating strategic plan, adjusting for comments from the field.
b. 3 goals--i. Tap skills of the sub-committees
ii. Communicate strategic vision of the NWCG Executive Board
iii. Direct local efforts into NWCG strategic vision.
3. Dan O’Brien—PNW Fire Environment Council
a. Began as an analog to the National committee
b. Initially focused on technology, tech-transfer
c. Shifted scope to include training, skill development, successional planning
d. High interest in developing direct links with National groups
4. Discussion Points
a. Brett: Branch/FENC relationship w/National Fire Decision Support Center?
i. Informal only. A “bit of a conundrum.”
b. No relationship with GETA (Google Earth Technology and Analysis) Group.
D.O’Brien: Sept 10, 2010
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c. Incorporating Regional Groups into FENC
i. Tie Regional Groups to the committee rather than have multiple connections
with sub-committees.
ii. Regional initiatives—how do they meet National initiatives/benchmarks, such as
case studies, briefing papers…an ability to show cost/benefit.
d. Formalizing FENC—PNW FENC relationship fairly simple, an adjustment to charter,
intent.
PNW FENC Program of Work—Much discussion surrounding how to express strategies in terms
of a program of work. The group settled on developing list of needed/desirable projects and
outcomes and then developing a program of work based on how the list settles into strategic
priorities:
a. ACTION ITEM: Brian Potter will develop a task statement that addresses feedback
mechanisms for existing analysis methods/technologies.
b. ACTION ITEM: Todd Rankin, Teresa Vonn, and Krisann Kosel will review observations
and evaluations from last January’s workshop and return actionable items to the group.
c. ACTION ITEM: Dan O’Brien will meet with NIMO, NFDSC, WFDSS to draw issues from
their actions this past fire season.
John Saltenberger—will represent PNW FENC and a number of other groups at the Fire Behavior
Conference in Spokane this fall. Announced that all S-590 students passed the course this
spring.
Brian Potter—Drafting a Decision-maker’s Guide:
a. One-stop shops (web-pages having links to a variety of sites addressing a common
focus) can’t beat Google for breadth of information
b. Need to frame out process for people to conduct focused and comprehensive searches
in order to get the information they need.
c. ACTION ITEM: Dan will work with Brian to develop an appropriate format for the guide
and processes for dissemination.
Next meeting—Sometime in November
a. ACTION ITEM: Dan will set up a Doodle scheduler.
End.
D.O’Brien: Sept 10, 2010