Larry Van Bussum
National Fire Weather Operations
Coordinator
OS-22 Fire Weather
• No Rotation/Plan
• No requirement for personal availability
from IMETs
• Historically run critically low during height
of fire season
• Availability Calendar = 70% available
• IMET Status Report = 35%
?
• Need for program to have enough IMETs
to support mission at any time
• Need for management to plan
• Need for IMET to get opportunities to go
out
• Need for IMET to get opportunities to take
summer vacation
Office
BOI
BYZ
EKA
FGZ
GGW
HNX
LKN
LOX
MFR
MSO
MTR
OTX
PDT
PIH
PSR
PQR
REV
SEW
SGX
SLC
STO
TFX
TWC
VEF
MAR Positions
2
1
1
1
0
2
0
0
2
2
0
2
2
1
0
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
Staff
12
11
11
11
10
11
10
12
11
12
11
11
12
10
10
12
11
12
11
11
12
11
10
10
CYS
BOU
MPX
LMK
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
10
11
10
NA
sum
27
• MAR staffing:
– Should always have someone “Active”:
• BOI, MSO, PDT, PQR, SEW
– Have 12+ base Met staff and were given 2 Fire MAR positions
– Should always have someone either “Active”
or in “Reserve”:
• BOI, MSO, PDT, PQR, SEW, BYZ, EKA, FGZ, HNX,
MFR, OTX, REV, SGX, SLC, STO, TFX, BOU
– Have 11 base met positions and were given 1 or 2 fire MAR positions
• Remainder rotate through 3 rotations
Red Group
Strike Team Alpha
BOI*
MSO*
PDT*
PQR*
SEW*
Strike Team Bravo
HNX**
BYZ**
EKA**
FGZ**
Strike Team Charlie
Gold Group
Blue Group
Strike Team Alpha
BOI*
MSO*
PDT*
PQR*
SEW*
Strike Team Bravo
Strike Team Alpha
BOI*
MSO*
PDT*
PQR*
SEW*
Strike Team Bravo
Strike Team Charlie
Strike Team Delta
Strike Team Charlie
SGX**
MFR**
OTX**
REV**
Strike Team Delta
Strike Team Echo
LBF
MTR
BIS
VEF
Strike Team Fox
CLE
PSR
EPZ
MQT
Strike Team Gulf
FWD
JAN
RNK
JAX
MFL
Strike Team Echo
GJT
LOX
PIH
RIW
Strike Team Fox
ILN
TWC
MAF
BTV
Strike Team Gulf
HGX
PAH
MHX
MLB
HFO
22
22
Strike Team Delta
BOU**
SLC**
STO**
TFX**
Strike Team Echo
PUB
GGW
LKN
CYS
Strike Team Fox
ILM
ABQ
DLH
BGM
Strike Team Gulf
LZK
JKL
CHS
TBW
21
2015 Pay Period (dates) (10
year average/Max ever out 8813)
Active Group
Reserve Group
Inactive Group
1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23)
GOLD
BLUE
15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27)
BLUE
RED
RED
GOLD
16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8)
RED
GOLD
BLUE
23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7)
GOLD
BLUE
RED
24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4)
BLUE
RED
GOLD
RED
GOLD
BLUE
GOLD
25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2)
26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2)
BLUE
RED
• Active
– All Strike Teams in Group available for
immediate dispatch. NFWOC may standdown selected Strike Teams when fire activity
or potential is low.
• Reserve
– National PL 1 – 3: No restrictions, deployment
unlikely. If it appears Active Group will be tapped out,
will notify select Strike Teams of possible activation
with as much heads up as possible.
– National PL 4 – 5: Select Strike Teams may be
activated (by rotation). This would require possible
cancellation of leave if IMET needs to be called up.
• Inactive
– National PL 1-3: No restrictions. Deployment
unlikely.
– National PL 4-5: Generally no restrictions
unless Reserve Group fully activated. Will
notify select Strike Teams of possible activation
with as much heads up as possible.
• Active rotation by proximity/needs, not “down the list”
• Flexibility in activating Strike Teams that are proximate to
fire activity and standing down those that will likely be
unneeded.
• NFWOC will assist MIC in finding coverage for times
when office can’t cover Active rotation.
• Can have IMET dispatched any time in Active 2 week
period (so may be out beyond active period)
• Annual rotation rotates (won’t always have to cover the
same 2 week periods year after year)
2015 Pay Period (dates) (10
year average/Max ever out 8813)
Active Group
Reserve Group
Inactive Group
1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3)
RED (G)
RED (F)
RED (A,B,E), GOLD, BLUE
2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3)
GOLD (F)
GOLD (G)
GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE, RED
3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3)
BLUE (G)
BLUE (F)
BLUE (A, D, E), RED, GOLD
4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4)
RED (F)
RED (G)
RED (A, B, E), GOLD, BLUE
5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3)
GOLD (G)
GOLD (E)
GOLD (A, C, F), BLUE, RED
6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3)
BLUE (F)
BLUE (E)
BLUE (A, D, G), RED, GOLD
7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4)
RED (E)
RED (B)
RED (A, F, G), GOLD, BLUE
8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8)
GOLD (F)
GOLD (A)
GOLD (C, E, G), BLUE, RED
9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12)
BLUE (E, F)
BLUE (D)
BLUE (A, G), RED, GOLD
10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14)
RED (B, G)
RED (A, F)
RED (E), GOLD, BLUE
11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11)
GOLD (C, E)
GOLD (F)
GOLD (A,G), BLUE, RED
12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22)
BLUE (A, F, G)
BLUE (D, E), RED (E)
RED (A, B, F, G), GOLD, BLUE
13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28)
RED (A, B, E, F, G)
GOLD (F, G)
GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE
14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23)
GOLD (A, C, E, F, G)
BLUE (E)
BLUE (A, D, F, G), RED
15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27)
BLUE (A, D, E, F, G)
RED (B, E)
RED (A, F, G), GOLD, BLUE
16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31)
RED (A, B, E, F, G)
GOLD (E, F, G)
GOLD (A, C), BLUE
17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34)
GOLD (A, C, E, F, G)
BLUE (D, E, F, G)
BLUE (A), RED
18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32)
BLUE (A, D, E, F, G)
RED (B, F, G)
RED (A), GOLD
19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19)
RED (A, B, G)
RED (E, F)
GOLD, BLUE
20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8)
GOLD (C, E)
GOLD (F)
GOLD (A, G), BLUE, RED
21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9)
BLUE (D, G)
BLUE (E)
BLUE (A, F), RED, GOLD
22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8)
RED (E)
RED (A)
RED (B, G, F), GOLD, BLUE
23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7)
GOLD (G)
GOLD (C)
GOLD (A, E, F), BLUE, RED
24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4)
BLUE (A)
BLUE (G)
BLUE (D, E, F), RED, GOLD
25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2)
26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2)
RED (B)
GOLD (F)
RED (G)
GOLD (C)
RED (A, E, F), GOLD, BLUE
GOLD (A, E, G), BLUE, RED
•
•
•
•
•
•
By Pay Period
Able to plan months ahead
Ensures availability
Ensures each office contributing
Flexible
Similar to rotation at NIFC for their incident
management teams
• “Why run this all year, why not just during
the busy fire season?”
– By using the rotation plan all year, it promotes
comfort in using the system. In addition,
while incidents during the winter holidays are
rare, they do occur and this ensures that there
will be an IMET available during the holiday
season should an incident happen. It will not
be the same office/IMET every year.
• What about leave (IMET)?
– The IMET program is voluntary and as such
part of volunteering is that one volunteers to
commit to supporting the mission, especially
during peak fire season. Right now that
expectation is 365 days a year. With this new
plan, there is actually many more windows of
opportunity to take leave while still ensuring
the mission is supported.
• What about leave (staff)?
– As much leave should be granted that ensures
the employees’ right to leave while still
supporting the mission of the NWS. This
pertains to fire as well, and we have a mission
to support fire. We have a responsibility to
staff in a way that we ensure that availability.
Currently we ask office to ensure this 365 days
a year, which is unrealistic. This plan allows
windows of opportunity while still supporting
the NWS mission.
• “What if my office is short staffed? What
about midnight shifts?”
– Currently we ask IMETs to be available any
time. Under the new plan, midnight shifts
could be planned around times when the
IMET is scheduled to be on rotation. If the
office is short staffed due to vacancies, they
can work with the NFWOC in Boise to find a
replacement from the “Bullpen”.
• How do you want me to schedule shifts
and leave around this plan?
– Just as you would for any other “season” that you
must plan for (Severe, flooding, tropical, etc.) Given
that it is peak summer leave season, you should grant
as much leave as you can while still ensuring that if
your office is called upon for an IMET, you can fulfill
the mission. Shifts should be planned so that the
IMET is easily taken out of rotation and backed up
with minimal disruption to the remaining staff.
• Keep in mind, the OT at the office is paid by the fire agencies,
so this allows a bit more leeway in covering shifts (especially
for those willing to work voluntary OT and/or Double Shifts).