POLICY AND PROCEDURES
Title:
Forest
Management
Division
WILDFIRE TRAINING FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Number
Page(s)
141
1 of 2
Date Approved:
October 22, 1999
A. AUTHORIZATION/REFERENCE
THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, ACT NO. 451 OF THE PUBLIC ACTS
OF 1994, BEING SECTIONS 324.101 TO 324.90106 OF THE MICHIGAN COMPILED LAWS ANNOTATED:
PART 5 GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES – MCLA 324.501 TO 324.511
PART 515 PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF FOREST FIRES – MCLA 324.51501 TO 324.51514
PART 517 PREVENTION OF FOREST FIRES – MCLA 324.51701 TO 324.51702
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION POLICY NO. 2207 AND DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL RESOURCES PROCEDURE NO. 2207.7
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION POLICY NO. 4201
RELATED FOREST MANAGEMENT DIVISION POLICY AND PROCEDURES NO. 521 AND NO. 533
B. POLICY
The Forest Management Division recognizes the value and importance of local fire departments cooperating in the
protection of Michigan forest from fire. To assure uniform understanding and an effective approach to the prevention
and control of wildfire, qualified instructors of the Forest Management Division will present to firemen serving local
units of government the Basic Wildfire Course and other wildland fire courses, as certified by the Fire Fighters'
Training Council.
C. EXPLANATION
In l975 at the request of the Michigan Fire Fighters' Training Council (FFTC), a Basic Wildfire Course was prepared
by the Forest Management Division and certified by the FFTC as the initial wildfire training course for firemen serving
local units of government in Michigan. In 1998, the FFTC certified S130 - Basic Firefigher, S190 - Intro to Wildland
Fire Behavior, and S205 - Fire Operations in the Urban Interface. The Six-Hour Basic Wildfire Course is an initial
phase of standardized course development for firemen. The S130/S190 series is meant to supplement, not replace
the Basic Six-Hour Wildfire Course. Training programs developed by fire officers for their respective areas may
continue to be used in addition to the Basic Six-Hour Wildfire Course.
D. PROCEDURE
1.
2.
Instructor Qualifications
a.
To serve as an instructor for this program, an instructor should have completed an instructor training
course -- preferably the Facilitative Instructor Course.
b.
An instructor must have participated as a student in any course he/she intends to instruct.
c.
Each new instructor must be evaluated by his/her supervisor, other qualified instructor or FFTC
instructor, following his/her initial presentation of the course.
d.
Forest Management Division instructors who have met the above qualifications, and after successfully
making presentations, may submit a "Wildland Fire Training Instructor Application" (MSP-FMD-208)
(Appendix A) to the Michigan Fire Fighters' Training Council for certification. This application form is to
be routed through the employee's immediate supervisor to the Resource Protection Section.
e.
Non-certified instructors may be used as "subject matter experts" as long as a certified course instructor
is present when the subject matter expert is instructing.
Requests for instruction may be received from a fire chief, a county training committee, or FFTC Regional
Coordinator. Course applications must be filed with the FFTC Regional Coordinator six weeks prior to the
desired date.
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
Forest
Management
Division
Title:
WILDFIRE TRAINING FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Number
Page(s)
141
2 of 2
Date Approved:
October 22, 1999
3.
Upon receipt of a course application, the FFTC will provide the instructor of record with all necessary forms,
including an "Exam Answer Sheet" for each student. Each student must return an "Exam Answer Sheet" to
receive credit for the course, whether or not an exam was given--these sheets are used for tracking each
student. After each presentation, the DNR instructor will complete the necessary forms and forward them
along with each students exam sheet, to the FFTC office within 30 days of the end of the course.
4.
If a request is made to the FFTC office, FFTC will contact a Regional Coordinator. The coordinator will arrange
for an instructor and for time, date, and location.
5.
If a Forest Management field employee receives the request, he/she will coordinate the appropriate FFTC
Regional Coordinator.
6.
Class size should be at least fifteen members but not more than thirty. Arrangements must be made for
additional instructors for classes larger than thirty. Trainees must be present for 90% of the course.
7.
It is expected that Forest Management Division personnel teaching wildfire courses to fire departments will do
so on department time, and in department uniform. Since FFTC funds are only to be used for instructor
salaries and travel, FFTC funds will not be used for any FFTC-certified wildland fire course we provide.
8.
Class tuition should be charged to cover the department's costs for materials, facilities, refreshments, etc.
Tuition charges are to be processed through MAIN by providing the student's name, mailing address, and
social security number to local accounting personnel, who will enter this information into MAIN as an account
receivable. MAIN will then issue a bill to the student for the class fees.
9.
FFTC policy is that instructors and students must be free of facial hair in the area of the face that contacts the
sealing surface of an SCBA facepiece. Adjacent facial hair must be short enough to not interfere with the
sealing surface of the SCBA facepiece. Forest Management Division instructors will comply with this policy.
FMD personnel whose facial hair is not in compliance with this policy will not be involved in instructing wildfire
training to fire department personnel.
10.
While each instructor is encouraged to include his/her personal experience and to adopt his/her presentation to
local needs, every effort should be made to keep the basic program of each course intact.
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1. (DATE UNKNOWN) ORIGINAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES NO. 140-1 THROUGH 140-2 ADOPTED.
2. APRIL, 1994 POLICY AND PROCEDURES NUMBER CHANGED TO NO. 141
3. OCTOBER 22, 1999, POLICY AND PROCEDURES NO. 141 REVISED TO REFLECT CURRENT STATUTES,
POLICIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.