![](media/image1.png){width="0.5799212598425196in"
height="0.7456692913385827in"}

**Congratulations! You want to be an Information Officer (PIO)!**

**[The Incident Command System (ICS):]{.underline}** ICS is used to
manage an emergency incident (like wildland fire, search and rescue,
etc) or a non-emergency event. The information officer reports to the
Incident Commander, who in turn reports to the agency or jurisdictions
responsible for the incident. A good overview of ICS is provided in the
independent study course titled *Introduction to ICS* (I-100) -- go to
<http://training.nwcg.gov/classes/i100.htm> to access this course.

**[What does a Public Information Officer (PIO) do?]{.underline}** A PIO
is responsible for the formulation and release of information about the
incident to the news media, local communities, incident personnel, the
incident management team, other agencies and organizations. As you
progress in your training and development, you may become a Lead
Information Officer, responsible for the management of other PIOs
assigned to the incident.

**[Who is eligible to be a PIO?]{.underline}** Technically, anyone can
become a PIO, but it does require good interpersonal communication
skills and writing skills to meet the needs of the position. There is
training as well as task books associated with the three levels of
public information officers. You can begin locally as a Public
Information Officer (PIOF); if you wish to work regionally or
nationally, you can begin either as a PIOF or as a Public Information
Officer Type 2 (PIOF2). After becoming a PIO2, you can advance in
experience and training to become a Public Information Officer Type 1
(PIO1), which is the most advanced level. *Note:* The PIOF position is
entry level, it is not a prerequisite for higher qualifications, and is
not tied to the complexity of an incident.

**[What do I need to do to start the process and why do I need
training?]{.underline}** First, discuss your interest with your
supervisor. Then, contact your local Fire or Emergency Management
Officer who can initiate your task book. PIOs (who work fire and other
events) are certified through the completion of requirements listed in
the *Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide*. At first glance, the
requirements may seem arduous, but the skills developed will serve you
well on a daily basis. Training and qualifications are completed through
four avenues: Training Courses, which provide specific background
knowledge; Position Task Books, which contain tasks, required to perform
the job; Job Aids, to provide ready reference; and finally Agency
Certification, which provides the documentation certifying that the
individual is qualified to perform in the specific job. (This is the
responsibility of the employing agency.)

**[Information Officer Position Task Books:]{.underline}** Your home
unit must initiate the task book. Position Task Books are available on
the National Wildfire Coordinating Group website at
[http://www.nwcg.gov](http://www.nwcg.gov/) - Click on *Publications*,
then *Taskbooks*. Within Taskbooks, scroll down to *Command and General
Staff*, to find the PIO task books. To begin as a PIOF, there is no
required training. Prior to initiating the PIO2 task book, Introduction
to Wildland Fire Behavior (S-190) must be completed.

**[Physical Fitness Requirements:]{.underline}** Typically, a PIO has no
physical fitness requirements to hold that position, **UNLESS** that PIO
will be expected to visit the fireline with media, dignitaries, etc.
This would be a typical occurrence on most incidents; therefore, a light
duty fitness test would be required -- walking 1 mile in 16 minutes.

**[The Next Step:]{.underline}** If you are working toward certification
as a PIOF, you will receive a qualifications card that states you are a
PIOF(t) (Public Information Officer Trainee); as a Type 2 trainee, your
qualifications card would read PIO2(t). When any task book is completed,
your home unit will finalize your certification. You should receive an
Incident Qualifications and Certification System card (IQCS card or Red
Card) from your park or regional Fire Management Officer to state that
you are qualified as a Public Information Officer -- this will be
required to go on the fireline on incidents. You must also be registered
in the ROSS (Resource Ordering and Status System). Check with your local
unit protocol on how to be added to ROSS.

**[NPS Information Officer Database:]{.underline}**
<http://www.nps.gov/fire/utility/uti_abo_informationofficer.cfm> the
database offers you an opportunity to add your relevant information so
you may be name requested on an incident (you must also be in the ROSS
system) as well as a way to locate National Park Service information
officers should you need them. To add your record, go to the website
listed above and click on the link "**Add, Change, or Delete IO
Record**" located in the dark grey area on the right side of the page.
You must have an NPS web-based Lotus Notes login and password to use
this feature.

**Reference:** *Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide* PMS 310-1,
NFES 1414.

![](media/image1.png){width="0.5798611111111112in"
height="0.7458333333333333in"}

**[Information Officer - Position Qualifications]{.underline}**

+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
|                 | **[Public       | **[Public       | **[Public       |
|                 | Information     | Information     | Information     |
|                 | Offic           | Officer         | Officer         |
|                 | er]{.underline} | 2]{.underline}  | 1]{.underline}  |
|                 | ([PIOF]         | ([PIO2]         | ([PIO1]         |
|                 | {.underline})** | {.underline})** | {.underline})** |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| **[Required     | None            | -               | -   Advanced    |
| Training        |                 |    Introduction |     Incident    |
| ]{.underline}** |                 |     to Wildland |     Management  |
|                 |                 |     Fire        |     (S-520)     |
|                 |                 |     Behavior    |                 |
|                 |                 |     (S-190)     |                 |
|                 |                 |                 |                 |
|                 |                 | -   Command &   |                 |
|                 |                 |     General     |                 |
|                 |                 |     Staff\      |                 |
|                 |                 |     (S-420)     |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| **[Other        | -               | -   Advanced    | -   No          |
| Training Which  |    Intermediate |     ICS (I-400) |     additional  |
| Supports        |     ICS (I-300) |                 |                 |
| Development     |                 | -   Incident    |                 |
| of              | -   Human       |     Information |                 |
| ]{.underline}** |     Factors on  |     Officer     |                 |
|                 |     the         |     (S-403)     |                 |
| **[Knowledge    |     Fireline    |                 |                 |
| and             |     (L-180)     |                 |                 |
| SKills          |                 |                 |                 |
| ]{.underline}** | -               |                 |                 |
|                 |    Introduction |                 |                 |
|                 |     to Incident |                 |                 |
|                 |     Information |                 |                 |
|                 |     (S-203)     |                 |                 |
|                 |                 |                 |                 |
|                 | -   Basic       |                 |                 |
|                 |     Wildland    |                 |                 |
|                 |     Fire        |                 |                 |
|                 |     Orientation |                 |                 |
|                 |     (S-110)     |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| **[Required     | -   Successful  | -   Successful  | -               |
| Experience      |     position    |     position    |    Satisfactory |
| ]{.underline}** |     performance |     performance |     performance |
|                 |     as a Public |     as a Public |     as a Public |
|                 |     Information |     Information |     Information |
|                 |     Officer     |     Officer     |     Officer     |
|                 |     (PIOF).     |     Type 2      |     Type 2      |
|                 |                 |     (PIO2).     |     (PIO2).     |
|                 |                 |                 |                 |
|                 |                 | -   Please      | \+              |
|                 |                 |     note: *The  |                 |
|                 |                 |     Public      | -   Successful  |
|                 |                 |     Information |     position    |
|                 |                 |     Officer     |     performance |
|                 |                 |     (PIOF)      |     as a Public |
|                 |                 |     position is |     Information |
|                 |                 |     not a       |     Officer     |
|                 |                 |                 |     Type 1      |
|                 |                 |    prerequisite |     (PIO1).     |
|                 |                 |     to the NWCG |                 |
|                 |                 |     Public      |                 |
|                 |                 |     Information |                 |
|                 |                 |     Officer     |                 |
|                 |                 |     Type 2      |                 |
|                 |                 |     (PIO2)      |                 |
|                 |                 |     position.*  |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| **[Physical     | Light Duty\*    | Light Duty\*    | Light Duty\*    |
| Fitness         |                 |                 |                 |
| ]{.underline}** |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| **[Other        | Public          | -   Public      | Public          |
| Position        | Information     |     Information | Information     |
| Assignments     | Officer Type 2  |     Officer     | Officer Type 2  |
| that Will       | (PIO2)          |     (PIOF)      | (PIO2)          |
| Maintain        |                 |                 |                 |
| Currency        |                 | -   Any higher  |                 |
| ]{.underline}** |                 |     position    |                 |
|                 |                 |     for which   |                 |
|                 |                 |     this        |                 |
|                 |                 |     position is |                 |
|                 |                 |     a           |                 |
|                 |                 |                 |                 |
|                 |                 |    prerequisite |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

[From]{.underline}: National Interagency Incident Management System
*Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide*

April 2006, Publication Management System 310-1, NFES 1414\
\* See Publication Management System 310-1; Position Qualifications,
page 8 -- "Physical Fitness Levels"