**2005 Update**

Last year's Spring Leadership Training Camp was a great success both
functionally and with the results achieved at the conclusion of camp and
throughout the fire season. The operations staff felt it absolutely
necessary to continue developing our employees using these methods based
on the results and benefits we witnessed on the ground during the fire
season. We felt there were still topics that we could address to
continue improving the entire organization. We would continue to set the
bar high, expecting the very best of our staff, and reinforce the
leadership principles taught in the first camp.

We involved additional staff members from the fire program in the
planning and implementation phases of the 2005 camp. Planning began
early. Round table discussions identified the key topics that we would
address. Given the time and budget constraints, we prioritized our
topics and an issue/topic list was developed. Brainstorming sessions
amongst the cadre created unique approaches and presentation styles for
the camp.

This year's camp would be structured much like the previous year but
focused on different topics. This year's camp was only 5 ½ working days
compared to last year's 10 day camp. The 2005 camp was designed to build
off the 2004 camp and take the next step. It would reinforce
administrative procedures and develop the actions, attributes, core
values, and skills necessary for excellence in leadership. It would
again center on teamwork, safety, administrative functions, personal
constitution and team cohesiveness and development, and risk management.
But this year's camp would be different primarily by concentrating more
heavily on interactive simulations/ tactical decision games, and sand
table exercises. It would also include a team challenge, rather than an
individual event, in the final stage.

The student group was again heavy in engine and helitack personnel but
would now reach out to other disciplines in the fire program by adding
members of the hotshot crew, our dozer/equipment operator, and two
firefighters (including two evaluators) from a neighboring district. The
total was 20 students in all. Unfortunately, due to hiring, scheduling,
and budget constraints we were unable to place our 3 new engine module
leaders into this training.

**The Structure of Camp**

Many of the functional aspects of the training camp remained consistent
from last year. The time frame for camp took place again in the spring
at the start of pay-status for those students involved in the class.
Physical fitness was an integral part of each day. Every morning began
with the hour long PT session for the day. Each day following the first,
students had a homework reading assignment. Discussion would take place
in the following morning's brief. After-Action Reviews took place
following the exercises and simulations. Each day's schedule and time
frame was planned and strictly enforced. Award recognitions took place
each day and at the closure of camp.

**Taking it one Step Further**

The framework for this year's camp was designed around the following
topics:

-   SOP Review

-   Fire Business Review

-   Proper Documentation Procedure

    -   Daily tasks

    -   Fire line performance evaluations and unit logs

    -   Employee relations and supervision

-   Ethics and Character

-   Physical Fitness

-   Employee Relations

    -   Conflict Resolution

    -   Mentoring

    -   Counseling

-   Leadership Exercises

-   Incident Commander Tactical Simulations

    -   Simulator

    -   Sand Tables

-   Accident Prevention

    -   Risk Management

    -   Use of Safe Practices

    -   Accident Policy and Procedure

-   Team Challenge

-   Guest Speaker

    -   The fire program's role in Sage Grouse habitat management

**Objectives**

-   Reinforce fire business practices and internal administrative
    procedures by concentrating on areas needing improvement as a group
    from this past year.

    -   Documentation practice

    -   Governmental forms and required paperwork

        -   Accuracy, timeliness, completeness, neatness

-   Focus on individual attributes and values that affect team
    effectiveness and cohesion with special attention to personal ethics
    and character.

-   Jump start physical fitness training.

-   Learn techniques to becoming a better supervisor.

-   Continue leadership exercises by introducing new exercises and
    reinforcing good leadership values. Conduct AARs following each
    exercise.

-   Increase skills, decision making capability, and ability to act and
    initiate action, and test stress-levels by using computerized
    incident commander simulations. Get hands-on with sand-table
    exercises that present challenges outside the employee's comfort
    zone.

-   Decrease accident/injury occurrence through proactive safety
    seminars and know what needs to be done in the event of
    accident/injury.

-   Challenge employees not familiar with working with each other in a
    team on team event designed to test physical endurance levels,
    supervision techniques, leadership/ follower-ship skills, and fire
    fighting knowledge.

-   Ensure understanding of fire's role in ecosystem management and
    realize each employee's role and importance in this process and the
    commitment to and importance of sage grouse and sage grouse habitat
    protection.

**Leadership Exercises**

***[Ice-Breaker (entire group)]{.underline}***

**Pick a Card**

-   **Eliminating personal bonds with others to form new teams**

-   **Decision making under stress**

***[Group Breakouts (rotate teams through each exercise)]{.underline}***

**C U C Me**

-   **Verbal Communication**

-   **Visualization**

**Limited Sense**

-   **Non-verbal Communication**

-   **Trust**

**Sticky Knot Rope**

-   **Communication**

-   **Problem Solving**

-   **Leadership/ Follower-ship**

**Flip-Over**

-   **Non-verbal Communication**

-   **Breaking down personal space barriers**

***[Final Exercise (entire group)]{.underline}***

**Frenzy**

-   **Problem Solving**

-   **Teamwork**

-   **Sacrificing individual accomplishment for team success**

**IC Simulator and Sand Table Exercises**

A large portion of the camp was dedicated to ensuring each student had
time with the simulator and the sand table both. So with 20 students,
this took two full days to accomplish running exercises back to back on
the simulator and sand tables with a large amount of cadre.

Each student would be exposed to an interactive "running" fire scenario
growing in complexity on the simulator. The fire would match the
complexity of the employee's current IC level then evolve to test their
skills, capability, and comfort level. The student would then have to
transition command of the fire to the next player. Each evolution (fire)
went through two students. Then a different scenario would await the
next two students.

The sand table exercises (several totally different exercises) were
designed to be interactive with the instructor and evaluators. Each
exercise intentionally ran at a slower pace than the simulator. Students
could discuss alternative options, trouble shoot problems, learn
additional skills, and be exposed to a scenario they have little to no
experience with. Two separate sand tables and instructors were used to
ensure each student had adequate time to complete the exercise at hand.
Students also were given the chance to play roles during some of the
sand table exercises as well as perform evaluator roles. This would
enable them to see variables from a different angle for added
perspective.

**Results**

Monitoring direct results that can be attributed to camp is a difficult
task. It is hard to put direct numbers on such nebulous measurement
variables like attitude, character, ethics, supervisory style, core
values, or emotional attributes. With that said we can attempt to
identify direct or indirect positive changes observed by the cadre over
the course of the fire season.

Following the camp in 2004 we experienced many positive changes in our
staff despite one of our slowest fire seasons on record. This year's
fire season proved to be average in number of fires and below average in
acreage. We placed special emphasis in incident commander training in
this year's camp. By in large, the fire staff noticed much more
acceptance and willingness for Module Leaders (incident commanders at
the type 4 and 5 role) to take on the IC role. Was this because of
comfort level? Was it an increase in their skill and ability? Were they
understanding the expectations placed on them? Or was it something else
more personal? Lack of fear of reprisal? Personal ambition? Whatever the
root of this change, we noticed that our type 4 and 5 ICs did a much
better job at running incidents this year. Can this be attributed to
what we taught at camp or the mood and values instilled at camp? Was the
decrease in acreage due to IC effectiveness or was it dumb luck? It's
hard to tell.

More measurable results were observed. In 2004 we saw a large drop in
the number of personnel actions placed on our employees. This number
dropped even further in 2005. Personnel actions were rare this year.
Issues were being dealt with swiftly and properly and were resolved at
the first line supervisor. Administrative duties in the multitude of
forms that are required each month, were better than they even have
been. We experienced a near zero delinquency rate on credit cards
throughout the entire year. Timesheets, travel, perdiem, and mileage (to
name a few) were completed accurately, timely, and neatly. Final
inspections of assigned fire apparatus that were returned at the end of
the fire season revealed trucks in much better condition than in recent
years. [All]{.underline} of the comments from off-unit (there were many
more assignments this year) indicated that our resources did a fantastic
job in the field on large fire support, severity assignments, and
initial attack support. Their work on and off the fire line was superb.
All the comments and evaluations indicated a very positive experience
working with our folks. This year, the entire district received the
Regional Safety Award for the fewest accidents/injuries as a district in
Region 6.

It is clear to the staff through their own personal observations that
our module leader group has a much better understanding of mission and
expectations. They have been taking the job seriously. "Leader's Intent"
is something that we concentrate on; communicating with and
understanding each other. They seem to have more "patience" and a better
acceptance to support the program, the supervisors, and the mission. We
have also noticed that our Module Leader level supervisors are working
very well with each other within the peer group. There is much more
willingness to help your co-worker and much more communication and
cohesion within the group.

The most obvious underlying indication in the positive effects of what
we are teaching is seen and felt in the FOS and FCO staff (the cadre).
We as supervisors have learned that clarifying leader's intent,
expectations, rules and regulations, and identifying reprimand and
reward thresholds, greatly helps us manage our staff. We have a much
better understanding of our own employees, their IC capabilities, their
personalities, and their strengths and weaknesses. This helps us target
their development and training and defines needs. And one of the most
important factors in our opinion is the ability to lead by example. By
preaching the high standards that we expect from the staff, they should
expect the same from us as supervisors. What we say and do and how we
act has a direct reflection in the employees that work for us.
[We]{.underline} have grown as supervisors also.

**Sources of Information**

Much of the material was raw and needed to be packaged and developed for
presentation and use. None of this could have been accomplished without
the creativity, innovation, knowledge, and skills of the cadre team.
Many hours were spent pulling information from various sources in print
and web format and developing presentations and exercises for the camp.
The primary information sources are listed here:

Vale District Fire Management Plan

Vale BLM Fire Standard Operating Procedures

Fire Business Management Guide

BLM Ethics Guide

Oregon State Office -- Risk Management Powerpoint

NIFC Leadership website and TDG/STEX Library

US Army Leadership Field Manual

US Coast Guard Unit Leadership Program

Royal Air Force

First Steps Training and Development, Inc. 2005

Businessballs.com -- Alan Chapman

Emergency Vehicle Operator's Course - National Fire Protection
Association

*Alive on Arrival* - National Fire Protection Association

*Affect them with Intent*, The Process of Communication, David K. Berlo

*Cultural Attitudes and Change in High-Stress High Speed Teams*-David O.
Hart,TID,Inc.

*LCES and Other Thoughts* -- Paul Gleason

Leadership For Dummies -- Loeb and Kindel

The Mentors Guide -- Louis J. Zachary

**Special Thanks**

Our thanks go out to Lakeview BLM for providing the technical equipment
to run the computer simulations. Also thanks to Burns BLM for their
student and evaluator involvement in this year's event.

**Cadre**

Tracy Skerjanec District AFMO

Todd Gregory North Zone Fire Control Officer

Brent Meisinger South Zone Fire Control Officer

Justin Robinson Helitack Foreman

Bart Yeager Vale Hotshot Superintendent

Al Crouch Fire Operations Supervisor

Dave LaChapelle Fire Operations Supervisor

Sam DeLong Fire Operations Supervisor

Richard Bustamante Fire Operations Supervisor

Shane Theall Fire Operations Supervisor

Crystle Carpenter Fire Support Assistant