Spring 2004 Steering Committee Meeting

May 14, 2004

0900-1600 Columbia Building (FUTA)

Albuquerque, NM

+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| Time        | Agenda Item                    |                       |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 0900-0915   | Introductions                  | All                   |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 0915-1015   | Overview Spring 04 Session     | Bequi Livingston      |
|             |                                |                       |
|             | -   Lessons Learned            |                       |
|             |                                |                       |
|             | -   PFTC/FUTA                  |                       |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 1030-1100   | Update National Fuels Group    | Bill Waterbury        |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 1100-1200   | Fiscal Plan FY 2005            | Jerome Macdonald/All  |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 1300-1330   | FUTA Operating Plan            | Emily Irwin           |
|             |                                |                       |
|             | -   Timeline                   |                       |
|             |                                |                       |
|             | -   Roles & Responsibilities   |                       |
|             |                                |                       |
|             | -   Nomination Process         |                       |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 1330-1500   | Update status Agreements       | Jerome Macdonald      |
|             |                                |                       |
|             | -   Formalize Chair positions  |                       |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| 1500-1600   | Bin Items                      | All                   |
+-------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+

**FUTA STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING**

**Columbia Building/FUTA; Albuquerque, NM**

**May 14, 2004**

**ATTENDING:**

-   Charley Luevano, BLM-FUTA

-   Bob Lee, BLM-NMSO

-   Jerome Macdonald, FS-FUTA, AFM

-   Bequi Livingston, FS-FUTA

-   Hal Luedtke, BLM---SW Region

-   Paula Seamon, The Nature Conservancy

-   Bess Dickson, PFTC

-   Mary Zabinski, FS-AFM

-   Emily Irwin, FS-FUTA

-   Aaron Ortega, FS, Lincoln NF

-   Bryan Swift, NPS-SW Region

**SECURITY GROUND RULES (Jerome)**

Because of intruders in the Columbia Building, all visitors (including
those attending meetings and training) must sign in and wear some form
of ID at all times. Tie in with the course's lead instructor or course
coordinator. Lock everything down if no one's at the front desk. Funnel
all ingress/egress to central southern entrance (front). Ask students
and individuals to use parking lot up on top.

**OVERVIEW OF SPRING 2004 SESSION (Bequi/Emily)**

Emily, Bequi, and Jerome offered highlights of the Spring Session (SEE
HANDOUT).

Each student was given an evaluation sheet for session comments.

-   Had 6 field coordinators this session who had experience with prior
    academies.

-   FUTA used rotating field coordinators since home units are reluctant
    to approve an 8-week detail to FUTA. Working on ability to cover
    "base 8" for detailed coordinators from other agencies.

-   Had issues with some field coordinators this session. Must be as
    professional and effective as possible during projects on field
    units.

-   Much rain this session, so students were sent out to many locations.
    Short workshops are great filler for downtime and provide great
    expertise on topics they won't learn on their home units. Did much
    broadcast burning. Emily and Kim did a lot of burning with crews.

-   Included developing or reviewing burn plans, followed by burning.
    Occasionally did some prep on days with less than optimal
    conditions.

-   New partner: New Mexico State Land Dept. Burned a 3-acre pile; help
    from FWS.

-   New interagency project partners: Gain new ones as nurture old
    partnerships.

-   SEE STUDENT EVALUATIONS. Problems with a field coordinator and fleet
    maintenance.

-   This session, maximum acres burned for BIA.

-   In the SW, more burning done in the fall and people are less
    available. The kind of burns done and student availability vary
    widely from spring to fall.

-   Hal: We need to be a little more innovative (acres and students).

-   Bob: In-house staff can help with the marketing.

-   Jerome: Attended NPS and BIA national and regional meetings. It's
    sporadic with many of the units. One session doesn't give one the
    full picture. Trend from past sessions: BIA acres have increased,
    but Spring 2004 saw the fewest BIA students. Similar with BLM:
    averaging around 8-10. Need to market outside the SW and attend each
    agency's annual fire meetings.

**FISCAL PLAN, F.Y. 2005 (Jerome)**

The 2004 agreement is good for 5 years.

-   Sending to signatories now for signature.

-   Will be a "financial plan" rather than "annual operating plan" to
    avoid confusion with the FUTA Operations Guide.

-   If changes are needed, identify that to FUTA as soon as possible.

-   IN FY '05, FUTA will propose to National Fuels Group a similar
    fiscal plan with some one-time costs.

-   Bess sends each agency a breakdown of in-kind costs; will send
    Jerome a copy.

**FUTA OPERATING PLAN (Emily)**

-   Asked Steering Committee to review.

-   Jerome: Add Work/Rest Guidelines and Driving Direction as
    appendices.

-   Jerome met with GATRs on the FUTA Nomination Process. FUTA considers
    it an application process, not a typical training course. For now,
    FUTA will maintain the status quo on the nomination process with
    IQCS coming online.

**FORMALIZE CHAIR POSITIONS:** Historically, FUTA's Lead Coordinator
serves as the chair. FUTA staff is driving the Committee right now and
that may not be ideal. Charter doesn't say you CAN'T have more than 1
rep/agency. Leon Ben was selected as Chair and Bryan Swift as
Vice-Chair.

**DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY**

-   by BLM

-   by FWS

-   by BIA (add for new FUTA position)

Emily will handle through Bill Waterbury who will push it out to agency
reps. Bill said final report was available for national review. Bequi
will get the hard copies and then pursue acquiring signed copies.

**NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING:** In Boise on June 15, followed
by the National Fuels Group Meeting.

**FUTA-THE NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC) COOPERATION (Paula Seamon)**

What FUTA-TNC should be doing together:

-   Cooperation on S-390 this fall.

-   RX-300 course in AZ

-   Burning in west Texas

-   Providing expertise if TNC is short on some resources. (Only have a
    couple burn bosses on staff.)

-   Individuals who need specific training and/or are interested in
    participating in this training.

-   Session within a session

-   TNC going international: Mexico, Belize, Latin America. FUTA should
    line up a bilingual field coordinator

-   TNC has possible coordinators---maybe with PFTC experience but no
    FUTA experience. They could work with Bequi who could tie them in
    with another field coordinator (e.g., a junior field coordinator
    trainee.) They can commit for 2 weeks.)

-   There are Arizona and Texas folks who could serve as unit
    instructors.

-   Hart Prairie Conservation Learning Center---possible location for
    S-234

-   *"RX Fire for Agency Administrators*"---to be held in December at a
    Flagstaff motel. Should location be changed.

-   TNC is a private non-profit. TNC adopted NWCG standards last year.
    Once everyone's through, should have 70-80 RXBII's in TNC.

-   IQCS is federal; some states are using IQS.

-   Tim Sexton is talking to TNC about greater involvement in fire use
    (modules, teams). TNC would like to work with FUTA to develop a fire
    use training track.

-   Emily designed a template/agenda for a fire use session, discussed
    it with the National Fuels Group last December. FUTA could propose a
    session but spends most of its time on FUTA sessions.

-   FUTA vision for fire use session: week in the classroom and a week
    out on a unit. FUTA is looking to serve as a clearinghouse for fire
    use teams. Don't repeat what's already offered at the national
    level, [but]{.underline} NAWRI may want to reinforce some
    components. Focus in on what would be relevant for teams. Take 2-3
    fire use fires a year, lessons learned, what worked well, update on
    policy.

-   Potential for cost-share position with TNC at FUTA to take on
    special projects. Concentrate on cost-share agreement; there's money
    in the FUTA program to make that happen. The SW Area would be
    supportive of 50/50 or 70/30. Need to look at existing MOU with TNC.
    TNC must have MOU to burn on TNC land.

-   TNC has participating agreement with PFTC to burn on TNC land. Emily
    will develop a white paper to present to directors.

-   Some opportunity with our contacts with the national fire use teams
    and national training groups to assist or cooperate in those areas.
    It's not a change to the program so much as a natural progression or
    evolution. FUTA has participated on fire use fires in the past. Its
    niche has become experience-based RX fire training. Have made
    efforts to do more fire use training. Paula and Emily will jointly
    draft a proposal. Would need the participating agreement just for
    baseline program right now. Find copy; plan of work, budget, etc.

**NEXT MEETING:** December 2 in HonDah, Arizona.

**NATIONAL MEETING:** June 15.

**NEXT CONFERENCE CALL:** July 14.

**COMMUNICATION PLAN**: Finalize in the fall.