**Chapter 05**

**USDA Forest Service Wildland Fire and Aviation Program**

**Organization and Responsibilities**

**Introduction**

This handbook is intended to be a program reference guide that documents
the standards for operational procedures and practices for the USDA
Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management program. The standards
provided in this handbook are based on current agency and interagency
wildland fire management policy, and is intended to provide fire and
aviation program guidance and to ensure safe, consistent, efficient, and
effective fire and aviation operations. This document will be reviewed
and updated annually.

**Foundational Doctrine**

The following collection of principles and beliefs form the foundational
doctrine for fire suppression in the U.S. Forest Service. These
principles and beliefs operate at multiple organizational levels,
including:

-   Forest Service Wide (i.e., apply to all employees and activities)

-   Fire and Aviation Management (i.e., are specific to the fire and
    aviation management program)

-   Fire Suppression (i.e., are specific to fire fighting activities).

**The Operational Environment**

-   *Fire Suppression*

1\. No resource or facility is worth the loss of human life, however the
wildland fire suppression environment is complex and possesses inherent
hazards that can, even with reasonable mitigation, result in harm to
fire fighters engaged in fire suppression operations. In recognition of
this fact, we are committed to the aggressive management of risk.

**Mission**

-   *Forest Service Wide*

2\. The Forest Service is prepared and organized to support national and
international emergencies with trained personnel and other assets when
requested.

3\. Agency employees respond when they come across situations where
human life is immediately at risk or there is a clear emergency, and
they are capable of assisting without undue risk to themselves or
others.

4\. In responding to emergencies, we will bring the same professionalism
and passion for safety as we do to non-emergency situations.

5\. Support for local fire emergencies takes priority over
accomplishment of local resource targets. Support of non-local fire
emergencies will be at the discretion of the local line officer, as
bounded by agency agreements and Regional or National direction.

6\. A cooperative relationship between the Forest Service and other
agencies is essential. The Forest Service is committed to honor its part
of the joint responsibility to develop and maintain effective working
relationships with its intergovernmental cooperators.

-   *Fire & Aviation Management*

7\. Fire management is central to meeting the Forest Service mission --
conserving natural resources, restoring ecological health, and
protecting communities.

-   *Fire Suppression*

8\. Successful fire suppression is essential to support the Forest
Service mission.

9\. The intent of wildfire suppression is to protect human life,
property, and at risk lands and resources.

**Leadership and Accountability**

-   *Forest Service Wide*

10\. The hallmarks of Forest Service leadership are action, attitude,
and accountability.

11\. Leaders express clear and concise intent to ensure assignments are
managed safely, effectively, and efficiently.

12\. Leaders regularly monitor operations for effectiveness, and take
action when there is recognition of exceptional or problematic employee
performance.

13\. Both positive reinforcement and discipline will be based on
individual behavior as measured by: adherence to the rules; appropriate
application of doctrine, principles and guidelines; execution of
responsibilities commensurate with role; and appropriate use of
available information.

-   *Fire Suppression*

14\. Demonstrated fitness for command is a requirement for leadership
positions associated with fire fighting.

**Roles and Relationships**

-   *Forest Service Wide*

15\. Commitment to duty, respect for others, and personal integrity are
expected. Every employee fosters a work environment that is enjoyable,
rewarding, recognizes the value of diversity, and is free of harassment.

-   *Fire & Aviation Management*

16\. Line officers with fire management responsibilities will have
knowledge and understanding of fire program management.

17\. Contracted resources will meet identified standards for
qualifications, training, productivity, and efficiency necessary to meet
emergency response needs.

18\. It is the Forest Service responsibility to initiate and participate
in public education efforts to promote support for necessary fire
management activities.

-   *Fire Suppression*

19\. Every Forest Service employee has a responsibility to support fire
suppression emergencies in a manner that meets identified needs, and is
within their qualifications and capabilities.

**Operations**

-   *Forest Service Wide*

20\. Employees are expected and empowered to be creative and decisive,
to exercise initiative and accept responsibility, and to use their
training, experience, and judgment in decision-making to carry out their
leader's intent.

21\. Employees are expected and empowered to make reasonable and prudent
decisions to accomplish the agency mission while minimizing exposure to
hazards.

22\. Clear, uncomplicated plans and concise orders maximize
effectiveness and minimize confusion.

-   *Fire Suppression*

23\. When it is time to fight fire, we do so in a manner that maximizes
effectiveness of effort, has highest regard for firefighter and public
safety, and controls costs.

24\. Every fire suppression operation is directed toward
clearly-defined, decisive, and obtainable objectives.

25\. Command and control must be decentralized to cope with the
unpredictable nature of fire. To achieve their leader's intent and
accomplish operational objectives, subordinate commanders are required
to make decisions on their own initiative, and to coordinate their
efforts.

26\. Unity of effort is maintained and suppression actions are
coordinated at all times.

27\. Using principles requires judgment in application, while adherence
to rules does not. In combination, principles and rules guide our
fundamental wildland fire suppression practices and behaviors, and are
mutually understood at every level of command.

28\. Rapid deployment and concentration of fire suppression resources at
the decisive time and place is essential to successful fire suppression
actions.

29\. Maintaining high capability for initial attack is essential to
public and fire fighter safety, accomplishment of management objectives,
and cost containment.

**Risk Management**

-   *Fire Suppression*

30\. We practice risk management to minimize the exposure and affects of
the inherent hazards in fire suppression while maximizing the
opportunities to achieve leader intent.

**Agency Administrator Positions**

The Forest Service Director of Fire and Aviation Management, the
Director of Human Resources and the Forest Service Line Officer Team
have developed core fire management competencies for inclusion into the
position descriptions and in selection criteria for agency
administrators. They are presented here for reference.

**Evaluation Criterion**

Knowledge of fire program management including ability to integrate fire
and fuels management across all program areas and functions; ability to
implement fire management strategies and integrate natural resource
concerns into collaborative community protection and ecosystem
restoration strategies; knowledge to oversee a fire management program
including budget, preparedness, prevention, suppression, and hazardous
fuels reduction; ability to serve as an agency administrator during an
incident on an assigned unit; and ability to provide a fully staffed,
highly qualified, and diversified firefighting workforce that exists in
a \"safety first\" and \"readiness\" environment.

**Training and Core Competencies**

-   Attend a regional or national "Fire Management Leadership for Agency
    Administrators" training session

-   Require a shadow assignment with a fully qualified agency
    administrator

-   Receive training or experience in the Wildfire Situation Analysis
    (WFSA) and Wildland Fire Implementation Plan (WFIP)

-   Provide a Delegation of Authority to Incident Commanders

**Line Officer Certification Program**

The following principles will guide certification of agency
administrators in fire management:

-   Regional Foresters are accountable for certification of line
    officers

-   Line officer evaluation includes standards for training, background
    and experience, and demonstrated ability, which will result in a
    qualitative evaluation of readiness by the Regional Forester

-   When the complexity level of a fire exceeds a line officer's
    certification, a coach will be assigned to advise (but not replace)

-   This certification program will be periodically evaluated and
    updated as needed

-   Decision Support Groups may be requested and would be assigned as
    fire costs approach certain thresholds

-   The Coaching/Shadowing program, to be administered by each Region,
    is an integral part of this certification program

**Line Officers will be evaluated in three basic areas**

-   Training

-   Background and experience

-   Demonstrated understanding of concepts and principles

This certification program is a multi-level process where line officers
demonstrate competence in one of three levels of managing fires. Those
levels would be Working, Journey, and Advanced.

**Guidelines**

In consideration of the appropriate level (Working, Journey, and
Advanced) to assign a line officer, the Regional Forester should
consider the following guidelines:

-   For individuals that do not meet at least the Working Level, a coach
    will be assigned to support that line officer in managing Type3 or
    higher wildfire incidents.

**Working Level -** The line officer could manage a low to moderate
complexity fire and Fire-Use fire. The line officer should meet the
following:

-   **Training:** Fire Management Leadership or National Fire Management
    for Line Officers, and WFSA Certification (FSM 5130)

-   **Background and Experience:** Successful management of a minimum of
    one Type 3 or higher fire, or one successful higher complexity fire
    (Type 2I or higher) quality shadow assignment (consider complexity
    and size of the fires). Management oversight of a low-complexity
    fire program and/or experience as an agency administrator or
    representative. Applicable experience in all-risk or other incident
    oversight may be considered in lieu of this experience, as well as
    Fire-Use experience. Consider career fire experience.

-   **Demonstrated Ability:** Successful evaluation by a coach
    (including feedback from ICs or ACs) that the candidate has
    demonstrated understanding and application of the responsibilities
    of an agency administrator on smaller low-complexity fires with a
    basic understanding of the elements of the core competencies.

**Journey Level -** The line officer could manage a moderate to high
complexity fire. The line officer needs to be certified at the Working
Level and should meet the following:

-   **Training:** Fire Management Leadership or National Fire Management
    for Line Officers, and WFSA Certification (FSM 5130).

-   **Background and Experience:**

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-   Successful management of a minimum of one Type II or higher fire, or
    one successful higher complexity fire (Type I) quality shadow
    assignment, depending on fire experience (complexity and size of the
    fires should be considered).

-   Management oversight of a moderate-complexity fire program or
    experience as an agency administrator or representative on Type II
    or higher fires.

-   Applicable experience in all-risk or other incident oversight may
    also be considered in lieu of other guidelines, as well as Fire-Use
    experience.

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-   **Demonstrated Ability:** Successful evaluation by a coach
    (including feedback from ICs or ACs) that the candidate has
    demonstrated understanding and application of the responsibilities
    of an agency administrator on moderate to large complex fires in the
    core competencies, and other elements that may be relevant.

**Advanced Level -** The line officer could manage a high complexity
fire. The line officer needs to be certified at the Journey Level and
should meet the following:

-   **Training:** Fire Management Leadership or National Fire Management
    for Line Officers, and WFSA Certification (FSM 5130).

-   **Background and Experience:**

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-   Successful management of a minimum of 5 Type I or II fires (at least
    one of which is a Type I fire), depending on fire experience
    (complexity and size of the fires should be considered).

-   Management oversight of a moderate to high-complexity fire program.

-   Applicable experience in all-risk or other incident oversight may
    also be considered in lieu of other guidelines, as well as Fire-Use
    experience.

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-   **Demonstrated Ability:** Successful evaluation by a coach
    (including feedback from ICs or ACs) that the candidate has
    demonstrated understanding and application of the responsibilities
    of an agency administrator on large complex fires in the core
    competencies, and other elements that may be relevant.

**Other Considerations**

Core competencies, consistent with Fire Doctrine principles, include:

-   Safety.

-   Strategies and tactics for Cost Containment.

-   Incident Management Processes.

-   Understanding of decision support tools.

-   Situational Awareness of resource availability & allocation.

-   WFSA/WFIP.

-   Monitoring and Evaluation of fire operations.

-   Risk Management.

-   Social/Political awareness and interpersonal relations.

Other Training Opportunities to Achieve Core Competencies - Additional
Training Opportunities/Suggestions (will be updated as program is
evaluated)

-   Upper levels of Fire Leadership and Fire Management courses

-   Be the actual line officer in the Type III IC certification sand
    table exercises

-   Develop a "graduate-level seminar" on advanced risk management

-   The Fire Management for Agency Administrators course needs a
    curriculum revision (Currently the national and regional courses are
    redundant)

-   Get assigned to a Type I or Type II team as a training assignment
    (e.g. shadow Plans) and see the world from their viewpoint

-   Assist in 420 simulation as a line officer

-   WFSA and WFIP training

-   Include risk management and fire management topics to annual line
    officer meetings

-   Attend staff rides (staff rides need to include a stand that
    portrays the line officer perspective)

-   Prescribed fire training centers

**Guidance on the Selection of Coaches**

Coaches can be current or former line officers. The Regional Forester
determines the level of certification for which a coach is qualified.

Criteria for individuals serving as Coaches are as follows:

-   Must be a "Journey" level line officer in dealing with large fire
    incident, or rated at an experience level commensurate with incident
    being managed. Present and past Agency Administrators can serve as
    coaches, including retirees that were qualified/experienced.

-   Is willing and able to serve as a Coach.

**Performance Standards**

Add the following standards to the existing performance standards for
Forest Supervisors and District Rangers under Performance Standard #4,
Leadership, Coaching, and Supervising:

-   Integrate fire and fuels management across all functional areas.

-   Implement fire management strategies and integrate natural resource
    concerns into collaborative community protection and ecosystem
    restoration strategies on the unit.

-   Manage a budget that includes fire preparedness, prevention,
    suppression, and hazardous fuels in an annual program of work for
    the unit.

-   Perform duties of agency administrator and maintain those
    qualifications.

-   Provide a fully staffed, highly qualified, and diverse workforce in
    a \"safety first\" environment.

These standards are based on current policy and provide program guidance
to ensure safe, consistent, efficient, and effective Fire and Aviation
Operations. This document will be reviewed and updated annually.

**Specific Agency Administrator Performance Standards for Fire and
Aviation at the Field Level**

**Preparedness**

-   Take all necessary and prudent actions to ensure firefighter and
    public safety.

-   Ensure sufficient qualified fire and non-fire personnel are
    available to support fire operations at a level commensurate with
    the local and national fire situation.

-   Ensure accurate position descriptions are developed and reflect the
    complexity of the unit. Individual Development Plan promote and
    enhance FMO currency and development.

-   Provide a written Delegation of Authority to FMOs that provides an
    adequate level of operational authority at the unit level. Include
    Multi-Agency Coordinating (MAC) Group authority, as appropriate.

-   Identify resource management objectives to maintain a current Fire
    Management Plan (FMP) that identifies an accurate level of funding
    for personnel and equipment.

-   Develop preparedness and fire use standards that are in compliance
    with agency fire policies.

-   Management teams meet once a year to review fire and aviation
    policies, roles, responsibilities, and delegations of authority.
    Specifically address oversight and management controls, critical
    safety issues, and high-risk situations such as transfers of
    incident command, periods of multiple fire activity, and Red Flag
    Warnings.

-   Ensure fire and aviation preparedness reviews are conducted each
    year.

-   Meet annually with major cooperators and review interagency
    agreements to ensure their continued effectiveness and efficiency.

-   Convene and participate in annual conferences and fire reviews.

-   Agency administrators, Fire Program Managers, and/or Safety and
    Health Program Managers shall conduct after action reviews on all
    Type 3 fires and a minimum of 10% of their unit's Type 4 and 5 fires
    and document their inspections in the incident records.

**Suppression**

-   Ensure use of fire funds is in compliance with Agency policies.

-   Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA) is completed and approved on
    all fires that escape initial attack. Alternative evaluation and
    certification requirements are followed.

-   WFSA's that are expected to exceed \$10,000.000.00 in suppression
    costs are forwarded to the Regional Office for review and approval.

-   Management reviews are conducted on all fires that require a WFSA.
    Personally attend reviews on Type 1 and Type 2 fires.

-   Provide incident management objectives, written delegations of
    authority, and a complete agency administrator Briefing to Incident
    Management Teams.

-   Evaluate the need for resource advisors for all fires, and assign as
    appropriate.

-   For all unplanned human-caused fires where responsibility can be
    determined, ensure actions are initiated to recover cost of
    suppression activities, land rehabilitation, damages to the
    resource, and improvements.

**Safety**

-   Review safety policies, procedures, and concerns with field fire and
    aviation personnel.

-   Ensure timely follow-up actions to program reviews, fire
    preparedness reviews, fire and aviation safety reviews, and
    management reviews.

-   Monitor the fire situation and provide oversight during periods of
    critical fire activity and situations of high risk.

-   Ensure there is adequate direction in fire management plans to
    maintain fire danger awareness.

-   Take appropriate actions with escalating fire potential.

-   Ensure appropriate investigations are conducted for incidents,
    entrapments, and serious accidents.

**Fire Use**

-   Ensure an approved burn plan is followed for each prescribed fire
    project, including follow-up monitoring and documentation to ensure
    management objectives are met.

-   Ensure that a Wildland Fire Implementation Plan (WFIP) is completed
    and implemented for all fires managed for resource benefits.

-   Provide management oversight by personally visiting wildland and
    prescribed fire activities each year.

-   Ensure compliance with National and Regional Office policy and
    direction for prescribed fire activities and ensure that periodic
    reviews and inspections of the prescribed fire program are
    completed.

-   Approve Prescribed Fire Plans. Authority may be delegated to the
    agency administrators as provided under specific directions.

-   Review Prescribed Fire Plans and recommend or approve the plans
    depending upon the delegated authority. Ensure that the Prescribed
    Fire Plan has been reviewed and recommended by a qualified technical
    reviewer who was not involved in the plan preparation.

**Fire Management Positions**

The following lists show the minimum operational experience recommended
for fire management positions. The *Interagency Fire Program Management
Qualifications Standards* will be used as guidelines in conjunction with
specific agency requirements when filling vacant fire program positions,
and as an aid in developing Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for
employees.

**Specific Fire Management Staff Performance Standards for Fire
Operations at the Field Level**

**Preparedness**

-   Maintain "safety first" as the foundation for all aspects of fire
    and aviation management.

-   Ensure that only trained and qualified personnel are assigned to
    fire and aviation duties.

-   Develop, implement, evaluate, and document fire and aviation
    training program to meet current and anticipated needs.

-   Establish an effective process to gather, evaluate, and communicate
    information to managers, supervisors, and employees. Ensure clear
    concise communications are maintained at all levels.

-   Ensure fire and aviation management staffs understand their roles,
    responsibilities, authority, and accountability.

-   Develop and maintain an open line of communication with public and
    cooperators.

-   Regardless of funding level, provide a safe, effective, and
    efficient fire preparedness and fire use program.

-   Organize, train, equip, and direct a qualified work force. An
    Individual Development Plan (IDP) must be provided for incumbents
    who do not meet new standards. Establish qualification review
    process.

-   Take appropriate action when performance is exceptional or
    deficient.

-   Ensure fire and aviation policies are understood, followed, and
    coordinated with other agencies as appropriate.

-   Ensure that adequate resources are available to implement fire
    management operations.

-   Provide fire personnel with adequate guidance, training, and
    decision-making authority to ensure timely decisions.

-   Develop and maintain agreements, annual operating plans, and
    contracts on an interagency basis to increase effectiveness and
    efficiencies.

-   Develop, maintain, and annually evaluate the FMP to ensure accuracy
    and validity.

-   Ensure budget requests and allocations reflect preparedness
    requirements in the FMP.

-   Develop and maintain current operational plans. (e.g., dispatch,
    pre-attack, prevention).

-   Ensure that reports and records are properly completed and
    maintained.

-   Ensure fiscal responsibility and accountability in planning and
    expenditures.

-   Assess, identify, and implement program actions that effectively
    reduce unwanted wildland fire ignitions and mitigate risks to life,
    property, and resources.

-   Work with cooperators to identify processes and procedures for
    providing fire safe communities within the wildland urban interface.

**Suppression**

-   Ensure completion of a job hazard analysis (JHA) for fire and fire
    aviation activities, and implement applicable risk mitigation
    measures.

-   Provide for and personally participate in periodic site visits to
    individual incidents and projects.

-   Utilize the incident complexity analysis to ensure the proper level
    of management is assigned to all incidents.

-   Ensure incoming personnel and crews are briefed prior to fire and
    aviation assignments.

-   Coordinate the development of the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis
    (WFSA) with local unit staff specialists for all fires that escape
    initial attack.

-   Ensure effective transfer of command of incident management occurs
    and safety is considered in all functional areas.

-   Monitor fire activity to anticipate and recognize when complexity
    levels exceed program capabilities. Increase managerial and
    operational resources to meet needs.

-   Complete cost recovery actions when unplanned human-caused fires
    occur.

**Safety**

-   Ensure work/rest and R&R guidelines are followed during all fire and
    aviation activities. Deviations are approved and documented.

-   Initiate, conduct, and/or participate in fire management related
    reviews and investigations.

-   Monitor fire season severity predictions, fire behavior, and fire
    activity levels. Take appropriate actions to ensure safe, efficient,
    and effective operations.

**Fire Use**

-   Ensure a written, approved burn plan exists for each prescribed fire
    project.

-   Ensure all escaped prescribed fires receive a review at the proper
    level.

-   Provide the expertise and skills to fully integrate fire and
    aviation management into interdisciplinary planning efforts.

-   Effectively communicate the "natural role" of wildland fire to
    internal and external agency audiences.

-   Ensure compliance with National and Regional Office policy and
    direction for prescribed fire activities and ensure that periodic
    reviews and inspections of the prescribed fire program are
    completed.