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Cost Unit Leader

Position Description

Duties

  • Obtains local administrative guidelines; e.g., cost reporting procedures, copy of
    Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA), cost share agreements, standard component costs, availability of incident agency personnel, incident finance package requirements, other special teams or personnel (Comptroller).
  • Identifies need for or provides advice on cost apportionment and cost share.
  • Interacts and coordinates with finance/administration unit leaders and other section/unit leaders to obtain and calculate incident costs, provide cost analysis, and recommend cost savings.
  • Interacts and coordinates with incident agency to obtain off-incident support costs.
  • Provides daily/operational period briefing on problems and recommendations for solutions.
  • Provides costs analysis and costs saving recommendations.
  • Responsible for collecting all cost date, performing cost effectiveness analysis, provide cost estimates, and cost saving recommendations for the incident.
  • Coordinates with agency on cost reporting procedures.
  • Works with Planning Section to ensure IAP is in line with cost share agreement(s) so fire costs can be split and tracked according to signed agreement.
  • Analyzes costs to ensure accuracy and completeness.
  • Runs obligation report from ICARS data base for federal agencies.
  • Ability to manage a data base program, run reports and chart depicting costs.
  • Ability to work with others from outside the federal agencies to explain costs.
  • Prepares incident cost summaries and work with Planning Section to reconcile numbers of people and equipment.
  • Ensures cost information is current, accurate and fall in line with WFSA and average day costs.
  • Tracks costs on a daily basis to ensure no unexplainable variances occur.
  • Briefs FSC, IC, AC and other officials on cost estimates.
  • Works with FEMA and State officials on information needs to produce documents used for billing purposes.
  • Recommends cost savings to FSC.
  • Completes all records prior to demobilization and briefs incident agency for billing purposes.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Satisfactory position performance as a COST.
  • Satisfactory performance as an EQTR and PTRC.
  • Recommend “ISUITE” and “ICARS” knowledge.

Last Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention

Date: November 14, 2024
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention. Misaligned toolless fuel caps on Stihl chainsaws have led to recurring fuel spillage, fuel ignition, and burn injuries during wildland fire management operations.

This Safety Warning is intended to highlight the details and recommended procedures for the installation of a Stihl chainsaw toolless fuel cap, as well as how to identify and correct a misaligned, damaged, or broken fuel cap to help prevent fuel spillage.

References:

NWCG Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention

Advertencia de equipos 24-001: Prevención de derrames de la tapa de combustible sin herramientas de la motosierra Stihl

NWCG Alerts

The Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Equipment Time Recorder (EQTR)

Date: November 13, 2024
Contact: Incident Business Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Equipment Time Recorder, PMS 350-51 and NWCG Position Task Book for Equipment Time Recorder (EQTR), PMS 311-51 are now available.

The Performance Support Package, which for EQTR, includes the Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book were developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. The Performance Support Package will support trainees, those qualified in the position, and evaluators.

References:

NWCG Equipment Time Recorder Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Equipment Time Recorder, PMS 350-51

NWCG Position Task Book for Equipment Time Recorder (EQTR), PMS 311-51

The Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Personnel Time Recorder (PTRC)

Date: November 13, 2024
Contact: Incident Business Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Personnel Time Recorder, PMS 350-53 and NWCG Position Task Book for Personnel Time Recorder (PTRC), PMS 311-53 are now available.

The Performance Support Package, which for PTRC, includes the Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book were developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. The Performance Support Package will support trainees, those qualified in the position, and evaluators.

References:

NWCG Personnel Time Recorder Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Personnel Time Recorder, PMS 350-53

NWCG Position Task Book for Personnel Time Recorder (PTRC), PMS 311-53

NWCG Risk Management Committee Releases Safety Bulletin: 24-001 Use of Respirators on Wildland Fires

Date: November 7, 2024
Contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has released Safety Bulletin: 24-001 Use of Respirators on Wildland Fires. As wildland fire respirators are available through several established vendors, wildland fire personnel need to understand regulations and limitations of respirator use in the workplace.

Safety Bulletin 24-001 outlines the following topics regarding respirator use for wildland fires:

  • Requirements for Respirator Use
  • Voluntary Respirator Use
  • Current Respirator Options
  • Unknown Risks of Respirator Use

This bulletin also provides mitigation recommendations to help reduce smoke exposure for wildland firefighting efforts.

References:

NWCG Safety Bulletin: 24-001 Use of Respirators on Wildland Fires

NWCG Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed Fire, PMS 420-3

VIDEO: Protecting Wildfire Personnel from Smoke - How Incident Management Teams Address Smokes Risks

VIDEO: Smoke, Knowing the Risks