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GACC Meteorologist

Position Description

Introduction

This position is located in an Interagency Coordination Center, which is the focal point for operational coordination of logistical support for fire and incident management for Federal and State agencies within the area to which assigned. The incumbent of this position performs a variety of duties, including collecting, analyzing, predicting and disseminating specific data and information on weather and its impact on fuels and fire potential in order to provide fire managers with the most up to date fire weather and fire potential information available.

Duties

  • Evaluates the impact of current and predicted weather on fuel dryness and condition.
  • Analyzes and evaluates weather and climate patterns to predict critical fire events and determines significant fire potential including location, time frame of occurrence, and severity/impact.
  • Identifies and forecasts weather events that initiate fires or significantly impact the behavior of existing fires.
  • Performs continuous fire weather monitoring and produces and disseminates standardized web based fire weather and fire potential products; e.g., the daily fire weather outlook, 7-day fire potential outlook, 30-day fire potential outlook, seasonal fire potential outlook.
  • Implements wildland fire management decision tools to assist with:
    • Safety of the public and firefighting personnel and equipment.
    • Safety of public and private property.
    • Mobilization of firefighting resources, and protection of natural resources.
  • Develops new tools and methodologies to predict wildland fire and its impacts.
  • Prepares and maintains predictive services web sites for daily fire weather/fire potential briefings.
  • Conducts a variety of interagency briefings the content of which facilitate determination of incident priorities, resource allocation and movements, preparedness level changes, and potential problem situations.
  • Improves methods for dissemination of critical weather, fuels and fire information.
  • Facilitates the instruction of firefighting personnel and the general public.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Thorough, extensive, specialized knowledge and experience of the theories and application of meteorology, including the dynamics of the atmosphere, meso-scale meteorology, and the application of computer methods of numerical weather analysis and prediction, and forecast situations or environment.
  • Thorough knowledge of meteorological concepts, principles and practices pertaining to weather that relates to the wildland fire environment in order to provide expert, specialized products and advice.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of operational policies, direction, and instructions used to support the production of real-time products in the fire weather program.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills.
  • Thorough knowledge of weather related automated wed-based systems, such as ROMAN, WIMS, RAWS, and ASCADS.
  • Requires past experience as an incident meteorologist, such as experience working in a fire meteorology and predictive service unit.
  • Minimum of S390.

Supervisory Controls

The supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available. In consultation, the supervisor and the incumbent develop the deadlines, projects, and work to be done.

The incumbent, having developed expertise through education and experience in meteorology, independently plans the manner in which assignments are to be carried out, and resolves most conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary. The incumbent interprets policy issues on own initiative in terms of established objectives.

Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work and/or effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results.

Guidelines

Numerous guidelines are available, but have gaps in specificity.

The incumbent uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as interagency and/or agency policies, regulations, precedents and work directions for application to specific problems. The incumbent analyzes results and recommends changes as deemed necessary.

Complexity

The work typically includes the performance of a wide variety of different and unrelated processes and methods characteristic of the science of meteorology. Decisions regarding what needs to be done include the assessment of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, and incomplete or conflicting data.

The work requires making many decisions concerning, for example, interpretation of considerable data, planning the work, or refinement of the methods and techniques to be used.

Scope and Effect

The work involves investigating and analyzing a variety of unusual conditions and problems.
The work products and services affect the design or operation of wildland firefighting strategies, movements, and accomplishments. The work affects the physical and economic well-being of people and equipment.

Personal Contacts

Contacts are national, regional, and local in scope and include various levels of management within the interagency wildland firefighting community.

Purpose Of Contacts

The purpose of these contacts is to exchange information, coordinate work efforts, plan and develop strategies, assess activities, provide professional advice and guidance, assist in establishing preparedness levels, discuss wildfire activity potential, clarify and negotiate standard procedures and directions.

Physical Demands

Duties primarily involve office type work with occasional field activity. Work is characterized primarily by light physical exertion.

Work Environment

The environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of office type work. The incumbent may occasionally work in field conditions that may be considered hazardous.

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