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Incident Business Advisor

Position Description

Duties

  • Establishes and maintains positive internal and external interpersonal working relationships.
  • Gathers information necessary to assess incident assignment and determine immediate needs and actions.
  • Attends Agency Administrator or outgoing Incident Commander briefing.  Obtains available incident information and incident agency guidelines and policies.
  • Collects information from outgoing Finance/Administration Section Chief, outgoing Incident Commander or other personnel responsible for incident prior to your arrival.
  • Evaluates and shares with IMT pertinent information with them, which may affect Incident Management Team operations.
  • Ensures reports and forms are complete, accurate and timely.  Checks periodically.
  • Reviews contracts, memoranda of understanding and cooperative agreements to ascertain their impact and application.
  • Provides financial summary information on current incident operations.
  • Participates in the operational period briefing, emphasizing the needs of the agency you represent.
  • Interacts and coordinates with all command and general staff.  Receives and provides current information.
  • Updates Incident Commander on current accomplishments and/or problems.
  • Ensures that performance is documented and provided to Agency and IMT.
  • Transitions with incident agency and/or other incident management team members to determine that final finance package is complete/accurate and presented with follow-up items.
  • Interacts with Agency and IMT to ensure agency policies are being followed.
  • Coordinates with Buying Team, Expanded Dispatch and IMT to ensure all areas are functioning and problems are resolved timely.
  • Coordinates with Regional/Agency Incident Business Management Specialist.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Interpersonal skill level to communicate, verbally or in writing with local, state and national politicians or the private sector
  • Ability to deal with complex incidents i.e. Multiple Agency Coordinating Centers, Area Command, high resource value and cost, urban interface, and multiple incidents
  • ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents (ICS-200)
  • Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (ICS-300)
  • NIMS: An Introduction (IS-700)
  • NRF: An Introduction (IS-800B)

NWCG Latest Announcements

NEW! NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514

Date: March 7, 2025
Contact: National Interagency Aviation Committee

The NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating airtankers on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508, and any applicable agency plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514

Incident Position Standards and Next Gen Position Task Books Now Available for Dispatch Incident Positions

Date: March 5, 2025
Contact: National Coordination System Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for all six Dispatch positions:

  • Aircraft Dispatcher
  • Expanded Dispatch Coordinator
  • Expanded Dispatch Recorder
  • Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher
  • Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher
  • Initial Attack Dispatcher

The Performance Support Packages for these positions, including the Expanded Dispatch Job Aid, J-601 and the Initial Attack and Aircraft Dispatcher Job Aid, J-602, were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

References:

NWCG Aircraft Dispatcher Position Page 

NWCG Expanded Dispatch Coordinator Position Page 

NWCG Expanded Dispatch Recorder Position Page 

NWCG Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher Position Page 

NWCG Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher Position Page 

NWCG Initial Attack Dispatcher Position Page 

NWCG Job Aids 

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for DMOB, DOCL, and RESL

Date: February 28, 2025
Contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for Demobilization Unit Leader (DMOB), Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL), and Resources Unit Leader (RESL).

The Performance Support Packages for these positions, including a job aid for RESL, were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

References:

NWCG Demobilization Unit Leader Position Page 

NWCG Documentation Unit Leader Position Page 

NWCG Resources Unit Leader Position Page 

Next Generation Position Task Book and Updated Incident Position Description Now Available for Operations Section Chief Complex

Date: February 27, 2025
Contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC) has a Next Generation NWCG Position Task Book for Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC), PMS 311-108 and an updated Incident Position Description.

These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

References:

NWCG Operations Section Chief Complex Position Page 

NWCG Operations Section Chief Complex Incident Position Description 

NWCG Position Task Book for Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC), PMS 311-108