Skip to main content

Area Command Aviation Coordinator

Position Description

Duties

  • Coordinates with local unit(s) aviation managers, dispatch centers, and aviation facility managers.
  • Monitors incident(s) aviation cost, efficiency, and safety. Ensures agency rules, regulations, and safety procedures are followed.
  • Provides incidents, local Initial Attack forces and other interested parties with an area aviation plan that outlines Area Command aviation procedures and specifics of the area aviation operation.
  • Allocates air and ground-based aviation resources according to Area Command priorities and objectives.
  • Ensures inter-incident movement of aircraft is planned and coordinated.
  • Coordinates with local and adjacent initial attack aircraft bases and local dispatch to ensure that procedures for transiting incident area and corridors are in place. Ensures flight following procedures, entry/exit routes and corridors, hazards, frequencies and incident air space are known to all affected.
  • Coordinates with incident Air Operations Branch Directors, dispatch, FAA, DID, and local aviation authorities and administrators to ensure that Temporary Flight Restrictions are in place, coordinated, and do not overlap. Ensures that potential risks of operation on, near, or within Military Training Routes and Special Use Airspace have been mitigated.
  • Ensures that a process in place for timely transmittal of incident reports and oversees the process to ensure corrective action is taken.
  • Coordinates with incident, dispatch, and coordination centers to determine availability and status of committed and uncommitted aviation resources, and to give status reports and situation appraisals for aviation assets and resources.
  • Coordinates with incident Air Operations Branch Directors, Communication Unitl Leaders, frequency coordinators, coordination centers and initial attack dispatch to establish coordinated aviation communications plans to ensure aviation frequency management.
  • Coordinates and manages aviation program and operations if aviation assets are assigned to Area Command.
  • Coordinates the scheduling and movement of aviation safety assistance teams among incidents.
  • Assists incidents by coordinating with Contracting Officers, local aviation managers, and vendors concerning a variety of issues (fueling, contract modifications, contract extensions, etc.).
  • Coordinates with military officials and agency representative concerning the assignment, utilization, status, and disposition of military aviation assets.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Area Command S-620
  • Satisfactory performance as an Air Operations Branch Director on a National Type 1 IMT and
  • Satisfactory position performance as an Area Command Aviation Coordinator on a wildland fire incident.
Listed in 310-1
Yes

NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Professional Reading Program

Date: February 18, 2025
Contact: Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP)

The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program is announcing the 2025 Professional Reading list! The goal of the annual reading list is to promote the reading and discussion of the books throughout the year.

The five books chosen for this year are: Surf When You Can by Brett Crozier, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, Elephant Company by Vicki Constantine Croke, Simply Managing by Henry Mintzberg, and Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Metcalf.

References:

Professional Reading Program

Task Group Volunteers Needed to Update the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289

Date: February 5, 2025
Contact: Julie Bennett, Incident Business Committee Chair

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) is requesting volunteers for a new task group to revise the 1981 version of the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289 and create an incident replacement job aid. The volunteers may be recruited from within or outside the Geographic Area Incident Business Committees.

References:

IBC Memorandum 25-02

IBC Correspondence

2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: February 4, 2025
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The NWCG Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1. 

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) are also included.  

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

NWCG Memo: 2025-01 January 2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters

Date: January 15, 2025
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters. Non-specification fire shelters claiming to meet Forest Service (FS) fire shelter specification 5100-606 were first found in February of 2023. As of September 2024, non-specification shelters are again being advertised and sold on the open market.

This Safety Warning outlines details and recommended procedures to purchase FS specification shelters made with materials and components that meet performance criteria and toxicity testing requirements outlined in FS Specification 5100-606. 

For additional information on identifying non-specification shelters, please view ETC Safety Warning 23-01.

References:

ETC Safety Warning 25-001: Non-specification fire shelters

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee

ETC Safety Warning 23-01