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Assistant Area Commander Planning

Position Description

Duties

  • Assembles information on individual incident strategies and objectives and determine potential conflicts based on the following information:
    • Wildland Fire Situation Analysis
    • Delegations of Authority
    • Objectives from Incident Action Plans
    • List of Incident Management Teams critical resources
    • Maps
    • Incident Status Summaries
    • Agency Administrator direction
  • Maintains an Area Command Incident Status Summary including critical resources by operational period by incident.
  • Prepares recommendations for allocation and/or reassignment of critical resources.
  • Prepares and distribute Area Command Team decisions.
  • Prepares and facilitate Area Command briefings as requested or needed.
  • Establishes direction for demobilization of critical resources.
  • Ensures demobilization plans are coordinated between Incident Management Teams and agency dispatchers.
  • Maintains unit log and log of strategic decisions.
  • Assures Area Commander re-delegates authorities to Incident Commanders as needed.
  • Prepares and maintains information for Area command documentation package:
    • Area Command briefing agenda(s) and schedules
    • Phone lists/organization charts
    • Area Command Delegations of Authority, roles, performance and other written agency administrator direction
    • Incident Management Team performance ratings
    • Dated priority/critical resources

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Area Command S-620
  • Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander or general staff on a National Type 1 IMT
    AND
  • Satisfactory position performance as an Assistant Area Commander, Planning 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