Skip to main content

Expanded Dispatch Coordinator

Position Description

Duties

  • Provides leadership and coordination in developing and implementing the expanded dispatch operation. Plans work objectives on a daily or project basis and makes adjustments to meet priorities. Adjusts shift lengths, staffing levels and work assignments based on changes to workload.
  • Manages incident and administrative intelligence (eg. Fuels, weather, resource status, and reporting) to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of expanded dispatch operations.
  • Coordinates and ensures that communication channels (telephones, email, radios and frequencies) with the incident and Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) are available, operable and afford a safe environment for incident personnel.
  • Provides technical advice and staff support to Multi-Agency Coordination Group (MAC), Incident Management Team (IMT), and host agency as requested.
  • Interacts successfully with Incident Management Teams (IMTs), Agency Administrators, Incident Business Advisors, Agency Financial/Administrative Officers, Agency Dispatch Managers, buying teams and contractors.
  • Provides supervision for the Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher (EDSP).
  • Is a primary contact and has key responsibilities within various emergency plans (evacuation, aviation accidents, sever injuries, and fatalities, etc.).
  • Appropriately describes/interprets contracts, agreements, MOUs, and plans.
  • Conducts operations with policy/legal constraints.
  • Monitors performance of incident support organization and dispatch/coordination systems (timeframes on orders, adherence to dispatch principles, cost effective actions).
  • Manages external impacts (political/social/economic/sensitive issues, technologies implemented).
  • Defines intelligence requirements (interface with public affairs, briefings, development and display).
  • Advises agency and/or MAC (recognize and provide alternatives, provides data for priority setting, implement management direction, gathers and analyze data).
  • Coordinates safe, effective and orderly demobilization of resources.
  • Participates in and provides information for briefings and incident reviews.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Satisfactory performance as an EDSP, and
  • Satisfactory position performance as a CORD.

NWCG Latest Announcements

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

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Awards

Date: January 14, 2025
Contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee has awarded the 2023 Paul Gleason “Lead By Example” awards to individuals in the categories of Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Sam Bowen, Superintendent of the Mark Twain Veteran Crew with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Greg Titus, Zone Fire Management Officer for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Renae Crippen, Manager of the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Eric Carlson, Instructor with OMNA International.

References:

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Interview with Paul Gleason

Updated NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Water Scooper Operations Unit

The NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating water scooping aircraft on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, and any local, state, or geographic/regional water scooping plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Updated NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee

The Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505. PMS 505 establishes standards for aerial supervision operations for national interagency wildland fire operations. 

References:

NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505