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Food Unit Leader

Position Description

Duties

  • Reviews food unit layout with contractor to determine needs and/or changes.
  • Develops menu content with contractor.
  • Reviews and approve suggested menus to determine if menu content, variety, and serving sizes meet or exceed contract specifications.
  • Monitors food service to determine if improvements are needed in food handling, cooking, food preparation and storage.
  • Obtains feedback from incident personnel on adequacy of food serviced.
  • Conducts periodic inspections to ensure quality control standards of all meals and equipment are met.
  • Coordinates with contractor on meal count, number of meals ordered, meal scheduling and food handling requirements.
  • Ensures that special meal requirements are recognized and met.
  • Reviews and approves invoices and evaluations with contractor and disburse copies to appropriate personnel.
  • Ensures all inappropriate actions involving contractor personnel are reported to the contracting officer or COTR using appropriate procedures.
  • Ensures requested time frames are met.
  • Obtains a briefing from supervisor, Logistics Section Chief.
  • Provides for the safety and welfare of assigned personnel to the incident.
  • Establishes and maintains positive internal and external interpersonal working relationships.
  • Maintains unit log.
  • Participates at logistics planning meetings.
  • Determines requirements for type of food service and personnel needs for unit and place order.
  • Organizes and provides supervision for unit.
  • Establishes support system with other units.
  • Serves as contract administrator for national interagency mobile food service contract if used.
  • Ensures all health and safety requirements are met.
  • Maintains records of meals ordered and served.
  • Demobilizes mobile food unit in accordance with national policy.
  • Completes any required performance evaluations of kitchen and unit subordinates.
  • Conducts routine inspections.
  • May supervise camp crew.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Good understanding of national contract requirements.
  • Understanding of nutritional needs of firefighters.
  • S-357, Food Unit Leader
  • Knowledge of safe food handling.
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