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Public Information Officer Subcommittee

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Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The Public Information Officer Subcommittee (PIOSC) provides national leadership in all areas of wildland fire public information management.

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Primary Objectives

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Public information officer communicating with a family.
  • Establish and regularly update incident position information related to wildland fire incident public information. This includes position standards, qualifications requirements, and performance support materials such as job aids, training courses, and position task books. Provide position input to other committees as necessary.
  • Develop wildland fire public information best practices that ensure timely, accurate and reliable information.
  • Coordinate with pertinent stakeholders and cooperators to provide all-inclusive messaging, information, assistance and subject matter expertise in wildland fire public information management.
  • Contribute to the standardization of information technology systems (such as FireNet, IROC, etc.) to collect and distribute data, processes, forms, and other operational elements.

NWCG PIO Positions

A table outlining the position roles and responsibilities for all four PIO positions is linked below.

What type of PIO are you?

This graphic is designed to explain the new PIO positions and updates in 2021 and 2022; this will aid PIOs in deciding when and how to proceed with training and development.

NWCG Public Information Officer Social Media References and Guidance

This document is intended to direct Public Information Officers and others to information and references for appropriate guidance on the use of social media. Although much of this information is agency-specific, many of the concepts and best practices referenced are broadly applicable across the wide range of incidents that public information officers support. Feedback should be directed to your PIOSC agency representative.

 

 

Chair: Kerry Greene

NWCG Coordinator: Sarah Lee

Parent Committee: Communication Education and Prevention Committee

Meeting Schedule: TBD

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NWCG Latest Announcements

WFSTAR 2025 Core Component Module Package and 2024 Fire Year in Review Now Available

Date: March 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Joe Schindel at mschindel@blm.gov
 

The 2025 Core Component Module Package for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) and the 2024 Fire Year in Review are now available on the NWCG website. The 2025 Core Component Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

References:

2025 Core Component Module Package

2024 Fire Year in Review Module

NEW! NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053

Date: March 12, 2025
Contact: Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee

The NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 provides mitigation practitioners at all experience levels with recommendations on the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish mitigation work in communities at risk to wildfire damage or destruction. The content in this guide was written in coordination with the NWCG Standards for Mitigation in the Wildland Urban Interface, PMS 052.

References:

NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 

Updated, NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

Date: March 11, 2025
Contact: Fire Use Subcommittee
Wildland Fire Module Unit

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430 standardizes procedures and expectations for Wildland Fire Modules (WFMs). These standards are to be used by staff, supervisors, specialists, and technicians for planning, administering, and conducting WFM operations. These standards will also be used as a measure of WFM qualifications, capabilities, and expected performance, for both Type 1 and Type 2 WFMs.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

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