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Fire Effects Monitor

FEMO decorative banner: photos depicting FEMO position.

The Fire Effects Monitor (FEMO) is responsible for collecting incident status information from personal observations at the incident, and providing this information to the module leader, crew boss, and other fireline supervisor as directed. The information may include but is not limited to fire perimeter location, onsite weather, fire behavior, fuel conditions, smoke, and fire effects information needed to assess firefighter safety and whether the fire is achieving established incident objectives and requirements. The FEMO reports to their crew supervisor on a wildfire or the Firing Boss (FIRB) or Burn Boss (RXB1/2) on a prescribed fire.

Planning Section Chief (PSC3) Resources Unit Leader (RESL) Status/Check-in Recorder (SCKN) Situation Unit Leader (SITL) Field Observer (FOBS) Fire Effects Monitor (FEMO) Infrared Interpreter (IRIN) Display Processor (DPRO) Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) Strategic Operational Planner (SOPL) Long Term Fire Analyst (LTAN) Geographic Information System Specialist (GISS) Document Unit Leader (DOCL) Demobilization Leader (DMOB) Interagency Resource Representative (IARR) Human Resource Specialist (HRSP) Incident Training Specialist (TNSP) Planning Section Chief (PSC2) Planning Section Chief (PSC1) Planning Section Chief (PSCC)

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to States under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, visit Incident Business Committee.

Date: Jun 2020

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Date: Jun 2009

Updated: FEMO and FOBS Position Task Books were combined into one Position Task Book (311-30)  but the positions have not been combined. Specific direction is in the transition plan which can be found on the NWCG Publication Management System (Qualifications) web site: PMS 310-1 Historical Documents.

Date: Mar 1999

Position created.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Primary Committee: Fuels Management Committee
Steward: Fuels Management Committee
Key Stakeholder(s): Incident Planning Subcommittee
, Key Stakeholder(s): Smoke Committee


Page Last Modified / Reviewed:
USWDS Paragraph Bundles

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

2024 Week of Remembrance

Date: June 27, 2024
Contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee 

As we approach the 2024 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30 to July 6, we dedicate this time to thoughtfully reviewing and recognizing the events of the 2018 Mendocino Complex. As such, this year’s theme of “Learning From the Mendocino Complex” embodies a longstanding hallmark of WOR, honoring through learning.

Throughout the week, our energy will be directed toward fostering generative conversations in briefing rooms and at tailgates.

References:

6 Minutes for Safety - 2024 Week of Remembrance

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Updated NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Date: June 24, 2024
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee 

The June 2024 update of the NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236, is now available to meet the current needs for incident management typing.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment should be used to evaluate firefighter safety issues, assess risk, and identify the appropriate incident management organization based on incident complexity. Assessing risk, determining incident complexity, and identifying an appropriate incident management organization is a subjective process based on examining a combination of indicators or factors, which can change over time.

References:

NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Next Gen PTB Available

Date: June 10, 2024
Contact: NWCG Feedback 

The NWCG Position Task Book for Operations Branch Director (OPBD), PMS 311-109 is now available for use within the OPBD position qualification pathway. As part of the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), the OPBD Next Gen PTB was developed and the position qualification pathway updated.

More information about the Next Gen PTB format can be found on the NWCG Position Task Book webpage.

References:

Operations Branch Director Position Page

Operations Branch Director Next Gen PTB

NWCG Position Task Books

Updated NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

Date: June 5, 2024
Contact: NWCG Incident Business Committee 

The 2024 revision of the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902 is now available. The uniform application of interagency incident business management standards is critical to interagency fire operations. PMS 902 assists NWCG agencies in constructively working together to provide effective execution of each agency's incident business management program.

References:

PMS 902