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Incident Commander Type 1*

ICT1 decorative banner: photos depicting ICT1 position. ICT1 Position Description: The Incident Commander (ICT1) is responsible for all incident activities.

The Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1) is responsible for all aspects of emergency response, including developing incident objectives, managing incident operations, setting priorities, defining the organization of the incident management team, and the overall Incident Action Plan (IAP). The ICT1 also has responsibility for ensuring incident safety and establishing and maintaining liaison with other agencies and stakeholders participating in the incident. The ICT1 supervises all Command and General Staff (C&G) positions and reports to the Agency Administrator (AA).

​The ICT1 performs position duties commensurate with Type 1 incident complexity and characteristics stated in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book).

USWDS Paragraphs

Incident Commander (ICT5)Safety Officer (SOFC)Safety Officer (SOF3)Liaison Officer (LOFR)Incident Commander (ICT4)Incident Commander (ICT3)Incident Commander (ICT2)Incident Commander (ICT1)Safety Officer (SOF2)Public Information Officer (PIO1)Public Information Officer (PIO2)Public Information Officer (PIO3)Agency Representative (AREP)Public Information Officer, Technician (PIOT)Incident Commander (ICCI)Safety Officer (SOF1)Public Information Officer (PIOC)Safety Officer (SOFF)

 

 

 

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: Jan 2025

Removed:

Required Training

  • RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)

S-520, Advanced Incident Management OR Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC)

Required Experience

  • Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander Type 2 (ICT2)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-01

Added: 

The qualification pathway for this position is discontinued per NWCG direction on January, 2025. Responders with an active PTB will transition to the corresponding complex position PTB.

Date: Feb 2023

Added:

  • Safety Officer Complex (SOFC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For ICT1."
  • Safety Officer Complex (SOFC) to "ICT1 Maintains Currency For These Positions."
Date: May 2022

Added: Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) and Incident Commander Complex (ICCI) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For ICT1" and "ICT1 Maintains Currency For These Positions".

Date: Nov 2020

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Date: Oct 2018

Added: Liaison Officer (LOFR) to "ICT1 Maintains Currency For These Positions".

Date: Oct 2015

Removed: Incident Commander Type 3 (ICT3) from "ICT1 Maintains Currency for These Positions".

Added: Agency Representative (AREP) for "ICT1 Maintains Currency for These Positions".

Date: Oct 1984

Position created.

Incident Commander (Multi-Branch), Incident Commander (Multi-Division) and Incident Commander (Multi-Leader) in 1984 PMS 310-1.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Primary Committee: Incident and Position Standards Committee
Steward: Incident Command Subcommittee


Last Modified / Reviewed:

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and Next Generation Position Task Book for Basic Faller Are Now Available

Date: April 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-19 are now available.

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212 includes position standards designed to be used in conjunction with the Next Generation Position Task Book (Next Gen PTB). The Next Gen PTB for Basic Faller (FAL3) includes an evaluation guide with suggested rating elements to consider when assessing trainees.

References:

NWCG Standards For Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-119

NWCG Basic Faller (FAL3)

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions

Date: April 9, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
RMC Member Eric Fransted

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) serves as the position steward for all Safety Officer incident positions and continues to improve position standards, training, and naming conventions. The implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) required changes to position titles. RMC collaborated with the NWCG Incident Position Standards Committee (IPSC) to propose and implement these updates. 

References:

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions 

NWCG Position Catalog

Updated, NWCG Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination, PMS 412

Date: April 8, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee

PMS 412 provides guidance for wildland fire investigations. This guide outlines recommended procedures, practices, techniques, and methods to promote a systematic approach. The last update to this publication was in 2016.

References:

NWCG Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination PMS 412

Updated NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations, PMS 508

Date: March 31, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Airtanker Base Operations Unit

The updated NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508 standardizes operations and procedures at interagency airtanker bases to ensure safe, efficient, and effective operations in support of interagency goals and objectives.

References:

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations, PMS 508