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Operations Section Chief Type 1*

OSC1 decorative banner: photos depicting OSC1 position. OSC1 Position Description: The Operations Section Chief (OSC1), a member of the General Staff, is responsible for managing all operations directly applicable to the primary mission.

The Operations Section Chief Type 1 (OSC1) manages incident operations through the operations section, establishing and directing branches, divisions, groups, and units as necessary to support operations. The OSC1 leads the development and execution of the tactical assignments documented in the Incident Action Plan (IAP). The OSC1 reports to the Incident Commander (IC) and works in the Operations functional area.

The OSC1 performs position duties commensurate with Type 1 incident complexity and characteristics stated in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book). (OSC2 and OSC1 duties are identical but are performed at different complexity levels.)

USWDS Paragraphs

Operations Section Chief (OPS3) Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Structure Protection Specialist (STPS) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS) Task Force Leader (TFLD) Crew Boss, Single Resource (CRWB) Heavy Equipment Boss, Single Resource (HEQB) Engine Boss, Single Resource (ENGB) Felling Boss, Single Resource (FELB) Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB) Helicopter Manager, Single Resource (HMGB) Operations Section Chief (OSC2) Staging Area Manager (STAM) Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS) Helibase Manager (HEBM) Deck Coordinator (DECK) Aircraft Base Radio Operator (ABRO) Helicopter Crew Member (HECM) Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR) Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ) Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN) Operations Section Chief (OSC1) Advanced Faller (FAL1) Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Basic Faller (FAL3) Fixed Wing Base Manager (FWBM) Airtanker Base Manager (ATBM) Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT) Mixmaster (MXMS) Retardant Crew Member (RTCM) Single Engine Air Tanker Manager (SEMG) Aircraft Time Keeper (ATIM) Ramp Manager (RAMP) Operations Section Chief (OSCC) Crew Representative (CREP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Operations Section Chief Type 2 (OSC2)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Operations Section Chief Type 1 (OSC1) Position Task Book, PMS 311-08 - OSC1/OSC2 Combined.

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: Jan 2023

Added:  Safety Officer Complex (SOFC) to "OSC1 Maintains Currency For These Positions."

Date: Aug 2022

Added: Position-Specific publication added under Standards and References: NWCG Position-Specific Standards for Operations Section Chiefs, PMS 350-8.

Date: May 2022

Added: Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For OSC1" and "OSC1 Maintains Currency For These Positions"

Date: Nov 2020

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Date: Oct 2016

Added: Operations Section Chief Type 3, Wildland Fire (OPS3) to "OSC1 Maintains Currency for These Positions."

Date: Oct 2015

Removed: Operations Section Chief Type 3, Wildland Fire (OPS3) from "These Positions Maintain Currency for OSC1" and from "OSC1 Maintains Currency for These Positions."

Date: Oct 1993

Position created. 

Operations Section Chief (Multi-Branch), Operations Section Chief (Multi-Division) and Operations Section Chief (Multi-Leader) in 1984 PMS 310-1.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

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


Last Modified / Reviewed:

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NWCG Latest Announcements

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

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