Skip to main content

PMS 936

Documentation

Purpose

Incident documentation refers to all records—including, but not limited to, word processing documents, spreadsheets, telephone and e-mail messages, tabular information, GPS-gathered files, kml/ kmz files, geodatabases, feature services, maps, and other output products—saved as official incident records. The Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL) in the Planning Section compiles this information for the entire incident and provides it to the host unit at the incident’s conclusion. All official incident records can be used for investigations and lawsuits and should provide an accurate record of what information was available to support decisions and actions by overhead/line personnel.

Documents = Records; anything used to support a decision is a document and should be retained.

Document Examples: Map requests, Geographic Information System Specialist (GISS) map production list, digital map products, feature service data, incident geodatabases, GPS coordinates, handwritten adjustments to maps, SMS/email/photo data changes, General Message forms, meeting notes

Non-Document Examples: Personal notes, emails about lunch contents, intermediate data

Specifications

The GISS must follow these specifications to ensure documentation is correctly collected, attributed, and stored.

  • Work with the Situation Unit Leader (SITL) and DOCL to understand process for documentation.
  • Document all work requests on a General Message form.
  • Use the Event Geodatabase data standard for storing any applicable incident data.
  • Adhere to the Directory Structure and File Naming standards to enable data discovery and retrieval.
  • Use FireNet for all incident related communications, document sharing, or public outreach.
  • Track and document work requirements, map changes, and special map requests using method required by SITL.
  • Store all electronic files in the GISS Directory Structure.
  • Maintain a contact list of incident GISS and any local contacts used for data acquisition and sharing.

References

Responsibilities

The GISS must correctly store all documents and ensure they are included in the incident documentation.

 

Page Last Modified / Reviewed:

Print PDF

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