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S-430, Operations Section Chief, 2006

S-430 Decorative banner: Three photos of wildland fire operations. An operation section chief discusses information on a mobile tablet with two other firefighters. Two operations section chiefs review and write on maps spread out in front of them. A firefighter points to the distance giving instructions to another firefighter.

 

Administration

Certification Date:
Feb 2006
Previous Certification Date(s):
Apr 1996
Course Components:
Title
S-430 Instructor Guide
NFES Number
002830
Product Date
Distribution
Cache
Type
Instructor Guide
Previous Edition
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Title
S-430 CD-ROM Course Materials
NFES Number
002832
Product Date
Distribution
Cache
Type
CD Rom
Previous Edition
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Title
S-430 DVD "Hall Fire Agency Administrator's Briefing"
NFES Number
002833
Product Date
Distribution
Cache
Type
DVD
Previous Edition
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Title
S-430 Student Workbook
NFES Number
002831
Product Date
Distribution
Cache
Type
Student Workbook
Previous Edition

Material is available in the NWCG NFES Catalog - Part 2: Publications, PMS 449-2. The catalog lists the materials needed, along with their cost. For ordering procedures and payment options, please visit Catalogs and Ordering Quicklinks page.

 

The NWCG Risk and Complexity Assessment (RCA) will replace the NWCG Complexity Analysis and NWCG Organizational Needs Assessment beginning in January, 2014. The following table illustrates the changes to this course. 
Table showing the course revisions for S-430.

 Optional materials have been developed to enhance the students understanding of the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) relative to the Operations Section Chief position. Instructors who choose to use the optional materials to enhance the course should be familiar with the lesson and its contents and determine how it will be used in the course. The materials are available here: http://wfdss.usgs.gov/wfdss/WFDSS_NWCG_WFDSS.shtml.

Applies to 2006 Version.

Support Link: Support Document Link

 

Print PDF

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