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Field Leadership Assessment Course (FLAC)

photo of Observer/Controller with Team in action in 4x4 walk station.The purpose of this feature is to provide support to facilitators in the planning, development, and execution of a Field Leadership Assessment Course (FLAC) portion of the L-280 course. The FLAC is intended to provide an opportunity for the students to practice the leadership, communication, and teamwork concepts covered during the first day classroom portion of the L-280 course. A well planned FLAC is essential for a successful course.

The FLAC is where it all starts to come together for L-280 students-where theory meets application. The FLAC provides an opportunity for cadre and students to have fun while providing a learning and self-discovery environment in the context of what firefighters do every day. The FLAC is a series of problem solving events where students, working in small teams, practice the concepts that were presented in their reading assignment and classroom session.

The intent of the FLAC is to give students the opportunity to apply lessons from the classroom instruction in order to do some self-assessment regarding their positive and negative leadership traits. The FLAC also is intended to help fire managers develop quality leadership in their workforce by providing a method to assess individual competence for handling small teams that have been charged with accomplishing a task under conditions of stress.

The FLAC was adapted from the Leadership Reaction Course used at the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. In 2001 and 2002, when the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program was first being established, about 150 wildland firefighters were invited to attend a series of leadership development workshops hosted by the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. In these workshops, wildland firefighters had the opportunity to experience a number of leader development techniques used by the Marines. These techniques included their Professional Reading Program, Tactical Decision Games and Sandtables, Staff Rides, and the Leadership Reaction Course (LRC). All these techniques have since been adapted for use by the wildland fire service. In 2003, when L-280 was being designed, the project team members were individuals that had been to the Marine Corps University leadership workshops and determined that a portable wildland fire version of the LRC could be developed. The FLAC is the result of that effort.

The following documents and links will aid in the planning and delivery of your session:

Forms

Example FLAC Coordinator Plans

References for Designing New FLAC Stations

  • Field Initiatives
    Collection of team building exercises put together by the Maine Civil Air Patrol.
  • Team Building Activities
    Website for commercial team building retreats that may provide you with some creative ideas. (Wilderdom)

Other Resources

  • National Weather Service
    Provided as a reminder to consider the weather the day before running your session.
  • Google Maps
    Useful for previewing and mapping a course location.

NWCG Latest Announcements

Leadership Committee IAP Flyer Now Available

Date:  May 8, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee promotes and enables leadership development across the wildland fire service. The committee provides education, training opportunities, and support for leadership innovation and best practices throughout the community.

A new IAP flyer is now available on the committee website, offering an overview of the products, curriculum, and learning opportunities the Leadership Committee develops. This resource is ideal for posting in your office, sharing with new employees, or distributing through your incident management teams to engage new voices in the leadership journey and reinforce a culture of self‑reflection, development, and growth.

References:

Leadership Committee 2026 IAP Flyer

Incident Operations Subcommittee Updates the Next Generation Position Task Book for FFT1

Date:  May 7, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

The NWCG Incident Operations Subcommittee (IOSC) has updated the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14. The FFT1 Position Task Book transitioned to the Next Generation (Next Gen PTB) format in June 2025 through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. Since then, IOSC has received feedback from the wildland fire community regarding coding for one of the tasks. Task #13 has been updated to include the option of evaluation in a simulation.

See IOSC Memorandum 26‑01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14 for more information.

References:

IOSC Memorandum 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Postion Task Book for Firefighter Type 1

NWCG Firefighter Type 1 Squad Boss Position Page 

NEW! S-212, Intermediate Faller (Online) Course Available Now 

Date:  April 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S‑212, Intermediate Faller (Online), course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). This second course in the series provides students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of an Intermediate Faller (FAL2), as described in the FAL2 Incident Position Description. This course is intended for individuals seeking to advance from Basic Faller (FAL3) to FAL2.

S‑212, Intermediate Faller is a fully online, self‑paced training program consisting of 13 units. Learners will engage with interactive, scenario‑based content designed to progressively build foundational skills and knowledge essential for the FAL2 role.

Students must be qualified as a Basic Faller (FAL3) prior to enrolling in S‑212, Intermediate Faller course.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2027.

References:

S-212 Intermediate Faller (Online)

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

New Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

Date:  April 17, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: National Coordination System Committee

A new publication from the National Coordination System Committee (NCSC) is now available. The NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249, will be used for aviation crews and dispatch to share flight information that is needed for resource tracking, and if needed, for emergency procedures.

For further details, please contact your NCSC representative. 

References:

NCSC Memo 26-01: Implementation of NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249