FOREST SERVICE MANUAL NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS (WO) … · 2013-06-12 · Amendments are numbered...

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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS (WO)

WASHINGTON, DC

1 FSM 5100 – WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT 2

3 CHAPTER 5120 – PREPAREDNESS 4

5 Amendment No.: The Directive Manager completes this field. 6 7 Effective Date: The Directive Manager completes this field. 8 9 Duration: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed. 10 11 Approved: NAME OF APPROVING OFFICIAL Title of Approving Official

Date Approved: mm/dd/yyyy

12 Posting Instructions: Amendments are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year. 13 Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this amendment. Retain this 14 transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last amendment to this title was 5100-200x-15 x to xxxxx. 16 17 New Document

5120 xx Pages

Superseded Document(s) by Issuance Number and Effective Date

5120 (Amendment 5100-2005-2, 07/11/2005)

28 Pages

18 Digest: 19 20

Revised in its entirety. 21

22

23

24

WO AMENDMENT EFFECTIVE DATE: DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

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DRAFT - FSM 5100 – WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS

Table of Contents 25

26

5120.2 Objectives ....................................................................................................................... 4 27 5120.3 – Policy ........................................................................................................................... 5 28 5120.4 – Responsibility .............................................................................................................. 6 29

5120.41 – Chief ....................................................................................................................... 6 30 5120.42 - Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry ............................................................... 7 31 5120.43 - Director, Fire and Aviation Management, Washington Office .............................. 7 32 5120.44 – Regional Foresters ................................................................................................. 9 33 5120.45 - Regional Directors, Fire and Aviation Management ............................................ 10 34 5120.46 - Forest Supervisors ................................................................................................ 12 35 5120.47 - District Rangers .................................................................................................... 14 36

5121 – PLANNING AND DECISION SUPPORT .......................................................... 14 37 5121.02 – Objective .............................................................................................................. 14 38

5121.1 – Plans ........................................................................................................................... 15 39 5121.11 - National, Geographic, and Unit Preparedness Plans ............................................ 15 40 5121.12 – Fire Program Analysis (FPA) .............................................................................. 15 41 5121.13 - Fire Management Reference System .................................................................... 16 42

5121.2 - Decision Support ........................................................................................................ 16 43 5121.21 - Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) (FSM 5133.03) ................... 16 44 5121.22 - Predictive Services ............................................................................................... 16 45

5122 – COOPERATION ................................................................................................ 17 46 5122.02 - Objective ............................................................................................................... 17 47 5122.03 - Policy .................................................................................................................... 17 48

5122.1 – Agreements with Federal Agencies ........................................................................... 18 49 5122.2 – State and Local Agreements ...................................................................................... 19 50 5122.3 – International Agreements ........................................................................................... 19 51

5123 – COORDINATION AND MOBILIZATION OF WILDLAND FIRE ASSETS ........ 20 52 5123.02 - Objective ............................................................................................................... 20 53 5123.03 – Policy ................................................................................................................... 20 54

5123.1 – Dispatch Organizations .............................................................................................. 21 55


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5123.2 - Mobilization Guides ................................................................................................... 22 56 5124 - FIRE WEATHER MONITORING, FORECASTING, AND FIRE DANGER 57

RATING .............................................................................................................. 22 58 5124.01 - Authority ............................................................................................................... 22 59 5124.02 - Objective ............................................................................................................... 22 60 5124.03 - Policy .................................................................................................................... 23 61

5124.1 – Weather Monitoring and the National Fire Danger Rating System ........................... 23 62 5124.2 Fire Danger Pocket Cards ............................................................................................. 24 63

5125 – TRAINING, QUALIFICATIONS, AND CERTIFICATION FOR FIRE AND 64 EMERGENCY OPERATIONS ............................................................................ 25 65

5125.02 - Objective ............................................................................................................... 25 66 5125.03 – Policy ................................................................................................................... 25 67

5125.1 – Job Corps and Non-Federal Organized Suppression Crews ...................................... 26 68 5126 FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSETS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES ........................ 26 69

5126.02 – Objective .............................................................................................................. 26 70 5126.03 – Policy ................................................................................................................... 27 71

5126.1 Mobile Fire Equipment ................................................................................................. 29 72 5126.11 Emergency Lights and Sirens ................................................................................. 29 73

5127 – REVIEWS .......................................................................................................... 29 74 5127.02 –Objective ............................................................................................................... 29 75

5127.1 - Regional Activity Reviews ......................................................................................... 30 76 5127.2 - National Program Reviews ......................................................................................... 30 77

78 79


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS Preparedness is a continuous process that includes all fire management activities conducted in 80

advance of wildland fire ignitions to ensure a safe, cost-efficient, and effective risk-based 81

wildland fire response to meet National and Agency goals. Activities include: 82

1. Developing agency strategy, doctrine and standards; 83

2. Developing fire management program and budget proposals; the composition and 84

location of unit, state/regional, and national level firefighting infrastructure and assets; 85

3. Working with partners and cooperators to develop an effective, risk-based cooperative 86

readiness program; 87

4. Training; certifying and managing records; and equipping fire management assets; 88

5. Detecting fires; 89

6. Assessing risk; developing, maintaining, and implementing systems to analyze risk, and 90

acquire geospatial information on current and historical fire occurrence, weather, hazard, 91

and fire danger; 92

7. Developing, maintaining, and implementing systems to mobilize, coordinate, and 93

prioritize the use of firefighting personnel and equipment;. 94

8. Evaluating agency performance to improve future operations. 95

5120.2 Objectives 96

1. In collaboration with Federal, State, local cooperators and partners, provide the capability 97

to implement safe, effective, efficient, risk-based wildland fire management decisions, 98

and respond to wildland fire in a cost-efficient manner to redeem the agency’s role and 99

responsibilities in the interagency fire community, and support agency goals and 100


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management objectives identified in strategic plans and Land and Resource Management 101

Plans (FSM 1920). 102

2. Provide managers with relevant information and procedures based on the best available 103

science to develop strategy and implement actions that reduce the number of unplanned 104

ignitions from human causes, and support timely and effective risk-based decisions to 105

prepare an effective response to all wildland fires. 106

3. Safely and effectively coordinate personnel, equipment, and supplies in support of 107

wildland fire and emergency management activities. 108

4. Assess agency performance to determine program capability and readiness to meet 109

agency wildland fire management objectives; implement actions to eliminate 110

deficiencies. 111

5120.3 – Policy 112

1. Develop a suite of nationally available, locally-implemented wildland fire preparedness 113

assets. 114

2. Base the national program on USDA and USFS strategic plans and agreements. 115

3. Recognize the interdependence of wildland fire jurisdictions at all geographic levels in 116

managing wildland fire: develop and implement mutually beneficial fire management 117

agreements to conduct wildland fire activities collaboratively, with the proactive 118

engagement of cooperators, partners, and the public. 119


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4. Apply appropriate management oversight and support at each fire organizational level to 120

coordinate, plan, fund, train, staff, and equip, a safe, cost-efficient fire management 121

program. 122

5. Plan, implement, and maintain a detection program sufficient to promptly detect fires and 123

allow an effective response to wildfire. 124

6. Prepare and maintain a workforce (Line officers, supervisors, support personnel, and 125

firefighters), trained and qualified to make and implement fire management decisions 126

applying situational awareness, risk assessment, doctrine, training, and experience. 127

7. Gather and maintain information on fire weather, climatological assessments, wildland 128

fire activity and severity, risks and hazards, and other factors to provide up-to-date 129

information at Initial attack, GACC and national levels to support collaborative priority 130

setting, resource deployment, contingency development, and ensuring adequate 131

management, supervision, and response to predicted changes in fire severity and activity. 132

5120.4 – Responsibility 133

5120.41 – Chief 134

The Chief reserves authority to execute all Service-wide agreements with other Federal agencies 135

and approve or reject agreements with foreign countries. 136


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5120.42 - Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry 137

1. The Deputy Chief is responsible to ensure that agency capability is sufficient to meet the 138

Chief’s goals, and must coordinate with the Regional Foresters to develop a unified 139

agency program to implement agency wildland fire management goals. 140

2. Recommend for approval to the Chief, all Service-wide agreements with other Federal 141

agencies and agreements with foreign countries. 142

5120.43 - Director, Fire and Aviation Management, Washington Office 143

The Director, Fire and Aviation Management must plan, organize, and implement the national 144

preparedness program by: 145

1. Developing the doctrine, national strategies, and risk management principles for the 146

wildland fire program. 147

2. Providing counsel to the Deputy Chief on the fire management program and its capability 148

in meeting the Chief’s goals. 149

3. Recommending for approval to the Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, the 150

establishment or revision of all Service-wide agreements with other Federal agencies and 151

foreign countries, in order to collaboratively develop national preparedness plans, 152

mobilization guides, procedures, standards, and systems, to train, qualify, equip, and 153

mobilize personnel and assets to meet national and international wildland fire and 154

emergency needs (FSM 5121.1). 155


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4. Consulting with the Deputy Chief (S&PF) to annually determine and approve the number 156

of all agency wildland fire response assets; their period of availability, location, and 157

funding, to implement the Chief’s wildfire preparedness and response goals. 158

5. Developing and maintaining the capability to mobilize wildland fire assets by 159

maintaining, and operating the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) in 160

collaboration with interagency cooperators (FSM 5123). 161

6. Establishing standards for firefighting assets, and qualification requirements and for fire 162

support and fire management personnel,. 163

7. Ensuring oversight for the development, operation, and maintenance of networks and 164

systems to: assess weather, fire behavior, and fire danger; report fire occurrence; mobilize 165

firefighting personnel and assets; maintain accountability of firefighting equipment and 166

supplies; monitor suppression actions; track training and certifications for fire 167

management personnel; evaluate cost effectiveness of alternative fire management 168

programs; and assess risk in making strategic and tactical decisions for fire incidents. 169

8. Conducting national–level preparedness reviews to monitor accountability and 170

performance, correct deficiencies, and improve overall operations (FSM 5127.2). 171

9. Ensuring that strategic assessments (i.e. Cohesive Strategy, Quadrennial Fire Review) are 172

developed to position the agency to meet both current and future conditions. 173

10. Ensuring that national Fire and Aviation Management leadership is trained, equipped, 174

and directed to provide an appropriate, risk-based, and effective response. 175

11. Certifying, recertifying, or decertifying agency personnel located in the National Office 176

possessing Area Command and Type 1 position qualifications. 177


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5120.44 – Regional Foresters 178

Regional Foresters must: 179

1. Coordinate with the Deputy Chief to create a unified agency wildland fire program and 180

establish the Regional capability to implement the Chief’s wildland fire management 181

goals. 182

2. Ensure establishment of statewide agreements that clearly define the responsibilities of 183

all interagency partners in wildland fire activities. 184

3. Establish supplemental Regional direction (Manual or Handbook) when State or local 185

laws or regulations require additional standards. Examples include requirements related 186

to blood borne pathogens, first responders, emergency vehicle operations, and hazardous 187

materials. 188

4. Certify, recertify, or decertify agency personnel located within the region possessing 189

Area Command and Type 1 position qualifications, or delegate this responsibility to the 190

Regional Fire Director. 191

5. Regional Foresters will ensure that field units plan and budget fire protection assets 192

within allocated budgets. Field unit planned budgets and staffing will be based on 193

allocated preparedness funds and not on estimated or anticipated emergency suppression 194

or severity activity expenditures. 195

6. Ensure proper accountability of firefighting tools and equipment. 196

7. Ensure that Regional Activity Reviews are conducted (5127.1). 197


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5120.45 - Regional Directors, Fire and Aviation Management 198

Regional Directors, Fire and Aviation Management, must: 199

1. Plan, organize, and implement, the Regional wildland fire management program. 200

2. Establish statewide agreements covering the use of interagency, National Guard, State, 201

and local cooperator forces, and the coordination of Regional interagency wildfire 202

response activities. 203

3. Provide oversight and conduct preparedness reviews of Forest, Grassland and interagency 204

fire management programs. 205

4. Provide oversight, maintain, and ensure effective operation of Geographic Area 206

Coordination Centers (GACC) in collaboration with interagency cooperators (FSM 207

5123.1). 208

5. Provide oversight, maintain, and ensure effective operation of all agency wildfire 209

response assets (see National Mobilization Guide NFES 2092). 210

6. Provide oversight, and ensure and certify that weather, fire danger rating, and risk 211

assessment systems meet national standards and deliver accurate, current, and timely 212

information (NFDRS, Fire Danger Pocket Cards, Fire Behavior Alerts, etc.); see 213

Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (NWCG, NFES 2724) and 214

Interagency Wildland Fire Weather Station Standards & Guidelines (PMS 426-3). 215

7. Develop and recommend supplemental Regional direction (Manual or Handbook) to the 216

Regional Forester when State or local laws or regulations require additional standards. 217


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Examples include requirements related to blood borne pathogens, first responders, 218

emergency vehicle operations, and hazardous materials. 219

8. Enable the availability of trained and qualified fire management personnel by: 220

a. Ensuring training programs compliant with National, State and local standards are 221

available to train and qualify personnel for fire management and emergency 222

assignments. 223

b. Establishing a Regional (or GACC) Qualification Review Committee to 224

recommend certification, recertification, or decertification of personnel to the 225

Regional Forester or designee by annually reviewing qualifications of all agency 226

personnel located within the region possessing Area Command and Type 1 227

position qualifications.. (FSH 5109.17, Forest Service Fire and Aviation 228

Qualifications Guide, chapter 2.1) 229

c. If designated by Regional Forester certify, recertify, or decertify agency personnel 230

located within the region possessing Area Command and Type 1 position 231

qualifications. 232

9. Determine Regional fire management equipment and supply needs; only obtain 233

equipment and supplies equipment meeting national standards; and maintain 234

accountability of these items. 235


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10. Schedule and conduct annual preparedness reviews to identify organizational, 236

operational, procedural, personnel, or equipment deficiencies, and recommend specific 237

corrective actions. 238

5120.46 - Forest Supervisors 239

Forest Supervisors must: 240

1. Collaboratively, with appropriate federal, state, and local partners, plan, organize, and 241

implement a preparedness program for the National Forest or Grassland. 242

2. Ensure that appropriate agreements cover the use of interagency, and local cooperator 243

forces, and the coordination of wildfire response activities. Establish and maintain 244

cooperative wildland fire management agreements that accurately reflect current 245

conditions, budget, or other significant considerations. 246

3. Establish a Forest Qualification Review Committee to annually review and recommend 247

certification, recertification, or decertification of personnel. (FSH 5109.17, Forest Service 248

Fire & Aviation Qualifications Guide, chapter 2.1) 249

4. Certify, recertify, or decertify all unit individuals possessing Type 2 or lower position 250

qualifications. 251

5. Ensure the Fire Management Reference System is annually updated, and provides 252

guidance, based upon the Land and Resource Management Plan, for responding to 253


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unplanned ignitions and supporting wildland fire decisions and analysis (See FSH 254

5109.19). 255

6. Ensure dispatch centers are prepared with mobilization and initial attack plans to detect 256

wildfires and respond to wildland fires with effective coordination, and mobilization of 257

wildland fire management assets. 258

7. Ensure that adequate plans, hardware, software, qualified personnel, and facilities are 259

available to coordinate, support, and process the timely and accurate assessment of 260

weather conditions (RAWS network and WIMS), fire danger (National Fire Danger 261

Rating System (NFDRS)), and risk (Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS)). 262

8. Ensure Fire Danger Pocket Cards accurately depict current conditions and trends; are 263

certified regionally, posted on the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) web 264

site (http://fam.nwcg.gov/fam-web/pocketcards/default.htm); and distributed to each 265

fireline supervisor on Type 3, 4, and 5 wildfires. 266

9. Designate Administratively Determined (AD) hiring official(s); reference Interagency 267

Incident Business Management Handbook (NWCG Handbook 2). 268

10. Determine Forest and Grassland fire management equipment and supply needs; only 269

obtain equipment and supplies equipment meeting national standards; and maintain 270

accountability of these items. 271

http://fam.nwcg.gov/fam-web/pocketcards/default.htm


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11. Ensure development of a plan that assesses the hazards, risks, and benefits for the use of 272

emergency lights and sirens in wildfire operations; if use of emergency lights and sirens 273

is necessary, describes risk mitigation, operator certification, and monitoring measures 274

for their use. 275

5120.47 - District Rangers 276

District Rangers must: 277

1. Maintain an organization meeting agency standards that is able to achieve wildland fire 278

management objectives described in Land and Resource Management Plans, and 279

implement applicable actions identified in unit level and GACC mobilization and unit 280

level initial attack response systems and plans. 281

2. Provide oversight and ensure the employees understand their professional and legal 282

responsibilities and are given timely and accurate information of the latent and emerging 283

risks in the wildland fire environment. 284

5121 – PLANNING AND DECISION SUPPORT 285

5121.02 – Objective 286

Provide managers with relevant information and procedures based on the best available science 287

to develop strategy and implement actions that reduce the number of unplanned ignitions from 288

human causes, and support timely and effective risk-based decisions to prepare an effective 289

response to all wildland fires. 290


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5121.1 – Plans 291

5121.11 - National, Geographic, and Unit Preparedness Plans 292

1. Preparedness Plans and/or systems (ie. Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD)) must 293

provide management information for: preparedness activities: an analysis and decision 294

making process; a Fire Danger Operating Plan; validation of the accuracy of weather data 295

systems; and the identification of preparedness actions to be taken at given identified 296

levels of burning conditions, fire activity, and resource commitment (Refer to 297

Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (NWCG, NFES 2724) and 298

the National Interagency Mobilization Guide (NFES 2092) for detailed information and 299

guidance). 300

2. Preparedness planning is required at national, GACC, and unit levels and will be 301

documented in Mobilization Guides, operating plans, initial response plans, or the Fire 302

Management Reference System, (the agency template for the national interagency Fire 303

Management Plan). 304

5121.12 – Fire Program Analysis (FPA) 305

A strategic budget and allocation model will analyze firefighting capability requirements 306

nationally, regionally and locally, and be used to inform agency budget and asset allocation 307

decisions. The Fire Program Analysis system will be used to meet this need. See FSH 5109.19 308

Fire Planning and Analysis Handbook. 309


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5121.13 - Fire Management Reference System 310

The broad direction for guiding response to unplanned ignitions must be documented in the Fire 311

Management Reference System, the agency template for the national interagency Fire 312

Management Plan (electronic filing structure located at http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fmp.) 313

Prepare and update the Fire Management Reference System, the agency template for the national 314

interagency Fire Management Plan, on an annual basis to ensure that it provides information to 315

support wildland fire decision and analysis process based upon desired condition in the Land and 316

Resource Management Plan (See FSH 5109.19). 317

5121.2 - Decision Support 318

5121.21 - Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) (FSM 5133.03) 319

1. Must be used to assist line officers and fire managers in making strategic and tactical 320

decisions for wildfire incidents. 321

2. Regions, Forests or Grasslands, and Districts must assist WFDSS program managers in 322

the acquisition and maintenance of data to allow the effective use of WFDSS in 323

supporting the wildfire decision process. 324

5121.22 - Predictive Services 325

1. Predictive Service units must be maintained at National and Geographic levels. 326

2. Predictive Service units will collect, analyze, and disseminate information about fire 327

activity, resource status, weather, fuels, fire danger, and fire potential in order to provide 328

decision-support for wildland fire management operations. 329

http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fmp


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5122 – COOPERATION 330

5122.02 - Objective 331

Develop and implement mutually beneficial fire management agreements with other Federal 332

agencies, State and local authorities, and adjoining countries. 333

5122.03 - Policy 334

1. Establish agreements with interagency partners in advance of wildfire response to 335

clearly define the responsibilities of all partners. Forest Service responsibilities 336

generally involve mutual aid, initial response, extended wildfire incident 337

management, or large fire support and agreements typically: 338

a. Authorize and document the coordination among military, State, local and 339

Federal agencies for wildfire response activities; 340

b. Clarify the Agency’s structure protection policy; see FSM 5135 for structure 341

protection requirements; 342

c. Establish the method and rate of reimbursement and payment; see the 343

Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook (FSH 5109.34); and 344

the Grants and Agreements manual and handbook (FSM 1580 and FSH 345

1509.11-30) for further direction on Cooperative Fire Protection Agreements. 346

2. Review and update annually cooperative wildland fire management agreements, and 347

reference them in Mobilization Guides, local preparedness plans, or the Fire 348

management reference system (FSM 3170). 349


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3. Do not prepare trespass reports or bill other Federal agencies for suppression costs 350

(FFF) or for damages from fires caused by activities of other Federal agencies. See 351

FSM 6511.21c for interdepartmental waiver doctrine. 352

5122.1 – Agreements with Federal Agencies 353

The Forest Service has the following agreements with other Federal agencies. For details of 354

the actual agreements see FSM 1530. For standard and sample agreements see FSH 1509.11. 355

1. 5171.1 - Department of the Interior. Memorandum of Understanding between the 356

Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture providing authority for 357

agency level fire management agreements, 1943. 358

2. Memorandum of Understanding between the Bureau of Land Management, Forest 359

Service, and National Weather Service for joint operation of the Boise Interagency 360

Fire Center (BIFC), 1972. 361

3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of the Interior and the 362

Department of Agriculture establishing the National Wildfire Coordinating Group 363

(NWCG), 1976. 364

4. Interagency Agreement between the Department of the Interior land management 365

agencies and the Forest Service concerning cooperative fire management, 1982. 366

5. - Department of Commerce. Memorandum of Understanding between the National 367

Environmental Satellite Service (NESS) and the Forest Service concerning the 368

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) data collection systems 369

program, 1980. 370


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6. Agreement between the National Weather Service and the Federal land management 371

agencies concerning meteorological services, 1983. 372

7. 5171.3 - Department of Defense. Memorandum of Understanding between the 373

Department of Defense, Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture 374

concerning the Department of Defense fire emergency assistance, 1975. 375

8. 5171.4 - General Services Administration. Interagency Agreement between the 376

General Services Administration, Office of Federal Supply and Services, and the 377

Forest Service concerning wildfire suppression equipment and supplies, 1984. 378

5122.2 – State and Local Agreements 379

State and Local agreements will be available for reference in the unit’s Fire Management 380

Reference System or Geographic Preparedness plans. 381

5122.3 – International Agreements 382

The Forest Service has the following agreements with Canada and Mexico as authorized by 383

Public Law 84-46, May 27, 1955 (42 U.S.C. 1856 - 1856d). See FSM 1550 for details of 384

actual agreements. 385

1. Canada 386

a. Forest Fire Fighting Assistance Arrangement between the United States and 387

Canada, 1982. 388

b. Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Department of 389

Agriculture and Environment Canada concerning cooperation in forestry 390

related programs, 1982. 391


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2. Mexico 392

a. Agreement between the United States and Mexico concerning cooperation in 393

cases of natural disasters, 1980. 394

b. Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Department of 395

Agriculture and the Secretary of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mexico, 396

concerning scientific and technological cooperation in forestry, 1984. 397

3. Fire Management Study Group of the North American Forestry Commission. 398

5123 – COORDINATION AND MOBILIZATION OF WILDLAND FIRE ASSETS 399

5123.02 - Objective 400

Safely and effectively coordinate and mobilize personnel, equipment, and supplies in support of 401

wildland fire and emergency management activities. to best meet Agency established priorities. 402

5123.03 – Policy 403

1. The Director, Fire and Aviation Management Staff, Washington Office can direct any 404

wildfire response asset to meet regional or national priorities. 405

2. Establish and maintain cost-effective coordination organizations and systems to pre-plan 406

responses and effectively respond to wildland fire. 407

3. In cooperation with partner agencies, develop and implement interagency dispatching and 408

mobilization procedures (see Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations 409

(NWCG, NFES 2724) and the National Interagency Mobilization Guide). 410


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5123.1 – Dispatch Organizations 411

1. The wildland fire dispatch system will be comprised of only three levels (tiers). Any unit 412

using a dispatch system outside the three-tier system must justify why a non-standard 413

system is being used and request written authorization from the USFS National Office. 414

a. National – National Interagency Coordination Center - collaboratively develops 415

and implements the National Mobilization Guide (FSM 5123). 416

b. Geographic - Geographic Area Coordination Centers - collaboratively develops 417

and implements Geographic Area Mobilization Guides (FSM 5123). 418

i. Coordinates GACC level activities with the National Interagency 419

Coordination Center (NICC) and provides timely submission of 420

intelligence information and fire reports as specified in the Interagency 421

Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (NWCG, NFES 2724) 422

and the National Interagency Mobilization Guide (NFES 2092). 423

c. Local - The principal mission of a local dispatch center is to provide safe, timely, 424

and cost-effective coordination of emergency response for all incidents within its 425

specified geographic area. 426

i. Local dispatch centers are also responsible for supplying intelligence 427

information relating to fires and resource status to their GACC and to their 428

agency managers and cooperators. 429

2. All dispatch centers providing services to National Forest lands will follow procedures as 430

outlined in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide (referenced in FSM 5107). 431


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5123.2 - Mobilization Guides 432

Mobilization guides must be developed and used at the national and geographic area levels. 433

Responsibilities for development and approval of these guides are in FSM 5120.4. 434

5124 - FIRE WEATHER MONITORING, FORECASTING, AND FIRE DANGER 435

RATING 436

Accurate and nationally consistent weather monitoring and forecasting are essential elements 437

that enable effective decisions to coordinate and implement wildland fire management programs 438

and activities. 439

5124.01 - Authority 440

Congress authorized the National Weather Service to provide fire weather services to Federal 441

agencies through a National Weather Agreement referenced in FSM 1532.14. This agreement is 442

authorized under the Economy Act, 31 U.S.C. 1535 15 U.S.C. 313; and 49 U.S.C. 1463; and the 443

Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act 16 U.S.C. 2101, et. seq. 444

5124.02 - Objective 445

Establish and maintain fire weather analysis and monitoring capability to support the National 446

Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and provide consistent current and predicted fire danger 447

information at local, regional and national levels, to assess risk, guide preparedness and 448

prevention actions, effectively use fire management assets, and safely and effectively implement 449

wildland fire management activities. 450


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CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5124.03 - Policy 451

1. All personnel managing or engaging in wildland fire management activities will be 452

provided with timely and accurate weather information and assessments of fire danger. 453

2. Joint Annual Operating Plans for fire weather services with the National Weather Service 454

and local forecast offices will be established at National and Geographic Area levels. 455

3. Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) predictive services meteorologists will 456

coordinate local National Weather Service fire weather meteorologists to provide timely 457

NFDRS forecast outputs. 458

4. A system of weather stations to support the timely and effective operation of the National 459

Fire Danger Rating System must be operated and maintained to ensure effective coverage 460

of all National Forests System lands. See NWCG NFDRS Weather Station Standards 461

(PMS 426-3, FSM 5120.6). 462

5. The National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) will be used to guide unit 463

preparedness actions and plans for all National Forest system lands. 464

5124.1 – Weather Monitoring and the National Fire Danger Rating System 465

1. Each National Forest system unit will be covered by a Fire Danger Operating Plan which 466

will document the establishment and management of the local unit fire weather station 467

network and describes how fire danger ratings are applied to local unit fire management 468

decisions. (Reference Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations 469

(NWCG, NFES 2724) for development of fire danger rating documentation) 470


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2. NFDRS information covering all National Forest System lands will be processed daily 471

into the Weather Information Management System (WIMS) and stored in the National 472

Interagency Fire Management Integrated Data Base (NIFMID). See WIMS User's Guide. 473

3. The Western Regional Climate Center is the national data base for storing all weather 474

data generated by the Remote Automated Weather Station network. 475

5124.2 Fire Danger Pocket Cards 476

1. Fire danger pocket cards will be used as a communication tool to provide a greater 477

awareness of fire danger index values provided by the National Fire Danger Rating 478

System. 479

2. Fire Danger Pocket Cards must accurately depict current conditions and trends and be 480

certified regionally; see Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations 481

(NWCG, NFES 2724). 482

3. Fire Danger Pocket Cards must be posted on the National Wildfire Coordinating Group 483

(NWCG) web site (http://fam.nwcg.gov/fam-eb/pocketcards/default.htm); 484

4. Fire Danger pocket Cards must be distributed to each fireline supervisor on Type 3, 4, 485

and 5 wildfires. 486

http://fam.nwcg.gov/fam-web/pocketcards/pocketcards.htm


5120 Page 25 of 30


CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5125 – TRAINING, QUALIFICATIONS, AND CERTIFICATION FOR FIRE AND 487

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS 488

5125.02 - Objective 489

The Forest Service will train and prepare its workforce to safely, effectively, and efficiently 490

participate in emergency response in support of the agency’s role in local, national, and 491

international emergencies. 492

5125.03 – Policy 493

1. Provide training adequate to meet fire and aviation management needs. 494

2. Employees will meet qualifications and certification standards established in PMS 310-1 495

and FSH 5109.17 (Forest Service Fire and Aviation Qualifications Guide) prior to being 496

certified for wildland fire organization positions (FSM 5120.42, 43, and 45); once 497

certified in IQCS, they must be issued an Incident Command System Qualification Card 498

(NWCG, NFES 1528, PMS 310-3) annually. 499

3. Leaders will have demonstrated fitness for command and will possess commensurate 500

knowledge of fire and emergency operations for their area of responsibility (see FSH 501

5109.17). 502

4. Every Forest Service employee will identify with their supervisor, the employee’s role 503

and future goals in supporting the agency’s emergency response effort. 504


5120 Page 26 of 30



5. Every supervisor is responsible to ensure employees receive training and on the job 505

experience to meet the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) and Forest Service 506

Fire Program Management (FS-FPM) qualification standards. 507

6. Units must use the Incident Qualifications and Certification System (IQCS) as the Forest 508

Service's fire qualifications and certification record keeping system. (See the Forest 509

Service Fire and Aviation Qualifications Guide, Chapter 2.1). The employee master file 510

report generated by IQCS meets the agency requirement for maintaining electronic fire 511

qualification records. 512

5125.1 – Job Corps and Non-Federal Organized Suppression Crews 513

Job Corps and non-Federal organized suppression crews must meet the same age, physical 514

fitness, and training requirements as organized firefighting agency crews (FSH 5109.17). 515

5126 FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSETS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 516

5126.02 – Objective 517

1. Provide at reasonable cost, the quantity, type, and quality of standardized, firefighting 518

equipment, chemicals, and supplies to facilitate the interchange between fire management 519

agencies for total mobilization and accomplish the agency’s emergency response mission. 520

2. Establish standards for developing, obtaining, maintaining, storing, and inspecting fire 521

management equipment, chemicals and supplies. 522


5120 Page 27 of 30


CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5126.03 – Policy 523

1. All wildfire response assets and equipment must meet established Forest Service and 524

interagency standards, availability dates, and staffing levels. Regional Fire and Aviation 525

Management Directors must obtain written agreement from the Director, Fire and 526

Aviation Management Staff, Washington Office, for any proposed deviations from 527

national standards, availability, and funding; see the National Interagency Mobilization 528

Guide NFES 2092 529

2. Mobile fire equipment must meet the minimum required criteria for fire engines by class 530

as described in USDA Forest Service Wildland Fire Engine Guide (0051 1203-SDTC). 531

and as established in the Forest Service’s national specifications for wildland engines. 532

3. National wildfire response assets which have national utilization, and are typically in 533

high demand, will be delineated in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide NFES 534

2092. 535

4. All Forest Service fire equipment development, evaluation, and testing will be conducted 536

within the framework of the equipment and materials development, testing, evaluation, 537

and standards program (FSM 7120). 538

5. Properly maintained firefighting tools and equipment will be available on-hand in 539

sufficient quantities to meet planned needs for a normal fire year. 540

6. Loan of emergency equipment and supplies to other agencies and private entities (FSM 541

1590) is allowed during major fire emergencies and for disaster response. Plans and 542


5120 Page 28 of 30



cooperative agreements must be developed to implement loans, except in case of extreme 543

emergencies. 544

7. Standards to establish appropriate accountability of firefighting tools and equipment will 545

be established and implemented. 546

8. Actively participate in the interagency National Fire Equipment System (NFES) with the 547

objective of improving existing NFES standards, developing new NFES standards, 548

stocking fire caches to NFES standards, and participating in the interagency network of 549

NFES-recognized caches managed in accordance with the National Interagency Support 550

Cache Management Plan. 551

9. Actively participate in the Interagency Cache Business System (ICBS) with the objective 552

of implementing and administering a single computer-based inventory system to assist in 553

the effective management of the NFES fire caches. 554

10. The General Services Administration (GSA) will be used as the primary and mandatory 555

source of supply for wildland fire suppression equipment, supplies, and protective 556

clothing (FSH 6309.32-FAR, part 8, Required Sources of Supply). 557

a. Use of other sources should be infrequent and must follow the requirements listed 558

in FSH 6309.32 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services and FAR 8.002 - 559

Priorities for Use of Government Supply Sources. 560

b. If a situation calls for purchases that require alternate equipment for specific or 561

exceptional working conditions, or a need to fit specific individuals who cannot 562


5120 Page 29 of 30



use the equipment in the catalog a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) signed by the 563

applicable line officer must be completed. 564

5126.1 Mobile Fire Equipment 565

Emergency vehicles will be operated, to safely and effectively respond to emergencies, 566

commensurate with the risks and potential benefits, by employees trained and certified to 567

operate them. The fundamental objective for emergency vehicle operation in fire response is 568

the safety of pedestrians, other vehicles, and themselves. 569

5126.11 Emergency Lights and Sirens 570

1. Regions or Forests may use emergency lights and sirens whenever the Regional 571

Forester determines the risks associated with the use of emergency lights and sirens 572

are offset by the benefits to public or firefighter safety. 573

2. Red lights and sirens will not be purchased for, or installed on, vehicles unless 574

identified in the national fire vehicle specifications and these vehicles must meet 575

NFPA standards for reflective striping and emergency lighting and siren equipment 576

(NFPA 1906). 577

5127 – REVIEWS 578

5127.02 –Objective 579

Assess application of program standards, provide oversight, and improve performance through 580

learning. 581


5120 Page 30 of 30


CHAPTER 5120 - PREPAREDNESS 5127.1 - Regional Activity Reviews 582

1. As a minimum, activity reviews will be conducted in accordance with FSM 1410 and 583

include a review of fire management financial activities. Such reviews will be scheduled 584

on a rotating basis as required by FSM 1410. 585

2. These reviews will examine the alignment between fire planning and staffing plans, 586

financial operating plans and documents, and actual staff and equipment in place. The 587

review team may include a representative from the Strategic Planning, Budget, and 588

Accountability Staff. The Regional Forester will approve the preparation and 589

documentation of Regional reviews to be kept on file for national reviews. 590

5127.2 - National Program Reviews 591

The Director, Fire and Aviation Management Staff, Washington Office, will select regional 592

units for an annual program compliance review. In addition to representatives from the Fire and 593

Aviation Management Staff, the review team may include a representative from the Strategic 594

Program and Budget Accountability Staff.. The Director of Fire and Aviation Management will: 595

1. Document the compliance reviews in the annual management review schedule (FSM 596

1410); 597

2. Forward the activity review results to the Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry, 598

Deputy Chief for Programs and Legislation, and Chief Financial Officer; and 599

3. Forward the final report to the Director, Financial Reports and Analysis Staff. 600

601

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