The Great Basin Training Center hosted M-581 - Fire Program Management
last week in Boise, ID. Students attending the course came from a variety of disciplines
ranging from Fire Managers, Law Enforcement to Agency Administrators.
The intent of the NWCG M-581 course is to provide Agency
Administrators and Fire Program Managers a foundation for wildland fire program
administration by focusing on the policies and procedures which govern the
management of program elements in federal land management agencies. Course outcomes include:
1.
Familiarity with
the policies which govern fire management programs.
2. An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of an Agency Administrator in fire program
oversight at the unit level.
3. An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a Fire Management Officer in fire program oversight at the unit level.
4. An understanding of the critical nature of communication between Agency Administrator and Fire Management Officer in fire program administration.
Throughout the week, students
engaged in discussion and scenarios that included topics like; Federal Wildland
Fire Management Policy, Wildland Fire Organizational Culture and Leadership,
Fuels and Vegetation Management, Safety and Risk Management, to Incident Business,
to name just a few.
During the last two days
of the course, students participated in team debates that covered the following
topics:
·
The Can-Do Attitude Conflict. Engaging wildland fire is worth the
risk to firefighter’s lives.
·
National Strategy: The National Cohesive Strategy is an effective
framework to implement wildland fire programs.
·
The Blank Check: Large wildfires should be paid for by FEMA
Disaster Relief funding.
·
Mission Complexity Conflict: Federal agency wildland fire programs
should be consolidated into one comprehensive federal fire (service) agency.
Students left the course
on Friday with a wide range of knowledge and information that will assist them not
only during the upcoming fire season but throughout their careers.
