Robert Ziel receives Paul Gleason Lead by Example award

Robert (Zeke) Ziel
Robert (Zeke) Ziel

Robert (Zeke) Ziel, the fire analyst for the International Arctic Research Center’s Alaska Fire Science Consortium, was recently named one of the three recipients from across the wildland fire services for the 2019 Paul Gleason Lead by Example award. The award was created by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Leadership Subcommittee to remember Paul Gleason’s contributions to the wildland fire service. More information about the award, including past recipients, is available on the NWCG website. A group of managers from Alaska and the lower 48, representing the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, and National Park Service, nominated Zeke for the award. The following information is modified from their submitted nomination.

Zeke has been instrumental in the evolution of the interagency fire management and science enterprise in Alaska on many levels. His work is driven by the thought of how Alaska’s interagency management community might do better in the realm of modeling and analysis, and he has reinvented how fire analysis is performed in Alaska. His curiosity and drive are evident in the tools that are available to fire managers in Alaska today.  For example, his work with Predictive Services to build and maintain the Alaska Fire and Fuels website, an innovative web platform for displaying the fire, fuels and weather environment, as well as engagement with the GIS specialists and web designers to incorporate modeling outputs, have provided managers and decision makers with ‘one-stop shopping’ information.

Through classroom and web-based instruction, development of user guides, analyses relating fire behavior to fuels and weather inputs, and mentoring budding fire analysts, Zeke has enabled practitioners from different backgrounds within the fire community to more fully understand and successfully implement the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) in Alaska. He is a key figure in not only fire behavior, analysis, and decision support, but also the cross-boundary engagement of scientist and practitioners in the lower 48 and across Canada. The fostering of relationships across the continuum of science and practice is clearly Zeke’s passion. He finds opportunities to bring people together who may not otherwise interact. In doing so, there is a momentum that he starts, participates in, and feeds continually to address new ideas, challenges, and initiatives.

At the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Zeke has been involved in several research efforts, including as a member of the Boreal Fires team under the current Alaska EPSCoR Fire and Ice project, funded by the National Science Foundation.

Examples of Zeke’s work:

CFFDRS Online Training Modules (initial framework, development, and implementation)
Fire Behavior Field Reference Guide (continued development and updates)
Why Alaska Fire Potential Assessments Are Different (2018 publication)
Fire Environment Poster (Developed 2019)
Fuel Moisture, Seasonal Severity, and Fire Growth Analysis in the US Fire Behavior Analysis Tools (2017 publication)
CFFDRS FBP Field Guide (2015 Publication)
CFFDRS FWI Field Guide (2015 Publication)
Modeling Fire Growth Potential in Alaska (2015 Publication)

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Kim Kelly wins Lead by Example Award

Kim Kelly
Kim Kelly, Fire Ecologist with the BIA, receives Lead by Example Award.

Kim Kelly has been selected as one of the recipients for the 2018 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award. Ms. Kelly is a Fire Ecologist with the NW Regional Office of the Bureau of Land Management.

The award was created by the NWCG Leadership Committee to remember Paul Gleason’s contributions to the wildland fire service. During a career spanning five decades, Mr. Gleason was a dedicated student of fire, a teacher of fire, and a leader of firefighters. The intent of the award is to recognize individuals or groups who exhibit this same spirit and who exemplify the wildland fire leadership values and principles. Ms. Kelly’s work in support of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program has been a demonstration of motivation and vision.

Ms. Kelly was recognized for her strong leadership and unwavering pursuit to improve the health and safety of Native American employees, especially Tribal employees. Her efforts to bring Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs coverage to Tribal employees outside the scope of suppression is commendable and recognized by her peers through this award. Additionally, she was commended for her professionalism and compassion given to individuals and families working through the administrative functions of health care.

The award was also presented to two other individuals and one group for 2018:  Kim Lightley, Pete Barry, and the BLM Boise Helitack Crew.

Winners of the award prior to 2018.

Pete Barry wins Lead by Example Award

Peter Barry
Colorado State Forester Mike Lester, right, presents the Lead by Example Award to Pete Barry. CSFS photo.

Pete Barry of the Colorado State Forest Service has been selected as one of the recipients for the 2018 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award.

The award was created by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Leadership Committee to remember Paul Gleason’s contributions to the wildland fire service. During a career spanning five decades, Paul was a dedicated student of fire, a teacher of fire, and a leader of firefighters. The intent of this award is to recognize individuals or groups who exhibit this same spirit and who exemplify the wildland fire leadership values and principles. Pete’s work in support of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program has been a demonstration of mentoring and teamwork.

Pete was recognized for his involvement and mentorship of the student of fire initiative at Colorado State University. Pete’s efforts to advance Paul’s vision that firefighters realize the importance of being a student of fire are commendable. Creation and continued support of the CSU Student Firefighter Association, securing lasting funding for the Paul Gleason Scholarship, as well as connecting students studying wildfire science with land management agencies and fire departments directly aligns with that vision. Pete’s influence will be realized for years to come.

The award was also presented to three other individuals or groups for 2018:  Kim Lightley, Kim Kelly, and the BLM Boise Helitack Crew.

Winners of the award prior to 2018.

From Wildland Fire Leadership

Kimberly Lightley earns Lead by Example Award

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award
L to R: Ted Mason, Ashleigh D’Antonia, Director Shawna Legarza, Kimberly Lightley, Monica Morrison, John Wood, Jim Shultz, and Mike Ellsworth. USFS photo.

Kimberly Lightley has been selected as one of the recipients for the 2018 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award. Three individuals and one group from across the wildland fire service have been chosen to receive this national award which was was created by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Leadership Committee to remember Paul Gleason’s contributions to the wildland fire service. During a career spanning five decades, Mr. Gleason was a dedicated student of fire, a teacher, and a leader. The intent of the award is to recognize individuals or groups who exhibit this same spirit and who exemplify wildland fire leadership values and principles. Ms. Lightley’s work in support of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program has been a demonstration of motivation and vision.

Based out of the U.S. Forest Service’s Washington Office as a Critical Incident Specialist, she was recognized for development of the Stress First Aid Program for wildland firefighting. As a survivor of the South Canyon tragedy, her exemplary leadership and bravery to lead and bring to light the insufficiencies in how we care for each other following critical, stressful incidents is commendable. The lessons Ms. Lightley learned from her experience will become a foundation so future employees—regardless of their agency—will not have to navigate the path of healing on their own.

Past recipients of the Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award, since 2003.

Paul Gleason Lead By Example Award

2014 Paul Gleason Award
Left to right: Kip Gray, Dan Olsen, Alex Robertson, Kevin Donham, Brian Scholz, Eric Hipke, Shane Olpin

(This article first appeared at Wildland Fire Leadership.)

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The NWCG Leadership Subcommittee is honored to announce the final recipients for the 2014 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award. Dan Olsen, Deputy Director, Fire and Aviation for the US Forest Service presented the awards during the 2015 South Canyon Staff Ride. Our congratulations on a job well-done goes to the South Canyon Subject Matter Experts:

Kevin Donham
Kip Gray
Eric Hipke
Alex Robertson
Bryan Scholz

We share with you Dan Mallia’s, Redding IHC Superintendent and Paul Cerda’s, Alpine IHC Superintendent, powerful nomination. The words of the field are by far better than what we could have written.

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Describe the significance of the accomplishment made by the individual or group in the stated category.

For 12 years, the Redding IHC Leadership Development Program has traveled to the location of the South Canyon fire to conduct the Staff Ride for their crew. Over the years the Redding Hotshots have invited other crews, other federal, state, local, international fire and aviation management employees and Washington Office leadership to walk the ground where the Storm King Mountain tragedy took place. In that time, close to 900 people have been lead through the events of the day in conference groups, to glean information and develop slides that they can reference and avoid an outcome similar to South Canyon.

Bryan Scholz, Alex Robertson and Kip Gray, former Prineville Hotshots and Eric Hipke, former North Cascades smokejumper provide a firsthand recount of the events that unfolded on July, 6th 1994. Kevin Donham, fire staff on the Ochoco N.F. at the time of the tragedy relates a valuable and important side of South Canyon story which highlights the importance of programs like You Will Not Stand Alone and Taking Care of Our Own.

The South Canyon Staff Ride provides a strong learning experience. The dimension added by Alex, Brian, Kip, Eric and Kevin relating their experiences on the day of the tragedy creates an experience that participants will keep with them. Their presence makes a memorable impact on the participants of the Staff Ride.

The lessons learned by these first-hand accounts are forever branded in the minds and hearts of each staff ride participant. These subject matter experts (SMEs), share their thoughts, emotions and explain in great detail the events from their individual perspectives. These discussions are very raw, the amount of emotion and the openness from each SME is a clear path to connect with every staff ride participant including but not limited students and cadre members. The impact of this staff ride is not limited to agency, GS scale or red card qualifications. The impact and first-hand accounts have helped shape and change the trajectory of the fire service culture as we know it today.

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Paul Cerda receives Lead by Example Award

Paul Cerda, center, receives the Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award. On the left is Mike Lewelling. Jim McMahill is on the right.

Congratulations to Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew Superintendent Paul Cerda, one of the recipients of the 2014 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award for motivation and vision.

From wildlandfireleadership.blogspot.com/:

Paul was recognized for boldly leading with inspired vision and clear intent. His efforts to lead the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew to Type 1 Wildland Fire Module status shows his ability to innovate, communicate, and influence change. This bold effort to diversify for the betterment of the wildland fire service took insight and courage.

As an advocate for leadership development, Paul embodies the values of duty, respect and integrity. His vision, motivational ability, and innovative methods to “build the team” demonstrates true passion for his people and those he serves. Paul has not only created depth within his own organization but also strengthened the entire service through your positive influence.