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FEMA seeking input on “refreshed” National Incident Management System

Bill GabbertApril 9, 2016April 8, 2016UncategorizedNIMS

FEMA’s National Integration Center is currently soliciting public feedback for the National Incident Management System (NIMS) refresh. This National Engagement Period will conclude at 5:00 pm EDT on May 9, 2016. National engagement provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the draft of the refreshed NIMS, so that it reflects the collective expertise and experience of the whole community.

NIMS provides a consistent and common approach and vocabulary to enable the whole community to work together seamlessly and manage all threats and hazards. NIMS applies to all incidents, regardless of cause, size, location or complexity.

The draft NIMS:

Reiterates the concepts and principles of the original 2004 version and the updated 2008 version;
Reflects and incorporates lessons learned from exercises and real world incidents and policy updates, such as the National Preparedness System and the 2013 NIMS Intelligence/Investigation Function Guidance and Field Operations Guide;
Reflects progress in resource typing and mutual aid and builds a foundation for the development of a national qualification system;
Clarifies that NIMS is more than just the Incident Command System (ICS) and that it applies to all stakeholders with roles in incident management across all five mission areas (Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response and Recovery);
Provides guidance on a common structure and activation levels for operations and coordination centers, including Emergency Operations Centers (EOC), through new Center Management System (CMS) guidance;
Note that while we will continue to track NIMS implementation, the adoption of CMS is not mandatory as part of preparedness grants;
Explains the relationship among ICS, CMS, and Multiagency Coordination Groups (MAC Groups); and
Enhances guidance on information management processes to improve data collection plans, social media integration and the use of geographic information systems (GIS).

FEMA is hosting a series of 60-minute engagement webinars to highlight key proposed changes to NIMS and answer participant questions about submitting feedback. All webinars are open to the whole community.

To review the draft of the refreshed NIMS and for additional webinar information, visit: https://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system/national-engagement. To provide comments on the draft, complete the feedback form and submit it to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bill.

Nebraska Forest Service acquires advanced wildland fire simulator

Bill GabbertApril 9, 2016August 25, 2019Uncategorizedfire behavior, simulation, training1 Comment

Above: Nebraska Forest Service Simtable. Screen grab from the KOTO video below.

We have written before about the Simtable that can project a spreading fire and an aerial photo onto a sand table that has been sculpted to resemble the topography for that area. It is an excellent training tool to simulate a potential fire or an actual on-going fire.

In this report from KDUH/KOTA the system recently acquired by the Nebraska Forest Service is described, including features that were new to me.

Below is an excerpt from the news coverage:

…NFS Fire Management Specialist Seth Peterson says the simulation gives fire officials advance knowledge of what they would need to do if a fire breaks out in a certain area. It could also make a big impact during a real wildfire event. A smartphone app for firefighters in the field can add valuable, on-site information to the simulator to make it react in real time.

“That iphone will know where he is on the map, and the IC (Incident Commander) will be able to see exactly where that firefighter is on the line. The firefighter can then update off his phone and basically feed the IC all the information he needs to be making all the decisions, without even being on the fire,” says Peterson…

Each simulator costs about $25,000.

Articles on Wildfire Today tagged “simulation”.

Group creates fire effects on soil network

Bill GabbertApril 8, 2016April 8, 2016Uncategorizedresearch

The group that has put on five conferences about the effects fire on soil has created a network to facilitate the sharing of information. You can find out more about the Fire Effects on Soil Properties International Network at their website and Facebook page.

Their next conference will be in Kruger National Park (South Africa) August 14-18, 2017. The previous conferences were in Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Lithuania, and Ireland.

Kansas Fire Chief says nozzlemen have to ride on their trucks

Bill GabbertApril 8, 2016August 25, 2019UncategorizedBehavePlus, Kansas, mobile attack, safety16 Comments

Above: A Kansas firefighter makes a mobile attack on a grass fire from the truck. Screen grab from the KAKE video below.

Brad Ewy, Chief of the Cheney Fire Department in Kansas says their firefighters have to ride on their trucks while doing a mobile attack on a grass fire.

You take a fire when the wind’s blowing 30 miles an hour that fire’s going to be going 30 miles per hour and there’s no way we could keep up with it. We have to be on our trucks.

They (NFPA) don’t deal with grass fires like we had. The one we had in Medicine Lodge, the fire’s running 50 miles per hour. There’s absolutely no way.

There may or may not be a way to operate a nozzle safely while riding on a fire engine, but I would like to see the actual data or a BehavePlus calculation that predicts a 30 mph hour wind will cause a fire to spread at 30 mph, or a 50 mph wind will produce a 50 mph rate of spread.

Notice in the video that the crew does not take the time to cut the fence. They simply drive through it, even with the firefighter standing on the front of the truck.

New Jersey: prescribed fire at Delaware Water Gap

Bill GabbertApril 8, 2016UncategorizedNew Jersey, prescribed fire2 Comments

On April 6th, 2016, wildland firefighters from multiple agencies worked with personnel from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to help reduce the number of invasive plants on 200 acres near Walpack Center, New Jersey. They expect the treatment will give native plant species the chance to repopulate and thrive.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest conducts Green Mountain prescribed fire

Bill GabbertApril 8, 2016August 25, 2019UncategorizedCalifornia, prescribed fire

Wind pushing Green Mtn RX north, still in prescribed area. 600 ac. treated, more tomorrow. https://t.co/6XK3vNTz9Z pic.twitter.com/b9Gw4b8UXn

— Shasta-Trinity NF (@ShastaTrinityNF) April 8, 2016

On Thursday, April 7th, the National Recreation Area Management Unit of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northern California conducted a prescribed fire on Green Mountain, north of Redding near the confluence of the Squaw and Pit Arms of Shasta Lake.

When we read the tweet above we called to get more information. Andrea Crain of the Shasta-Trinity NF said they had a few small spot fires across the intended border of the unit they burned yesterday, but it was still within the project area. The largest spot fire was about a quarter acre.

Click on the pictures a couple of times to see larger versions.

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(UPDATE at 6:43 p.m. MDT, April 8, 2016)

John Waldrop sent us this photo of the Green Mountain prescribed fire as seen from the Pit River Bridge on Lake Shasta.