U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service FY2010 Fire Division Report USFWS/Josh O’Connor U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southeast Region Fire Management Organization

Southeast Region Fire Managment Organization Introduction Region 4 Wildlife and Treatment Acres on FWS lands Reported 2001-2010 1 Hello and thanks for 2 taking the opportunity to read the FY2010 7 3 Annual Narrative for the Southeast Division of Fire Management. This document is the first in what will hopefully be a continued documentation of annual and fuels work, training,and 4 5 a snapshot of our staff. Southeast Regional Fire Office (Atlanta) Pocosin Lakes NWR Reg Fire Management Coordinator: Refuge FMO: vacant...... The table and graphs seen Bob Eaton Fire District 2 on this page provide a Deputy Reg Fire Management FMO: Rob Wood data look at the history Coordinator: Pete Kubiak of wildfire and prescribed Reg Prescribed Fire Coordinator: Savannah NWR District WUI Glen Stratton Specialist: Keith Penrose 6 fire. The season of wildfire Reg Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) District PFS: Greg Askins table is interesting when Coordinator: Rick Struhar Carolina Sandhills NWR Refuge considering that many Reg Fire Program Assistant (Budget): FMO: Mark Parker of our refuges conduct Sherrie Matthews FPU Fire Season for FWS Region 4 FPUs Fire District 3 prescribed fire or manage FPU Start Date End Date Reg Fire Office Assistant: Margaret Hale FMO: Mike Housh a wildfire every month Reg Fire Ecologist: Vince Carver Okefenokee NWR AFMO: vacant Mississippi...... 1/12...... 11/4 of the year. It is indeed a Puerto Rico...... 1/22...... 5/11 Fire Management Specialist (Planner): Piedmont NWR PFS: John Mason year round workload. Josh O’Connor 6 Southern Ozarks...... 7/19...... 4/19 Fire District 4 Eastern Arkansas...... 7/24...... 4/22 Fire Office Assistant: Yolanda Smith FMO: Greg: Titus FY10 R4 Treatment Acres North/Central Louisiana...... 8/4...... 5/28 Southern Area Coordination Center (SACC) St. Marks NWR District PFS (WUI): PFS (FPR): Greg Suszek Tennessee-Green Rivers...... 8/12...... 4/21 SACC Assistant Coordinator: Pat Boucher Jennifer Hinckley Caribbean Islands NWR: James Padilla North Carolina Piedmont...... 9/3...... 5/30 SACC Meteorologist: Kevin Scasny Lead Fire Tech: Joey Lord National Key Deer NWR Fire South Carolina Midlands...... 9/9...... 6/9 Tallahassee Regional Fire Office (TLH) Lower Suwannee NWR Refuge FMO: Management Spec.: Dana Cohen 37,094 Victor Doig Central Georgia...... 9/18...... 6/24 Prescribed Fire Training Center Fire District 7 Alabama/Florida Panhandle...... 10/4...... 7/5 Director: Mike Dueitt Fire District 5 FMO: Tony Wilder Louisiana Delta...... 10/6...... 6/30 Fire Planner: Phil Weston FMO: Patrick Pearson Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR AFMO: SE Mississippi...... 10/16...... 7/3 Slidell Regional Fire Staff (SLI) Merritt Island NWR Reg Aviation Sami Gray Reg Fire Ecologist: Sue Wilder Coordinator: Glen Cullingford District PFS: Scott Saucier Southern Appalachian...... 10/16...... 6/21 *Season start and end dates PFS (MIR): Michael Good Southwest Louisiana Complex FMO: SE Georgia/NE Florida...... 10/30...... 8/14 were created to capture Fire District 1 100,194 90 of historical wildfire Wildland Fire Suprs. Off.:Rob Vernachio Matthew Johnson Florida Big Bend...... 12/3...... 9/1 FMO: Tom Crews ignitions within the season Central Florida...... 12/9...... 8/27 Alligator River NWR PFS: vacant ARM Loxahatchee NWR PFS (LXR): Southeast Louisiana Complex FMO: range. This represents the Jon Wallace David DeMeyere South Florida...... 12/19...... 8/24 District WUI Specialist:...... 90th percentile of fires and Kelley Van Druten Fire District 6 Noxubee NWR FMO: Paul Roberts SW Louisiana/NE Texas Coast....12/27...... 10/28 not the 90th percentile of FMO: Cass Palmer Felsenthal PFS: Bobby Schat North Carolina Coast...... 12/31...... 8/14 fire days. From the Chief District 1

I am very thrilled to announce the first Year overview-Alligator Aerial ignition of a prescribed fire at Cedar Island NWR - USFWS annual narrative for the S.E. Region’s River, Pocosin Lake, Mackay Fire Management program. We are Wildfire AD hiring); Eric Meekins – Taskforce excited to share some of the success Island, Mattmuskeet, and The refuges in North Carolina staffed Leader; Mike Morse – Biologist; Bobby stories of our Program as well as some of Cedar Island NWR for 156 Preparedness Level 3 days, 22 Govan – Biological Assistant; Jon Powers the challenges that we face every month PL4 and 18 PL5 days this past year, – Biological Assistant; Lisa Borel – of the year. The district implemented the use of a new helicopter contract an “Indeterminate primarily in the spring when drier Biological Assistant; Kelley Van Druten – Here in the Southeast Region, there Delivery, Indeterminate Quantity” conditions prevailed. Wet conditions Helibase Operations and Administration used to be two very distinct fire seasons, (IDIQ). This contract is for a five-month from the previous fall and early winter (Check-in/Status, Dispatch) plus a spring and fall, but as we have witnessed period with Heloair out of Richmond, turned suddenly dry, causing most of weekend stint as Plans Section Chief to over the last dozen years, our fire season Virginia. Rather than having the the prescribed burn plans to be halted. relieve an individual who went on R&R; has transpired to a year round season for helicopter stationed at Alligator River This was due to fire danger suddenly Ryan Nordsven – Biologist; Mike Morse – fighting unwarranted wildland fires and for the duration of the contract, it was increasing in March and April. Energy Biologist; Jay Eddy – Law Enforcement treating hazardous fuels and improving on-call with a 12-hour notice. This allowed Release Component (ERC) values Officer; Melvin Walston – Biological wildlife habitat through prescribed for a substantial savings (50-70%) for a reached record highs during this time. Technician; Anthony Davis – Biological fire and mechanical manipulation. We comparable period over the exclusive use Fuels Management Technician; Vince Carver – Incident are treating more acres in the growing type contract. This is the first time that Most of the prescribed burning was Commander; Kenney Powell – Biological season which extends our season to this type contract has been used for a fire completed at Pocosin Lakes and Mackay Technician; John Stanton – Biologist; a 12 month period and we are also control helicopter in the Southeastern Island NWR. This was accomplished Rose Railey – Biological Technician; responding to an increasing number of U.S. by a federal agency. earlier in the year prior to the increased Chris Smith – Law Enforcement; Frank All Hazard Incidents (hurricanes, floods, fire danger. Other district refuges were Simms – Law Enforcement; Howard ice storms, oil spills, ect.) which adds an District 1 refuges helped organize, Phillips – Law Enforcement plan and facilitate the Annual NC Fire initially too wet to burn. Once these additional strain and workload to our ever refuges dried out, fire danger became too Staffing Changes decreasing workforce. Management Cooperator’s meeting in Winston Salem in January. This was the severe to initiate any burning. Alligator This past year we several changes in As budgets decrease and demands from first state-wide fire cooperator’s meeting staff prepared and reviewed the fire staff in North Carolina: the public on our natural resources in which Agency Administrators from 30 Prescribed Fire Plans for 30,000 acres n Fire Program Administrative Assistant increase, we realize that to be successful, each organization attended. of treatments for NC Refuges. Staff Helen Czernik was promoted from we have to build “relationships” with our also peer reviewed 30 Prescribed Fire GS-6 to GS-7. other Federal, State, and Local partners The district administered RFA grants to Plans for approximately 25,000 acres of in order to address the tough issues and rural volunteer fire departments in seven treatments in District 7. n Officer Donnie Harris was do the “right thing” for the resource. This counties in northeastern NC. promoted to Fire Operations Specialist District Staff Assignments GS-9. narrative will illustrate some of these n Alligator River NWR recieved the first The East Lake Operations Dispatch challenges that we face and will continue phase of funding for construction of a Office at Alligator River: n Prescribed Fire Specialist Greg Suszek to face over the upcoming years. fire facility located at the East Lake was promoted from GS-9 to GS-11. Operations Center. This includes a new n Dispatched 23 refuge staff and 57 We have a very dedicated Regional Administratively Determined (AD) n Jordan Black was selected as the Fire and Field Staff of Fire Management Fire Operations Building housing the Technician at Mackay Island NWR in dispatch center, crew briefing, training employees to the Deepwater Horizon Specialists that work extremely hard to Oil Spill Disaster. September, replacing Jon Beck who manage these natural resources for all room, crew locker with shower rooms, transferred to Blackwater NWR. physical training room, bunk room and n Dispatched 20 refuge staff for wildland of the U.S. citizens. It is my pleasure to n Matthew Howle was selected as the FOS office. There will be a separate fire fire assignments. invite you on this journey around the Fire Technician at Pocosin Lakes cache built and the engine bay will be region and familiarize yourself with our n There were a total of 8365 hours replacing Stacey Tromley. Region from the coastal habitat to the enlarged. contributed to the oil spill response n Prescribed Fire Specialist Greg Suszek piedmont and the hills of the Southern n Jeff Swain was recognized for from NC Refuges. took a new assignment as PFS at Appalachian mountains. excellence in leadership during the The following FWS personnel from North Florida Panther NWR. time he covered supervision of the fire Carolina responded to the Oil Spill crew at ARNWR during FOS Harris’ Bonnie Strawser – Public Information n Currently the District Prescribed Fire sick leave. Officer (three tours); Greg Suszek – Specialist position is vacant. Helicopter Manager (two tours); Tom Crews – Incident Commander; Cory Robert S. Eaton, Chief, Waters – Helicopter Manager (two tours); Division of Fire Management Helen Czernik – Expanded dispatcher and Finance (continuing to assist with Andy Heisey (Savannah NWR) on a prescribed fire at ACE Basin NWR in South Carolina – Keith Penrose/ District 2 USFWS District 3

Year overview-Savannah The objectives of our burning program EO McLain attended the USFWS R4 Year overview- Okefenokee, Coastal, ACE Basin, Santee, include: Fire Management workshop, while FMO Piedmont, Eufaula, and n Reducing wildfire hazards through fuel Parker attended the Southeast Region Carolina Sandhill, and Pee reduction Aviation Workshop. Mountain Longleaf NWR Dee n Maintaining habitat diversity in fire Training The year in review for District 3 A new Fire Management Officer for the maintained ecosystems can easily be summerized in these Employee Training Taken words: excellent prescribed burning district arrived at the end of the fiscal n Maintaining and restoring habitat for accomplishments, and the oil spill year. Rob Wood came from Wichita endangered and threatened species of Nancy Jordan S271,RT 130,RT- response. Prescribed burning Mountains NWR in Oklahoma. Welcome plants and animals such as the red- PLDO accomplishments were largely completed Rob! The district supported wildfire and cockaded woodpecker Mark Parker L580, RT 317, RT130, prescribed fire details, in region and out. in the winter and spring, before the n Assisting in the restoration of the S230, 231, 270, RT- The district fire personnel were called La Nina patterns returned and our longleaf/wiregrass community and PLDO on several times for hurricane reponse attentions was focused on the Mississippi hardwood control in upland pine stands. preparation and one mobilization. Randall McLain SE FWS FM Canyon 252 Oil Spill response. WS,RT-130 Wildfire During the 2010 burning season 5,335 acres of woodlands and fields were Throughtout the summer and continuing Under the terms of the agreement with prescribed burned on the refuge Ready Reserve training accomplished into the fall, fire staff again and again the South Carolina Commission, using both aerial and ground ignition by Savanna Coastal Refuges for the returned to lend a helping hand the commission is responsible for the techniques. Aerial ignition on the refuge fire departments at the counties of where needed. The refuge and district detection and suppression of on utilized the Okefenokee NWR exclusive Effingham, Bryan, Sandhills, Blufton, experienced the typical La Nina weather the refuge. There were no wildfires to use aircraft on two different occasions. and Mount Pleasant. Training that was patterns, drying over the summer and report in 2010. In addition the refuge staff assisted in given to the fire departments were S-190, extending into the fall and winter when Fuels Management the prescribed burning on other refuges S-130, S-215, and L-180. the Okefenokee swamp could only be from Savannah Coastal NWR, Okefenokee NWR and Lake Woodruff The coastal Refuges treated 45 within Fire Management District 2 and Numerous other employees did the described as extremely dry, with very NWR burn along a road during the prescribed burn at Mountain Longleaf NWR. prescribed burn units totaling 3,460 acres. the USFWS Southeast Region RT-130; Rude, Henley, Culpeper, Bohan, low water levels. The refuge considered Carolina Sandhills treated 24 prescribed a severity request but conditions never Firefighters from eight refuges assisted in the burns that took place in April of 2010. – District Staff Assignments Smolik, Cockman, Askins, Mason, burn units for 5,250 acres. became extreme. However, the long term Josh O’Connor/USFWS Savanna Coastal Refuges had close to 300 Sutkowski weather pattern and forecast remained Carolina Sandhills fire staff assisted by staff days committed to the Gulf Oil Spill Staffing Changes dry, prompting an effort to partner with the refuge staff prepped approximately Response. Rob Wood started in September of 2010 District Fire Staff provided educational Fuels Management 700 RCW trees for the 2010 Rx season. the Georgia Forestry Commission to materials and information at Earth Day, The district completed 86 fuels Keith Penrose did a 30-day detail as the new Fire Management Officer for The fire crew also prepped many miles contact and educate landowners adjacent and the Okefenokee Festival to several treatments for 19,076 acres, 72 of assisting the FWS Fire Operations Staff District 2. of and roads for prescribed to the Okefenokee to be prepared for hundred participants. the treatments were prescribed fire in Boise. Bert Wyatt completed a two- David Boyd came on in April as the Fire extreme wildfire conditions. This effort burning operations. The district administered RFA grants completing 18,220 acres. Prescribed week training detail with the Jackson Administrator. was to continue well into 2011. burning was completed at Okefenokee In March, the Rx season was in full . Four of our fire staff were to four volunteer fire departments; one In January, Andy Heisey joined Savannah in Florida, one in Alabama, and two in NWR, with 7,603 acres, Piedmont NWR swing. The refuge hosted a Prescribed committed to South Arkansas/Northern Other items of note were our continuing Coastal refuges as the Forestry Tech. Georgia. with 7872 acres, Mt Longleaf NWR with Fire Training Center module for six LA FWS Severity detail. work at supporting the Kentucky days, providing training opportunities In January, the 2010 Carolina Sandhills 2,545 acres, and Eufaula NWR with 223 For the next several months, May Tennessee Fire Academy, with Mike Wildfire for ENGB, FIRB, FEMO, and RXB2. temporary Seasonal Crew; Eric Smolik, acres. As always, the prescribed burn at through October, the fire staff assisted Housh serving on the Steering It was a relatively quiet year in the Chris Wright from Lake Woodruff NWR Dereck Bohan, Jay Rude, and Brian Mt Longleaf was accomplished with the with refuge projects including May’s Committee and a number of district wildfire arena. The refuges in District 3 detailed to the refuge as a trainee RXB2 Henley began work. ct 3 assistance of personnel and equipment Lake Pier reconstruction and the personnel serving as instructors or staffed for four PL4 days this past year, for one week. from several USFWS fire districts and implementation of new boardwalks along academy staff. Other training was primarily in the fall and winter when cooperators. District 3 district staff April was very dry, and burning on the Tate’s Trail. FMO Parker was able to accomplished at the Southern Area drier conditions prevailed. prepared and reviewed 11 Prescribed refuge became difficult. Henley and complete TFLD training to meet IFPM Advanced Aviation and Fire Academy in The district responded to two wildfires Fire Plans for 20,000 acres of treatments Parker assisted with Rx operations at requirements. Jacksonville, Florida. that burned 6.1 acres of FWS lands. for Georgia and Alabama refuges and Mountain Longleaf and Piedmont NWR’s. In November, Temporary Seasonal, Dan Okefenokee fire staff assisted National peer reviewed 12 Prescribed Fire Plans Terri Jenkins assisted with the 100th Rx plan and equipment preparation Nielsen began work assisting fire staff Park Service’s Cumberland Island for around 30,000 acres of treatments in National Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia, continued for the 2011 season. with equipment preparation for the 2011 on wilderness wildfire in August. No District 4. providing outreach and recruitment Rx season. personnel responded to out of region Prescribed burning is a very important information to approximately 40,000 incidents as most personnel were habitat management utilized on Scouts and scouting supporters over a committed to the oil spill incident. Carolina Sandhills Refuge. three day period. District 3 continued District 4

District Staff Assignments Training Year overview- St. Marks, The Okefenokee Dispatch Office: Employee Training Taken Instructor Taskbooks Taskbooks St. Vincent, and Lower n Dispatched a total of 33 resource Experience Initiated Completed requests for personnel, equipment and Suwannee NWR AD’s, to the Deepwater Horizon Oil M Housh WFDDS, S430, S230, S270, S231 St. Mark’s NWR accomplished several Spill. Aviation COR, S480 ways for outreach to our communities. n Dispatched seven staff for wildland fire N Gilmore S290, L280, S372 FALB, Fire Staff attended several Fire assignments. FireFit FFT1 Awareness Days; conducted a booth at SAF National Convention in Orlando, n There were a total of 6700 hours S Sorenson S260, L280, FFEM, Florida and made contact with 3,000 contributed to the oil spill response FireFit individuals; purchased books for from District 3 Refuges. B Boatright L380 local schools on fire ecology. Gave out The following FWS personnel from District reusable cloth grocery bags with a Fire 3 responded to the Oil Spill R Forcine L380, WFDDS,M581 TFLD Wise message on it; and had five staff Mike Housh – Incident Commander H McCullough Ecological Forestry members trained on Project Learning (three tours); Reggie Forcine – Tree. These individuals were: Travis M Ward WFDDS TFLD Helicopter Manager (two tours); Nathan Pollard, Joshua Havird, Chirstopher Gilmore – Helicopter Crewmember (two T Jenkins L480, CISM EQPM Wescot, Megan Gamble, and John Ball. tours); Brantley Boatright – Aviation n St. Marks and St. Vincent NWR dispatcher (four tours); Rocky Chesser completed Level 1 monitoring at all – Taskforce Leader; Sara Sorenson – There are currently two positions open points in their burn units. Helicopter Crewmember (three tours); on the fire staff: the District Prescribed Cory Bryant – Biological Assistant; Fire Specialist, and a Firefighter position n Lower Suwannee NWR nearly double Judy Drury – Status/Check-in; Beverly at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. the previous best years burning. This Derouin – Finance (two tours); Mike would not have been possible without Ward – Task Force; Terri Jenkins – significant assistance from cooperators THSP VOO Liaison (2 tours); John such as the FL Division of Forestry, Mason – Helicopter Manager (9 tours); crew from St Marks and Merritt Island Carl Schmidt – Taskforce Leader (3 NWRs, PFTC modules, a top-notch tours); Andrew Hammond –Biological dedicated LSR fire crew, and a couple Technician; Nathan Herron – Helicopter of good AD employees. Crewmember (3 tours); Toby Price – n They acquired and outfitted fire Biological Technician (3 tours); Herman equipment service truck. Smith – Biological Technician; Jake Tuttle n Made progress on implementing – Biologist Monitoring Plan: Level Staffing Changes One monitoring complete in all burned Fed Privett, Operator/ areas, Level Two in 6 blocks. Firefighter arrived at Okefenokee NWR n Completed construction of four in October, having spent many years at additional pole barn bays to house fire Florida Panther NWR; we were thrilled equipment. to welcome Fed “back home.” n Lower Suwannee NWR had a perfect Firefighter Thomas D. Crews (the other safety record – no major injuries or Tom Crews) joined the fire staff in equipment damaged. November and Terri Jenkins joined the fire staff in May as a Fire Management Wildfire Specialist. The district had a quiet fire season with This prescribed fire was ignited on St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge in October eight fires on FWS lands for less than Mike Ward left the District Prescribed 2007 in an area called Dry Bar. Jennifer Hinckley/USFWS one acre. Fire position to accept the Regional Prescribed Fire Specialist position with the National Park Service in Atlanta, Georgia. District 4 continued District 5

Fuels Management Training Year overview-Merritt Is, The district treated 32,760 acres with 112 treatments. Lower Suwannee Employee Training Taken Instructor Taskbooks Taskbooks ARM Loxahatchee, Lake NWR completed a 400-acre timber Experience Initiated Completed Wales Ridge, and Pelican Is sale / mechanical thinning for habitat Jennifer L480,S215 M581, RT130, NWR restoration and completed 14 mechanical Hinkley S230, RX301 clearing/burn prep projects for 122 acres, A research program was initiated mostly along refuge and compartment Greg Titus L480, LE SUPV, I300 S230, RX301, with the USFS Missoula Fire Science boundaries. M581 laboratory to look at various topics of concern for firefighters nationwide. The Firefighters at Merritt Island NWR use a Terra Torch to ignite a prescribed fire in District Staff Assignments Barton Rye S490, L381, FEMO, L180 first program is focused on validation 2009. USFWS Lower Suwannee Fire Staff assisted Travis Lee B3, MOCC, L280, S290, of the safety zone model. This model’s with many refuge projects (road and Pollard PLT, Water Distching output is the ideal safety zone size given facility maintenance, road and parking with the Las Vegas Crew, and Training Christopher S212, S131, S133, PLT a fire’s intensity. This model had never Ryan Sharpe did an Engine Boss detail area resurfacing, kiosk construction, been tested before and is now being exotic plant control, hunter check station Wescott to the Mid Columbia NWR Complex in Employee Training Taskbook validated at the refuge. The second Washington. Taken Initiated operations, wildlife surveys. James Farmer RX301 RXB2, project is to validate the new Fire Tech Lower Suwannee NWR had these HECM model which is a three dimensional fire n Gifford participated in a three week Rob Vernachio S-339 DIVS detail to the South Arkansas Refuge individuals completed assignments: V. Anthony S270, S271 ENOP, behavior program which will eventually Complex as an engine boss. He did two Dave Moran L-380 Doig Glenwood Complex TFLD-t detail, DiMaggio FALB replace the current spread model. This USFS, Virginia, 9 days in April and model is being tested and validated details to the oil spill as a helicopter Joe Sharbaugh S-200 ICT4 MSC252 Lakefront Helibase HMGB-t Victor Doig M581, Ecol Forest W/S TFLD nowhere in the country except at manager trainee. detail, Louisiana, 14 days, in August; J. Joey Lord L381, Helicopter & Loxahatchee. n Wallace participated in numerous Ryan Sharpe RX RXB2 Farmer Jackson Fire HECM-t detail, Ecological Forest W/S A.R.M. Loxahatchee hosted the television virtual details to support fires with fire 301/341 USFS, Appalach NF, Florida, 3 days in show “Dirty Jobs” at the request of behavior products in four geographic Jessica Vincent S-271 and ICT5 May and MSC252 Lakefront Helibase Trixie Smith FL Certifed Burn areas. Course the Washington office public outreach S-290 HECM-t detail, Louisiana, 8 days in July; division. This program focused on n Wallace and Gifford travelled to several A. DiMaggio MSC252 Mobile Operations, prescribed fire for exotics control on Florida refuges and Everglades Committees BIOL detail, panhandle FL, 14 days the refuge. The fire staff also completed National Park to assist with prescribed Wallace was the FWS national in June and again MSC252 Mobile numerous talks to school groups, fire and wildfire support. representative to the FDSSC Fuels Operations, Boat Operator detail, Gautier, politicians, volunteers, and a delegation n Wallace served as a primary Division Decision Support Sub Committee, and MS, 14 days in August. from China about fire in the Everglades. Supervisor on the Southern Area Type the FWS national representative to the Oil Assignments: Besides the 4 MSC252 Wildfire 1 “Blue Team” and as a back-up Fire NWCG Fire Danger Committee. He assignments above, Refuge and Fire staff Fire management personnel also Behavior Analyst for the other two is on the science team for the national worked under 11 additional Resource responded to 31 wildfires in the district southern teams. cohesive strategy group, and is the FWS Orders on oil response activities for much for 3,540 acres. representative on the southern regions n Fire management personnel fire environment working team. of the summer at the home refuge and Fuels Management were involved in off district detail away (only full time fire staff away trips Fiscal year 2010 was a busy year assignments as well last year. Joe Staffing Changes detailed above). for District 5. The district had 105 Sharbaugh did a detail on the Redding District 5 Fire Management Officer, Glen All Fire Staff and most Refuge Staff took treatments on 50,270 acres in this fiscal Interagency Hot Shot crew, Chris Straton took the Regional Fuels position 24 hour HazMat and Oiled Bird Handling year. Wright did a detail with the Las Vegas at the Regional Office in Atlanta. Mike Lower Suwannee staff assisted with Helitack Crew, and Ryan Sharpe did an Good accepted the Prescribed Fire/Fuels Loxahatchee completed 4 burn units for Tech position and Jessica Vincent was instructing fire trainings (RT-130, PLDO, slightly over 20,000 acres. Engine Boss detail to the Mid Columbia So. Area Engine Academy). NWR Complex in Washington. hired as a firefighter at Merritt Island The Loxahatchee fire program hosted the Ryan Sharpe and Rob Vernachio NWR. Prescribed Fire Training Center for two participated in a detail to assist the of these four burns. South Arkansas Refuge Complex on a District Staff Assignments severity assignment. Joe Sharbaugh, Fire management personnel were Ryan Sharpe, Chris Wright, and Rob involved in off district detail assignments Vernachio all did 2 week assignments as well last year. Joe Sharbaugh did a to the oil spill. Cynthia Branham did detail on the Redding Interagency Hot three 2 week assignments to the oil Shot crew, Chris Wright did a detail spill. District 6 District 7

Year overview – Florida Year overview – Mississippi Panther, J.N. “Ding” Sandhill Crane, Bon Secour, Darling, National Key Deer, SE Louisiana Complex, and Ten Thousand Island SW Louisisana Complex, NWRs Noxubee, South Arkansas – The District in 2010 had major changes North Louisiana Complex, Firefighter Kris Steiber uses a driptorch to burn out a fireline during a prescribed to the management and organization and Grand Bay NWR fire at Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR, February 2006. Mark Jamieson/USFWS of the fire program with a new Project Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Leader, Kevin Godsea, new District The MS Forestry Commission assisted in District FMO (DFMO) served as Burn Spill dominated the activities for the year FMO Cass Palmer, new Prescribed Fire hosting the third annual Jackson County Boss at Noxubee NWR in March and for most of the refuges within the district. Specialist, Greg Suszek, and a new Fire Fire Management Cooperators Meeting, April, during the interim before the Fire Management staff at MS Sandhill Management Specialist at National Key and coordinated the Annual Fireline new Prescribed Fire Specialist (PFS) Crane NWR participated in the response Deer Refuge, Dana Cohen. During this Safety Refresher Training and the was hired for that refuge. The AFMO from the very beginning. Details of staff transition the remaining fire staff stepped 2011 Florida Panther NWR Fire Crew photo (L to R) Wes O’Connor, PJ Stevko, Work Capacity Test. Over one hundred provided incident management expertise activities related to the oil spill include; up to fill the void of the missing key Ashlee Sams, Skip Palmer, Jay Mickey, Greg Suszek, Brian Bagozzi, Cass Palmer, employees of six agencies participated during a Severity Incident at Felsenthal fire management positions to keep the Ryan Mong – Paul Stevko USFWS n Assisting in the construction of a berm in these events, including The Nature NWR. The DFMO participated in a Fire program running and productive. to protect Bon Secour’s Little Lagoon Conservancy, the MS Forestry Management Review of all Refuges in Commission, the MS Department of Eastern NC in October. n With missing key staff, the oil spill and Staffing Changes from Gulf water intrusion. With the arrivel of new management in Marine Resources, the Grand Bay District 6 the fire staff at these refuges the wildfires at Merritt Island NWR, Departures: Kim Ernstrom (DFMO), n Processing paperwork for Safety, as always, was a priority for along with the prescribed burns at Josh O’ Connor (PFS),Marc Rogers National Estuarine Research Reserve, District 7 as there were no reportable have made stronger relationships Administratively Determined (A-D) the National Weather Service and the between the refuges and their National Key Deer Refuge that took (Dispatch), Fed Privett (Equipment responders. accidents during the 34,320 work hours up the whole summer, no staff went on Operator) Jackson County Volunteer Firefighters. accomplished by the fire management cooperators. Working closely with the n Refuge fire staff served as Resource Florida Department of Forestry (DOF), western fire assignments in 2010 New Arrivals: Cass Palmer Other activities include a visit by the crews. Advisors for wildlife rescue and Regional Ecologist and Regional Fire the National Park Service (NPS), Golden Training (DFMO),Greg Suszek (PFS), Dana recovery operations, Helicopter Wildfire Gate Fire Rescue, Ochopee-Everglades Cohen (Fire Management Specialist Effects Interns, and the Prescribed The District had 62 wildfires for 8,954 Implemented a Ready Reserve Program Crewmember for aerial surveys, Fire Technician to collect annual data City Fire Rescue, Big Pine Key Fire Large Fire Training and Preparedness National Key Deer) managed Expanded Dispatch at acres. There were 10 fires for 219 acres Department and Sanibel Fire and Rescue at the eight long-term vegetation in bottomland hardwood refuges in Exercise for Dare County, training for We currently have the following positions the Refuge, and served as Dispatch cover plots that have been on-going has only made District 6 a stronger firefighters in Currituck County and vacant; Assistant Fire Management Recorders. Arkansas and Tennessee. DFMO served and more effective fire management since 1996. MS Sandhill Crane NWR as ICT2 at the Stony Ridge and Bowling teaching wildfire risk home assessment Officer, Equipment Operator, Fire Effects n MS Sandhill Crane NWR became one completed annual maintenance on three organization. courses for Ponzer VFD in Hyde County Monitor. Green Fires in North Carolina, and at the of three regional processing centers permanent and three portable RAWS. North in Oklahoma. Wildfire and Carova Beach VFD in Currituck for A-D Emergency Responders. Fire The Visitor Services staff at MSandhill The District had nine fires on refuges for County, and a S-215 Fire Operations in Staff had logged over 600 days assigned Crane NWR, with assistance from the Prescribed Fire 20 acres. District personnel assisted on 15 the Wildland Urban Interface. to the incident and processed over 200 fire crew, introduced the subject of The prescribed fire season was squeezed other wildfires with our sister refuges and A-Ds. wildfire, prescribed fire, and wildland on the front end by El Nino, the oil spill cooperators. National Key Deer Refuge: and by an autumn drought on the back The Refuge Fire crew constructed one fire management to 1223 students at two responses, total four acres FY 2010 Employee Training Taken Instructor Taskbooks Taskbooks end. MS Sandhill Crane NWR completed Experience Initiated Completed pond, planted 20 acres of food plots, and seven schools and four special events in Prescribed Fire 2010. The vast majority of the students seven growing season prescribed burns bush-hogged 200 acres of crop units for a total of 3200 acres in April. The district completed 189 fuels Cass Palmer RT 130, L480 RT 130 in support of Biological staff projects were fifth and sixth graders. The Zone treatments for 6,475 acres. Florida Greg Suszek RT 372, RT 130 DIVS TFLD to improve crane habitat. There were Prescribed Fire Specialist, made site A strong La Nina set in during the Panther NWR had 12 prescribed burns a couple of landmark achievements in visits to all of the Prescribed Burn summer, and the associated drought for 5,000 acres andNational Key Deer had Jay Mickey RT 130, S-91, RT 372 RT130 DIVS, ICT3 Wildland Fire Resource Contracting this programs in FMO District 7: Felsenthal, caused the Refuge to end the year with five prescribed burns for 52 acres. Paul Stevko RT130 ICT4 year. MS Sandhill Crane became the first Noxubee, Southwest Louisiana, and less than 60 inches of rainfall, about 12 Refuge in the Southeast to hire a contract Southeast Louisiana NWRs and reviewed inches below average. District Staff Assignments Brian Bagozzi RT 130, S244,S372, L381 HMGB, helicopter manager and a contract over thirty burn plans for these locations. n Oil Spill Response - four personnel FIRB In addition, refuges staff continue to from two different refuges: 1200 man squad of firefighters for prescribed burn Refuge staff developed burn plans and assist on prescribed burns at Noxubee hours Paul Ryan RT 130, S244, RT271, RXB2 projects. implemented a pile burn at White River NWR in Mississippi, Big Branch S330, S336 n One Wage Grade Equipment Operator MS Sandhill Crane Fire Management NWR and are also working on a long- Marsh,Sabine NWRs in Louisiana, and was sent to Felsenthal NWR for a Dana Cohen RT 130, M 581, S 491 RT 130, RX continues to build interagency term project to reintroduce fire into at Felsenthal and White River NWRs in severity assignment. 310, RX 341, partnerships under the guidance of the hardwood savannahs and open fields of Arkansas. RX301, L280 FMO and AFMO. warm season grasses at White River. District 7 continued Regional Office

The District completed 110 fuels for 218 days. They had one individual who Awards and Recognition Year overview qualification requirements into IQCS. Wildfire treatments for 8,337 acres. went on a long-term assignment for a DFMO, Tony Wilder, was named Incident This Fiscal Year (FY) our Southeast Also hundreds of potential responders The Southeast Region had 156 wildfires District Staff Assignments total of 154 days. Commander of the Type 1 Southern Area Division of Fire Management folks were have and will be entered into IQCS for covering 17,832 acres in 2010. The largest ‘Red’ Team in November 2010, with an challenged by an ever changing program future deployment through the Resource fire occurred on the Sabine NWR and The DFMO is a continuing member Training of the Steering Committee of the MS effective date of January 2011. Tony will of work. While meeting your local refuge Ordering and Status System. The system totaled 6,259 acres. District 7 had 19 employees’ complete be the only FWS Type 1 IC currently needs; you exceeded the regional fuels pioneered in our region is the model the Prescribed Fire Council, and attended eight fireline skills courses, 33 Some areas throughout the region three meetings this year. He also serves active on a national team. target, you managed wildfires safely, Department of the Interior is poised experienced significant ongoing high fire management courses and 21 aviation many of you took fire management to implement on a national level for all as co-chair of the Technical Committee courses. 13 employees completed the MS Sandhill Crane Refuge Visitor danger events over the year. The North with the MS Forestry Commission. The Services Specialist Doug Hunt required training or stepped up to hazard incident response. Louisiana / South Arkansas Refuge annual fireline safety refresher and the instruct. You assisted in many other DFMO and Prescribed Fire Specialist arduous level work capacity test. received an Outreach and Education Volumes could be written, and eventually Complex was approved for severity participated in Prescribed Fire Field local or regional calls for assistance. will be, regarding the response to funding. The Eastern North Carolina Days in Jackson County and Harrison/ Employee Training Taken Instructor Experience Your Chief, Regional Fire Management the Mississippi Canyon 252 Oil Spill. Refuges and Southwest Louisiana Refuge County, sponsored by the local Forestry Coordinator, Bob Eaton and Deputy The Southeast Region of the US Fish Complex prepared severity request Brian Henley S230,S215,RX301,N901, IS700, 40-HR and Wildlife Association, and the MS Chief, Regional Fire Management and Wildlife Service has provided packages which were on their way to HAZWOP,RT271 Prescribed Fire Council. DFMO also Coordinator, Pete Kubiak are glad to be a leadership and been intimately involved approval, when significant rain events spoke on the topic of Complexity Analysis Sami Gray ICS300,M581, CPR BASIC REFRESHER, part of this awesome team.. in management of this catastrophe at all materialized and quelled the danger. at the Southern Region Interagency RT 300F The Southern Area has three Incident levels since the outset and will continue Fuels Management Burn Boss Meeting in Destin, Florida. to do so. Scott Saucier B3,RT300F,40 Hr Hazwop Management Teams. The Southeast This was a typical year for the regional The Prescribed Fire Specialist Region of FWS now provides Incident The 2010 hurricane season was one of fuels program, with one exception. Glen participated in implementation of the Lauren S131, A312,CPR, Basic FA, I200, IS700 Commanders (and many other the most active hurricane seasons on Stratton joined the regional Division of new Prescribed Fire Short Course for Billodeaux subordinate positions) to two of the three record in the Atlantic Basin. Fortunately, Fire Management Staff, as the Regional Mississippi, sponsored by MS State Emily S131,CPR & Basic First Aid, IS700 teams. Tony Wilder is IC for the Red impacts on the U.S. were minimal. This Prescribed Fire Specialist. He brings University. AFMO and PFS attended Neidigh Team (Type 1) and Michael Dueitt is IC hurricane season is tied with 1995 for the a wealth of experience to the regional five meetings on air quality, sponsored for the Type 2 Team. third-most tropical/subtropical storms office. The region met or exceeded their Rebecca CPR & Basic FA, RT130, HECM/PLDO by the MS Depart of Env Quality. For the second time in five years, life (19) on record, behind only 1933 (21 fuels targets in all categories, safely. Goosman Refresher, I200, 40-HR HAZWOP AFMO and Fire Technician attended a changed forever along the north central storms) and 2005 (28 storms). The totals There were 535 WUI mechanical fuel Prescribed Fire pre-season meeting with Mike Krebs A312,B3 Refresher, RT130,RT271,I200,40- Gulf Coast. In 2005 it was Hurricane are even more remarkable given the treatments for 6,097 acres, 71 non-WUI the National Weather Service and other hr HAZWOP Katrina and in April 2010, it was the relatively slow start to the season, with mechanical treatments for 1,808 acres, federal cooperators. Prescribed Fire Bert Rager L380, CPR & Basic FA, RT130 Mississippi Canyon 252 Oil Spill, the fourth named storm not forming until 212 WUI prescribed fire treatments for Specialist represented the Refuge at the the worst environmental disaster in late August, near the long-term average 93,801acres, 106 non-WUI treatments for Tony Wilder N9033, WFDSS, B3, CPR, Basic FA, PLDO M-581 Course Cord, annual cooperators meeting at the MS the history of the United States. An date for that occurrence. 34,958 acres, and 21 other treatments for Refresher,RT130,RT300F L580, S420 Interagency Coordination Center, and immeasurable quantity of oil, estimated Starting with Danielle on Aug. 27, the 624 acres. Totaling 137,288 acres treated. participated in planning the curriculum at 10 or 20 times the size of the Exxon season’s five major hurricanes formed Glen started work immediately on the for the annual MS Fire Academy. Staffing Changes Award for 2010 at the annual Region 4 Valdez, leaked into the Gulf following an within just three weeks, including four explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil new fuels allocation system, Hazardous Fire staff, Bert Rager, completed a six- At MS Sandhill Crane NWR, PFS, Scott FMO Workshop, in recognition of his Category 4 hurricanes in a record 20 Fuels Prioritization and Allocation month assignment with the Redmond, Saucier, joined the Fire Management outstanding work introducing the role rig. Within weeks, oil began washing up days. Interestingly enough, no hurricanes along the barrier islands and coastlines System (HFPAS) and coordinated the Oregon Interagency Hotshot Crew in Staff in the spring of 2010. Firefighter, of fire in natural resource management reached Category 5 intensity this year. new Treatment Priority System, TPS September 2010 and fought fire in Alaska, Brian Henley, joined the Fire to school groups, and for his work as of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, including Bon Secour and Grand The center of Earl, when it was a with the field, project leaders, and area Oregon, and Washington, completed Management Staff at MS Sandhill Crane Firewise Coordinator for the Refuge. Category 2 hurricane, passed within supervisors. He led the coordination of his Faller B taskbook, made substantial NWR in the summer of 2010. Fire Staff, Bay NWRs. The federal government AFMO, Sami Gray, received an All-Risk response began immediately and will just 85 miles east of the Outer Banks the four day Regional Fire Management progress on his Crew Boss, Firing Boss, Bert Rager, was promoted to Wage-Grade Management Award for 2010 at the of North Carolina on Sept. 3. That area Workshop, held in Macon, GA. and ICT4 taskbooks. Equipment Operator. continue for years to come. annual Region 4 FMO Workshop, in experienced tropical storm conditions Predictive Service South Arkansas Complex sent a few staff The SWLA Fire Crew had two vacancies recognition of her accomplishments as Another accomplishment associated with that included gusts of 70-80 mph, causing the oil spill was the cooperative effort Remote Automated Weather Stations members off complex to RX300 and RX for much of the year. The GS4 Forestry manager of Expanded Dispatch at MS some downed trees and power outages. (RAWS) 290 they also assisted with S-230 and Technician position was vacated since Sandhill Crane NWR during the FWS between the Fire Management Division A storm surge of 2-6 feet from the 231. South Arkansas Complex had a few June 2010. The GS5 Forestry Technician response to the oil spill. and Ecological Services Division to Pamlico Sound side of the Outer Banks With a total of 29 fixed GOES individuals who went on assignments: one position was filled by Chris Adams from develop and streamline the ordering and caused inundation of North Carolina’s transmitting RAWS from Arkansas individual to MS Sandhill Crane for 14 August to November, but has been vacant deployment of resources and the tracking Highway 12 and damage to dozens of to Vieques, the region has excellent days; two assisted with one RX burn in the rest of the year. of skills and qualifications for All Hazard structures. and representative coverage of our Region 2 of FWS; six staff members went incidents. The Southeast Region of FWS diverse refuge weather conditions. to Oil Spill for a total of 84 days. They pioneered the inclusion of a multitude of also had three AD who went to Oil Spill incident positions, their mnemonics, and Regional Office continued

Aviation Academy. Twenty six USFWS The region once again successfully Out of the 3,264 request 2,846 have been representatives from throughout the navigated the rough waters of the filled, 227 cancelled. Resources were region and a couple from the national ever-changing DOI Medical Standards filled by FWS employees, Forest Service, office assisted in training course delivery Program. Kudos to the field for their Bureau of Land Management, some at the academy. A total of 42 course patience, determination, and desire to National Park Service and numerous ADs sessions were conducted over the two “get it right”. (Administratively Determined). week period in June. FWS had 60 Mike Dueitt, our FWS Director of the Pat continues to work with the Eastern attendees. This interagency geographic National Interagency Prescribed Fire Area and Jon Skeels ROSS Project area scope effort is among the largest Training Center reports that FY10 Manager to place all the specialized occurring in the country. was very successful in training future equipment that Fish & Wildlife Service’s We coordinate with the states in the prescribed fire practioners. The number use on coastal areas for fire or all-hazard training arena on a variety of levels. Most of student applications for the field into the catalog for selection. Pat also notable is our involvement in the TN/KY sessions was substantially higher than identified all ES and Fisheries offices Wildland Fire Academy. This year was the previous year. All attendees were able and created unit identifiers that have the 9th annual session and our efforts to complete many tasks in their PTBs on been placed and approved by NWCG. were once again spearheaded by Mike a variety of landscape and WUI burns. These identifiers will also be placed into Housh. Mike has served on the steering The Agency Administrators course was ROSS for future use. There is also an committee as the FWS representative one of the best ever with enrollment that on-going process that is taking place in since the academy inception nine years was multi agency and that exceeded the identifying other biological positions so 2010 Fire Management Workshop; Macon, Georgia, November 2010 - USFWS ago. Over the years Mike has coordinated participants expectations. that they may be added into ROSS and and led a wide variety of 200 and 300 Southern Area Coordination Center approved by the NWCG. The PDs for Key to the monitoring of year round meteorologist assigned to the Predictive of Community Wildfire Protection Plans level courses. This year’s courses were Pat Boucher, Assistant Area Coordinator these positions was written by Roxanna fire weather, the region has, since Services office of the Southern Area were initiated and/or completed this year S-230 Crew Boss and S-231 Engine Boss. located at SACC was instrumental in Hinzman of ES and with the help of Chris 2002, deliberately and methodically Coordination Center. by refuge staff working in cooperation Thank you to Mike and his roving band of assisting Ecological Services (ES) with Wilcox sent to the appropriate working upgraded stations to enhance reliability Wildland Urban Interface with state and local partners. instructors for another successful year. the Deepwater Horizon oil incident group of NWCG for approval. and sustainability now and into the The region acquired $317,537 of DOI Field units continue to work with All Position Task Books (PTBs) completed qualification and ROSS systems to order Fire Ecology future. For example, all Region 4 Rural Fire Assistance Program (RFA) cooperators, predominantly the state throughout the region ultimately come and dispatch resources and verify that Sue Wilder our Regional Fire Ecologist, fixed RAWS have been upgraded to funds which were distributed to the field fire protection/forestry agencies, in through the regional office for regional catalog items were already there for continues to serve as Chair of National employ the latest Forest Technology and ultimately to our Volunteer and Rural development of Community Wildfire agency certification and certification in the ecological services to use. She identified FWS Fire Ecology Team. This Team Service’s robust combination F6-G5 cooperators. RFA is Protection Plans. These are being Incident Qualification and Certification for the Ecological Service office that worked closely with the National Fire Axiom datalogger. To meet overarching intended to increase local firefighter developed on a wide array of spatial System (IQCS). This is done after being Biologist, Ecologist, and few others Ecologist to develop a white paper on Southern Area GACC requirements for safety and enhance the fire protection levels, from county wide, down to single initiated by the unit line officer and were in the system for them to use. She the Ecological burning in FWS including representative monitoring within its 67 capabilities of Rural Fire Departments small communities. District Fire Management Officer. Once worked with Roxanna Hinzman to show estimated historical and current acres Predictive Service Areas, the region by helping them meet accepted standards Training and Qualifications the PTB is completed the District FMO the procedure and that the process would burned. She participated on several optimized (where possible) the number work. Explanations regarding individuals biological reviews (Lower Suwanee, of wildland fire qualifications, training, This year was the final deadline for provides agency certification then the fixed, FWS owned RAWS through not in ROSS or the qualification system Cedar Keys, National Key Deer); all fire and performance for initial and extended compliance with the Interagency Fire book is forwarded to the regional office. new installation, relocation, and when were given to insure that this would reviews (see planning below); refuge attack at the local level. The region Program Management (IFPM) and The purpose of the regional involvement necessary, elimination of redundant not keep them from filling a request. assistance visits (Holla Bend, Mountain also acquired $119,691 of DOI Ready GS-0401 Standards requirements. The is to provide a final quality check and stations. Annual maintenance of a Pat worked closely with the National Longleaf, St Marks, Southeast Louisiana, Reserve funds which were distributed regional office and field staff monitored ensure qualifications standards are applied subset of our fixed RAWS (a total of 20) to the field. The purpose of the Ready consistently throughout the region. This Coordinator and Center Managers of Mississippi Sandhill Crane) meeting the Southern Area Predictive progress closely in cooperation with Reserve Program is to increase rural process occurred more than twice this year. the other Geographical Centers to pass n Sue is the Vice Chair for steering Service’s definition of a ‘Key” RAWS is the Human Resources office to help fire department wildland fire operations on the needs of the FWS for the oil spill. committee for M-580 course taught provided for through a branch funded folks keep on track. We did relatively This year and last year, an effort safety, effectiveness, and capacity The dispatch community worked hand- at NAFRI in Tucson and assisted in dedicated maintenance agreement with well with all but two individuals (by no was implemented to “clean up” by sponsoring local level training in-hand with her through the National developing a Fire Effects Monitoring FTS. This ensures that these particular fault of their own) making the October our qualifications records in IQCS. opportunities. Interagency Coordination Center to course for Advanced Fire Academy stations always meet annual maintenance 1, 2010 deadline. These individuals Individuals in the regional office and in streamline all request by filling, entering, held in Jackson, Florida; also at Fire and recertification requirements to This year the region invested another were temporarily placed in subordinate the field put forth considerable effort to and working through the AD process Academy, taught one lecture in RX341, ensure data accuracy and precision. The $20,000.00 and provided a steering positions as they continued towards their fill documentation holes and eliminate established. one in m-581, judged final projects for remainder of our RAWS, both fixed and committee member for the further targets. unnecessary administrative actions The oil spill incident was created in ROSS Rx310; taught fire effects monitoring portable, are maintained locally through development of the Southern Wildfire Rick Struhar served as Chair of the in the system. This will be an ongoing on April 23, 2010. From that initial time classes at two PFTC sessions. a BLM depot maintenance contract. Risk Assessment. This assessment is an Southern Area Training Working Team effort but we are seeing considerably through March 8, 2011 there have been Oversight of the region’s RAWS program interagency cooperative tool utilized at and Steering Committee Member of cleaner and more complete qualifications n She also attended National Fire 3,264 overhead resources processed. is accomplished by our agency provided federal, state and local levels. A plethora the Southern Area Advanced Fire and documentation these days. Ecology meeting in Savannah, Georgia. Regional Office continued

n Participated in “Open Pine Desired He revised State Cooperative Fire Pat Boucher did a detail for the Eastern FPU Fire Season for FWS Region 4 FPUs Awards and Recognition Regional Office Forest Condition meetings” with the Management Agreements with Area Coordination Center as Acting Pat Boucher received the regional Division of Fire Management East Gulf Coastal Plain Joint Venture. Interagency Cooperative Fire Center Manager for two weeks. FPU Start End management All-Risk Management Robert Eaton: 404/679 7190 n Continued to develop 8 species profiles Management and Stafford Act Response Glen Stratton participated in prescribed Date Date Award for 2010 at the annual Region 4 Deputy Chief Division of Fire Management to help fire managers individual species Agreements and Operating Plans burns at Mountain Longleaf NWR in Mississippi 1/12 11/4 Fire Management Workshop. Peter Kubiak: 404/679 7244 fire effects. for the States of Alabama, Arkansas April and with Merritt Island in June. Rick Struhar “Spot Award” for building Puerto Rico 1/22 5/11 Prescribed Fire Specialist and Tennessee. He assisted in the While at Merritt Island he assisted with interagency relationships via his efforts n Attended several regional staff preparation of Local Fire Management Glen Stratton: 404/679 7191 meetings in Atlanta and participated several lightning fires that ignited. Glen Southern Ozarks 7/19 4/19 as the DOI Geographic Lead for the Agreements and Operating Plans is one of the primary Operations Chiefs Ready Reserve Program. Wildland Urban Interface (WUI on the oil spill for two details in Mobile, between the Okefenokee NWR and the Eastern Arkansas 7/24 4/22 Coordinator) Alabama. on the Southern Area Type 2 Incident Rick Struhar, Regional Award Georgia Forestry Commission, the US North/Central Louisiana 8/4 5/28 Richard Struhar: 404/679 7061 Management Team, which was deployed (USFS Region 8) for business operations n Continued to serve as Post-Burn Marine Corps, Cherry Point, NC and the twice, one in April to North Carolina Fire Management Specialist Recovery Coordinator (BAER Coord) Mattamuskeet NWR Complex. Tennessee-Green Rivers 8/12 4/21 work in support of the Interagency and the second in August to Lawton, Southern Area Advanced Fire and Josh O’Connor: 404/679 4192 for the region (see post burn recovery Phil provided Fire Management Oklahoma. North Carolina Piedmont 9/3 5/30 section). Aviation Academy. Budget Analyst guidance to the Tennessee and Cross Pete Kubiak is also one of the primary South Carolina Midlands 9/9 6/9 Sherrie Matthews: 404/679 7102 n Worked with Fire Planner to review fire Creeks National Wildlife Refuges Operations Chiefs on the Southern Area ecology and post fire recovery sections Comprehensive Conservation Plans. Central Georgia 9/18 6/24 Assistant Coordinator, Southern Area Type 2 Incident Management Team and Coordination Center (SACC) of all newly submitted fire management Alabama/Florida 10/4 7/5 Josh O’Connor worked with the FPU deployed twice, to the same locations as Patricia Boucher: 678/320 3003 plans (see below). leads around the region to submit the stated previously. He went to Merritt Panhandle Meteorologist Planning FY11 data for FPA, and was selected as Island NWR. Louisiana Delta 10/6 6/30 Phil Weston, Regional Fire Planner was a member of the FPA Support Working Kevin Scasny: 678/320 3009 Training SE Mississippi 10/16 7/3 very busy working with the Regional Fire Team as the FWS representative. Josh Staffing Changes Program Office Assistant Management Plan Amendment #1, which has been assisting Jon Wallace with data On January 31, 2010 Glen Stratton, Southern Appalachian 10/16 6/21 Margaret Hale: 404/679 7192 was developed to provide consistency requirements for the HFPAS process. FWS Fire District 5 Fire Management SE Georgia/NE Florida 10/30 8/14 Director, Prescribed Fire Training between the various versions of the Josh O’Connor assisted the Officer, accepted the position of Regional Center (PFTC) Interagency Fire Management Plan Deep Horizon Oil Spill IMT with map Prescribed Fire Specialist in the Atlanta Florida Big Bend 12/3 9/1 Mike Duiett: 850/523 8633 templates that have been utilized over the products and resource request form Regional Office. past few years. development. He continues to provide Central Florida 12/9 8/27 Regional Fire Planner Josh O’Connor, Prescribed Fire Specialist Phillip Weston: 850/523 8521 He completed 30 Fire Management thorough GIS technical advice to the South Florida 12/19 8/24 national and regional fire programs. Josh at Florida Panther NWR accepted the Fire Ecologist Plans that cover 49 Refuges during FY SW Louisiana/ 12/27 10/28 is instrumental in all data support needs Regional Planner job in the Atlanta Sue Wilder: 985/882 2008 2010 to bring our total approved Fire NE Texas Coast in FMIS, NFPORS, LANDFIRE, FPA, Regional Office. He reported the first Management Plans in the Interagency week of February. Fire Ecologist FMP Template to 52 and involving 88 and other modeling requests for the North Carolina Coast 12/31 8/14 Vince Carver: 404/216 9421 regional division of fire management. Michael Dueitt, National Forests in Refuges and three Fish Hatcheries. *Season start and end dates were Mississippi Fire Management Officer, District FMO Contact List Budget created to capture 90 of historical wildfire Phil posted all of the approved R4 accepted the Director, National Fire District 1 – Alligator River NWR Sherrie Matthews is the Fire Budget ignitions within the season range. This Fire Management Plans to the FWS Interagency Prescribed Fire Training Tom Crews: 252/473 1131 x232 Analyst for the Southeast Region Division represents the 90th percentile of fires and Sharepoint Site and maintained the R4 Center position in November 2009. He of Fire Management. The regions initial not the 90th percentile of fire days. Fire District 2 – Savannah Coastal entries in the FWS Fire Management reported the first week of March 2010. Plan Spreadsheet on the FWS Sharepoint fire budget was $14,064,060 down from Refuges Website. $14,757,947 in FY 09. Jim Durrwachter retired from the service Rob Wood: 843/784 9911 x105 in December of 2009 as the Director of He completed Fire Management Reviews Region Staff Assignments Employee Training Taken Instructor Taskbooks Taskbooks Fire District 3 – Okefenokee NWR Phil Weston, Regional Fire Planner, was the National Interagency Prescribed Fire Experience Initiated Completed Mike Housh: 912/496 7366 x238 for North Louisiana NWR Complex Training Center. (D’Arbonne, Black Bayou Lake, Upper selected as a Planning Section Chief on Pat Boucher IS700, IS800 NDROSS Fire District 4 – St. Marks NWR the Southern Area Incident Management Dave Brownlie departed the Regional Greg Titus: 850/925 6121 Ouachita, Handy Brake, and Red River Phil Weston RFSR, S-445 Training Specialist NWRs), Southern Arkansas NWR Team. He served 30-day assignment Fire Ecologist position for a Refuge as Planning Section Chief, Type 2 on Manager job at Monomoy NWR in Fire District 5 – Merritt Island NWR Complex (Felsenthal, Overflow, and Pond Rick Struhar L480, S378 Pat Pearson: 321/861 6695 Creek NWRs), and Savannah Coastal the Mississippi Canyon 252 Oil Spill, Massachusetts. NWR Complex (Savannah, Tybee, Harris Atlanta, GA, and served as Planning Glen Stratton RX301,RX341 Fire District 6 – Florida Panther NWR Neck, Wassaw Wolf Island, Blackbeard Section Chief, Type 2 (PSC2) for five days Cass Palmer: 239/657 5476 Island, and Pinckney Island NWRs). on the North Mountain Fire, Fort Sill, Pete Kubiak L580 M581,LFML Fire District 7 – MS Sandhill Crane NWR Oklahoma. Josh O’Connor Rx301 RXB1 Tony Wilder: 228/497 5780 x22 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Division of Fire Management 1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 420 Atlanta, GA 30345 http://www.fws.gov/southeastfire http://twitter.com/USFWSFireSE April 2011

Keeping Fire on Our Side For thousands of years, humans have had an active partnership with fire. When respected and managed with care, fire can be a beneficial ally rather than an awesome opponent. Thoughtful preparation and action by public managers and private property owners can help keep fire’s effects positive. Together, we can keep fire on our side.