Southern California Firestorm 2003 Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Southern California Firestorm 2003 Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center For: Paula Nasiatka Lessons Learned Program Manager USDA Forest Service National Advanced Resource Technology Center Pinal Air Park Marana, Arizona 85653 8 December 2003 Training program design, development, delivery · Leadership · Human Factors/CRM · Simulation Design · Distance Learning This report was prepared by two private consulting firms with the input of federal agency employees for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center. Mission-Centered Solutions, Inc Mission-Centered Solutions, Inc., a small business enterprise located in the Denver metro area, provides training development and delivery services for government, military, and corporate clients. Our areas of training and expertise focus on disciplines that enhance crew or team resiliency and effectiveness, including leadership, error reduction and management, communication, and crew resource management. We also provide specific training and consulting to assist management of high-risk organizations to bring about and support targeted changes. Please direct any questions concerning this report, or any correspondence to: Mark Smith Mission-Centered Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 2102 Parker, CO 80134 (303) 355-0964 (303) 646-3720 (fax) email: [email protected] Guidance Group provides strategic services to fire service organizations; and specializes in leadership, strategy and organizational improvement. The Guidance Group provides a unique blend of real world fire management experience as well as facilitative and consulting skills that may not be available within the client organization. The result is a practical, professional and experienced approach to fire service strategy, leadership and organizational needs including strategic planning; professional development; goal setting; collaborative problem solving; program evaluation; and support to field studies and field research. Michael DeGrosky, CEO Guidance Group, Inc. 715 Hillside Drive Washburn, WI 54891 (715) 373-5466 (715) 373-5409 (fax) email: [email protected] Mission-Centered Solutions, Inc. Contents Introduction....................................................................................................................1 Project Scope.................................................................................................................2 Team Composition ....................................................................................................................2 Objective....................................................................................................................................3 Focus Areas ..............................................................................................................................3 Interviewees ..............................................................................................................................3 Fire Behavior and Fuels................................................................................................4 Extreme Fire Behavior ..............................................................................................................4 Transition to an Urban Conflagration.......................................................................................5 Fire Whirls .................................................................................................................................6 Wind Shifts ................................................................................................................................7 Fuels ..........................................................................................................................................7 Effects of Fuels Programs and Fuel Treatments .....................................................................8 Interagency Cooperation ............................................................................................10 Effectiveness of Interagency Cooperation.............................................................................10 Interagency Training ...............................................................................................................10 Interagency Relationships ......................................................................................................12 Communications Systems Interoperability............................................................................12 Integration of Pre-Incident Planning Information ..................................................................14 Unified Command and Liaison/EOC Integration....................................................................15 JIC and Information Management...........................................................................................16 Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST) ...............................................................................18 Command and Control................................................................................................19 Establishing Command in Chaotic Conditions......................................................................19 8 December 2003 Mission-Centered Solutions, Inc. Page i Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center Exercising Individual Initiative................................................................................................20 Size Up and Intelligence..........................................................................................................22 Planning Cycles and IAPs.......................................................................................................23 Role of Area Command...........................................................................................................24 Community Protection Incident Management Teams............................................................25 ICP Planning............................................................................................................................26 Team Transitions and Shift Changes .....................................................................................26 Safety Officers.........................................................................................................................27 Evacuations and Homeowners...................................................................................27 Pre-Incident Planning..............................................................................................................28 Route Control ..........................................................................................................................28 Values at Risk and Homeowners............................................................................................29 Evacuation Centers.................................................................................................................31 Reintroduction of Residents...................................................................................................31 Resource Management ...............................................................................................31 Pre-Incident Planning and Resource Positioning..................................................................31 Dispatch Organization ............................................................................................................33 Resource Management Systems ............................................................................................34 Stage or Reassign Resources ................................................................................................35 Recall of Off-Duty Resources .................................................................................................36 Staffing of Resources to Apparatus .......................................................................................36 Use of Administratively Determined and Retired Firefighters...............................................37 Logistical Support...................................................................................................................37 Work-Rest Guidelines and Personal Safety ..............................................................38 Initial Attack to Extended Attack ............................................................................................38 Fatigue Management...............................................................................................................39 Personal Protective Equipment..............................................................................................40 8 December 2003 Mission-Centered Solutions, Inc. Page ii Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center Smoke and Driving Conditions...............................................................................................41 Stress Management ................................................................................................................42 Strategy and Tactics....................................................................................................43 Reactive to Proactive Strategies ............................................................................................43 Adapting Strategic Thinking ...................................................................................................44 Structure Triage ......................................................................................................................45