Wildfire Academy Lessons Learned

Issue 27 • 2010 A Lessons Learned Newsletter Published Quarterly Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center A lesson is truly learned when we modify our behavior to reflect what we now know. Wildfire Academy Lessons Learned The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center staff recently interviewed seven fire training academy coordinators around the United States regarding their notable successes, difficult challenges, effective safety practices, training recommendations and unresolved issues in the implementation of fire training academies. Special thanks are extended to these Academy Coordinators for sharing their significant lessons and practices with the wildland fire community. In This Issue Academy Information Academy Information ...................1 New York Wildfire Academy Incorporating Lessons Learned ..4 The New York Wildfire Academy began in 1998, with the aid of instructors Notable Successes .......................4 from the Colorado Wildfire and Incident Management Academy, and is held each year over a ten day time frame in the month of October. In its first year, Difficult Challenges ......................6 102 students participated in eight different courses. Since then, the academy Future of Academies ....................8 has grown substantially. In 2009, 400 students could select from 29 courses. In 12 years, over 5,100 students representing 150 agencies — from 38 states and How to Contact Us: two Canadian provinces — have trained at the academy. The tuition rate [email protected] has remained the same since 1998, approximately 50 dollars per day. The [email protected] academy is supported by many agencies, including local, county, state and (520) 799-8760 or 8761 federal. Dormitories and restaurants exist on campus and most field classes fax: (520) 799-8785 are also held on campus, including a burn boss course and other major courses in prescribed fire. http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/73.html Continued on page 2 www.wildfirelessons.net Utah Wildfire Academy In May of 2010, the Utah Wildfire Academy celebrated a decade of presenting between 18-22 quality wildland firefighter courses each year to approximately 300 firefighters from throughout the United States. The academy is held in Richfield, Utah, a small community that enthusiastically supports wildland firefighters in their efforts to manage our country’s resources. In addition to excellent community support, the academy credits much of its continued success to exceptional interagency cooperation between wildfire agencies and fire departments from throughout the State of Utah. The 2010 Utah Wildfire Academy was held at Snow College in Richfield from May 17-21; further information regarding the academy may be found on its website at www.utahfireinfo.gov. Arizona Wildfire Academy The Arizona Fire Academy formed in the aftermath of the 2003 Rodeo-Chediski fire. Don Howard’s vision to get agencies on the same page regarding rural, county, and state fire protection provided a foundation for this academy. In its first years, only nine classes were held with a couple hundred students annually. Currently, attendance has grown rapidly to over 800 students per year. In 2006-2007 the academy co-hosted the Healthy Forest Summit with then-Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, who now serves as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. To date, the academy has provided over 200 classes, issued more than 4,000 certificates of completion, worked with over 400 staff and 500 instructors, and provided a venue for 160 vendors. Classes are usually held at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, during the school’s March spring break. http://www.azwildfireacademy.org/ Colorado Wildfire and Incident Management Academy The Colorado Wildfire and Incident Management Academy offers more than 15 classes in locations across the state. The academy benefits small fire departments and communities that may not have the opportunity to get this type of training elsewhere. Using agency personnel and retirees as instructors and staff, the academy keeps costs per student relatively low. This academy was the first of its type in the nation, and from this success, others have since been developed. The academy focuses on providing training to fire departments, with their participation making up between 38-45 percent of its attendees. http://www.cwfima.com/ Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy The Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy, held in January each year, hit the nine year mark in 2010. It is a cooperative effort between the Tennessee Division of Forestry, Kentucky Division of Forestry, the Daniel Boone and Cherokee national forests, the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Region 4 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service’s Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Until this year, instructors were responsible for providing all their materials for the course. However, the academy recently incorporated as a non-profit corporation and now has funds to purchase workbooks and materials. Tuition also helps to cover the cost of materials. The Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy Entrance academy does not pay instructors from tuition funds, but Photo Courtesy of uses them to promote the academy by purchasing t-shirts Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy for sale and contributing to the National Wildland Fire- fighter Foundation. Tuition runs 50 dollars per day for a course, plus meals and lodging. The Tennessee Service Fire and Codes Enforcement Academy provides classrooms, lodging and meals. The academy pays instructors their normal salary and instructors are also sometimes hired under the AD pay plan. The academy pays AD instructors from budgeted fire management funds. Sierra Blanca Wildfire Academy The coordinator of the Sierra Blanca Wildfire Academy refers to it as “Our Academy,” because this wildfire learning centerhas incorporated the Ruidoso Fire Department, New Mexico State Forestry Department and the U.S. Forest Service. He feels that the U.S. Forest Service leads the industry in expertise. The Forest Service provides between 20 and 30 experienced instructors to the academy each year. The academy pays for the logistics such as the facilities and also provides instructors with both structural and wildland fire backgrounds. The academy focuses on collaboration and maintaining relations between the agencies. In addition, the academy charges only 20 dollars per class, an uncommonly low tuition — made possible using an instructor cadre comprised of Forest Service personnel and trained volunteers. This enables the academy to hire contractors (including recent retirees from the Forest Service and the state), using grant funds provided by the State of New Mexico. The academy caters to nearly 150 students, and expects 200 attendees next year. The academy limits attendees to 200 to keep instructor-student ratio low, with no more than 20 students per class. http://www.sbwfireacademy.com/ 2 Midwest Wildfire Training Academy The Midwest Wildfire Training Academy offers a variety of courses based on assessed needs and is held the first or second week of June in Jefferson City, Mo. The academy resides at Lincoln University, having moved from a previous location in a school system facility. The change occurred after the school system activated summer school hours that conflicted with the academy schedule. The academy began in 2002 with approximately 12 courses offered, growing to more than 30 courses over the years. However, because of recent economic pressures, the academy has now scaled back to 17 courses. The Midwest Wildfire Training Academy adheres to National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards. Its instructors come from the Midwest Compact area (Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois), as well as from other locations around the country. The academy began with 200 students per year and has hosted as many as 400-500 students. Due to the adverse economy, only 250 students attended last year. Unique to this academy, it runs concurrently with the University of Missouri’s Fire and Rescue Training Institute. One incident management team manages both the academy and the institute, as a single effort, with courses offered in both wildland and structural fire services. Many students from the structural fire service have responsibilities in the wildland-urban interface, and participate as qualified handcrew members or engine crew members on national wildfire assignments. Courses cost students 60 dollars per day for the 100/200 level and 70 dollars per day for the 300/400 level. http://www.mufrti.org/ Sandtable Training Photo Courtesy of Colorado Academy 33 Incorporating Lessons Learned Running an Academy like a Type 1 or 2 Incident Management Team The Arizona Wildfire Academy pushes participants to be ‘students of fire,’ as described by the late wildland firefighter and mentor Paul Gleason, and to understand the many lessons learned by providing quality instruction using instructors who understand High Reliability Organizing, safety, and risk management. The academy assures a high caliber of instructors using a good check-and-balance system. The academy is run much the same as a type 1 or 2 incident. The academy employs instructors who have actual wildfire experiences. Consequently, the academy is recognized nationally with 27 different states represented at the academy last year. Developing Safety Messages At the Tennessee/Kentucky Academy, the staff develops safety messages for each day ensuring that every class receives

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