Dispatch Center Training Workshop Fire Coordination Center Support US Forest Service and the Moroccan High Commission on Water, Forests and Combating Desertification November 4-8, 2013 Renee Jack Kim Christensen Mark Rooney Natasha Marwah Fire Operations Deputy Assistant Fire Management MENA Program Specialist Supervisor Director Specialist International Programs US Forest Service Fire and Aviation US Forest Service US Forest Service [email protected] US Forest Service [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Background ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Mission Summary ............................................................................................................................................................... 4 Training Course Overview .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Crews, collaborators, equipment, supplies ......................................................................................................... 4 Dispatch Procedures ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Information and communication ............................................................................................................................ 5 Fire Simulation Exercise ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Visit Considerations................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Incident Command System (ICS) orientation ......................................................................................................... 6 Field opportunities for COIF staff ................................................................................................................................ 6 Fire prevention mascot .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Fire operations manual .................................................................................................................................................... 6 COIF update and equipment .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Conclusion and Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Appendix 1: History of USFS-HC Fire Cooperation Program ................................................................................. 9 Appendix 2: Training Content/PowerPoint Slides (attached) .............................................................................. 9 Appendix 3: Additional training course materials and references (attached)............................................... 9 Appendix 4: Participant List................................................................................................................................................ 9 Page | 2 Acknowledgements The US Forest Service deeply appreciates the warm hospitality of the Moroccan High Commission on Water, Forests and Combating Desertification. High Commission fire management personnel were well-prepared and committed to the mission deliverables. The team especially thanks Fouad Assali for his leadership in coordinating the visit and for his assistance as a co-trainer and facilitator in this training course. The team also recognizes Said Benjira, regional director for the Middle Atlas, for his support and leadership. Finally, International Programs expresses its appreciation to Renee Jack, Kim Christensen and Mark Rooney for their expertise and contributions to this training course and trip report. Page | 3 Background Mission Summary From November 4-8, a US Forest Service fire management team visited Meknes, Morocco to deliver a five day training course on fire dispatch. This course is a follow-up activity to support the fire management and dispatch center (COIF) that will be constructed in Rabat in 2014. The training course was facilitated by Renee Jack, Kim Christiansen, Mark Rooney and Fouad Assali and included participants from each High Commission province in Northern Morocco and at the central level. The dispatch training course was intended to familiarize staff who work on fire management with fire dispatch roles and responsibilities and provide a vision and overview of the COIF center. The training course followed a US model for introductory and intermediate fire dispatch training; each module was then tailored to the Moroccan context, allowing Fouad Assali to share specific fire management details in Morocco to the participants. Adequate question and answer periods were interspersed throughout the day. Overall, training participants were active and enthusiastic, providing a strong platform for collaboration and future support to the COIF. Training Course Overview Crews, collaborators, equipment, supplies Participants were familiarized with the various types and capabilities of resources including crews, collaborators, equipment and supplies. The first section outlined how crews and collaborators are trained and configured to perform specific missions and types of work with minimum standards for training, experience, and fitness. Course participants learned methodology of categorizing resources into types for consistency and accuracy in statusing and mobilizing. The overall concept of resource ordering, tracking, utilization, and demobilization was also covered. The next section, aviation, covered the concepts of aviation coordination and planning to ensure operational and cost effective utilization of aviation resources. Instructors covered the role of dispatch in flight planning procedures and airspace de-confliction. Dispatch Procedures In this module, the duties, responsibilities, and differences between initial attack and expanded dispatch were outlined. In Morocco, most likely some High Commission personnel will be cross- trained and required to staff the COIF center during fire season. Organizing dispatch into the following functional areas (collaborators, crews, equipment/supply and aircraft) according to the US model was outlined. However, depending on the level of activity and complexity, a formalized expanded organization may not be necessary. The trainers emphasized the dynamic nature of fire and the importance of maintaining situational awareness at all times to ensure risk informed decisions for the safety of firefighters and the public. There are many benefits to formalizing the dispatch at each organizational level in the HC (Sector, Province, National-COIF). This would include established channels of communication, common forms and procedures. All staff should Page | 4 understand protocols, levels of authority, and management objectives of the COIF. Dispatch and demobilization also included important considerations relative to planning and logistics. Information and communication In this module, the trainers highlighted the critical importance of accurate, timely information in setting priorities and allocating resources. This section discussed types and use of maps and emphasized how a detailed wall map can be used to display resource status to facilitate dispatch to fires. USFS and the HC will collaborate to produce a number of wall maps for the COIF in Rabat. Efficient, reliable information is also paramount to strategic and long range planning. The lesson also covered the value of effective communication and coordination with partners and stakeholders. The group discussed radio use and emphasized the importance of clear, concise communication. Training included a brief demonstration of typical transmission between two individuals on a fire. Fire Simulation Exercise During the team’s visit to Meknes, there was a small fire that started in the Middle Atlas. Fouad Assali and his colleagues in the field managed the fire quickly and efficiently. The final days of the training course included a fire simulation exercise to allow training participants to practice responding to a fire incident. Course participants performed in the roles of COIF operations, COIF technical information specialist, aircraft pilot, sector director, provincial director, and regional director. The exercise led to in-depth discussion regarding information flow, prioritization, and resource allocation. It also mapped the lines of communication between the COIF, the firefighters in the field, and cooperators from other departments of the government. Developing criteria to prioritize resources is important when there are competing demands for resources. Criteria should consider threat to life and property, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural resources, and probability of success. Page | 5 Visit Considerations Incident Command System (ICS) orientation The US Forest Service