New Podcast: Fire Operations Specialist Monica Morrison shares wisdom you want about Command Presence.
Qualifications
Collar Brass
This article is about how visual indicators of rank, like different color hard hats, impact fire operations and communication.
Standard Response
This article is from our 2019 Summer edition of Two More Chains. Thoughts from Three Focused Fire Folks By Alex Viktora and Travis Dotson Eric Graff Eric Graff is the Helicopter Program Manager for Grand Canyon National Park. With a positive shout-out to interagency collaboration, he is currently on detail as the National Assistant Helicopter Operations … Continue reading Standard Response
Slow and Steady
[Over the next several weeks we will feature content related to “Growth in the Wildland Fire Service.” The content published here will also be featured in the Spring 2019 Issue of Two More Chains.] By Travis Dotson Andrew Addey is a Forest Training Officer, a recent position he landed after ten years on the Sawtooth … Continue reading Slow and Steady
Aptitude — Why Don’t We Test for It?
By Travis Verdegan Black River Falls Area Staff Specialist Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources A few months ago, I found myself wondering a few things related to aptitude assessment and decided to check with the LLC to see if they’d done anything with the topic that I might have missed. They got back to me … Continue reading Aptitude — Why Don’t We Test for It?
Crash and Burn
The following is an excerpt from the Sheep Creek Burnover Report The Sheep Creek Fire occurred on August 18, 2018. A helicopter crash in a remote area near Battle Mountain, Nevada ignited a wildfire, resulting in a burnover of a Type 4 engine on a Search and Rescue mission responding to the helicopter crash. The … Continue reading Crash and Burn
When You’re the Division Supervisor and Fire Shelters Come Out
“I try to cultivate relationships and build trust so I can create an environment where people feel safe telling me that my idea is a bad one.” By Jayson Coil Division Supervisor on the Nuttall Fire When I reflect on the events surrounding the entrapment and subsequent shelter deployment on the Nuttall Fire there is … Continue reading When You’re the Division Supervisor and Fire Shelters Come Out
Learning at Work – Safe spaces required? The wisdom and irony of ‘Don’t F it up’ Part 2
A three-part series by Racheal Reimer In the Winter 2017 issue of Two More Chains, firefighter Bre Orcasitas discussed wildland fire culture. In her blog, https://theevolvingnomad.com/2016/11/20/fire-culture/, she wrote, “Hearing ‘don’t F... it up’ is a sarcastic yet serious show of support for whatever small task you have taken on.” This blog series digs deeper into how … Continue reading Learning at Work – Safe spaces required? The wisdom and irony of ‘Don’t F it up’ Part 2
Giving and Receiving Critical Feedback
By Dana Skelly and Todd Gregory A trainee walks into a bar… Right. How about this: A trainee comes your way, not really impressing you, but whatever. Close to finishing their book, you cut them loose to run the mission. You thumb through their task book. You see that this is their sixth assignment … Continue reading Giving and Receiving Critical Feedback
Qualified doesn’t mean capable. Got humility?
If you are Division qualified does that mean you should be able to handle ANY Division ANYWHERE in ANY conditions? What happens when our abilities don't line up with the situation - regardless of quals? How do you react when you see someone hesitating? How should you react? Here's a tip, be kind. There is … Continue reading Qualified doesn’t mean capable. Got humility?