Fire Training and Incident Qualification Card System Certification Requirements

In Reply Refer To:
9215 (916) P

       May 3, 2018

EMS TRANSMISSION: 5/7/2018
Instruction Memorandum No. ID-2018-010
Expires: 09/30/2021

To: All Employees

From: Peter J. Ditton
Acting State Director

Subject: Fire Training and Incident Qualification Card System Certification Requirements

Program Area:  Fire and Aviation

Purpose:  This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides direction for oversight of the fire training program for Idaho Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  It establishes policy for the initiation and certification of National Wildfire Coordinating Group and agency specific task books.  It establishes signature authority for Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) card certification.

Administrative or Mission Related:  Mission related

Policy/Action:  The Great Basin Training Center (GBTC) Manager functions as the State Training Officer.  The GBTC will serve as the conduit between the State Fire and Aviation staff and the District Training Specialists.  The GBTC Manager (or delegate) will represent Idaho on the Great Basin Training Committee and the BLM Fire Training Committee. 

Maintenance of Idaho State Office (ISO) employee IQCS records, Incident Qualification Cards, and fire training nominations will be the responsibility of the GBTC.  Employees of the ISO should submit an Individual Employee Update Form (see attachment) by April 20 of each year to BLM_ID_Firetrainingofficer@blm.gov.  The ISO Incident Qualification Cards will be issued by May 15 of each year.  Task book review and certification for all ISO employees will be the responsibility of the State Fire Management Officer (FMO).  These task books will be reviewed by the State Fire and Aviation staff before final signature from the State FMO.

Initiation of position task books is the responsibility of the IQCS certifying official on each unit.  A copy of the original initiation page must be placed in the individual’s hard copy IQCS folder at the time of initiation.  Trainees must meet all required experience for the position prior to initiating a PTB. 

Task book certification is the responsibility of the unit FMO following completion of the final evaluator block and recommendation from the District’s Qualification and Certification Committee.  The final evaluator and the certifying official must be separate signatories.  The certifying official must ensure that the trainee meets all required training and required experience for the position before certification. 

The following position task books will be sent for review by the State Fire and Aviation Staff and will be certified by the State FMO:

• All Command and General Staff positions at the Area Command, Type 1 and Type 2 levels.
• Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 1 and Type 2 (RXB1 and RXB2)
• Prescribed Fire Manager Type 1 and Type 2 (RXM1 and RXM2)
• Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD)
• Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS)
• Incident Business Advisor (INBA)

Issuance of the above listed task books is the responsibility of the unit FMO and all red cards with these positions should be signed by the unit FMO while the responder is in trainee status. Once the task book has been completed and the responder has been recommended for certification, the task book must be approved and certified by the State FMO and the subsequent Incident Qualification Card requires signature by the State FMO regardless of hiring authority.  Unit FMO IQCS cards require signature by the State FMO.  All Incident Qualification Cards requiring the State FMO signature should be submitted either hard-copy to State FMO or electronically to BLM_ID_Firetrainingofficer@blm.gov for review and signature.  Recertification of any of the above qualifications using the BLM Recertification Evaluation Form requires State FMO signature.

Certification of the Advanced Faller (FAL1) task book requires concurrence from an approved Advanced Faller Evaluator and the unit FMO.  The list of approved Advanced Faller Evaluators is maintained by the Assistant State FMO. 

All emergency medical qualifications will continue to be approved by the Safety and Occupational Health Manager for review and concurrence of qualifications.

Timeframe:  This policy becomes effective immediately.

Background:  This IM addresses the need for establishment of a higher level qualification and certification process for certain high risk positions and rests final certification authority with the State FMO.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide (PMS 310 1); Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (NFES 2724);
BLM Standards for Fire Training and Workforce Development.

Coordination:  This IM was coordinated through the Idaho State Office Fire and Aviation Staff and the GBTC.

Contact:  For questions or concerns regarding this IM, please contact Eric Fransted, Assistant State FMO at (208) 373-3855 or efranste@blm.gov or Kelly Woods, GBTC Manager at (208) 387-5639 or kwoods@blm.gov.

Boise District with Union:  Management is reminded to notify and satisfy any bargaining requirements prior to implementation.

Signed by:
Meagan M. Conry
for Peter J. Ditton

Authenticated by:
Susanna M. Henry
Fire Program Assistant

Attachment:
 1 – ISO Experience Update Form (2pp)