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14-534: Wildland fire training in the U.S. has been standardized by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group since the 1970s. The same basic courses are given across all agencies involved in wildland firefighting and controlled burning, including: A recent trend in some states is to hold an annual statewide wildfire academy in which students from different agencies, from federal agencies to local volunteer fire departments, can take these courses. This

28-475: A current "red card" indicates that you are qualified to work on the firelines, as well as other disasters, as determined by the Federal Government. This "Red Card" is not included, and if you are a member of a VFD, must be obtained separately. S-130/190 is also increasingly being offered at a handful of colleges as part of their fire science or forestry degree programs. At a few 4-year colleges those in

42-412: A forum where air resource and wildland fire management programs and member agencies will discuss and attempt to resolve technical, regulatory and policy matters of joint interest concerning fire emissions and air quality impacts on firefighter and public safety and health from planned and unplanned fires. In 2003, an Interagency Team identified strategies to improve incident management. The NWCG accepted

56-543: Is a system for efficient interagency resource coordination system for fire and other emergencies in the southern California region of the United States . It was developed after a bout of massive wildfires in southern California in 1970 that burned for days and involved multiple jurisdictions. Major wildland fires are a common annual occurrence in Southern California with its warm climate which typically gives

70-669: Is now done, for example, in Virginia , Utah , Arizona , Pennsylvania , and Nebraska among other states. Colorado Firecamp is the only wildfire academy to teach the S-130/S-190 course year round. S-130 and S-190 are actually two different courses. But since they are usually taken together the basic wildland fire training is called "S-130/S-190" or "S-130/190" for short. Basic wildland fire training also includes some other courses. The full list of courses usually included in "S-130/S-190" is: Training manuals for these courses are published by

84-417: The National Wildfire Coordinating Group . There are also more advanced and specialized courses not covered in the basic wildland fire training. The work capacity test ("pack test") is also usually given during the course. Passing S-130/190 and the pack test are both required to fight wildfires. After successful completion of both, you are able to receive a qualification card known as a "red card". Holding

98-727: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , and the National Association of State Foresters . After a series of meetings in the early 1970s, the NWCG was officially chartered by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture in 1976. Among the notable results of the NWCG has been the adoption of the Interagency Fire Qualifications Rating system, more commonly known among firefighters as the "red card" qualification system;

112-667: The 1970s out of the need for greater interagency coordination: the Boise Interagency Fire Center (now the National Interagency Fire Center ), and the FIRESCOPE program in southern California. The NWCG oversees the Smoke Committee (SmoC), an advisory group that addresses strategies and guidance for addressing smoke within fire and fuels programs nationwide. The Committee's web page describes itself as

126-638: The aftermath of a major wildfire season in 1970, including the Laguna Fire . The 1970 fire season underscored the need for a national set of training and equipment standards which would be standardized across the different agencies. NWCG included representatives from the United States Forest Service , the Bureau of Land Management , the National Park Service , the Bureau of Indian Affairs ,

140-527: The area four to six months of almost total drought. In addition, the region is threatened with infrequent, but potentially disastrous, urban emergencies precipitated by flooding, earthquake, and fire. FIRESCOPE is directed towards improving the effectiveness and cooperation of fire services in response to a major incident. A major component of the program was the design and development of the Incident Command System , which has been adopted by FEMA for

154-456: The class will actually be part of a working hand crew chartered by the college for the rest of the semester or quarter, after completing the basic course and the pack test. At most (2-year community colleges) it is just a short, 1 credit hour course. National Wildfire Coordinating Group The National Wildfire Coordinating Group ( NWCG ) was formed in the United States as a result of

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168-558: The conclusions of the study in 2005 and the National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) was formed. The NIMO is a seven-member team of professional incident managers with complex incident management as their primary focus. In addition to incident management NIMO provides training, leadership development and other support activities. FIRESCOPE FIRESCOPE ( backronym : Firefighting Resources of Southern California Organized for Potential Emergencies )

182-542: The establishment of the series of training classes associated with the red card system (such as the basic wildland fire course, S-130/S-190 ); the establishment of an interagency fire training center at Marana, Arizona ; the publication of training manuals such as the Fireline Handbook ; and the Resource Ordering Status System . NWCG was formed independently of two other programs which also formed in

196-554: The management of all that agency's emergency activities. The design of the program, as well as its initial development and testing was begun in 1972 by a specially chartered research development and application (RD&A) program at the United States Forest Service Forest Fire Laboratory in Riverside, California . Funding for the five-year RD&A program was provided by a special appropriation from

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