Committee Members Present:

Jerome Macdonald - USFS John Waconda - BIA

Danny Kellogg - USFS Jeff Vanis - USFS

Mary Zabinski - USFS Paul Womack - USFS

Jim Paxon - USFS Pam McAlpin - BLM

Edna Harlan - USFS Mike Matarrese - USFS

Tony DeMasters - BLM

No representation from USFWS and NPS were present due to scheduling conflicts.

Discussion Topics:

Update/Review Questionnaire

Spring '99 session review

Accomplishment Report

FTE Positions

Interagency input on focus of FUTA

Future sessions curriculum

Committee discussed in-depth the subject of the existing questionnaire, posted on the SWA web site.

Action Items: Include cover letter and mail directly to each agency's district/unit FMO's.

Add the questions: Do you have any long range projects? , Do you have

facilities to accommodate housing for FUTA?, and Do you have any

instructors available to teach any of the courses identified in the list of course

offerings on the second page of the questionnaire? Clarify the question in the

"Projects" section. (Do you have any logistical concerns related to module

use?) to include "housing/subsistence."

Discuss the options to offer special sessions at the Training Academy specific to a group or subject matter. Example would be a focused NEPA for 2-3 weeks anytime outside of the existing sessions for fire managers. Another would be to offer short courses for line officers on Rx and Fire policy and the fire qualifications system. The feeling is that with the experience of the 2 sessions completed, the Training Academy is now in a position to branch out slowly into these kinds of opportunities.

Jim Paxon suggested that we present a one-day session to focus on the Region's line officers to explain Rx fire qualifications vs. Wildland fire quals. Possibly combine 310 & 410 guidelines?

Jerome and John Waconda made a presentation at a NWCG steering committee meeting in Albuquerque in January, with full national and interagency representation. The presentation was well received. John's and Jerome's perception is that now is the time for a funding proposal.

Action Item: With the results and information from the first 2 sessions, present NWCG

with a proposal for interagency support. The proposal could be used

nationally to solidify the funding sources to include a more interagency base

allowing more interagency participation nationally.

Committee discussed exploring the feasibility of other "satellite" training sites to host FUTA trainees for planning projects, training opportunities, or burning. Sites mentioned were: Beaverhead Work Center--Gila NF, Blue Ridge Ranger Station--Coconino NF, Prescott Fire Center--Prescott NF. The team consensus at this time is that expanding at this point may be difficult until FUTA gets better recognized and established, and that this concept will be integrated into the fall session planning and be allowed to evolve over the next year.

We need to identify more long-range planning projects to incorporate into FUTA's curriculum or assign to each session. This current session, the Manzano Mountains Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep habitat enhancement project, was worked on.

Action Item: Incorporate these items into the questionnaire in a way that will help the

FUTA coordinators identify Regionally the opportunities available.

Danny Kellogg suggested that we pin down the dates for the Fall '99 session to better enable FUTA to acquire instructors for NWCG core courses. It was agreed that the fall session dates are: September 27 - November 19, 1999, (8 weeks).

Committee discussed Core Curriculum.

Action Item: Present "Rx340--Introduction to Fire Effects," for the fall session and don't

use "Rx450--Smoke Management Techniques" as core curriculum.

Jim Paxon brought up the subject of recruiting Field Coordinators. Spring '99 session put out a detail announcement within the region (USFS) and received zero response. The team also recognized the need for the field coordinator position to be at an instructor level and Burn Boss 2-qualified or trainee. The Florida Training Center recruited nationally.

Action Item: Advertise nationally and through all agencies/zones. Recruit for a highly

qualified individual.

It was suggested and agreed by all present that USDI should supply a Field Coordinator for each session and, as part of their contribution to FUTA, that USDI pick up all costs associated with that position.

John Waconda suggested we do a "Needs Analysis" focused on the training needs for the SWA to secure national funding by all agencies involved with FUTA.

Committee discussed the value of the FUTA "sales pitch" that Jerome, John, and Danny have presented by way of Power Point presentations. All agreed that this is the way to go and that this is a great way to promote the program. FUTA has already reaped the benefits of these presentations and the program has been presented at several different interagency meetings since the fall session ended.

Action Item: Add more accomplishments, identify total number of trainees and the agency

they represented, incorporate into the presentation that we are NOT

competing with the NPS Rx Fire Academy in Florida, and identify the geo-

graphic location where each trainee came from

Danny Kellogg suggested we try to get both Arizona and New Mexico State Forestry Division people into FUTA. Everyone recognized that the States' budgets were more restrictive and that participation would be difficult. Jim Paxon suggested that possibly a trainee from these agencies could "split" sessions and complete FUTA through the course of two sessions.

Action Item: Contact Fred Rossbach to develop a JPA for NM. Ask Kirk Rowdabaugh to

explore the willingness of AZ state participation.

The subject of the next steering team meeting was brought up and it was agreed by all that there should be two meetings a year to be held during the course of each FUTA session.

Action Item: Next steering team meeting - Wednesday, November 3, 1999, at 10:00 a.m.

and that a conference call between Steering Team Agency Heads ensue on

July 15, 1999, at 10:00 a.m.

The subject of updating the FUTA flyer was discussed. Jeff Vanis had a good suggestion that we utilize a full-page glossy medium such as the BLM's fire brochure for FUTA and include pictures from the current session. Flyer to be used to help people understand the program and supplement the Power Point presentation. Need to update the message and focus on results from the first 2 sessions.

Action Item: Put together a workgroup to work up a draft and BIA will supply the source

information for the local contract or BPA from the Area Office. Jerome

Macdonald, Mary Zabinski and Mark Chavez will be the work group.

We need to get the word out to the different interagency groups. Because of comparisons to the FloridaTraining Center, we need an insider briefing on that operation from John Ford. Push to get more resource managers, 4 in the spring session.

NWCG CURRICULUM: RX450 - Smoke Management Techniques

RX300 - Prescribed Fire Burn Boss

RX230 - Ignition Operations

S-244 - Field Observer

Additional NWCG Courses: S-200 - Initial Attack Incident Commander - ICT4

S-390 - Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations

S-490 - Advanced Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (review)

CREP - Crew Representative

ICARS - Incident Cost Unit Leader

SHORT COURSES: BEHAVE, FARSITE, RERAP, FOFEM, SASEM, NPSPUFF

Fire Weather Plus, DTN Weather

NEPA

Burning in the Wildland-Urban Interface/Media Relations

Fuels Inventory/Fuel Moisture Sampling

Terra Torch

Plastic Sphere Dispenser

Wildland Fire Implementation Planning

Fire Management Planning/Wilderness Fire Use

Global Positioning System

Spotted Owl Monitoring Survey in Mixed Conifer

Rx Burn Accomplishments:

Project Agency Dates Acres

Micro Mt. Taylor RD, Cibola NF 3/1-3/3/99 300

Upper Frijoles Bandelier National Monument 3/3-3/6/99 1400

Indian Peak Black Range RD, Gila NF 3/15-3/18/99 600

Wilson Canyon BLM Albuquerque District March 1999 130

Kiowa Grasslands Kiowa Grasslands, Cibola NF 3/23-3/24/99 1400

Barbero Pecos RD, Santa Fe NF 3/23/3/25/99 2000

Rye Flats BLM Arizona Strip 3/28-3/29/99 30

Lone Mountain Big Bend National Park 4/4-4/10/99 600

Guadalupe Guadalupe RD, Lincoln NF 4/5-4/12/99 2500