Courses

NAFRI partners with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) and Course Development Sub Committees, comprised of subject matter experts, to manage and deliver graduate school level curriculums.  A total of 17 courses are supported by NAFRI staff and are delivered on an annual, biannual and biennial basis. 

Due to the lapse in government funding NAFRI has been receiving questions regarding the status of our courses. 

Those excepted to perform critical functions during the shutdown are in the process of creating Go/No-Go dates for each course. If there is a lapse in government funding on the Go/No-Go date than we will either postpone or cancel the course.  

We will do our best to keep everyone informed as new information becomes available and as decisions are made during this time. Thank you. 

Complete Course Listing | Upcoming Courses

Courses

Course Target Group:

Any state employee designated to fill a state level incident management team position as an Incident Commander, Planning Section Chief, Operations Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance Section Chief, Safety Officer, Information Officer, and Liaison Officer.

Course Description:

CIMC - Complex Incident Management Course

Using classroom lecture and simulated incidents the student will understand the role and function of an incident management team, the applicability of management principles to the incident management job, and the special considerations of incident management within geographic areas of the nation. http://www.nafri.gov/pages/description_cimc.htm

Nomination Process

A notification of training letter will be sent to each State Fire Chief’s office advising them of upcoming training and of the training location. The training location will rotate between the three NASF regions (Northeast, South and West). Teams from the host region will have priority of attendance.


State Fire Chiefs will then provide a list of candidates and their team positions to the CIMC Executive Secretary for CIMC Steering Committee review and selection. The CIMC Executive Secretary will then send out final selection letters along with course information and reading materials.

Course Objectives:

The Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC) is a partnership between the National Association of State Foresters and the U.S. Forest Service to provide a national incident management training program that addresses multi-jurisdictional and all-hazard issues, including wildfire, that confront state emergency responders.

Course objectives are to train command staff positions to function as qualified state incident management teams who are able to assist their state forestry organizations and state emergency departments in the management of large or highly complex wildfires and other all hazard incidents. The focus of the course is to better prepare team members to address the unique and challenging management needs associated with these kinds of incidents.

Total Hours: 40

Course Prerequisites:

I / S-420 and Position Training

Course Target Group:

Individuals who will be called upon to establish and supervise an expanded dispatch organization and who have met prerequisite training and experience at the Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher (EDSD) level.

Course Description:

This course is designed to train individuals in the function and responsibilities of a Supervisory Dispatcher within an Incident Support Organization. Student selected for this course must be capable of performing as an Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher in all functional areas of an expanded dispatch. The course will provide trainees with a working knowledge of the necessary management skills and operational procedures for successful performance as a Supervisory Dispatcher.

The course is intended to be an interactive experience, requiring the trainee to interact with the materials, the faculty, and fellow students. The course consists of a 40-hour pre-course test, discussions, exercises and final exam. It is designed to take 32 hours to present. Class size is limited to 40 students.

Course Objectives:

Given an incident situation, a briefing from the appropriate agency management entity, and incident objectives, students will be able to:

  • Develop and manage an effective organization to meet present and future needs of an incident.
  • Utilize available information to establish expanded dispatch priorities in consultation with the appropriate agency management entity.

Total Hours: 72

Course Prerequisites:

  • Qualified as expanded dispatch support dispatcher (EDSD). Recommend experience in all functional areas (overhead, crews, equipment, aircraft and supply).
  • Successfully complete a pre-course pass/fail assessment that takes approximately 40 hours to complete.

Success in D-510 will depend on the student’s ability in leadership and organizational knowledge as contained in:

  • L-380 Fireline Leadership
  • ICS-300 Intermediate ICS
  • D-310 Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher
  • Agency-specific supervision courses

 D-312, Aircraft Dispatcher, is highly recommended.

Course Target Group:

This course is targeted to resource managers, wildland fire planning personnel and line officers who want to enhance their knowledge and understanding of fire management and fire ecology.

  • Natural and cultural resource management specialists, endangered species biologists, compliance specialists (NEPA, SHPO), land, fire and fuels management planners. Individuals involved with planning, implementation, and monitoring of fire and ecosystem management programs.
  • Public affairs, information officers, education and other specialists or individuals who need to communicate to diverse audiences fire management and ecological principles and practices.
  • Agency administrators, (i.e., line officers) senior managers, Staff Officers, Tribal leaders, and other key partners. (i.e., community leaders, local government, state officials, non-government partners, et cetera.)
  • Fire Management Officers and Assistant Fire Management Officers.

Course Description:

Through lectures, case studies, a field trip, and interaction between students and faculty, the course will:

  • Explore the role of fire and fire management in ecosystem management.
  • Examine historical, social, political, legal, economic, and environment factors critical to fire management.
  • Provide the students with concepts, technologies and methods to actively engage in ecosystem management across the landscape.

Course Size is limited to 100 Students

Course Objectives:

  • Convey the significant role of fire management across a diversity of ecosystems.
  • Demonstrate the complexity and benefits of integrating fire and landscape management with social, political, legal, economic and environmental factors.
  • Provide students with strategies, concepts, reference resources, and models to facilitate ecosystem management decisions.
  • Reinforce fundamental ecological concepts as they relate to fire on the landscape.

Total Hours: 40

Course Prerequisites:

None

Course Target Group:

This course is intended for line officers with a journey level of experience overseeing a wildland fire program.  Forest Service Forest Supervisor/Deputy Forest Supervisor levels, National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs, Superintendent/Deputy Superintendent levels, Bureau of Land Management Field Office/District Manager levels, and Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge Management Project Leader level, and state and local Agency Administrators.

Course Description:

This course was developed using an experiential and collaborative approach to learning. It is designed to be highly-engaging in dialogue, exercises, interactive scenarios, and simulations. The course is a comprehensive look at the Agency Administrator’s leadership role in highly complex issues within fire management programs. Topics include Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy, Fuels and Prescribed Fire Policy, risk management and decision-making, critical relationships, development of adaptive and resilient programs, and hosting complex incidents. The complex fire situation is highlighted with the intent to provide a comprehensive understanding of the processes necessary to effectively manage the situation. Included are the Agency Administrator’s briefing, developing and conveying clear intent and objectives, creating a healthy command climate and relationships within their teams and among partners and stakeholders, and other critical items.

Course Objectives:

  • Identify the Agency Administrator’s responsibilities to provide leadership in fire and fuels management.  
  • Gain a common understanding of all the fire management agencies national policy, Agency Administrator responsibility and accountability, and authority for all fire management actions.
  • Understand the importance of fire as an essential ecological process and the role of fire management programs in achieving desired future conditions.  
  • Gain a common understanding of risk informed decision-making and safety philosophy in the context of wildland fire program management.

Total Hours: 50-60

Course Prerequisites:

M-581, Fire Program Management, an Overview, OR
LFML, Local Fire Management Leadership.

Course Target Group:

NAFA II is for personnel who have attended NAFA, who are interested in building on that knowledge and want to obtain advanced level of mission simulation training in the wildland fire airspace environment.

Course Description:

NAFA II is designed to provide aerial firefighters an advanced training experience to NAFA, utilizing flight simulator hardware and software, sand table exercises and classroom interaction. NAFA II simulations and problem solving exercises will enhance the aerial firefighter’s effectiveness and safety awareness by providing complex problem solving tasks while simulating a multi-aircraft fire airspace environment.

Pilots will fight fires from a simulated cockpit and will experience various aircraft emergencies and responses while over a fire environment. Real time fire scenarios will be utilized from simple initial attack to a complex fire environment.

  • NAFA II is a contract requirement for Level II Seat Pilots to obtain a Level I Upgrade.
  • NAFA II is a contract requirement for Level I Seat Pilots every three years.
  • NAFA II can serve as the NAFA contract requirement for airtankers and scooper AKPs every three years and AKCs annually.

**Note NAFA II Refresher Beta meets the contract requirement for Level 1 pilots and is the preferred option for existing level 1 SEAT pilots needing NAFA 2 in the next course offering.

Course Objectives:

To provide aerial firefighters an advanced training experience NAFA, utilizing flight simulator hardware and software, sandtable exercises and classroom interaction. NAFA II simulations and problem solving exercises will enhance the aerial firefighter’s effectiveness and safety awareness by providing complex problem solving tasks while simulating a multi-aircraft fire airspace environment.

Total Hours: 20

Course Target Group:

Personnel interested and available to participate on review teams analyzing all types of accidents and near-misses. The Workshop participation is not limited to Fire and Aviation Management employees.

Course Description:

The Facilitated Learning Analysis(FLA) and Coordinated Response Protocol(CRP) are group learning approaches to review a broad spectrum of unintended outcomes or close calls ranging from fatalities and escaped fires to vehicle accidents.

Through lectures, case studies, and interaction between participants and faculty, the course will:

  • Illustrate concepts, technologies and methods to actively engage the FLA and CRP processes.
  • Examine case studies that describe a paradigm shift from blame to learning in the wake of an accident.
  • Demonstrate the use of storytelling to exploit accidents and other unintended outcomes as learning events.
  • Underline the concept of sense-making to enable FLA and CRP team members to overcome hindsight bias.
  • Move organizations towards a learning culture.

The workshop is limited to 56 participants

Course Objectives:

  • Prepare participants to serve as FLA and CRP team members.

Total Hours: 40

Course Prerequisites:

None, However preference will be given to individuals with experience in risk management, safety management and accident investigations.

Course Target Group:

The target audience includes individuals:

  • Responsible for resource analysis, decision support and decision making based on outputs from National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) at the local/state/national level and corresponding positions;
  • Responsible for Intelligence, Predictive Services, and/or Fire Weather Forecasting;
  • FBANs, LTANs and GSANs who desire advanced NFDRS application and use;
  • Responsible for providing technical support and oversight for NFDRS;
  • Who will become geographic area NFDRS instructors;
  • With a passion to become the next generation to carry NFDRS forward.

Course Description:

Advanced NFDRS is the next level of analytical instruction above S491 which focuses on the role of fire danger rating in resource decision making, through development of a fire danger rating operating plan. Participants will be provided the skills to analyze and troubleshoot fire danger rating from the fire weather station scale to multiple fire danger rating areas. The course will provide individuals the technical skills to serve as instructors for geographic area level courses for all wildland fire agencies using NFDRS. Advanced NFDRS is a national level course. As such, participants can expect long days, evening and weekend work. In order to receive credit for course, participants must stay through entire course. Students will need to complete approximately 24 hours of pre-course work.

Course Objectives:

  • Through the development of an operating plan participants will demonstrate skills required to design, setup, and manage NFDRS at the local level. These include:
    • Identifying the fire problem(s).
    • Delineating Fire Danger Rating Areas.
    • Verifying input data used for NFDRS.
    • Applying NFDRS tools to inform and support fire management decisions.
    • Documenting the analysis, decisions, and operational processes.
  • Describe the relationship of NFDRS to other wildland fire  decision support tools.
  • Demonstrate how fire danger rating supports local, state, Geographic Area and National decision-making.
  • Introduce new NFDRS related technology
  • Participants will develop technical knowledge to support Geographic Area NFDRS training and implementation.

Total Hours: 88

Course Prerequisites:

  • Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System (S-491)
  • Complete pre-course work.
  • Pre-course work will be emailed directly to students

Computer Requirements

Students must bring their Agency laptop to use during the course at NAFRI. If you do not have a laptop available to you, there are in limited supply at NAFRI and are on a first come first serve basis; use of your own agency laptop is strongly suggested.

Course Target Group:

Contract and agency personnel directly involved in aerial retardant and water delivery:

• Large Airtanker pilots
• Water Scooping and Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) pilots
• Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) pilots
• Type I and Type II Helicopter pilots
• Very Large Airtanker pilots
• Agency Air Tactical Group Supervisors
• Agency Leadplane pilots
• Agency Dispatchers

 

Course Description:

The National Aerial Firefighting Academy (NAFA) is a training effort by and for personnel directly involved in aerial retardant and water delivery. The intent is to educate both Agency and Contract personnel using subject matter experts from both sectors.

This course is geared toward those who are new to the firefighting environment.

NAFA will provide participants information needed to safely and effectively work together in a congested airspace over a wildland fire incident. Tactics, operations and experience are integrated into this aerial firefighting training. The course material, scenarios and exercises will provide a look into the “other pilot’s” job. This perspective is important to achieve the same goal of safely and effectively putting out the fire.

  • NAFA is a contract requirement for New Level 2 SEAT pilots, Airtankers and Scooper AKPs every three years.
  • NAFA and/or proof of having reviewed the USFS Airtanker Pilot Training Program is required for AKCs annually.

Optimum class size is between 55 to 70 persons

 

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, agency and contract participants will:  

  • Increase their knowledge on aerial firefighting by integrating tactics, operations, experience, and agency and contract personnel expertise to enhance their effectiveness and safety.
  • Have a basic understanding of the current aviation program, dispatching system, concepts, tools, fire terminology, airbase operations, human factors, fire behavior and the Incident Command System as it pertains to aviation firefighting.
  • Individually assess and comprehend the application of risk management in the daily use of aviation resources.
  • Learn and Implement Crew Resource Management principles during the fire simulation exercise.
  • Improve knowledge of policies, drop patterns, coverage levels, skills, strategies, techniques and factors influencing the application of wildland fire chemicals.
  • Learn new skills in low level flying, strategies and tactics, target descriptions and fire size ups.
  • Recognize and understand the challenges, opportunities, scripts and types/capabilities of firefighting aircraft.

 

Total Hours: N/A

Course Prerequisites:

Is a member of NAFA specified target group listed above.

Course Target Group:

NAFA II Refresher Beta is for personnel who have attended NAFA, who are interested in building on that knowledge and do not need flight simulation**.

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide aerial firefighters an advanced training experience to NAFA, utilizing sand table exercises and classroom interaction. These simulations and problem solving exercises will enhance the aerial firefighter’s effectiveness and safety awareness by providing complex problem solving tasks while simulating a multi-aircraft fire airspace environment.

•  Please note No flight simulators are used in this course. Those that need to have flight simulation will have to attend NAFA II in McClellan.

•  Please note this course will meet the refresher requirements for Level 1 SEAT pilots. This class is NOT appropriate nor will it meet contract requirements for Pilots needing NAFA II for their upgrade to a Level 1 endorsement.

Course Objectives:

To provide aerial firefighters an advanced training experience to NAFA, utilizing sand table exercises and classroom interaction. These simulations and problem solving exercises will enhance the aerial firefighter’s effectiveness and safety awareness by providing complex problem solving tasks while simulating a multi-aircraft fire airspace environment.

Total Hours: 20

Course Prerequisites:

None.

Course Target Group:

This course supports the knowledge and skills needed for prescribed fire burn boss, other single resource bosses, prescribed fire manager, and strategic operational planner and other positions that plan and implement complex decisions at multiple scales in fire management.

RX-510 curriculum is primarily developed for wildfire operations personnel and fire practitioners.

Course Description:

RX-510 Advanced Fire Effects is a science-based course designed to support the integration of fire effects knowledge into land management programs. The course emphasizes the importance of considering fire effects in the design, implementation and monitoring of planned fire treatments over multiple spatial and temporal scales. In addition, many of the principles covered can be used to integrate fire effects in support of the wildfire decision-making process. This course recognizes that planning and implementing the use of fire in any capacity are independent activities, and provides opportunities for the burn boss and planner to work together.

The course is an intensive session that provides college-level lectures, case studies, discussion groups, and testing procedures throughout the week. Instructors include agency and university scientists, agency resource specialists, and fire practitioners. Students have many opportunities to interact with the faculty.

To successfully complete Rx510, students are required to complete the pre-course work and attend all sessions for the entire week.

RX-510 is a national level training course. Students should expect long days.

Class size is limited to 84 students.

Course Objectives:

RX-510 will demonstrate the application of science-based fire effects knowledge in planning, implementing, evaluating and communicating the use of wildland fire to meet ecologically based land management objectives.

  • Translate broad ecological information into goals and objectives for the management of wildland fire to meet resource objectives.
  • Incorporate short-term and long-term fire effects information into planning and implementation for the management of wildland fire to meet resource objectives.
  • Provide examples and discuss methods for monitoring and evaluating fire effects.
  • Apply the adaptive management process to refine a program for the management of wildland fire to meet resource objectives.

Total Hours: 48-52

Course Prerequisites:

  • RX-310 Introduction to Fire Effect
  • S-390 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations
  • Successful completion of pre-course reading and development of a brief project or issue paper for presentation in the peer learning groups.

 

Course Description:

The Stress First Aid (SFA) model is a self-care and peer support model developed for those in high-risk occupations like military, fire and rescue, and law enforcement.  It includes seven actions that you identify and address early signs of stress reactions in yourself and others in an ongoing way (not just after “critical incidents”).

Total Hours: 0

Course Target Group:

  • Personnel desiring to be qualified as long-term analyst (LTAN) or a fire behavior analyst (FBAN) completing position task book items relating to spatial fire analysis or a geospatial analysis technical specialist (THSP).

Course Description:

S-495 is an intensive course which prepares the long term analyst (LTAN) and fire behavior analyst (FBAN) to use a variety of geospatial fire analysis tools in order to provide short-, mid-, and long-term fire behavior forecasts. It is the equivalent of a graduate-level class on geospatial fire modeling, conveying the latest processes and technology to assess weather, climatology, historic fires, fuels, and biophysical attributes to develop deterministic and probabilistic fire growth assessments.

This course is presented using a blended learning approach. It employs a mix of required online distance learning and a final instructor-led session in a formal classroom setting. Students must allow for up to 120-hours to complete the distance learning portion of the course spread over a five-month period from November-March. The online distance learning is officially part of the course and is not pre-course work. Distance learning includes a number of quizzes that count toward the overall student score and final course grade. As such, students are required to successfully complete the online distance learning section with a satisfactory score on all tested materials in order to attend the final classroom portion.

Due to the intensive nature of S-495, participants can expect long days during the classroom portion of the class with short lectures followed by hands on individual and group exercises, breakout discussions, daily quizzes, a final exam, and optional evening help sessions.

Course Objectives:

  • Concepts taught will help an LTAN and FBAN perform at an acceptable level on a national basis without regard to geographic boundaries.
  • Prepare future LTANs with advanced geospatial fire analysis, interpretation and application skills, preparatory for S-590.
  • Introduce future FBANs to geospatial fire analysis, interpretation and application skills preparatory for completing task book items related to geospatial analysis.
  • Equip technical specialists with geospatial fire analysis, assessment, and interpretation skills.
  • Provide continuing education to qualified LTANs, FBANs, and technical specialists by providing the most recent advancements in geospatial fire analyses.

Total Hours: 164

Course Prerequisites:

Training Prerequisites:

All nominees are required to have successfully completed the following courses prior to applying to the course for the November start of online course work.

  • Advanced Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (S-490).
  • Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System (S-491).

Online Assessment:

All nominees are required to successfully complete a pre-selection qualifying exam testing knowledge of fire behavior principles, practices, and skills taught in S-390, S-490 and S-491. This is a 4-hour time limited exam taken online.

  • A passing score (70% or better) on the S-495 Qualifying Exam.
  • Successful completion of all distance learning materials with a cumulative score of 70% or better on all Unit Exercises and Exams.
Students not seeking certification can access the online self-paced lessons without prerequisites or tested material.  The self-paced modules may be accessed here.

Computer Requirements:

All participants attending S-495 will need to provide their own laptop and should be proficient in its use. A detailed listing of hardware and software needs will be included in the course selection letter.

Additional Information:

Success in S-495 will depend on the student's commitment to completing the distance learning training. Distance learning materials are meant to provide the appropriate level of background, foundational knowledge and concepts to be successful in the classroom.  This information will be further developed through instruction and exercises during instructor-led training in the classroom.

Additional skills and knowledge useful for the course:

  • Obtain an account in WFDSS in order to become proficient in navigating and using the various fire modeling applications.
  • Proficient in the use of FireFamilyPlus software.
  • Proficient in the use of BehavePlus software.
  • Familiarity with LANDFIRE data products.
  • Familiarity with GIS topics.

“See link to Session Details, above.” 

Course Target Group:

Any person qualified to fill a national level interagency Type 1 Incident Management Team position as an Incident Command, Planning Section Chief, Operations Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance Section Chief, Safety Officer, or Public Information Officer, or any person to become certified in one of these positions at the Type 1 completxity level and Agency Administrators preparing for the potential to host Complex Incidents.

Course Description:

Using classroom lecture, dialogue, exercises and simulated incidents, students will develop their understanding and demonstrate the abilities to effectively function in a Command and General Staff (C&G) position of a Type 1 Incident Management Team and/or as an Agency Administrator hosting Complex Incidents.  Students will discuss and practice the applicability of management principles to the incident management job, and the special considerations of incident management in differing geographic areas of the nation.

S520 incorporates experiential learning opportunities in the practice and application of critical concepts and responsibilities of Type 1 C&G Staff and Agency Administrators, coupled with active coaching, feedback and performance assessments.    

Early Nomination Rationale: Early nomination has been requested to give those nominated the necessary mentoring and pre-course assignments for the course.

For current course information, refer to the NAFRI web site: http://www.nafri.gov

Course Objectives:

Given a simulated complex fire situation, students will effectively perform functional and team responsibilities. Individual performance must meet established criteria for successful completion of the course.

Total Hours: 60

Course Prerequisites:

Individuals must be functionally certified and qualified at the Type 2 level for the position they will be filling at the course.

Nominees are required to submit a complete nomination package through their Geographic Area Training Representative (GATR), which must include a nomination form, a current fire qualifications record summary and a narrative statement giving a brief background of the person nominated, with a description of the intended use of the skills developed as a result of attending S520. Previous attendance at S-420 is recommended.

Satisfactory completion of UNIT-I (pre-course) work.

Course Target Group:

Personnel desiring to be qualified as fire behavior analyst (FBAN) and or long term fire analyst (LTAN) in wildland fire management operations. Nominees must identify which position(s) they are targeting on their nomination form.


 

Course Description:

This course was developed using a blended approach to learning, meaning that it contains a mix of online and instructor-led training (ILT). Students are required to complete the online training portion of the course prior to taking the ILT.

S-590 is an intensive course designed to provide prospective FBANs and LTANs with the groundwork they will need to succeed throughout the training process. The course focuses on the interpretation of fire behavior products and emphasizes the importance of communicating this information effectively. Ensuring the operational relevance of fire behavior information and inclusion of operational concerns into forecasts and briefings is highlighted as a key skill to providing useful input for both tactical and strategic decisions as well as being critical to fire fighter safety. The course focuses on the interpretation of fire behavior outputs and models on a variety of time scales ranging from immediate operational concerns to answering longer term strategic questions.

S-590 is a highly interactive class with full participation required from all students. Course material is presented through a combination of online material and exercises. The residence portion of the class addresses key topics interspersed with in depth fire scenarios. During the fire simulations, students will produce products, briefings and documentation under tight time constraints as they would on a fire assignment. 

Class size is limited to 50 participants.

Course Objectives:

  • Describe the FBAN/LTAN responsibilities and interactions with managers, management teams, meteorologists, and others.
  • Demonstrate skills in analyzing, interpreting, displaying, and communicating fire behavior information and its implications.
  • Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing appropriate wildland fire behavior predictive information.
  • Recognize the importance of and demonstrate the ability to prepare fire behavior documentation.

 

Total Hours: 80

Course Prerequisites:

Students seeking qualification as a fire behavior analyst (FBAN):

Training Prerequisites

  • Advanced Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (S-490)

Position Prerequisites

  • Division group supervisor (DIVS)

Students seeking qualification as a long term fire analyst (LTAN):

Training Prerequisites

  • Advanced Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (S-490)
  • Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System (S-491)
  • Geospatial Fire Analysis, Interpretation and Application (S-495)

Position Prerequisites

  • Fire effects monitor (FEMO)
  • Firing boss, single resource (FIRB)

Pre-Selection Assessment

All nominees will need to successfully complete a pre-selection assessment that requires proficiency in the skills taught in S-490. This is a 4 hour time limited and proctored test. Proficiency in the use of BehavePlus is critical to passing the S-590 pre-selection assessment.

Mentoring Program

An active mentoring program exists for FBAN and LTAN mentees to gain experience prior to attending S-590. S-590 Steering Committee, Geographic Area Coordinating Groups, Training Representatives and Coordination Centers work together in the priority placement of mentees with qualified FBANs and LTANs. Participation is not mandatory but has proven to assist confidence in the classroom. After getting support from your supervisor and unit Training Officer, contact your Geographic Area Training Representative to get more information about the mentoring program. The S-590 Course Coordinator may also assist with concerns or issues regarding the mentoring program.

 For this program to be successful the following actions must occur:

  • Geographic Area Coordinating Groups (GACG) must take a nationally consistent and active role in the identification, prioritization and nomination of candidates.  
  • Current Fire Behavior Analysts (FBAN) and Long-Term Fire Analysts (LTAN) take an active role in the mentoring of identified candidates.
  • Mentoring opportunities provide candidates with meaningful experiences as Behave Technical Specialists, Geospatial Anaylst GSAN and as FBAN and or LTAN trainees.

Computer Requirements

All participants attending S-590 will need to provide their own laptop, portable printer and data cable.

Students should be equipped with the hardware (laptop & printer), and software to function as an FBAN and or LTAN and be self-sufficient at the course as if they were in the field.  A detailed listing of hardware and software needs will be included in the course selection letter.

Additional Information

Success in S-590 will depend on the student's communication skills, both written and oral.
Additional skills could be obtained by completing the following:

  • Facilitative Instructor (M-410) or other public speaking and technical writing courses.
  • Participating in the S-590 Mentoring Program.
  • Instructing portions of Advanced Fire Behavior Calculations (S-490) course.
  • Attending Geospatial Fire Analysis (S-495), Interpretation and Application course.  S-495 Self Paced Study material is available online through the FRAMES OCS 
  • Review of and practice with the BehavePlus program.

S-590 is a national level training course and as such participants can expect long days.

Course Target Group:

For people responsible for managing complex incidents that will be available to participate on a National Interagency Area Command team as an Area Commander (ACDR), Assistant Area Commander Logistics (ACLC), Assistant Area Commander Planning (ACPC) or Area Command Aviation Coordinator (ACAC).

Course Description:

This course was developed using an experiential and collaborative approach to learning. It is designed to be highly engaging in dialogue, exercises, interactive scenarios and simulations. The course is a comprehensive look at the Area Command Team's role(s) in the management of highly complex and/or multiple incidents, with an objective of understanding the interaction of Area Command and other incident organizations, agencies, and political entities.

Topics include; developing and maintaining interagency relationships, area command tools and planning cycles, functional responsibilities, evaluating organizational effectiveness, transitions,
transfer of command and demobilization. Also emphasized is the need to adapt to complex problem sets, engage in deliberate risk management practices, develop strategic alternatives and
use of decision support tools as well as procedures to identify, manage and prioritize incidents and allocation of critical resources.

Representatives and Subject Matter Experts from the Agency Administrator and State, Regional Operations Staff and Geographic Area Multi-Agency Coordinating Groups will participate fully in
the course to present the full range of coordination efforts necessary in managing incidents at the Area Command complexity level.

Course Objectives:

Given a simulated multi-incident fire situation, students will effectively perform functional and team responsibilities. Individual's performance must meet established criteria for successful completion of the course.

Total Hours: 36

Course Prerequisites:

For ACDR, ACLC and ACPC:  Prerequisites include having successfully completed S-520 Advanced Incident Management, Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC) or All-Hazard Advanced Incident Management (AAIM), and are Qualified as ICT1, LSC1 or PSC1

For ACAC:  Prerequisites include Qualified as AOBD and/or Unit Aviation Officer 

Course Description:

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

  • Agency Administrator Guide
  • Notification
  • Modified Incident Management Team
  • Family Liaison/Hospital Liaison
  • Survivor /Agency Support
  • Benefits for Survivors
  • Dealing with the Media
  • Agency Guidance for Memorials/Funerals
  • Honor Guard
  • Investigation Process
  • Continued Support

Course Objectives:

This course is intended to give some guidelines for assisting employees, family, and other survivors of an employee who has sustained a major injury, or has died off-duty or in the line of duty.

Total Hours: 32 hours

Course Prerequisites:

None

Upcoming Courses

Course Dates Coordinator
S495 - Geospatial Fire Analysis, Interpretation, and Application 11-16-2018 to 04-12-2019 JoAnne Ware
NNAFA - National Aerial Firefighter Academy 01-21-2019 to 01-24-2019 Julie Smith
N9048 - National Aerial Firefighting Academy 2 01-22-2019 to 01-23-2019 Julie Smith
N9048 - National Aerial Firefighting Academy 2 01-24-2019 to 01-25-2019 Julie Smith
RT-NAFAII - NAFA II Refresher Beta 01-25-2019 to 01-26-2019 Julie Smith
N9048 - National Aerial Firefighting Academy 2 01-26-2019 to 01-27-2019 Julie Smith
N9053 - Learning from Unintended Outcomes: FLA Workshop 02-04-2019 to 02-08-2019 Elaine Rodriguez
S620 - Area Command 02-12-2019 to 02-14-2019 JoAnne Ware
NANFDR - Advanced National Fire Danger Rating System 02-19-2019 to 03-01-2019 JoAnne Ware
YWNSA - You Will Not Stand Alone 02-25-2019 to 03-01-2019 Elaine Rodriguez
M582 - Fire Program Management - Leading Complex Programs 03-18-2019 to 03-22-2019 JoAnne Ware
YWNSA - You Will Not Stand Alone 03-25-2019 to 03-29-2019 Elaine Rodriguez
N9053 - Learning from Unintended Outcomes: FLA Workshop 04-29-2019 to 05-03-2019 Elaine Rodriguez
YWNSA - You Will Not Stand Alone 10-21-2019 to 10-25-2019 Elaine Rodriguez
S590 - Advanced Fire Behavior Interpretation 03-02-2020 to 03-11-2020 Elaine Rodriguez