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.
Complete Course Listing | Upcoming Courses
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.
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.
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.
I / S-420 and Position Training
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.
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.
Given an incident situation, a briefing from the appropriate agency management entity, and incident objectives, students will be able to:
Success in D-510 will depend on the student’s ability in leadership and organizational knowledge as contained in:
D-312, Aircraft Dispatcher, is highly recommended.
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.
Through lectures, case studies, a field trip, and interaction between students and faculty, the course will:
Course Size is limited to 100 Students
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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.
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.
M-581, Fire Program Management, an Overview, OR
LFML, Local Fire Management Leadership.
The NFS course is for personnel who have attended the NAFA course and are interested in obtaining advanced level of flight simulation training in the wildland fire airspace environment, and to build on the knowledge obtained in the NAFA course.
The NFS course is designed to provide aerial firefighters an advanced training experience to the NAFA course, utilizing flight simulator hardware and software, 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.
Real time fire scenarios will be utilized from simple initial attack to complex fire environments allowing the roles of Airtanker, Leadplane, Type I and II Helicopters, SEAT, MAFFS, Water Scoopers, Very Large Airtankers (VLAT’s) and Air Tactical crews to fight a fire from simulated cockpits and experience various aircraft emergencies and their responses while over a complex fire airspace.
To provide aerial firefighters an advanced training experience to the NAFA course, utilizing flight simulator hardware and software, sandtable exercises and classroom interaction. These simulations and problem solving exercises will enhance the aerial firefighters effectiveness and safety awareness by providing complex problem solving tasks while simulating a multi-aircraft fire airspace environment.
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.
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:
The workshop is limited to 56 participants
None, However preference will be given to individuals with experience in risk management, safety management and accident investigations.
The target audience includes individuals:
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.
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.
Aviation flight crews involved in aerial fire suppression operations on wildland fires using large retardant and water delivery aircraft. This includes contract personnel who have responsibilities as firefighter pilots. Contractor management personnel will be considered on a space available basis. Agency individuals include Leadplane Pilots, Air Tactical Group Supervisors and Dispatchers.
The National Aerial Firefighting Academy (NAFA) is a training effort by and for personnel directly involved in aerial retardant and water delivery. This includes Airtankers, Helicopters, Single Engine Airtankers, Scoopers, Leadplanes and Air Tactical Group Supervisors (ATGS). The intent is to educate both Agency and Contract personnel using subject matter experts from both sectors.
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.
Optimum class size is between 55 to 70 persons.
By the end of the course, students will:
Is a member of NAFA specified 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.
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.
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.
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”).
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.
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.
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.
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:
“See link to Session Details, above.”
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Students seeking qualification as a fire behavior analyst (FBAN):
Training Prerequisites
Position Prerequisites
Students seeking qualification as a long term fire analyst (LTAN):
Training Prerequisites
Position Prerequisites
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:
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:
S-590 is a national level training course and as such participants can expect long days.
Those persons in wildland fire agencies who will be available to participate on a national interagency Area Command team as an Area Commander, Assistant Area Commander Logistics, Assistant Area Commander Planning on Area Command Aviation Coordinator.
Using classroom lecture and simulated incident, the student will understand principles and concepts of Area Command, and understand the interaction of Area Command and other incident organizations, agencies, and political entities.
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.
Individuals must be qualified at the Type 1 level and have successfully completed S-520 or CIMC, except for the Area Command Aviation Coordinator who must complete the position task book prior to attending. Nominations must be submitted with a narrative statement giving a background of the person nominated. Include a description of the intended use of the skills developed as a result of attendance at S-620.
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
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.
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