An Analysis of Organizational Models for the Future

NMAC/GMAC Meeting - December 1, 2010Lyle Carlile, Dave Koch

EVOLVING INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

a project of the National Wildfire Coordinating Groupby the National Incident Management Organization Succession

Planning Team

Stakeholder Engagement Strategy

Introduce Organizational Models

Overarching Principles

Introduce Project

Fire Systems Research, U.S. Forest Service

Intertribal Timber Council

PROJECT INTRODUCTION

Overall Project GoalFacilitate the creation of a sustainable incident

management organization that will evolve and be implemented over the next decade.

IMT Succession Planning

Project Team

Sue Husari, Chair, NPSEste Stifel, BLM

Jim Pena, FSPete Anderson, NASF,

NVRex McKnight, BLM

Tom Zimmerman, FS

NWCG Executive

BoardLyle Carlile, Executive

Board Liaison

Communications & Project

SupportBonnie Wood,

NWCG ManagerRoberta D’Amico,

NPS, NIFC

Training Task Team

Merrie Johnson, Chair, FS

Paul Fieldhouse, FSPaul Hanneman, NASF, TX ICT2

Incident Business & Staffing Task

TeamHallie Locklear, Chair,

BLMSarah Fisher, FS

Tamara Neukam, BLMBillie Farrell, FWS

Team Typing & Configuration Task

TeamPam Ensley, Chair, FWS

& ICT2 Tony Doty, AFS & IC/AC

Debbie Austin, FS

Cliff Liedtke, NASF, OR Tom Parent, NASF, NE &

CIMC Chris Wilcox, FWS Tom Cable, FS, NIMO,

IC/AC Chad Fisher, NPS

Dave Koch, BIA

Larry Sutton, FSLaura Kalifeh, FS

Strategy:

Year

Case for

Change

Recs

Actions

Agency Strategy for Large Fire

Management

2000

Increased costs and a significant reduction in

agency workforce participation in large

fires

Develop and implement a large

incident management organization

Gave rise to the National Interagency

Complex Incident Management

Organization Study

National Incident

Management

Organization Feasibility

and Implementat

ion Plan2005

Increased costs and a significant

reduction in agency workforce

participation in large fires Improve complex

incident management, more

aggressive veg management,

establish permanent NIMO

Forest Service has hired 4 teams. Main focus has been on

recs 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9

Quadrennial Fire Review

2009

Climate change and emergency response influence capacity of agencies to respond

Fire governance, achieve fire-adapted

communities, establish integrated fuels mgmt portfolio and communications

N/A

PROJECT OBJECTIVES• Identify and develop alternative organizational configuration

and management oversight for the management of national wildfire incidents. 

• Develop change management strategies for leading the understanding and acceptance by all stakeholders of the planning process, alternatives and decisions.  

• Develop strategic recommendations for interagency implementation of the preferred alternative. These recommendations will include transition strategies from current to future incident management organization.

Essential to all alternatives

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES

SUCCESSION PLANNING• Long-term succession planning for IMTs

• Large scale, linked to interagency workforce planning

SINGLE QUALIFICATION SYSTEM• Common to all agencies and emergency services

AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY• Follow-up on identified needs for training and positions• Support from agency leadership and supervisors

INCIDENT COMPLEXITY/SCALABILITY• Flexible response based on incident complexity and needs over

time

MODULE & SERVICE CENTERS• Develop support modules by function• Utilize Service Centers and web-based systems

RESPONSIVENESS TO FEDERAL FIRE POLICY• Consistency & accountability

COMPENSATION STRATEGIES, INCENTIVES & ACCOUNTABILITY• Develop both incentives & accountability for IMT participation

IMT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES• Ensure consistency• Development of SOPs is a coordinated effort

SUPPORT IMT DECISIONS• Regardless of outcomes• Address personal liability

INTERAGENCY COOPERATION• Team staffing• Oversight of contracted resources

CONSISTENT FINANCIAL PRACTICES• Base salaries charged to emergency accounts• Backfill

A Quick Overview

ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS

• Size of teams• Configuration of teams• Governance of teams (GACG,

NWCG, combination)• Typing of teams• Number, kinds, and

management of modules• Number of teams nationally• Dispatching pattern / rotation• Performance standards• Formal supervision structure• Grade level for team positions

• Suppression savings• How are teams funded• Standard team support

costs• How are trainees/mentees

organized and assigned• Workforce development

strategy to maintain the alternative

• How do the teams provide value added to agencies

HOW MODELS WERE ANALYZED:

Current Situation with Overarching Principles

RESPONDS TO

Need for improved

oversight & accountability

KEY ELEMENTS Closest to current

organizationIncorporates

overarching principlesIncentives to increase

participation

Single Standard

RESPONDS TO

The need for more efficient

use of IMTs

KEY ELEMENTS One type of team

Standard team configuration for long

and short teamsUse of modules

Teams dispatched geographically using a

single national dispatch rotation

External Capacity – Contract

RESPONDS TO

Perception of a Declining

governmental workforce

KEY ELEMENTS Utilizes contract teams (10) for surge capacity

Contract teams supplement Types 1, 2 & NIMO during busy

seasonsUtilizes skills of retired

team members

External Capacity – All Hazard & Contract

RESPONDS TO

Perception of a Declining

governmental workforce

Increasing All Hazard, DHS & FEMA capacity

KEY ELEMENTS Emphasizes all hazard and contract teams for

surge (25) (including FEMA-USFA Type 3 All-

Hazard IMTs for wildland fire)

Core Team – “Full Time”

RESPONDS TO

The need for flexibility and

scalability

KEY ELEMENTS Flexible, modular

approachScalable

Full-time team staffing – Emergency funded

Temporary promotions during fire seasonOne type of team

Members still supervised by Agency

Administrators

Core Team – “Militia”

RESPONDS TO

The need for flexibility and

scalability

KEY ELEMENTS Flexible, modular

approachScalable

Current militia approach where team members

have “day jobs”

What Comes Next?

NEXT STEPS

NWCG DECISIONS• NWCG accepted the Report – Final November 19• Moving forward with inform stage of Stakeholder Engagement.• Presentations will be made by NWCG and team members. • Involvement and collaboration funded and tasked to

Organization Development Enterprise.• Organizational Model developed by May 2011 for

implementation based on input from stakeholders.• Implementation to take 5-10 years.

Who are the key stakeholders?How do we reach them?

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Agency Administrato

rs

Incident Commander

sStates

Agency Leadership

Team Members

WHY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT?• Case for Change• Collaborate/Involve • Road Test Overarching Principles• Refine and Develop new Organizational Model• Build a sustainable model for Incident Management designed to

meet future challenges.

TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT• Website• Organizational Model Rating Tool• Organizational Model Matrix• Detailed Descriptions of Organizational Models• Questionnaire• Webinars• Deliberative Workshops

ImmediateIMsuccessionplanning@gmail.com

Stay Tuned for Additional Feedback MechanismsNWCG web site

FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES