Like so many years before, the 2018 fire season is off to a record-setting pace of voracious consumption of thousands of acres, homes and, tragically, human life. The last decade has seen records set and broken at a pace that I have never experienced, nor have any of the seasoned colleagues whom I am fortunate to call friends and fellow firefighters.
This pattern of large-scale, rapid explosion across the landscape is being replicated all across our nation and is a significant issue that the fire service, society and our government at the state and local level must face—and one for which we must develop solutions.
Risk and personal responsibility
Fires will continue to happen. Throughout our country, continued expansion in the wildland/urban interface (WUI), together with fuel accumulation, have conspired with climate change to create the most volatile and challenging environments in our nation’s history facing wildland fire personnel at every level. So how do we as individual firefighters deal with this unprecedented and complex challenge? How do we continue to safely accomplish the mission of protection of lives, property and the environment, while ensuring that everyone goes home? These are critical questions that can only be solved by starting at the lowest level, and that begins with personal focus on risk management.
The term “risk management” is a broad one and obviously has several components and processes inherent to it, but let us reflect on the fundamental intent of the term. It is clear that the term accepts that risk is a given—a constant exposure with which any individual responding to and attempting to mitigate a sudden and unplanned interruption of normalcy is forced to contend. Continuing with the thought that risk is assumed, then there must be a system to manage, reduce and mitigate the risk exposure to an acceptable level for each person.
Emergency response personnel are exposed to risk as soon as they board their transportation and begin a response to the call for service regardless of the type of incident or complexity. As a simple illustration of this fact, consider the level of risk exposure that a responder faces just navigating to the incident in a Code 3 manner—operating in some cases a large vehicle in traffic with a general population that is distracted and often not tuned in to their overall surroundings. All readers would agree that driving is one of the most dangerous activities we perform on a regular basis in emergency management, and we accept and mitigate that risk by training and, most importantly and hopefully consistently, wearing a seatbelt.
The quick and simple risk management activity of clicking in before turning wheels has made a significant improvement to the injury and fatality statistics of fire service personnel. Organizations like the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and others working in conjunction with fire agencies have implemented programs and protocols that are risk management activities at the lowest level making a difference. It is a personal choice that we each make every time we get into a vehicle to engage in risk management at a simplistic level, but the statistics demonstrate that it does make a difference if the risk management activity is performed consistently.
Growing risk problems
Now let’s look at the task of operating in the wildland fire environment and the magnitude of risk exposure surrounding all aspects of operations at these large, complex incidents. Once again, our exposure begins as soon as the wheels begin to turn, but in some cases, we are driving great distances with accumulated fatigue and arriving at a location with poor situational awareness, often at night and absent of local knowledge.
Out of pure necessity in response to fire behavior, we are asking firefighters to travel greater distances, be deployed longer, and we are pulling from agencies that are not a primary wildland response agency with a greater frequency than ever before. Do you see the problems I see? Now add in wildland fuel accumulations present because of forest management restrictions, coupled with over a century of effective fire suppression, housing density and volatile construction materials, and constant encroachment of development into fire-prone landscapes. Do you see the immensity of the risk problems?
I have to admit that it is nearly an overwhelming feeling of where to begin. How can we manage that amount of risk? I don’t claim for a second that I have all the answers; the idea that I have somehow figured out a way to illuminate the risk we accept when operating at or managing a wildland fire incident is ridiculous. However, I do know that risk, although inherent and assumed, can be managed as long as all members are actively engaged in the process.
A vital resource
In the wildland suppression community, there are several time-tested examples of simple but effective risk management processes that we have all been trained on but need to fully understand. Because there are so many interrelated systems, we have created an excellent reference document that each wildland firefighter should not only be carrying but also fully understand the intent behind every page. The Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG) is a vital tool in the wildland risk management process. Every firefighter should know and understand the individual risks that each page is written to assist us in mitigating.
Each section of this document could be a separate article of exploration and dissection, an analysis down to the fundamental building blocks of the risk targeted to reduce. It is impossible to place one section as more important than the other, but rather view them as an interrelated system targeting the majority of the risk related to wildland fire operations on the ground and in the air.
The best part of this document is that it is concise and compact. The IRPG origin dates back to the original Fireline Handbook and appendices that became too cumbersome to use in field. The result was a condensed or “pocket-sized” version of the reference document that has been updated through the years to keep up with the changing dynamics of wildland incident management and complexity.
Quoting the intent statement from the 2018 edition of the IRPG: “The IRPG establishes standards for wildland fire incident response. The guide provides critical information on operational engagement, risk management, all-hazards response, and aviation management. It provides a collection of best practices that have evolved over time within the wildland fire service. The IRPG does not provide absolute solutions to the unlimited number of situations that will occur. Some fireline decisions may be relatively simple; many are not. These decisions often require individual judgement and creativity—skills developed through extensive training, dedicated practice and experience.”
Understanding leads to progress
Statistical and fact-based information all point to a reality of a “new normal” in wildland fire frequency and intensity is here. All members of the fire service, at all levels, need to acknowledge and accept this fact. For it is only once we have fully embraced the idea that an age of large fires that are immensely devastating to life, property and the environment that we can begin to discuss ways to mitigate the associated risk.
This acceptance, or at least thoughtful consideration and discussion, is critical to current fire service leaders. This consideration leads to identification of new tools, policies or tactics that assist with risk management. This necessary and timely evaluation of current fire environment conditions has never been more crucial. It is crucial because it ties together so many of the critical issues we face as leaders when engage in managing and suppressing wildland fires—the age-old challenge of incident commanders balancing risk vs. gain.
We all face the at-times conflicting human factor elements at incidents of personnel who want to protect life, property and the environment, matched against hostile fire environment conditions that have dangerously developed over a century. This has created the explosive risk-saturated reality to which we are responding each fire season. Risk management is paramount because, despite modern technology, we are still seeing huge losses of life, destruction of property and serious environmental impacts. Yes, our duty to respond and protect is a fact and strong emotional component in firefighters. However, given the modern fire behavior, success in that internal obligation is sometimes not possible.
The IRPG is only one link in the chain that assists firefighters to stay anchored in a task-saturated, time-compressed environment under stress. In conjunction with our training, the IRPG reminds us of the critical nature of decision-making tied directly to effective communication made possible through solid and current situational awareness. Modern firefighters responding to complex incidents utilizing these tools are at the most fundamental level engaged in active risk management. As stated earlier, this process is requisite by all personnel at an individual level. Risk management is ultimately all of our responsibility, not just the incident commander or operations section chief, but down to the lowest level of the organization.
Key sections
Lastly, I want everyone to be reminded of one of the sections of the IRPG that plays such a crucial role in the process of risk management. On page 1 of the IRPG 2018 edition, you will find the Risk Management Checklist. It is simple, easy to follow and assists in the objective analysis of any change in the fire environment, objectives, strategies or tactics that require a reevaluation of risk exposure. My desire is that all personnel on a fire are first carrying the most current IRPG. Secondly, and by far most importantly, I want all personnel to be familiar with the contents and fluent in the material contained within the IRPG.
Start by evaluating the risk exposure and then making a decision on whether that risk is acceptable. If at any time during any of these evaluations of incident-driven variables of conditions (fire behavior, technical proficiency, physical aptitude, adequate skills, proper training, proper equipment as related to assigned mission objectives) the answer is negative, then turn to page 19. This takes you to another powerful section that serves as a vital memory aid—the checklist on “How to properly refuse risk.” If you make the personal decision to refuse risk after applying the considerations and having a discussion with your immediate supervisor, noting legitimate and concrete objective reasons for your refusal, there is no shame in that. There is no embarrassment, no reason to feel inadequate, because the decision is based on analysis of several parameters, and the decision can save much future strife.
In closing
The wildland fire environment has changed. Wildland and WUI incidents have become more dangerous and taxing than ever before, but there are several risk management protocols that can be utilized when operating at these incidents. The IRPG is one source of widely accepted and exercised risk management procedures proven to improve the safety of firefighters when used as intended and consistently. Despite the plethora of reference material on risk management, the simple truth is that it is a personal choice and priority to make. Set priority for your increased safety and reduced exposure. And set the priority for fellow firefighters working with you with the same objective of completing the mission and going home.
Sidebar: IRPG: How to Properly Refuse Risk
Every individual has the right and obligation to report safety problems and contribute ideas regarding their safety. Supervisors are expected to give these concerns and ideas serious consideration.
When an individual feels an assignment is unsafe they also have the obligation to identify, to the degree possible, safe alternatives for completing that assignment. Turning down an assignment is one possible outcome of managing risk.
A “turn down” is a situation where an individual has determined they cannot undertake an assignment as given and they are unable to negotiate an alternative solution.
The turn down of an assignment must be based on an assessment of risks and the ability of the individual or organization to control those risks. Individuals may turn down an assignment as unsafe when:
1. There is a violation of safe work practices
2. Environmental conditions make the work unsafe
3. They lack the necessary qualifications or experience
4. Defective equipment is being used
Steps:
· The individual directly informs their supervisor they are turning down the assignment as given. Use the criteria outline in the Risk Management Process (Firefighting Orders, Watch Out Situations, etc.) to document the turn down.
· The supervisor notifies the Safety Officer immediately upon being informed of the turn down. If there is no Safety Officer, the appropriate Section Chief or the Incident Commander should be notified. This provides accountability for decisions and initiates communication of safety concerns within the incident organization.
· If the supervisor asks another resource to perform the assignment, they are responsible to inform the new resource that the assignment was turned down and the reasons why it was turned down.
· If an unresolved safety hazard exists or an unsafe act was committed, the individual should also document the turn down by submitting a SAFENET (ground hazard) or SAFECOM (aviation hazard) form in a timely manner.
These actions do not stop an operation from being carried out. This protocol is integral to the effective management of risk as it provides timely identification of hazards to the chain of command, raises risk awareness for both leaders and subordinates, and promotes accountability.
Todd McNeal
Todd McNeal is the chief of Twain Harte Fire in Tuolumne County, CA. McNeal is a member of a federal Type II Incident Management Team, serving as division/group supervisor for the last 13 years. McNeal holds numerous ICS qualifications in wildland operations is a registered State of California Fire Instructor, Fire Officer and Chief Fire Officer, and has a bachelor's degree in natural resources management.
