Leadership & Tactical Decision Making for the Expanding Wildland Incident

3535 S. Kipling Street,Lakewood CO 80235

07 March, 2023

Description

Leadership and Tactical Decision MakingCourse Description and Course Objectives:The purpose of this course is to develop leaders through critical decision-making in the Wildfire Urban Interface environment and large natural and man-made disasters. The WUI environment is highly complex and can tax even the most seasoned fire service leader. We will create a realistic but safe environment that will take participants to a “stress curve” where some of the highest amounts of learning occur. Most of our decisions are based on “slides: that often lie in the subconscious of our memories based on our experiences and training. For critical decision-making in time-sensitive situations, we must do two critical things. One is to create “slides” in our memories that can easily be recalled. The second is to create a pathway to anchor the memory to the present and future. We will create a safe environment using a reactive, realistic Simtable to run scenarios in a highly realistic manner. We will also ensure the learning environment sets the stage for the growth zone of learning. This course is built so that all levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities will benefit from this style of learning. This course will focus on tactics, Command structures for wildland fires, strategic decision-making to support successful tactical operations, and specific leadership styles that are useful in the wildland fire environment. Course Objectives:1. Provide participants with advanced knowledge of critical decision-making in high-stress environments.2. Provide participants with knowledge and experience with incident-specific leadership styles to include more of a command and feedback, and decentralization of command and decision-making.3. Provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of human factors that affect decision-making as well as how to reduce human error.4. Create experiential slides through scenarios to improve the decisions that IC, Command Staff, Strike Team/Taskforce Leaders, and General Staff members can rely on in the future.5. Provide tactical decision-making knowledge so that all participants have a working knowledge of strategic and tactical options for fire control to include tactical engine operations, structure protection, firing, and aircraft suppression tactics.Instructors:Doug Cupp Doug has placed his highest values on developing future leaders, training future decision-makers, developing leaders, and building high-performing teams. Chief Cupp has gained extensive knowledge through work experience, education, and applied research. He has been participating in two IMTs as Type 2 Operations Section Chief, Division Supervisor, and or Type 2 Safety Officer and has responded to some of the nation’s worst natural disasters including hurricanes, flash floods, and wildfires. Doug's work experience includes Fire Chief, Training Chief, Wildfire Specialist, NFA Instructor, and human factors and IMT coach for Mission Centered Solutions. In addition to experience, Doug is a graduate with: a master’s degree in Safety and Emergency Management, a graduate certificate in Fire Service and Emergency Services Management, National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer, Harvard University, National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, and is currently enrolled in Harvard’s Public Leadership Credentialling. Doug is an instructor and SME for the National Fire Academy wildfire curriculum. Doug is also a coach for L380 Fireline Leadership and multiple NWCG courses up to Division Supervisor and is considered a subject matter expert from his research on human factors, critical decision-making, human errors, and leading in times of chaos and change. Hugh Fairfield-Smith Hugh is the Wildfire Coordinator for the Eagle Valley Wildland Program and serves on two of the IMTs as a Division Supervisor. He also holds the following qualifications: Engine Boss, Firing Boss, Heavy Equipment Boss, Strike Team Leader, RXB2, and Task Force Leader. Hugh is a qualified instructor for both NWCG and IFSAC instructor II and has implemented numerous wildland fire courses. He is the lead for Wildland on the Joint Training Officers’ Association for Eagle County. Hugh holds a B.S in Fire Administration and M.S in Organizational Leadership and has achieved Chief Fire Officer accreditation from the CSPE. Hugh has been an integral part of the leadership, decision-making process, and implementation of the strategy and tactics on some of the largest wildfires in the state and county. Schelly Olson Schelly Olson is a retired Assistant Chief of Administration and Community Risk Reduction at Grand Fire Protection District No. 1 in Granby, CO. She is a Command and General Staff member of the Northern Rockies Type 1 Team and a qualified Type 2 Public Information Officer and working toward her Type 1 qualification. She enjoys instructing wildland-urban interface/fire-adapted communities’ courses for the National Fire Academy and currently works as a member of the Mission-Centered Solutions cadre of instructors delivering leadership courses across the country. Schelly gained much of her incident management experience while working on the numerous wildfires in Colorado and the devastating 2013 flooding. Schelly is also the founder and chairperson for the nonprofit Grand County Wildfire Council and sits on the boards of Fire Adapted Colorado and the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Wildland Section. Other Instructors- We use a great network of Type 1 and 2 Operations Section Chiefs who also have great experience in the All Hazard Fire Service world for classes where we need more instructors/ student ratio.