Program of Training Activities for Indonesian Fire Managers

UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE
PROGRAM OF TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR
INDONESIAN FIRE MANAGERS

Prepared by
Dale Dague and Deanne Shulman
December 14, 1999
Updated February 11, 2000


General Information
The Sequoia National Forest in California will be responsible for designing and implementing the program. The program duration will be three months, starting around June 1, 2000. A designated employee on the Sequoia National Forest will serve as primary host.

Participants will be provided with boots, personal protective equipment, fire gear, and training materials. Upon arrival in the United States, all internal travel will be provided by the US Forest Service. Lodging and a food allowance while in the United States will be provided by the US Forest Service.

Physical Fitness Standards
The US Forest Service uses a physical fitness “Pack Test” to qualify individuals for three levels of wildland firefighting duty: arduous, moderate, and light. All wildland firefighters must meet minimum levels of fitness requirements for the type of duties assigned. Passing at the arduous level is required for all field firefighter positions. Passing at the moderate level is required for moderate field work. Passing at the light level is required for all office-type work with occasional field activity. The chart below provides test criteria for arduous, moderate, and light duty performance.

Fitness Requirement Test Description
Arduous Pack Test 3-mile hike with 45-pound pack in 45 minutes
Moderate Field Test 2-mile hike with 25-pound pack in 30 minutes
Light Walk Test 1-mile hike in 16 minutes
The test is performed on flat ground. Footwear should be ankle high. No jogging or running is permitted.

It is highly recommended the Indonesian participants pass at the arduous level. The extent and variety of fire training opportunities in the United States will be dependent on passing at the arduous level. Participants should be advised of the test criteria and encouraged to start training three months in advance of their arrival in the United States. The training program should start with walking and gradually build over time to the arduous level requirements.

Fire Training Program Components
2 weeks – orientation to the USFS and basic fire training
• Orientation to the Forest Service/Kern Valley – SQF overview slide presentation – (1 day) Margie Clack and primary host
• Basic 32 Fire Fighter training (required *)/fire fighter safety procedures (9 days) contact Albert Lynch thru Dale Dague/Jim Yearwood

2 weeks – fire prevention/detection program*
• Ride-along with various fire prevention patrol units (high country, low country, another forest – 7 days) contact Dale Dague
• Exposure to community fire prevention projects (Alta Sierra, RiverKern – 2 days) contact Linda Adams thru Fred Roach/Dale Dague
• Visit a fire lookout tower (Bald Mountain or Needles – 1 day) contact Dale Dague

1 week – warehouse operations
• Local, district level warehouse (Kernville warehouse, 500 person trailer, fire replacement, stocking, inventorying, ordering, accountability – 2 days) – contact Robert Saunders thru Dale Dague
• Geographic area warehouse (Southzone Warehouse, stocking, inventorying, ordering, accountability – 3 days) contact George Ewan – South Zone GACC 909-320-6103)

3 weeks – emergency command centers
• District level dispatching for lightning plans (Kernville – 1 day) contact Dale Dague
• Forest Emergency Command Center/SO Fire Operations - would include orientation to Blue Card Crew program and observing of Blue card crew deployment; contract equipment signup, deployment, and payment procedures including buses, heavy equipment, showers, etc; interagency billing and payments; etc. (Sequoia National Forest, Porterville – 10 days) – contact Julie Mendenhall/Rosemary Williams thru Aaron Gelobter/Joe Millar
• Geographic Area Command Center – (South Zone Dispatch - 3 days) contact George Ewan – South Zone GACC 909-320-6103)
• Kern County Emergency Command Center (1/2 day) contact thru Dale Dague
• BLM Emergency Command Center (1/2 day) contact thru Dale Dague

2 weeks - shadow fire management command officers
• District fuels officer (Kernville – 1 day) contact Jim Yearwood thru Dale Dague
• Assistant District Fire Management Officer (Kernville – 2 days) contact Hal Yearwood thru Dale Dague
• District Fire Management Officer (Kernville – 1 day) contact Dale Dague
• Forest or Deputy Fire Management Officer ( Porterville – 1 day) contact Aaron Gelobter/Joe Millar
• Cooperating agency (LA or Kern County Battalion Chief – 5 days) contact LA County BC6 Mike Sandeman thru Dale Dague)

1 week – fire suppression modules*
• Helitack (Kernville – 2 days) – contact Isidro Solia thruDale Dague
• Engine (Kernville – 2 days) – contact Robert Saunders thru Dale Dague
• Hotshots (Fulton – 1 day) – contact Fred Roach

1 week – Incident Command System/miscellaneous (flexible timing)*
• Visit fires utilizing Type 1 or 2 management teams (contact George Ewan for order/request number– South Zone GACC 909-320-6103)
• Airtanker base (contact Anne Adams – 559 784-1500 Ext 1126)
• Other activities as appropriate

* Passing the Pack Test at the arduous level will allow a full range of participation in activities under these components. Passing at a moderate or light level will greatly curtail the extent of participation in these activities.

Other Considerations
Activities will need to accommodate the religious needs of the Indonesian participants. The majority of Indonesians are Mulim and pray for short periods five times daily. Friday around noon is a longer period of prayer. Three of those prayer periods coincide with the USFS regular work schedule.

There may be opportunities for Indonesian participants to give presentations about forest management in Indonesia to Forest Service groups or local community groups.

Local media should be notified of the training opportunity and given interviews as appropriate.