Wildland Fire Acronyms

FIRE ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS

Dedicated to the persistence of those who seek to understand. Remember, even if you don't know all the acronyms that fire people may use, Abercrombie said on 7/14/98, "This page is and will remain committed to those who leave the paved roads and highways to attack wildland fires at their source. And, of course, to all those committed individuals who support them."

A note from Tiny, the fire-pup: Greetings all, the acronyms below are by NO means a complete list of the acronyms related to fire, some are also miscellaneous acronyms used to shorten speech, or briefly convey thoughts, and there are a few computer based. If you have additional acronyms you think should be added, mail Ab at abercrombie@wildlandfire.com and one of the Abs will be glad to include it/them. – Tiny the R-6 Fire-Pup

If you are looking for redcard position mnemonics, look here: REDCARD
If you are looking for acronyms used in chat, look here: CHAT

MORE DEFINITIONS:

NWCG Fire Glossary (html)
Complete NWCG - ICS Fire Glossary (pdf)
R5 Forest Unit Identifiers (quick)
Complete ICS List of Unit Identifiers

**Fire Acronyms by Letter**
A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L
M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	XYZ

*Acronym*	*Definition*
10 Standards	The 10 Standard Fire Fighting Orders can be found at www.fs.fed.us/fire/safety/10_18/10_18.html
18 Watch Outs	The 18 Watchout Situations can be found at www.fs.fed.us/fire/safety/10_18/10_18.html
5100-209	Incident Status Summary covering the previous 24 hour period of large escaped fire, contains incident name, location, area involved, costs, containment, control, weather, resources, acres, etc.

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AA	Slang for "Affirmative Action"
AAP	Association of AirTanker Pilots
AAR	After Action Review, informally conducted in search of lessons learned, usually by the crew involved who provide verbal feedback to each other and going no further, as no written record is kept; not for investigative purposes but to aid crews in continuously improving themselves. Information usually does not get into the wider field. Hierarchy of Analysis/Investigation for a Learning Organization: AAR --> FLA --> APA --> SAI
AC	Area Command, see ACT and UAC.
ACE	Aviation Conference in Education
ACT	Area Command Team, typically assigned to regions experiencing high numbers of simultaneous fires, not necessarily being in the same complex.
AD#	Administratively Determined, a category of temporary employment on a fire. The number denotes the level of pay.
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
ADFA	The AD Firefighter Association, a non-profit organization that represents all AD EFF Firefighters and AD EFF Crews (AD 1 through 5) concerning issues of pay, training, liability, etc.
ADFF	Aerial Delivered Firefighter Study, online at www.fs.fed.us/fire/adff
ADFMO	Assistant District Fire Management Officer
AED	Automated External Defibrillator
AEU	Almador-El Dorado Unit of CDF
AFB	Air Force Base
AFEO	Assistant Fire Equipment Operator (on an engine) also known as an assistant engineer
AFF	Automated Flight Following
AFGE	American Federation of Government Employees
AFMO	Assistant Fire Management Officer
AG	Those who were following the thread when this acronym came up, or know the helitack scene, know it is an abbreviation for "Arroyo Grande" the helicopter/helirappeller base on the Los Padres NF in CA.
AGL	Above Ground Level. Any fixed wing aircraft certified by the FAA as being capable of transport and delivery of fire suppressant solutions.
AID	Aerial Ignition Device
AIMS	Aviation Information Management System, a CDF computer program used to track tanker air time, retardant loads, pilot time, and costs
AIRIS	Aircraft Network.
AirNet	Aerial Infrared Imaging System (AIRIS) used by CDF for flying and imaging fireline and hotspots.
A/L	Annual Leave, personal time off accrued in amounts each pay period depending on length of service
ALDS	Automatic Lightning Detection System
ALS	Advanced Life Support means paramedics or possibly EMT-II's. ALS care providers (paramedics and above) can -besides do everything EMTs do- start IVs, give you drugs, read an electrocardiogram (heart monitor), and defibrillate (shock) you. Most crews have one or two EMT qualified members, but paramedics are pretty scarce, and without their respective toolkits, they can only do the basics. See also BLS.
AM	As in AM and FM, types of radio broadcasts; as in AM and PM, morning and evening.
AMIS	Aviation Mishap Information System including SafeComs procedure (See Links Page)
AMR	Appropriate Management Response for fire mgmt flexibility. FS National strategy beginning in 2007; for example whether a fire or part of a fire should have a perimeter control strategy or a suppression strategy or a wildland fire use strategy, etc.; NPS already has AMR.
APA	Accident Prevention Analysis is an accident investigation tool that promotes a learning culture; useful in promoting more widespread organizational Lessons Learned that is based on a storytelling approach using an accident narrative; to create the narrative, witnesses are interviewed by experts; their information is confidential unless it becomes clear there was "reckless and willful disregard for human safety"; the APA identifies causal latent flaws within the organization and usually results in recommendations for the agency to correct them to become a safer organization (HRO). Example: the APA of the Little Venus Incident or the Balls Canyon Incident. Hierarchy of Analysis/Investigation for a Learning Organization: AAR --> FLA --> APA --> SAI Contrast FLA and SAI (Serious Accident Investigation, an administrative review with witness statements and individual consequences, potentially including policy outcomes.)
APAT	Accident Prevention Analysis Team (has a team leader like the SAIT)
APCD	Air Pollution Control District, exists at the county or district level
APT	Administrative Payment Team
APHIS	Animal-Plant-Health Inspection Service. Division of Department of Agriculture.
AQRB	Air Quality Review Board
AR	Adjective Rating, a public info component of the NFDRS specific to fire danger: low, moderate, high, very high, extreme.
ARB	Air Resources Board, exists at the state level, for example see CARB
AREP	Agency Representative
ARFF	Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting
ARTCC	Air Route Traffic Control Centers (Link not available because of national security concerns.)
ASA	Air Stagnation Advisory
ASAP	Automated Staffing Application Program of the FS fire hire www.fs.fed.us/people/employ/asap
ASC	Albuquerque Service Center; FS Finance was stovepiped and moved to Albuquerque at the cost of $400M, which was paid for with congressionally allocated fire funds (2005, 2006)
ARA	Aircraft Rental Agreement
ASM	Aerial Supervision Module
A/T	Air Tanker
ATA	Actual time of arrival
ATD	Actual time of departure
ATE	Actual time en route
ATGS	Air Tactical Group Supervisor - the Air Attack Officer in the air who's directing the lead planes, tankers, and helicopters to do what the groundpounders need (want). See the Redcard mnemonics page, link at the top of this page.
ATIM	Aircraft Timekeeper
ATP	Air Tactical Pilot
ATV	All terrain vehicle
AU AUS	Australia
AVUE	Avuedigitalservices.com a site where you can apply digitally for some fire jobs. In hiring year '00-01, they were supposed to have scannable Form C available for the FS fire jobs application process and did not. Also AVUE the software program purchased by the WO and potentially being used in hiring year '01-02.
AWS	Automatic Weather Station
AWOL	Absent without leave.

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BAER	Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation
BC	Battalion Chief
BD	Brush Disposal, funding from legacy funds for the Forest Service
BDU	Battle Dress Utility. It is a specific style "cut" of the current nomex pant the National Cache system is changing to. Patterned after the Vietnam military pants where the user has a greater mobility in hiking and can carry a variety of gear in the over-sized pockets. Everyone loves them and they are being manufactured by vendors other than the national contract in various colors.
BDU	San Bernardino Unit of CDF
BGO	Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious, describes the feeling many novices get when taking Doug Campbell's Fire Signature Prediction method. First described by Pulaski on theysaid in the late 90s.
BEMT	Basic EMT
BEU	San Benito-Monterey Unit of CDF
BI	Burn Index, predicted fire behavior measured using current and past weather data, heavily influenced by wind speed, and a term of the NFDRS.
BIA	Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior. See Links page.
BIFC	Boise Interagency Fire Center, now called National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
BIFZ	Burns Interagency Fire Zone
BK	A kind of radio
BLEVE	Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion
BLM	Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior, BLM Fire & Aviation
BLS	Basic Life Support generally means EMTs, which can only perform "non-invasive" procedures, ie no sticking you with needles or putting tubes down your throat, just band aids, oxygen, maybe a splint or two, and in the worst case, some good ol' CPR. See also ALS.
BME	Boise Mobile Equipment, designs, markets, and manufactures engines and other fire apparatus.
BoD	R5 FAM Board of Directors (FMOs of the 18 national forests in CA)
BOHICA	Bend Over Here It Comes Again, a military acronym.
BOTSH	Big Ol' Titty Squeezin' Hug, an acronym used in chat.
BOI	Boise International Airport
BRP	Blue Ribbon Panel like a large After Action Review with recommendations, especially referring to the BRP on the aging C130 and PB4Y firefighting aircraft in 2003; and the BRP following the 2003 SoCal Firestorm.
BTU	Butte Unit of CDF
BTW	By the way
BUD/S	Basic Underwater Demolition/ Seal has a good fitness program, see http://navyseal.s5.com/workouts.html

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CIIMT	California Interagency Incident Management Team. For links to the CIIMTs, see: see Type 1 IMTs and Type 2 IMTs. See ICT.
CAD	Computer Aided Dispatch
CAFS	Compressed Air Foam Systems (allows firefighters to "foam and go" rather than sticking around to protect a home).
CANSAC	California Smoke and Air Consortium, demonstrating burn days
CALDOG	California Dozer Operator Group
CALFIRE	California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, "red engines".
CALMAC	California Multi-Agency Command; the information coordination center established in Sacramento. Tasked to gather timely information from regions, cooperating agencies, the media the director, interested govt leaders and the public.
CARB	California Air Resources Board, on the internet, arbis.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm
CBO	Congressional Budget Office. from theysaid 10/31-11/1/07: CBO provides oversight and offers suggestions on the budget for the legislative branch, primarily Congress. Thus, OMB acting as an agent of the President sets the budget direction that the executive branch adheres to...... CBO tries to fact check those figures and tries to see if those figures make sense when they advise the Congressionals on budget decisions.
CDCR	California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; provide CalFire inmate fire crews; inmate crews annually spend three million hours fighting fires, saving taxpayers $80 million a year.
CDF	California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, "red engines". See Links page. Also CDF Administrative "Units" for geographic locations.
CD	Slang for Consent Decree.
CDFF	California Department of Forestry Firefighters -- the CDF Union (affiliated with CPF and IAFF) found at www.cdf-firefighters.org.
CDL	Commercial Driver's License -- required for certain emergency vehicles. Also California Driver's License.
CDFLWC	California Department of Forestry-Local Watershed Contract; for example, within Orange County are lands within the City of Anaheim for which the City contracts directly with CDF to provide local watershed fire response within Anaheim's "Local Responsibility Area". See theysaid post by Contract County Guy on 11/11/03.
CEQ	President's Council on Environmental Quality
CF	Cluster F**, a descriptive military term saved to describe an extreme* screw up done to a number of people
CFAA	California Fire Assistance Agreement, a mutual aid agreement, formerly known as the Five Party Agreement or the Four Party Agreement; an agreement for wildland fire suppression entered into by the State of California: OES and CalFire; and the federal: FS, BLM, NPS, FWS. ICS and NIMS policy must be met.
CFC	California Fuels Committee
CFPA	Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement
CPF	California Professional Firefighters, an organization
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations.
CFU	Community Fire Units in Australia. A group of volunteer local residents trained to protect their own home from bush fires while they await arrival of the NSWFB. Usually established in areas of urban/bushland interface. Introduced in Aussie CFU's post of 5/15/02. For other Australian fire terms see www.nswfb.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?sectionid=60.
CHS	Short for "chains" a measure of distance on a fire line. Equals 66 feet.
CIC	Aviation abbreviation for Chico Air Field, Chico CA.
CIC	Comfort Incident Commander, what Sammi calls herself as she helps her 6 firefighting kids get their gear, etc. organized and tracks their assignments. See the beginning of familysaid (08/18/01) to read her description.
CICCS	California Incident Command Qualification System. See theysaid discussion 8/17-8/20/04.
CIP	Crisis ? (Something about facilities)
CISD	Critical Incident Stress Debriefing following stressful events such as deaths, accidents, and near misses, firefighters participate in counseling.
CNR	California Northern Region, in contrast with CSR - California Southern Region Cal Fire breaks California into two parts of the state for controlling resources.
CO	Carbon Monoxide or Colorado or Contracting Officer
CO2	Carbon Dioxide
COLA	Cost of Living Allowance used to equalize salaries based on cost of living in different geographic areas
COOP	Cooperative Fire Assistance CA - Cooperative Fire Program assistance to state, local govt and communities
COR	Contracting Officers Representative
COS	Close of Season, as in rolling up the hose, sharpening the hand tools, winterizing the pumps.
CPA	An insurance agency providing medical benefits for temporary employees.
CPA	An insurance agency providing medical benefits for temporary employees.
CPF	California Professional Firefighters
CPR	Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
CPS	Campbell Prediction System, information found at www.dougsfire.com. See Programs page.
CFSI	Congressional Fire Services Inst. with website at www.CFSI.org
CTL	Cut To Length, a kind of timber harvester
CRM	Crew Resource Management. It was developed in the 70's by the airline industry to combat a growing number of 'pilot error' crashes. The basic principle of CRM is that everyone from the top to the bottom has a voice in safety. Here's the best link I could find with a definition. www.raes-hfg.com/reports/crm-now.htm
CRS	Can't Remember Syndrome, coined by FirenWater, similar in symptoms to "Oldtimers" Syndrome that Hickman has described so well.
CSEA	California State Employees Association. Many CDF employees are members of this union.
CSR	California Southern Region, in contrast with CNR - California Northern Region Cal Fire breaks California into two parts of the state for controlling resources.
CSRS	Civil Service Retirement System, see www.opm.gov/asd/htm/hod.htm
CTR	Crew Time Report, filled out daily and submitted to the Time Unit on large fires
CWCG	California Wildland Fire Coordinating Group
CWN	Call When Needed
CYA	Slang for "see you" or "cover your a**", or California Youth Authority, depending on context.
CZU	San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit of CDF

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DAID	Delayed Aerial Ignition Device
DAPS	Dog and Pony Show
DCAPE	Downdraft Convective Available Potential Energy relating to released moisture in buildup and collapse of colums.See 9/11/07 theysaid or read: Dr. Brian E. Potter,“The role of released moisture in the atmospheric dynamics associated with wildland fires”. Potter, Brian E., International Journal of Wildland Fire, 2005, 14, 77-84. The 1500 acre Dude Fire in heavy dry Ponderosa Pine fuels would have released on the order of 5 million kilograms of water from combustion into the plume in an otherwise dry air mass from about 6:00 a.m. up to the downburst at about 2:00 p.m.
DFMO	District Fire Management Officer
D###	Dispatch related courses. See course information below.
DBH	Diameter at Breast Height (a tree's)
DEMO	Demonstration, wherein a job position is being announced and open to all citizens, not just the same agency or current federal employees (which would be Merit or some other category).
DFMO	Duty Fire Management Officer or District Fire Management Officer, depending on context.
DHS	Department of Homeland Security
DIVS	Division Supervisor
DNR	Department of Natural Resources, often prefaced by a State name.
DNS	Domain Name System, the method used to convert Internet names to their corresponding Internet numbers
DOA	Department of Agriculture, parent of the USFS; DoA = Delegation of Authority; also, possibly, Dead on Arrival
DOB	Depth of Burn
DOC	Department of Commerce
DOD	Department of Defense
DOE	Department of Energy
DOF	Department of Forestry, often referred to with state abbreviation as a prefix, e.g., FLDOF, Florida Department of Forestry
DOGs	California Dozer Operators Group (DOGs), this group has been around for many years. It is made up of paid professional Fire Dozer Operators and professional Contractors who fight fire. www.californiadozeroperatorsgroup.org
DOI	Department of Interior, parent of the BIA, BLM, NPS, FWS
DOL	Department of Lands from familysaid
DPA	Designated Protection Area. That area for which a particular fire protection organization has the primary responsibility for attacking an uncontrolled fire and for directing the suppression action. FRA - Federal Responsibility Area: National Forest Land, National Park Lands, BLM Public Lands, National Wildlife refuges, Military Reservations, etc. SRA- State Responsibility Area: Watershed lands designated by the State legislature. These include State Parks but more often are private lands that have watershed characteristics. These lands are always unincorporated, outside of City jurisdictions. LRA- Local Responsibility Area: These lands are private lands outside of watershed areas designated by the state, or lands incorporated into cities.
DOT	Department of Transportation, link: www.dot.ca.gov/
DP#	Drop point on a fire. Drop points are numbered and mark locations on a fire where people meet, equipment is exchanged, and resources may be stationed.
DZ	Drop Zone

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EA	Extended Attack or Environmental Assessment (authorized by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969). They are concise analytical documents prepared with public input that determine if an Environmental Impact Statement is needed for a project or action. If an EIS is not needed, the EA becomes the doc allowing agency compliance with the NEPA requirements.
EACC	Eastern Area Coordination Center (see GACC)
EAD	Environmental Analysis Document
EAP	Employee Assistance Program for FS employees.
EAS	Emergency Alert System, established by the FCC; using digital equipment, it replaces the old Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) as a tool to warn the public about emergencies.
ECC	Emergency Command Center (or Communications Center)
EE	Emergency Employee or Emergency Hire, some are on call.
EEO	Equal Employment Opportunity
EEPs	Effectiveness, Efficiency and Performance Measures (EEPs) The national trade-off analysis module in the FPA system enables fire budget decision-makers to assess trade-offs between investment alternatives in terms of multiple fire-related Effectiveness, Efficiency and Performance Measures (EEPs) at different proposed budget levels. (See FPA.)
EERA	Emergency Equipment Rental Agreement, the agreement for equipment not on a national contract engines, tenders, trucks, bikes (showers, caterers, helicopters have a national contract RFP or RFQ).
EFF	Emergency Fire Fighter fund for use on large fires, also kind of crew paid from those funds.
EFSA	Escaped Fire Situation Analysis
EGBCC	Eastern Great Basin Coordination Center (see GACC)
EIS	Environmental Impact Statement, may be needed to comply with NEPA.
ELT	Emergency Locator Transmitter
EMS	Emergency Medical Service EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Authority)
EMSA	Emergency Medical Services Authority discussion centered around SoCal 8/23/05
EMT	Emergency Medical Technician, see also ALS and BLS. EMTB- basic; EMTI- intermediate; EMTP- paramedic
EKG	Electrocardiogram, a measure of cardiovascular fitness
END	Exotic Newcastle's Disease, a virus that infects chickens.
EOC	Emergency Operations Centers, part of the ICS, also called Expanded Dispatch, Emergency Command and Control Centers, etc. EOCs are used in various ways at all levels of government and within private industry to provide coordination, direction, and control during emergencies. EOC facilities can be used to house Area Command and MACS activities as determined by agency or jurisdiction policy.
EOS	Enhanced Outreach System for hiring FS employees in R5 at http://outreach.fsr5.com
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency, federal, link: www.epa.gov/
EPRD	Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate under the Dept of Homeland Security; formerly FEMA, link: www.fema.gov/
ERC	Energy Release Component a term of the NFDRS; ERC, the index is used by wildland fire specialists and is considered the best indicator of the effects of long-term drying on fire behavior.
ERD	A CDF acronym, Emergency Resource Directory. CDF does not have to get position task books signed off as firefighters do in the federal redcard system. "Another CDF BC" pointed out on 11/9/03 that their system works well too. "In order to get a call that takes you out of county, you have to be blessed by the unit management. In other words, you must prove competency among your peers and supervisors."
ESA	Endangered Species Act.
ESF	Emergency Service Function. What has to be dealt with by FEMA or some organizational leader in an disaster. See Lobotomy's post on theysaid 9/15/05. Note: Under the National Response Plan (DHS & FEMA), the Forest Service is the lead Fed agency for the Firefighting ESF. The FS also lends assistance to state and Fed partners under ICS.
ESRI	Environmental Systems Research Institute. A software company in southern CA that specializes in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping of fires and fire-related phenomena for analysis and display. They provided good info during the SoCal Firestorm of '03. www.esri.com/jicfire/maps/index.html
ETA	Estimated Time of Arrival.
ETD	Estimated Time of Departure.
ETe	Estimated Time EnRoute.

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FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
F&AM	Fire and Aviation Management of the USDA FS, link: F&AM
FACE	Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program; example of report www.dhs.ca.gov
FAE	Fire Apparatus Engineer (Driver)
FAO	Forest Aviation Officer
FAQ	Frequently Asked Questions Here's our FAQ Page.
FARS	Federal Aviation Regulations
FAST	Fire and Aviation Safety Team
FAT	One site at Hanford CA, (of many) that produces the fire weather forecasts (FRESNO-FAT www.boi.noaa.gov/firewx.htm
FC	Fire Captain (Engine or station Foreman) CDF
FCC	Federal Communications Commission, for example FCC has specs for radios and frequencies used on fires.
FC-B	Fire Captain range B or Crew Captain (Crew Supervisor) CDF
FD	Fire department/district
FDNY	Fire Department of New York
FECA	Federal Employee Compensation Act, the current act that governs whether employees are covered for workman's compensation and disability. As it stands, federal fire fighters must be able to pinpoint the precise incident or exposure that caused a disease in order for it to be considered job-related. This is hard to do. See 8/18/03 theysaid for the text of the Presumptive Disabilities Act.
FEDS	as in FEDERAL GUVMINT
FEGLI	Federal Employees Group Life Insurance
FEIS	The Fire Effects Information System is a computerized encyclopedia of information describing the fire ecology of more than 1,000 plant and animal species and plant communities. Link: www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/welcome.htm
FEM	Forestry Equipment Mechanic, one of the two CDF primary classifications for its mechanics. See Heavy Equipment Mechanic (HEM) for more info.
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Administration, link: www.fema.gov/, now with the Dept of Homeland Security called the "Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate"
FEMO	Fire Effects Monitor
FEO	Fire Equipment Operator on an engine, also called Engineer
FEPP	Federal Excess Property Program, see links page to get there.
FERS	Federal Employees Retirement System, See www.opm.gov/asd/htm/hod.htm
FEWT	Fire Equipment Working Team
FF or F/F	Firefighter
FFALC	Federal Fire and Aviation Leadership Council, wildland firefighting agencies' leadership, comprised of the Federal wildland firefighting agency Fire Directors (Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service) in cooperation with a representative from the National Association of State Foresters (NASF).
FFIS	Financial Foundation Information System, a way of figuring direct and indirect costs for fire using the system provided by this FFIS company http://66.102.7.104
FFM	Fire and fuels management
FFPC	Fire Fighting Production Capability
FFMO	Forest Fire Management Officer
FHL	Fort Hunter Liggett
FICC	Federal Interagency Communication Center in Southern CA
FIO	Fire Information Officer - person who deals with the news media
FIRES	Fire Information Retrieval and Evaluation System
FiSL	The Fire Sciences Lab (FiSL), an arm of the Rocky Mountain Research Station located in Missoula, MT, is home to the Fire Behavior Project, Fire Chemistry Project, and the Fire Effects Project.
FKU	Fresno-Kings Unit of CDF
FL	Fire Load Index, a term of the NFDRS.
FLA	Facilitated Learning Analysis, one of the tools for achieving Lessons Learned in which the intent, thought and action leading up to the incident are explored in a group debriefing and facilitated with sandtable props and strategic evocative questions; a report is optional and it may or may not provide recommendations. It's a "portal" type of experience. Example: the FLA of the Nuttall Complex Incident. Hierarchy of Analysis/Investigation for a Learning Organization: AAR --> FLA --> APA --> SAI In contrast with AAR and APA a more formal interview process developing a storytelling report with recommendations.
FLE	Fireline Explosives.
FLIR	Forward Looking Infrared, a hand held or aircraft mounted device designed to detect heat differentials and display the images on a video screen. Not affected by smoke.
FLHB	Fire Line Hand Book put out by NWCG.
FLPMA	Federal Land Policy Management Act
FLRA	Federal Labor Relations Authority
FLSA	Fair Labor Standards Act
FM	As in AM and FM, types of radio broadcasts
FMAG	Fire Management Assistance Grant: The FMAG program's intent is to allow local and state govts a means to aggressively attack and suppress fires with the assurance they will not drain their local budgets protecting life and property. If this program did not exist, local govt fire agencies and most state fire agencies would be VERY hesitant to commit resources and have no chance of re-imbursement. In CA, we have without a doubt the finest cooperative fire service in the world, supported by this very program.
FMO	Fire Management Officer, may be referred to as District or Forest.
FMP	Fire Management Plan
FMT	Forest Management Team
FMU	Fire Management Unit
FNG	for slang F*ing New Guy
FOFE	First Order Fire Effects
FOIA	Freedom of Information Act
FOSC	Federal On Scene Coordinator, as for an emergency like a hurricane or a fire.
FOTM	Informal acronym used on this site several times, refers to Fire on the Mountain, a book about those who died on Storm King Mountain in Colorado in 1994 by John Maclean
FMAG	Fire Management Assistance Grant. A fed assistance program managed by FEMA through the state Office of Emergency Services. This program is designed to help state and/or local jurisdictions impacted by high cost, high damage wildland fires.
FMP	Fire Management Plan, a strategic plan that defines a program to manage wildland and prescribed fires and documents the Fire Management Program in the approved land use plan. The plan is supplemented by operational plans such as preparedness plans, preplanned dispatch plans, prescribed fire plans and prevention plans.
FMU	Fire Management Unit
FNG	F-ing New Guy, military term
FPA	Fire Program Analysis, the new system that replaces NFMAS; came about because OPM said NFMAS was too expensive (2004). It's a political solution. NFMAS was based on a tactical model of past fires dictating need. FPA is based on a strategic model which is not related to real fire need. They're looking to cut costs regardless of real need. FPA is like a train going down the track, throttle open with track un-laid half a mile ahead. Tom Harbour told the R5 BOD in 2005 when the cost was about 3 or 4 million dollars: "We know it isn't working and it isn't likely to, but we have to look like we're trying." Update, 2007: Still a Wannabe planning tool: Program has had lots of glitches and, at the cost of 17 million, is still side-lined in 2007.
FPA (again)	Another loose meaning on theysaid: FPA has sometimes been used in discussions of a hypothetical Fire Protection Agency, as in National Fire Protection Agency, possibly comprised of FS, BLM, NPS, FWS, and BIA. Not yet established.
FPA	Fire Program Analysis; wanna be alternative to NFMAS for planning (2004). Fire Program Analysis System, August 07 www.fpa.nifc.gov/Information/DeskGuide/Docs/4_alternatives_components_2007_9_7.pdf
FPD	Fire Protection District
FPU	Fire Planning Unit, the unit of organization on which FPA is based, also called a <unit geographic name> GIS Cooperative; no longer includes only the Forest and its fire resources, but also includes adjoining National Parks, BLM and BIA land with their resources.
FR	Fire Resistant as in PPE
FRA	Federal Responsibility Area; the primary financial responsibility for protecting and suppressing fires is that of the fed govt. These lands are generally protected by the DOA: FS, the DOI: BLM, NPS, FWS, and BIA
FRS	Family Radio Service, a kind of radio
FS	United States Forest Service, green engines (soon to be white!). See Links page. Also used to mean Forest Supervisor, a line officer.
FSS	Federal Supply Schedule or Flight Service Station
FSM	Forest Service Manual, www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/
FTE	Full Time Equivalents
FTRs	Fire Time Report- an individual's record of daily work
FUBAR	Effed Up, Beyond All Recognition, the stage worse than SNAFU
FUM	Fire Use Modules, formerly called Prescribed Fire Modules
FUMT	Fire Use Management Team, called in to manage a fire that benefits the environment by burning at low levels.
FUTA	(Southwest) Fire Use Training Academy, see Links page under National Wildland Fire Training.
FWFSA	Federal Wildland Fire Service Association. FWFSA
FWI	Fire Weather Index
FWS	Fish and Wildlife Service, link: FWS
FY	Fiscal Year
FYI	For Your Information

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GA	General Administrator
GACC	Geographic Area Coordination Centers. Check the links page for a list of GACCs. In the 1/24/99 post, Ab sez, "If ya don't know what a GACC is, you may be at the wrong web site."
GAO	Government Accounting Office
GFMC	Global Fire Monitoring Center (See Links Page under World Wide)
GHCC	Global Hydrology and Climate Center (See Links Page)
GIF	Graphics Interchange Format. An image file format
GIS	Geographic Information System
GISP	Global Imaging System Technical Specialist
GJD	Grand Junction Dispatch, fire managers in Grand Junction CO who demonstrated errors in judgment related to the South Canyon deaths in 1994.
GNP	Gross National Product
GOES	Geostationary Satellite Server GOES
GPH	A newer version of the King radios the feds seem to use nationally. GPH is the beginning of the model number. (LPH is the other.)
GPM	Gallons Per Minute
GPS	Global Positioning System
GPSP	Global Positioning System Technical Specialist
GRA	"Group" Retention Incentives from OPM, 1/4/07 theysaid
GSA	General Services Administration who oversees contracting and production of the redesigned fire shelters, among other things purchased for the fire cache and on national forests around the country. Also Global Satellite Array, link: GSA
GS#	General Services occupational classification and ranking for salary with higher numbers reflecting greater salary, See www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsclass.htm
GS	Ground Support
GTR	General Technical Report or Government Transportation Request
GVW	Gross Vehicle Weight as in GVW of crew buggies that determines the kind of driver's license required. Discussion starting 02/22/02
GVWR	Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

HAZMAT	Hazardous Material
HCM	Human Capital Management. www.gao.gov/new.items/d02373sp.pdf
HEM	Heavy Equipment Mechanic. CDF has two primary classifications for its mechanics: Heavy Equipment Mechanic (HEM) and the supervisor position of Forestry Equipment Mechanic (FEM). Both positions are hired off an open list which the public can test for every few years. The department is required to supply a minimum level of fire training for these positions. Monitor the California State Personnel Board website for testing dates.
HFACS	James Reason's Human Factors Analysis Classification System aka the Swiss Cheese Model (see Documents Worth Reading, Hugh Carlson's and Misery Whip's posts.
HF/QLA	Herger Feinstein/Quincy Library Group
HP	Hazard Pay, 25% over base pay. Can only be obtained on an uncontrolled fire.
HIGE	Hovering in Ground Effect
HR/O	Human Resources/ Officer. FS HR shop was stovepiped in 2005 with much work left behind on the forests leading to "burden shift". Still have to pay cost pools on it.
HRO	High Reliability Organization, one that employs Lessons Learned to become safer: for example: www.highreliability.org/ Thanks to one of the original thinkers on this, Herb Simon, one of the first to look upon organizations as arenas in which complex organizational processes occur... There are 5 characteristics of High Reliability Organizations that have been identified (Karl Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe) as responsible for the "mindfulness" that keeps them working well when facing unexpected situations. Preoccupation with failure Reluctance to simplify interpretations Sensitivity to operations Commitment to resilience Deference to expertise
HS	Hotshot
HSQ	Health Screening Questionnaire; must be filled out prior to taking the WCT (Work Capacity Test or Pack Test)
HT	handie-talkie, kind of radio
HTT	Hope that helps
HUU	Humboldt-Del Norte Unit of CDF

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

I###	Incident Command System courses
IA	Initial attack; an aggressive suppression action taken by first arriving resources consistent with firefighter and public safety and values to be protected.
IA	Initial attack fire
IADP	Initial Attack Dispatcher
IAFF	International Association of Fire Fighters
IAIC	Initial attack Incident Commander
IAMS	Some kind of aviation training, being replaced by ACE (Aviation conference in Education 2003).
IAP	Incident Action Plan for a fire contains objectives reflecting the overall incident strategy and specific tactical actions and supporting info for the next operational period. May be oral or written.
IARR	Interagency Resources Representative, people who track crews on an incident for a GACC
IAS	Indicated Airspeed
IASC	Interagency Air and Smoke Council
IAT	Interagency Aviation Training
IAWF	The International Association of Wildland Fire, a non-profit, professional association representing members of the global wildland fire community.
IBA	Incident Business Advisor
IBPWT	Incident Business Practices Working Team, of the NWCG
IC	Incident Command or Incident Commander (ICT#, with the numbers 1 through 5 being the Types; For example, a Type 1 team is a national level team, Type 2 team is a regional team, etc.); also Ignition Component a term of the NFDRS. Inland County Emergency Services Agency (ICEMA
ICEMA	Inland County Emergency Services Agency (in Southern CA)
ICP	Incident Command Post, part of the ICS, the Incident Commander (IC) is located at an Incident Command Post (ICP) at the incident scene. Defined as the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedure and communications operating within a common organizational structure.
ICS	Incident Command System, an on-scene structure of management-level positions suitable for managing any incident. "A standardized on-scene emergency management concept specifically designed to allow its users to adopt an integrated organizational structure equal to the complexity and demands of single or multiple incidents, without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries."
ICSU	Incident Communications Support Training (See Links Page)
ICT	Incident Command Team, also called Incident Management Team (IMT)
ID	Inside Diameter, a dimension as of a wheel or a pipe, etc; also "Interim Directive" is a draft revision of some part of the FS Manual rules or policies for line officers and FS administrators. It indicates they're working on a change in policy. Once the policy is finalized, the "Directive" is added to the FS manual. It is placed in front of the appropriate chapter to make explicit the change in policy.
IFFWU	Interagency Fire Forecaster Weather Units, info here for south zone www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/south/fwx/ and for north zone www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/north/fwx/
IFPM	Interagency Fire Program Management has a wildland fire and safety qualifications standards and guide for 14 identified fire management positions. The New Standards should be achieved by all by 10/1/09. www.ifpm.nifc.gov/ifpmstandard.htm
IFR	Instrument Flight Rules Conditions
IFSTA	International Fire Service Training Association
IHC	Interagency Hotshot Crews
IHOG	Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide
IHFA	International Helicopter Firefighter's Association
IIAA	Interagency Initial Attack Assessment (IIAA) model: see Developing an Interagency, Landscape-scale Fire Planning Analysis and Budget Tool
IIBMH	Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook.
IIMT	Interagency Incident Management Team. Type I and Type II teams from around the United States that are called in to manage large fires and other kinds of natural and man-made disasters. See the links page for the Type 1 and Type 2 IIMT links pages.
ILS	Instrument Landing System
IMO	"In my opinion"
IMHO	"In my humble opinion", indicates that the writer is aware that they are expressing a debatable view, probably on a subject already under discussion.
IMSR	(National) Incident Management Situation Report
IMRB	Interagency Medical Review Board, see http://medical.smis.doi.gov/NIFCMedicalstds.htm
IMT	Incident Management Team; the Incident Commander and appropriate general and command staff personnel assigned to an incident. Also known as Incident Command Team (ICT).
IMWTK	Inquiring Minds Want To Know
IOSWT	Incident Operation Standards Working Team of the NWCG, example of their minutes: www.nwcg.gov/teams/ioswt/min_feb2003.pdf
IPT	Iron Pipe Thread
IQCS	Incident Qualification and Certification System, NWCG, computerized; replacing the redcard...
IR	Infra Red; a heat detection system used for fire protection, mapping, and hotspot identification Inter-Regional
IRM	Information Resource Management, also sometimes called ISM or Information Systems Management. This was the section of the Forest Service that included the Computer Specialists and Communications Technicians on the forests and on Incident Management Teams before they were centralized. Don't know if they still call themselves that. They can no longer serve on incident management teams as regular team members. Ab.
IRPG	Incident Response Pocket Guide
ISDR	UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (See GFMC and the Links Page under World Wide.)
IT	Information Technology; FS IT shop was stovepiped in 2005.
ISP	Internet Service Provider

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

J###	Job Aids related courses
JAC	Joint Apprenticeship Committee
JFS	Joint Fire Sciences Program, a six agency partnership to address wildland fuels issues. The six agencies, designated by the Congress, are the USDA Forest Service and five bureaus of the Department of the Interior: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
JK	Just Kidding
JHA	Job Hazard Analysis. See www.fs.fed.us//r1/people/jha/jha_index_www.html
JIC	Joint Information Center; an interagency information center responsible for researching, coordinating and disseminating information to the public and media. Formed throughthe MAST effort; for example, San Bernardino Fire Information Center of Southern CA: JIC fire/index.html
JIS	Joint Information System
JPEG, JPG	A method of storing an image in a compressed digital format specified by the Joint Photographic Experts Group

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

KBDI	Keetch-Byram Drought Index with a range from 0 (no moisture deficiency) to 800 (maximum drought) www.fs.fed.us/land/wfas/kbdi.gif
KISS	Keep It Simple Stupid.
KSAs	Knowledge, Skills, Abilities. (Sometimes KASOCs.) See courses below and OPM forms www.opm.gov/forms/html/of.htm
KV	Kneutson Vandenberg Act led to funds that were legacy funds for the FS

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

*L*	Laughing
LAL	Lightning Activity Level, a numerical rating from the lowest of 1 to the highest of 6, keyed to the start of thunderstorms and the frequency and character of cloud-to-ground lightning forecasted or observed on a rating area during a rating period, a term of the NFDRS. The scale is exponential based on powers of 2 (i.e., LAL 3 indicates twice the lightning of LAL 2). pp 33-37 of this animated document: www.iat.gov/Training/modules/seat/m2.swf
LAMO	Laughing My A** Off
LANL	Los Alamos National Lab site of the Cerro Grande Fire of 2000
LAT	Large Air Tanker
LC	Liquid Concentrate
LCES	Lookouts, Communication, Escape routes, Safety zones, arose out of a need for firefighters to be able to quickly recall a fewer number of watchouts than the original 18 Watch Out Situations. You can find information on these, the Watch Out Situations, and 10 Standard fire fighting orders at the following web site www.fs.fed.us/fire/safety/lces/lces.html
LE	Law Enforcement - generally used to refer to some action going on at the Incident.
LEO	Law Enforcement Officer (as in FS LEO)
LFO	Large Fire Organization, preceded ICS, See TS discussion 10/13-16/04
LODD	Line of Duty Death
LOF	Line Officers' Team - FS
LMA	Land Management Agencies (FS, BLM, NPS, FWS, etc)
LMU	Lassen-Modoc Unit of CDF
LNU	Sonoma-Lake Napa Unit of CDF
LOL	Laughing Out Loud
LP	Los Padres, as in National Forest, Liquid Propane gas, or Lead Plane, depending on context.
LPH	An older version of the Kings radio than the GPH; it's just the beginning of a serial number or model number on the radios, all hand-held.
LR	Lightning Risk
LRA	Local Responsibility Area. These lands are private lands outside of watershed areas designated by the state, or lands incorporated into cities.
L/RMP	Land/Resource Management Plan
LSR	Late Successional Reserve, for information: LSR
LWOP	Leave WithOut Pay
LZ	Landing Zone

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

MAC	Multi-Agency Coordination; often from a Coordinating Center, part of the ICS, An activity or a formal system used to coordinate resources and support between agencies or jurisdictions. A MAC Group functions within the MACS, which interact with agencies or jurisdictions, not with incidents. MACS are useful for regional situations. A MACS can be established at a jurisdictional EOC or at a separate facility.
MACS	Multi-Agency Coordination System is a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications integrated into a common system with responsibility for coordination of assisting agency resources and support to agency emergency operations
MAFFS	Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System is a self-contained reusable 3000-gallon aerial fluid dispersal system that allows Lockheed C-130 cargo/utility aircraft to be converted to wildland firefighting air tankers. MAFFS use is a joint program with the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and the U.S. Forest Service.
MAST	Mountain Area Safety Taskforce in SoCal
MATS	Multi-Agency Training Schedule. Links page under education/training.
MCAD	Military Crew Advisor oversees the military crew of firefighters.
MCB	Marine Corps Base
MEA	Maximum Entry Age for firefighters is 37 so firefighters can accrue their 20 years and retire with benefits at age 57.
MEDC	Historical - Missoula Equipment Development Center, US Forest Service. Now called the MTDC Missoula Technical and Development Center.
MEL	Most Efficient Level (of funding) for Fire and the Forest Service.
MEU	Mendocino Unit of CDF
MEV	Aviation abbreviation for Minden Air Field, Minden NV.
MHRD	Mount Hough Ranger District, a complex of fires on the Plumas NF, mentioned 10/11/99; Giachino's Northern CA Team was on it 8/24 - 9/13; Frye's Northern Rockies Team was on it 9/9 - 9/22.
MI	Misery Index: [(% Slope) + (% RH) + (Temperature) + (RMP) + (C)] / 3.25 Where variables are defined as: % Slope = 1-100 % RH = 1-100 Temperature = Degrees Fahrenheit RMP = Relative Misery of Project, subjectively assessed, 1-5 C = Correction from special charts (0.0 in most cases) For all temperatures above 0.0 degrees Fahrenheit, the MI produces a numerical rating on a scale of 1-100. MI's above 50 are considered significant, 72-78 are considered severe, 78-90 are considered extreme, and 90+ are considered intolerable. An indicator of firefighter morale and thus firefighter safety. (theysaid 1/5/08)
MILF	Mother I'd Like to <blankety blank> an acronym from the movie American Pie. This was one example of a poor name for a fire and would have been especially disastrous if the fire had gotten to be a big one with media coverage. Small as it was, the name was changed and that was no easy task. See the fire-naming discussion starting 06/11/02 for the fire naming pitfalls to be avoided.
MIRPS	A computer program for tracking resources from dispatch to demob on large and small incidents. The long-term plan is to replace it with ROSS.
MIST	Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics, firefighting tactics used in a wilderness area
MKU	Mobile Kitchen Unit
MMA	Maximum Management Area; also the Master Mutual Aid Agreement (see 11/23/07 theysaid)
MMU	Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit of CDF
MOA	Military Operations Area
MOA	Memorandum of Agreement, agreements the federal government makes with other autonomous entities, such as Tribes
MODIS	Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer; is a key instrument aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. This instrument provides important intelligence for fire managers regarding fire perimeters and fire growth throughout large fires or fire sieges.
MOU	Memorandum of Understanding
MREs	Meals Rejected by Ethiopians ;) Or for those really wanting to know, a Meal Ready to Eat
MTDC	Missoula Technical and Development Center (USFS)
MTDC	Mean Sea Level
MTR	Military Training Route
MTZ	Mutual Threat Zone; a geographical area between two or more jurisdictions into which those agencies would respond on initial attack. Also called mutual response zone or initial action zone.
MVU	Monte Vista Ranger Unit (San Diego Unit) of CDF, down near San Diego, borders Mexico

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

NAAQS	National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAFA	National Aerial Firefighting Academy
NAFTA	North American Free Trade Agreement
NARTC	National Advanced Resource Technology Center at Marana AZ and on the net at www.nartc.net/ (Pronounced Nart-see.)
NASA	National Aeronautics and Space Administration, www.nasa.gov/
NASF	National Association of State Foresters www.stateforesters.org/
NASMPP	National Aviation and Safety Mishap Prevention Plan
NC	National Coordinators
NCIC	National Crime Information Center
NDT	Non Destructive Testing of aircraft, especially aging aircraft detects cracks or any other irregularities in the airframe, structure, landing gear, and engine components which are not visible to the naked eye.
NEPA	National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
NEU	Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit of CDF
NF	National Forest, for a lost of all the national forests, go to the links page and look under Federal Pages at the "unit identifiers". Forests of CA are all listed with links to the forests. For the entire national list including national parks, BLM-administered lands, county, and city, etc unit identifiers, look at the longer pdf file.
NFA	National Fire Academy, see links page under National Wildland Fire Training.
NFC	National Fire Codes
NFDRS	National Fire Danger Rating System, a multiple index system developed to provide information about current and predicted fire danger conditions. www.fs.fed.us/land/wfas/, for fuel models, www.fs.fed.us/r2/fire/fuelmdls.htm
NFES	National Fire Equipment Systems. Overseen by a subcommittee of the Fire Equipment Working Team that provides for fire equipment distribution in caches around the US. For example, there are 2 caches of equipment in CA, in Redding (Anderson) and Ontario.
NFFE	National Federation of Federal Employees, union for Forest Service Employees, including wildland firefighters.
NFMAS	National Fire Management Analysis System, the system whereby MEL is calculated.
NFP	National Fire Plan
NFPM	National Fire Plan Model
NFPA	National Fire Protection Association, sets safety standards for protective clothing (PPE) and equipment for wildland firefighting. . The most recent version is NFPA Specification #1977, the 1998 Edition. For more info, visit: www.nfpa.org/ Also an abbreviation for National Fire Protection Agency, a hypothetical wildland firefighting agency possibly comprised of FS, BLM, NPS, FWS, and BIA. Not yet established.
NGO	Non-Governmental Organization
NH	National Standard Thread
NHPA	National Historic Preservation Act; what keeps some engine bays or fire-related structures from being upgraded... or sold to reduce operating costs.
NHTSA	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Dept of Transportation. Has issued guidelines regarding 15-passenger vans.
NICC	National Interagency Coordination Center, Boise, Idaho
NIFC	National Interagency Fire Center, Boise, Idaho, find them here: www.nifc.gov/
NIFMD	National Interagency Fire Management Integrated Database
NIIMS	National Interagency Incident Management System developed by wildfire. National Interagency Joint Apprenticeship Program
NIJAC	National Interagency Joint Apprenticeship Program for Wildland Fire is designed to provide standardized and consistent training in a cost effective manner, provide agencies an opportunity to recruit, hire and develop new employees quickly, provide apprentices wages commensurate with their skills.
NIMS	National Incident Management System. administered by FEMA which also has oversight for federal coordination of disaster response/recovery resources in the US, and is also responsible for administering most of the new National Response Plan. The new NIMS is based of course on the NIIMS developed by wildfire, but will be administered not by the agencies and local governments that have the bulk of the knowledge and experience, but by a fairly small and understaffed agency (FEMA = tiny recovery oversight agency with around 1,200 full-time employees) that is not out there dealing with the largest number of emergencies in the country (fires, wildfires, and medical aids). See ts, 8/9/04 www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/faq/compliance.shtm
NIMO	National Incident Management Organization; FS teams that come under
NIOSH	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NIRSC	National Interagency Radio Supply Cache
NJFFS	The NJ Forest Fire Service under the auspices of the New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection.
NLDN	National Lightning Detection Network, a lightning detection computer system.
NLT	National Leadership Team. The highest management team -- of the Forest Service, for example: it is made up of the Chief of the Forest Service, the Deputy chiefs and the Regional Foresters. Info on the "Chief" and deputies is here: www.fs.fed.us/intro/directory/wo.htm.
NMAC	National MAC or Big MAC; Multiple Agency Coordinating, see MAC above.
NO	Nitrogen Oxide
NO2	Nitrogen Dioxide
NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOPS	North Ops, the Coordination Center for Northern CA (see GACC)
NOTAM	Notice to Airmen
NP	National Park
NPF	National Professional Firefighters it is the membership setting for FWFSA members who do not have a state association to be affiliated with.
NPR	National Public Radio
NPS	National Park Service, specifically fire: www.nps.gov/fire/index.htm
NPSH	National Pipe Straight Hose Thread
NR	Natural Resources, National Registry as in National Registry EMT (see theysaid 10/19/04)
NRA	National Recreation Area, for example GGNRA, Golden Gate National Recreation Area …
NRL	National Resource Lands
NREMT	National Registry EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) see theysaid discussion starting 10/19/04
NRP	National Response Plan. FEMA (now the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate) was directed in the Homeland Security Act to compile all of the response plans at the federal level into one national response plan.
NRCC	Northern Rockies Coordination Center (see GACC)
NSRFFT	Navajo Scouts Reserve Fire Fighting Team
NSWFB RFS	New South Wales Fire Brigade, Rural Fire Service of Australia.
NTE	Not to Exceed with respect to employment
NTSB	National Transportation Safety Board investigates airtanker and helicopter accidents
NVC	Net Value Change
NVG	Night Vision Goggles
NWCC	Northwestern Coordination Center (see GACC)
NWCG	National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group, provides standards for prescribed burns, fire classes, and training at NWCG with info on Redcard quals here: www.fs.fed.us/fire/310-1/
NWFCC	National Wildland Fire Engine Committee
NWS	National Weather Service located in Boise ID. See the Links page.
NWSA	National Wildfire Suppression Association, a national association of independent wildfire suppression contractors.
NZ/SZ	North Zone/ South Zone (Operational Areas of California)

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

OAS	Office of Aircraft Services (See Links Page)
OC	Organized Crew, the emergency hire crew programs, also could be On Call
OCC	Operations Coordination Center
OCFA	Orange County Fire Authority; OC= Orange County
OD	"Old dog"
OD	Outside Diameter
ODF	Oregon Department of Forestry. See the Links page.
ODP	Office of Domestic Preparedness, part of the DHS (Dept of Homeland Security).
OES	Office of Emergency Services, http://www.oes.ca.gov/
OF162	form for employment in fire, see post 12/15/98
OF510	form for employment in fire, see post 12/15/98 www.opm.gov/forms/html/of.htm
OF612	form for employment in fire, see post 12/15/98, www.opm.gov/forms/html/of.htm
OFCA	Oregon Fire Contractors Association
OGC	Office of General Council
OH	Overhead
OIG	Office of Inspector General
OJT	On the job training for redcard positions. Read up on training at www.nwcg.gov/pms/docs/docs.htm. 11/22/99
OMB	OMB provides oversight and offers suggestions on the budget for the executive branch agencies.
OMG	Oh My Gawd
OPM	Office of Personnel Management, jobs with the feds -- link: www.usajobs.opm.gov/
OPS	Operations, North and South OPS, refer to Northern/Southern Geographic Operational Areas in California
ORV	Off Road Vehicle
OSC	Office of Special Counsel or Operations Section Chief: the ICS position responsible for supervising the Operations Section. Reports to the Incident Commander. The OSC directs the preparation of unit operational plans, requests and releases resources, makes expedient changes to the Incident Action Plan as necessary and reports such to the IC.
OSD	Operational System Description
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration, set standards for safety equipment, www.osha.gov/
OSL	Operating Service Life, the estimated life of the structure of an airtanker based on original structural engineering and missions flown. This is hard to determine in planes whose designers maintain proprietary secrecy regarding structure and in planes that flew secret missions during WWII before being transferred to firefighting service. Not having an estimate of the OSL has kept many airtankers grounded.
OT	Overtime
OWCP	The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs of the Department of Labor, provides process and determines validity of work related claims of accident/injury. Some info from the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. Another website: www.nalc.org/depart/owcp/owcp.html.

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

P to P	Portal to Portal
PA	Pain in the A.., a type of "bad" employee who may not advance in their career. See posts on 11/01/00.
PAHs	Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
PAL	Project Activity Level
PAO	Public Affairs Officer
PCMS	Federal method of paying bills, if you don't know what it is, you're lucky
PD	Position Description, each job position has one describing the duties and responsibilities.
PDA	Personal Digital Assistant - little handheld computer/personal organizer, has date book, address book, task list, memo. or from familysaid - Public Display of Affection
PERS	Some kind of (Public Employees?) Retirement System that California State Employees Assoc (CSEA) members belong to.
PFA	Preliminary Fuels Analysis
PFIRS	Prescribed Fire Info Reporting System
PFA	Preliminary Fuels Analysis
PFT	Permanent Full Time, as in an employees work status (26/0); see also WAE (18/8 and 13/13).
PFTC	National Interagency Rx Fire Training Center, yeah, we know it doesn't make sense, but that's it; see the links page under wildland fire training.
PIO	Public Information Officer (same as FIO, Fire Info Officer)
PNWCG	Pacific Northwest Coordinating Group
PL	Program Leadership or Preparedness Level
PLI	Professional Liability Insurance: eg. FEDS
PLA	Program Leadership Attrition -- a kind of federal funding for fire that will allow the hiring of 500 people (for each of 3 years 2001-2003).
POI	Probability of Ignition
POSH	Prevention of Sexual Harassment, not one of the Spice Girls!
POV	Privately Owned Vehicle, as opposed to GOV, government owned vehicle.
PLI	Personal liability insurance.
PPE	Personal Protective Equipment including nomex pants and shirt, hardhat, gloves, boots, and fire shelter.
PPT	Permanent Part Time
PR	Public relations
PRC	Public Resources Code (of the State of California) Discussed 06/03 in relation to CDF airbase and lookout closures.
PSD	Plastic Sphere Dispenser as for aerial ignitions.
PSI	Pounds per square inch
PSOB	Public Safety Officer Benefits, the benefits denied to airtanker pilots and their families if they die in the line of duty.
PSW	Pacific Southwest Research and Experiment Station, www.psw.fs.fed.us/
PT	Physical training
PTBs	Position Task Books, they contain all critical tasks which are required to perform the job. Successful completion of the tasks during OJT is the basis for recommending redcard certification for that job.
PTS	Post Traumatic Stress, a syndrome that results from a stressful event or a repeated stressful situation. Symptoms include flashbacks, dwelling on the event, sleeplessness, being prone to crying.
PTT	Push-to-talk button cover on a handheld radio.
PWP	Project Work Plans
PWAC	Person Without A Clue

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

QA/QC	Quality Assurance/Quality Control.
QSI	Quality Step Increase

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

R1	Region 1 'Northern Region', including parts of Montana and South Dakota
R2	Region 2 'Rocky Mountain Region', including parts of Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
R3	Region 3 'Southwest Region', including parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
R4	Region 4 'Intermountain Region' or Great Basin, including parts of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming & Nevada.
R5	Region 5 'Pacific Southwest', California, Hawaii, Guam, and other Pacific Islands.
R6	Region 6 'Pacific Northwest', Oregon and Washington
R8	Region 8 'Southern Region', including parts of Arkansas, and North and South Carolina.
R9	Region 9 'Eastern Region', includes Forests on twenty states.
R10	Region 10 'Alaska Region', Alaska.
RA	Resource Advisor
RAP	Rappeller as in heli-rappeller
RASM	RRegional Aviation Safety Manager
RAWS	Remote Automated Weather System that usually transmit data via satellite telemetry to the NIFC for distribution to fire managers nationwide: www.wrcc.dri.edu/raws/
R&R	Rest and relaxation
RCFP	The Rural Community Fire Protection Program, now called the VFA.
RD	Ranger District
RDO	Required day off
RECON	Reconnaissance
RFD	Rural Fire District
RFPD	Rural Fire Protection District, see also VFD
RFMF	Rear Eschalon Mother blankity blank, a military term; the overhead not on the ground (who may never have been on the ground)
RFQ	Request for Quotation as for an Engine Tender, supplies the the list of contract specs., engine inventory lists, performance standards, training standards, engine inspection sheets, and lists of contacts around the region to get inspected as a contractor.
RG	Relative Greenness
RH	Relative Humidity
RHC	Regional Hotshot Crew, type 1
RLT	Regional Leadership Team. The highest management team of the Forest Service for a Region.
RM	Risk Management
RMRS	Rocky Mountain Research Station
RO	Regional Office
ROF LMAO	Rolling On the Floor, Laughing My A$$ Off! Chat acronym. For more, go here: Chat Acronyms
ROP	Regional Occupational Program, a vocational training program operated at the state and county level. There are often good training opportunities for wildland firefighters, at least in CA.
ROS	Rate of Spread, as in fire behavior
ROSS	Resource Ordering and Status System, a new computer program used by dispatch
RPD	Recognition Primed Decisionmaking. Simply put, RPD is what behavioral scientists say is at the root of how incident commanders make decisions in the complex wildland fire environment. You compare your present situation to a similar situation or situations that you have experienced previously, then make your decision based on your memory of the outcome(s) of the previous experience(s). From theysaid 12/13/04 Misery Whip's post
RIF	Reduction in Force
RLF	Regional Leadership Forum, R5 Line Officers and Directors (Forest Rangers and Supervisors)
RMCC	Rocky Mountain Coordination Center (see GACC)
RMRS	Rocky Mountain Research Center
RRU	Riverside Unit of CDF
RTO	RTO has been used in hotshot crews and means "reverse tool order" or "reverse the order". All it means is turn around and head back, give me a count and I will give you instructions after the count. It is what some call the "eject button" for a hand crew.
Rx	Prescribed, as in burn

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

S###	The S or skills class series in fire behavior. See the note at the end of this list on course prefixes and/or go to the NWCG training website.
S&M	Survey and Manage (Species)
SACC	Southern Area Coordination Center (see GACC)
SAIT	Safety Accident Investigation Team, a BLM team
SA	Situational Awareness, or mindfulness (opposite of mindlessness, being on "autopilot"); what is happening here and now. Ab's best try at a definition: A non-intuitive sensory adaptation of "paying attention" or seeing more clearly what the moment holds. Maintaining a moment-by-moment, dynamically-changing awareness of your (fire) environment and you in it. Focusing your awareness on what you see and what you feel NOW, how does that compare to what you have seen-felt before? how is that different from what you have seen-felt before? Stripping away stereotype and being aware of the possible question based on reason and gut feeling: If it looks ok, why does it not feel ok? Stepping outside of what everyone else might think is true or what you might "assume" to be true to look at possible uncertain, possible unpleasant alternative explanations. It's not thinking harder, but seeing more clearly the truth of the moment.
SAFECOM	Safety Communiqué for aviation
SAFENET	Safety Communiqué for ground forces
SAI	Serious Accident Investigation, with the intent of preventing future accidents and defending the organization from litigation; involves both a factual section (identifying chronologically the causal and contributing factors that led to the accident) and a management evaluation section; an administrative review for investigative purposes. Witness statements are taken. Can result in 1) individual consequences if there was "reckless and willful disregard for human safety" and/or 2) agency policy change. Contrast with APA (Accident Prevention Analysis). Hierarchy of Analysis/Investigation for a Learning Organization: AAR --> FLA --> APA --> SAI
SAIT	Serious Accident Investigation Team
SAR	Search and Rescue
SC	Spread Component a term of the NFDRS.
SCBA	Self contained breathing apparatus
SCK	Aviation abbreviation for Sacramento Air Field, Sacramento CA.
SCU	Santa Clara Unit of CDF
SDTDC	San Dimas Technology and Development Center, located in SoCal near LA.
SEAT	Single Engine Air Tanker
SES	Senior Executive Service, for further explanation www.opm.gov/ses/
SF171	US Government application for employment
SFA	State Fire Assistance. In western states, NFP State Fire Assistance (SFA) funding is available and awarded “through a competitive process with emphasis on hazard fuel reduction, information and education, and community and homeowner action”
SFC	Sergeant First Class
SFOs	Standard Firefighting Orders, 10 of 'em.
SHRO	? used to describe some contract
SHU	Shasta-Trinity Unit of CDF
SKU	Siskiyou Unit of CDF
SHWT	Safety and Health Working Team, of the NWCG
SIMWYE	Reversible Siamese
SIP	State Implementation Plan
SIT	Interagency Management Situation Report summarizes statistics on the fires burning across the United States by individual fire, region, for both prescribed burns and wildfires and reports resources that are committed on that day. For current examples, see National Fire Situation Report
SJ	Smokejumper
SLC	Unofficial abbreviation used by posters for Salt Lake City UT
SL	Staffing Level with respect to fire management ranges from 1-5, a term of the NFDRS.
SLU	San Louis Obispo Unit of CDF
SM	Survey and Manage (species)
SMJ	Smokejumper
SNAFU	Situation Normal, All F..ed Up, military term that is now in common parlance
SNF	Sierra Nevada Framework
SO	Supervisor's Office or Safety Officer -- or if you're reading familysaid, Significant Other.
SOFE	Second Order Fire Effects
SOB	Son of a B**
SOL	Sh** Outta Luck
SOP	Standard Operating Procedure
SOPS	South Ops, the Coordination Center for Southern CA (see GACC)
SPB	State Personnel Board, as in CA SPB, which has a website that contains open list information and includes testing dates for primary and secondary state fire jobs such as FEM and HEM for which the public can test every few years.
SR	Single Resource in contrast to Strike Team..
SRA	State Resource Area, in California, the area under the jurisdiction of the state -CDF Fire- as opposed to the Feds or the County.
SRB	Slang for Single Resource Boss; for the correct redcard acronym, see the redcard mnemonics link at the top of the page.
ST	State (kind of crew designation); or Strike Team, for example an engine Strike Team consists of 5 fire engines of the same type and a lead vehicle. The strike team leader is usually a captain or a battalion chief. Strike teams can also be made up of bulldozers or handcrews. (Often in contrast to SR or si