Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

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A lesson is truly learned when we modify our behavior to reflect what we now know.

Mission Statement

The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center actively promotes a learning culture to enhance and sustain safe and effective work practices in the wildland fire community. The Center provides opportunities and resources to foster collaboration among all fire professionals, facilitates their networks, provides access to state-of-the-art learning tools, and links learning to training.

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Our New Strategic Plan

Initial Impressions Report - Type 3 Incident Management Organizations
(486KB pdf posted 5/16/2008)
This initial impressions report describes and documents lessons learned and effective practices pertaining to the success of Type 3 Incident Management Organizations (IMO). This report also documents training and development challenges, as well as unresolved issues of concern that existed at the time it was written. It has become apparent that the wildland fire community will experience a growing need for, and use of, Type 3 IMOs in the coming years. Accordingly, the purpose was to learn from the experience of existing and successful IMOs, so that others starting out may benefit from their experience.

Scratchline Issue 22 - Australasia and U.S. Lessons Learned

(1MB pdf posted 3/13/2008)
Staff members of the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center and the Bushfire Cooperative Research Center recently interviewed twelve fire management professionals from the U.S., Australia and New Zealand regarding their experiences on one or more of their major wildfire assignments in these three countries as part of an exchange agreement . Specifically, these men and women shared their successes, challenges, effective practices, safety practices, and training recommendations.

The First Basic Teaching Guide for Introducing High Reliability Organizing to the Wildland Fire Community: From the Field to Line Officers
(618 KB doc posted 03/06/08)

This special guide for teaching and facilitating High Reliability Organizing (HRO) reflects the presentations that were made at the three-day May 2007 Facilitating HRO in Wildland Fire workshop. By using and following this guide, the HRO teacher will understand the fundamentals of HRO and will be better prepared to facilitate these principles to others. Author Paul Keller, March 2008.

The Learning Curve, April 2008 - 12th Edition
(196 KB pdf, Posted 04/23/08)

Lessons Learned and Effective Practices from the 2006 AAR Rollups featuring OPERATIONS (Water Conservation with Dust Palliative), PLANNING (Using Local Felling Groups and Contractors), and LOGISTICS (Using Spike Camps Decreases Safety Problems, Streamlining Spike Camp Deliveries, Coyote Camp Deliveries During Red Flag Conditions, Logistical Challenges in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness and Successful Approach to Recognizing a Potential MRSA Infection.

The Learning Curve, March 2008 - 11th Edition (159 KB pdf, Posted 03/25/08)

Buses and Firecrews Large Flame in Background

Lessons Learned and Effective Practices from the 2006 AAR Rollups featuring OPERATIONS(Division Supervisor Nightly Meeting Creates Cohesiveness and Simulating an Incident within an Incident is Vital to Success), PLANNING (Creative Responses to National Resource Shortages and Spin-off Benefits of Internet Availability) and LOGISTICS (Preplanning of Base Camp Location & Equipment, Changing Traffic Patterns to Avoid Traffic Congestion and Designating Crew Sleeping Areas Improves Safety).

Disclaimer: Information is provided with the intent to share knowledge to improve safety, performance, efficiency and organizational learning throughout the entire wildland fire community. However, no warranties or guarantees are implied because much of the data provided is beyond the control of the Center. No endorsement of any company or product is given or implied.