Availability Plan

Larry Van BussumNational Fire Weather Operations

Coordinator

OS-22 Fire Weather

State of Availability Now

• No Rotation/Plan• No requirement for personal

availability from IMETs• Historically run critically low during

height of fire season

Availability – Currently

• Availability Calendar = 70% available• IMET Status Report = 35%

?

Case for Change

• Need for program to have enough IMETs to support mission at any time

• Need for management to plan• Need for IMET to get opportunities to

go out• Need for IMET to get opportunities to

take summer vacation

Fire MAR Positions

Office MAR Positions StaffBOI 2 12BYZ 1 11EKA 1 11FGZ 1 11

GGW 0 10HNX 2 11LKN 0 10LOX 0 12MFR 2 11MSO 2 12MTR 0 11OTX 2 11PDT 2 12PIH 1 10PSR 0 10PQR 3 12REV 2 11SEW 2 12SGX 1 11SLC 1 11STO 1 12TFX 1 11TWC 0 10VEF 0 10

ABQ 1 11FFC 1 12TAE 1 10LZK 1 10

CYS 1/2 10BOU 1/2 11MPX 1/2 10LMK 1/2 N/A

RNK 1 10

AFC 1/2 17AFG 1/2 12

sum 35

Plan

• MAR staffing:– Should always have someone “Active”:• BOI, MSO, PDT, PQR, SEW

– Have 12+ base Met staff and were given 2 Fire MAR positions

– Should always have someone either “Active” or in “Reserve”:• BOI, MSO, PDT, PQR, SEW, BYZ, EKA, FGZ,

HNX, MFR, OTX, REV, SGX, SLC, STO, TFX, BOU, ABQ – Have 11 base met positions and were given 1 or 2 fire MAR

positions

• Remainder rotate through 3 rotations

GroupsRed Group Gold Group Blue GroupStrike Team Alpha Strike Team Alpha Strike Team Alpha

BOI* BOI* BOI*MSO* MSO* MSO*PDT* PDT* PDT*PQR* PQR* PQR*SEW* SEW* SEW*

Strike Team Bravo Strike Team Bravo Strike Team BravoMFR**OTX**TFX**BYZ**

Strike Team Charlie Strike Team Charlie Strike Team CharlieEKA**STO**REV**HNX**SGX**

Strike Team Delta Strike Team Delta Strike Team DeltaSLC**BOU**ABQ**FGZ**

Strike Team Echo Strike Team Echo Strike Team EchoAFG PIH MTRAFC RIW LKNAJK GJT VEFHFO CYS PSR

LBFStrike Team Fox Strike Team Fox Strike Team Fox

TWC HGX GGWEPZ LZK BISPUB JAN DLHMAF PAH MQTFWD

Strike Team Gulf Strike Team Gulf Strike Team GulfJAX ILN JKLMLB CLE RNKTBW BGM MHXMFL BTV ILM

CHS

22 23 22

Rotation (Reverse)2015 Pay Period (dates) (10

year average/Max ever out 88-13)

Active Group Reserve Group Inactive Group

1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3) RED GOLD BLUE2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3) BLUE RED GOLD3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3) GOLD BLUE RED4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4) RED GOLD BLUE5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3) BLUE RED GOLD6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3) GOLD BLUE RED7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4) RED GOLD BLUE8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8) BLUE RED GOLD

9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12) GOLD BLUE RED10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14) RED GOLD BLUE11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11) BLUE RED GOLD12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22) GOLD BLUE RED13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28) RED GOLD BLUE

14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23) BLUE RED GOLD15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27) GOLD BLUE RED16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31) RED GOLD BLUE17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34) BLUE RED GOLD18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32) GOLD BLUE RED19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19) RED GOLD BLUE20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8) BLUE RED GOLD21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9) GOLD BLUE RED22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8) RED GOLD BLUE

23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7) BLUE RED GOLD24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4) GOLD BLUE RED25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2) RED GOLD BLUE

26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2) BLUE RED GOLD

Plan

• Active– All Strike Teams in Group available for

immediate dispatch. NFWOC may stand-down selected Strike Teams when fire activity or potential is low.• For an incident in any WFO’s CWA (that has

a Type 1 IMET), that WFO will always have right of first refusal on whether they want to support that incident

Plan

• Reserve– National PL 1 – 3: No restrictions, deployment

unlikely. If it appears Active Group will be tapped out, will notify select Strike Teams of possible activation with as much heads up as possible.

– National PL 4 – 5: Select Strike Teams may be activated (by rotation). This would require possible cancellation of leave if IMET needs to be called up.

Plan

• Inactive– National PL 1-3: No restrictions.

Deployment unlikely.

– National PL 4-5: Generally no restrictions unless Reserve Group fully activated. Will notify select Strike Teams of possible activation with as much heads up as possible.

Notes

• Active rotation by proximity/needs, not “down the list”

• Flexibility in activating Strike Teams that are proximate to fire activity and standing down those that will likely be unneeded.

• NFWOC will assist MIC in finding coverage for times when office can’t cover Active rotation.

• Can have IMET dispatched any time in Active 2 week period (so may be out beyond active period)

• Annual rotation rotates (won’t always have to cover the same 2 week periods year after year)

Historic Fire Occurrence

Historic Fire Occurrence

Average IMET Dispatches Annually

OperationalRotation (Reverse)

2015 Pay Period (dates) (10 year average/Max ever out 88-

13)

Active Group Reserve Group Inactive Group

1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3) RED (G) RED (F) RED (A,B,E), GOLD, BLUE2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3) BLUE (G) BLUE (F) BLUE (A, D, E), RED, GOLD3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3) GOLD (F) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE, RED4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4) RED (F) RED (G) RED (A, B, E), GOLD, BLUE5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3) BLUE (F) BLUE (E) BLUE (A, D, E), RED, GOLD6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3) GOLD (G) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE, RED7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4) RED (G) RED (B) RED (A, F, G), GOLD, BLUE8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8) BLUE (G) BLUE (A) BLUE (D, E, F), RED, GOLD

9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12) GOLD (E, G) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, C), BLUE, RED10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14) RED (E, F) RED (A, B) RED (E), GOLD, BLUE11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11) BLUE (D, E) BLUE (A) BLUE (F, G), RED, GOLD12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22) GOLD (C, E, F) GOLD (A, G), BLUE (F) BLUE (A, D, E, G), RED13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28) RED (A, B, E, F, G) GOLD (E, G) GOLD (A, C, F), BLUE

14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23) BLUE (A, D, E, F, G) RED (B) RED (A, E, F, G), GOLD15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27) GOLD (A, C, E, F, G) BLUE (D, E) BLUE (A, F, G), RED16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31) RED (A, B, E, F, G) GOLD (E, F, G) GOLD (A, C), BLUE17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34) BLUE (A, D, E, F, G) RED (B, E, F, G) RED (A), GOLD18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32) GOLD (A, C, E, F, G) BLUE (D, F, G) BLUE (A, E), RED19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19) RED (A, B, G) RED (E, F) BLUE, GOLD20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8) GOLD (C, E) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, G), BLUE, RED21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9) BLUE (D, E) BLUE (G) BLUE (A, F), RED, GOLD22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8) RED (E) RED (A) RED (B, G, F), GOLD, BLUE

23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7) GOLD (G) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, E, F), BLUE, RED24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4) BLUE (A) BLUE (G) BLUE (D, E, F), RED, GOLD25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2) RED (B) RED (G) RED (A, E, F), GOLD, BLUE

26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2) GOLD (F) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, E, G), BLUE, RED

Pros

• By Pay Period• Able to plan months ahead• Ensures availability• Ensures each office contributing• Flexible• Similar to rotation at NIFC for their

incident management teams

FAQ

• “Why run this all year, why not just during the busy fire season?”– By using the rotation plan all year, it

promotes comfort in using the system. In addition, while incidents during the winter holidays are rare, they do occur and this ensures that there will be an IMET available during the holiday season should an incident happen. It will not be the same office/IMET every year.

FAQ

• What about leave (IMET)?– The IMET program is voluntary and as

such part of volunteering is that one volunteers to commit to supporting the mission, especially during peak fire season. Right now that expectation is 365 days a year. With this new plan, there is actually many more windows of opportunity to take leave while still ensuring the mission is supported.

FAQ

• What about leave (staff)?– As much leave should be granted that

ensures the employees’ right to leave while still supporting the mission of the NWS. This pertains to fire as well, and we have a mission to support fire. We have a responsibility to staff in a way that we ensure that availability. Currently we ask office to ensure this 365 days a year, which is unrealistic. This plan allows windows of opportunity while still supporting the NWS mission.

FAQ

• “What if my office is short staffed? What about midnight shifts?”– Currently we ask IMETs to be available

any time. Under the new plan, midnight shifts could be planned around times when the IMET is scheduled to be on rotation. If the office is short staffed due to vacancies, they can work with the NFWOC in Boise to find a replacement from the “Bullpen”.

FAQ

• How do you want me to schedule shifts and leave around this plan?– Just as you would for any other “season” that

you must plan for (Severe, flooding, tropical, etc.) Given that it is peak summer leave season, you should grant as much leave as you can while still ensuring that if your office is called upon for an IMET, you can fulfill the mission. Shifts should be planned so that the IMET is easily taken out of rotation and backed up with minimal disruption to the remaining staff.• Keep in mind, the OT at the office is paid by the fire

agencies, so this allows a bit more leeway in covering shifts (especially for those willing to work voluntary OT and/or Double Shifts).

OLD/REPLACED SLIDES

GroupsRed Group Gold Group Blue GroupStrike Team Alpha Strike Team Alpha Strike Team Alpha

BOI* BOI* BOI*MSO* MSO* MSO*PDT* PDT* PDT*PQR* PQR* PQR*SEW* SEW* SEW*

Strike Team Bravo Strike Team Bravo Strike Team BravoHNX**BYZ**EKA**FGZ**

Strike Team Charlie Strike Team Charlie Strike Team CharlieSGX**MFR**OTX**REV**

Strike Team Delta Strike Team Delta Strike Team DeltaBOU**SLC**STO**TFX**ABQ**

Strike Team Echo Strike Team Echo Strike Team EchoLBF GJT PUB

MTR LOX GGWBIS PIH LKNVEF RIW CYSAFC

Strike Team Fox Strike Team Fox Strike Team FoxCLE ILN ILMPSR TWC AJKEPZ MAF DLH

MQT BTV BGMAFG

Strike Team Gulf Strike Team Gulf Strike Team GulfFWD HGX LZKJAN PAH JKLRNK MHX CHSJAX MLB TBWMFL HFO

23 23 22

Rotation2015 Pay Period (dates) (10

year average/Max ever out 88-13)

Active Group Reserve Group Inactive Group

1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3) RED GOLD BLUE2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3) GOLD BLUE RED3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3) BLUE RED GOLD4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4) RED GOLD BLUE5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3) GOLD BLUE RED6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3) BLUE RED GOLD7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4) RED GOLD BLUE8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8) GOLD BLUE RED

9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12) BLUE RED GOLD10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14) RED GOLD BLUE11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11) GOLD BLUE RED12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22) BLUE RED GOLD13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28) RED GOLD BLUE

14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23) GOLD BLUE RED15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27) BLUE RED GOLD16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31) RED GOLD BLUE17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34) GOLD BLUE RED18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32) BLUE RED GOLD19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19) RED GOLD BLUE20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8) GOLD BLUE RED21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9) BLUE RED GOLD22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8) RED GOLD BLUE

23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7) GOLD BLUE RED24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4) BLUE RED GOLD25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2) RED GOLD BLUE

26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2) GOLD BLUE RED

OperationalRotation

2015 Pay Period (dates) (10 year average/Max ever out 88-

13)

Active Group Reserve Group Inactive Group

1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3) RED (G) RED (F) RED (A,B,E), GOLD, BLUE2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3) GOLD (F) GOLD (G) GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE, RED3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3) BLUE (G) BLUE (F) BLUE (A, D, E), RED, GOLD4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4) RED (F) RED (G) RED (A, B, E), GOLD, BLUE5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3) GOLD (G) GOLD (E) GOLD (A, C, F), BLUE, RED6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3) BLUE (F) BLUE (E) BLUE (A, D, G), RED, GOLD7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4) RED (E) RED (B) RED (A, F, G), GOLD, BLUE8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8) GOLD (F) GOLD (A) GOLD (C, E, G), BLUE, RED

9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12) BLUE (E, F) BLUE (D) BLUE (A, G), RED, GOLD10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14) RED (B, G) RED (A, F) RED (E), GOLD, BLUE11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11) GOLD (C, E) GOLD (F) GOLD (A,G), BLUE, RED12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22) BLUE (A, F, G) BLUE (D, E), RED (E) RED (A, B, F, G), GOLD13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28) RED (A, B, E, F, G) GOLD (F, G) GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE

14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23) GOLD (A, C, E, F, G) BLUE (E) BLUE (A, D, F, G), RED15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27) BLUE (A, D, E, F, G) RED (B, E) RED (A, F, G), GOLD16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31) RED (A, B, E, F, G) GOLD (E, F, G) GOLD (A, C), BLUE17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34) GOLD (A, C, E, F, G) BLUE (D, E, F, G) BLUE (A), RED18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32) BLUE (A, D, E, F, G) RED (B, F, G) RED (A), GOLD19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19) RED (A, B, G) RED (E, F) GOLD, BLUE20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8) GOLD (C, E) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, G), BLUE, RED21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9) BLUE (D, G) BLUE (E) BLUE (A, F), RED, GOLD22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8) RED (E) RED (A) RED (B, G, F), GOLD, BLUE

23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7) GOLD (G) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, E, F), BLUE, RED24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4) BLUE (A) BLUE (G) BLUE (D, E, F), RED, GOLD25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2) RED (B) RED (G) RED (A, E, F), GOLD, BLUE

26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2) GOLD (F) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, E, G), BLUE, RED

OperationalRotation (Reverse)

2015 Pay Period (dates) (10 year average/Max ever out 88-

13)

Active Group Reserve Group Inactive Group

1 (1/11 – 1/24) (1/3) RED (G) RED (F) RED (A,B,E), GOLD, BLUE2 (1/25 – 2/7) (1/3) BLUE (G) BLUE (F) BLUE (A, D, E), RED, GOLD3 (2/8 – 2/21) (1/3) GOLD (G) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE, RED4 (2/22 – 3/7) (1/4) RED (F) RED (G) RED (A, B, E), GOLD, BLUE5 (3/8 – 3/21) (1/3) BLUE (F) BLUE (G) BLUE (A, D, E), RED, GOLD6 (3/22 – 4/4) (1/3) GOLD (F) GOLD (G) GOLD (A, C, E), BLUE, RED7 (4/5 – 4/18) (1/4) RED (E) RED (B) RED (A, F, G), GOLD, BLUE8 (4/19 – 5/2) (2/8) BLUE (G) BLUE (A) BLUE (D, E, F), RED, GOLD

9 (5/3 – 5/16) (3/12) GOLD (E, G) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, C), BLUE, RED10 (5/17 – 5/30) (4/14) RED (B, F) RED (A, G) RED (E), GOLD, BLUE11 (5/31 – 6/13) (5/11) BLUE (D, E) BLUE (A) BLUE (F, G), RED, GOLD12 (6/14 – 6/27) (8/22) GOLD (C, E, F) GOLD (A, G), BLUE (F) BLUE (A, D, E, G), RED13 (6/28 – 7/11) (9/28) RED (A, B, E, F, G) GOLD (E, G) GOLD (A, C, F), BLUE

14 (7/12 – 7/25) (10/23) BLUE (A, D, E, F, G) RED (B) RED (A, E, F, G), GOLD15 (7/26 – 8/8) (11/27) GOLD (A, C, E, F, G) BLUE (D, E) BLUE (A, F, G), RED16 (8/9 – 8/22) (14/31) RED (A, B, E, F, G) GOLD (E, F, G) GOLD (A, C), BLUE17 (8/23 – 9/5) (14/34) BLUE (A, D, E, F, G) RED (B, E, F, G) RED (A), GOLD18 (9/6 – 9/19) (11/32) GOLD (A, C, E, F, G) BLUE (D, F, G) BLUE (A, E), RED19 (9/20 – 10/3) (7/19) RED (A, B, G) RED (E, F) BLUE, GOLD20 (10/4 – 10/17) (3/8) GOLD (C, E) GOLD (F) GOLD (A, G), BLUE, RED21 (10/18 – 10/31) (2,9) BLUE (D, E) BLUE (G) BLUE (A, F), RED, GOLD22 (11/1 – 11/14) (1,8) RED (E) RED (A) RED (B, G, F), GOLD, BLUE

23 (11/15 – 11/28) (1,7) GOLD (G) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, E, F), BLUE, RED24 (11/29 – 12/12) (1,4) BLUE (A) BLUE (G) BLUE (D, E, F), RED, GOLD25 (12/13 – 12/26) (0,2) RED (B) RED (G) RED (A, E, F), GOLD, BLUE

26 (12/27 – 1/9/2016) (0,2) GOLD (F) GOLD (C) GOLD (A, E, G), BLUE, RED