Australian Deployment Handbook
January 2007
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
General:
-
Australia Statistics and
Facts
-
Who You Will Be Working
With
-
Deployment
Information
o
Passports
o
Visas
o
Airline
Tickets
o
Country Clearance from the
State Department
o
Travel
Authorizations
§
DOI
§
USDA
Other Administrative
Information:
-
Pre-Deployment
Requirements
-
Subsistence/ Per Diem / Card
Rate
-
Flying in
Uninspected/Uncarded Aircraft
-
Coding Your
Time
-
Work/Rest
Guidelines
-
Communicating
Home
-
Personal Cell
Phones
-
Radios
-
Laptops
-
Medical
Support
Personal Preparation
Checklist:
-
Personal
Items
-
Optional
Items
-
Personal Health Items and
Medical Tips
Liaison Staff and
Functions:
-
Chief
Liaison
-
Coordination
Liaison
-
Regional
Liaison
-
Field
Liaison
Appendices:
-
I. Standards of
Conduct
-
II. Expectations for Australian Fire
Support 2007
-
III. Talking Points
-
IV. Glossary of Terms
-
V. Wildfire
Arrangement
-
VI. Operating Plan
Australia Statistics &
Facts
Australia comprises a land
area of about 7,692,030 square kilometres. A land mass that is almost as great
as that of the United States of America (8,035,928 square kilometres, excluding
Alaska), about 50% greater than Europe (excluding the former USSR) and 32 times
greater than the United Kingdom.
Australia is divided into
six states (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and
Western Australia) and two territories (Northern Territory and the Australian
Capital Territory). The capital of Australia is Canberra, which is located in
the Australian Capital Territory.
Population
Australia's
population today is just over 20.3 million people. The country's vast openness
means it has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per
square kilometre.
The Australian Bureau of
Statistics produces population estimates for the Australian Government and
people. On 5 July 2006, they estimated that the resident population of Australia
is projected to be: 20,574,072.
This projection is based on the estimated resident
population at 31 December 2005, and assumes growth since then
of:
·
one birth every 2 minutes
·
one death every 3 minutes
and 56 seconds
·
a net gain of one
international migrant every 4 minutes and 47 seconds leading to
an overall total
population increase of one person every 2 minutes and 12 seconds
Demographic population
profiles are available on the Bureau of Statistics website at http://www.abs.gov.au/
Government
There are
three levels of Government in Australia: Federal, State and Local. The six
Australian colonies federated in 1901 to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
Both the State and
Commonwealth systems of government derive from the British Westminster system,
although many features of the Commonwealth Constitution (including the federal
structure) are based on the United States Constitution.
Under the Australian
Constitution, the legislative power of the Commonwealth of Australia is vested
in the Parliament of the Commonwealth, which consists of the Queen, the Senate
and the House of Representatives.
In the Commonwealth
Parliament the Upper House is known as the Senate and the Lower House as the
House of Representatives. The Senate is comprised of twelve members from each
State and two members from each of the Territories. The members of the House of
Representatives represent electorates, each based on a population size of
approximately 80,000 voters. Currently, the House of Representatives contain 150
members, the Senate 76.
General Information About
Australia:
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/as.html
General Information on the
State of Victoria:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)
Who will you working for in
Australia?
This fire assignment will be
to the State of Victoria, Australia. You will fly from the U.S. to Melbourne,
the capital of Victoria. You will be working for the Department of
Sustainability and Environment (DSE), which is the main state land management
agency. Here is the main website
for current firefighting activities involving DSE:
The State of Victoria has a
single volunteer fire fighting organization, the Country Fire Authority
(CFA). You will also be working
with CFA firefighters. This is their website:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
Other fire fighters from
other Australian states may also be on the fireline. In 2003, U.S. firefighters worked with
several states and New Zealand firefighters.
What Support/Information you
will receive from DSE:
When you arrive in Australia
you will be given an extensive orientation on fuels, weather, and
topography. You will also receive
briefings on the various State and volunteer organizations involved in the
firefighting efforts.
The State of Victoria uses
an Incident Command System very similar to the U.S. system. You will be provided
with information on the similarities and differences.
Deployment
Information
All fire fighters no matter
what department or agency must obtain and secure the following
items:
Passports:
PASSPORTS ARE REQUIRED FOR
TRAVEL. All firefighters MUST have a current Official or personal passport that
will NOT expire while they are in travel status to Australia (30 day assignment
plus travel).
Forest Service: Foreign
Travel Proposal. 6500-1 Each
employee traveling to Australia MUST fill out this form and send it to Sandy
Farber with a cc to Terry Edgell at Lotus Notes: Sandy Farber/WO/USDAFS, Terri
Edgell/NONFS/USDAFS. The electronic
version of the 6500-1 can be accessed at:
http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/im/forms/fs_forms/index.htm
DOI - Foreign Travel
Certification Form DI-1175:
This is a Departmental form
which must be completed and submitted to the DOI employee’s International Office which, after
gaining agency approval, submits the 1175 to the Department for approval. The signing of this form by the
Department gives the employee approval to travel internationally on official DOI
business. Employees should carry a
copy of the DI-1175 as part of their official travel orders. Copies of the DI-1175 must also be
submitted with travel vouchers for reimbursement. NO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SHOULD BEGIN
UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE HAS A SIGNED COPY OF THE 1175!
Visas:
Airline
Tickets:
All agency employees
traveling to Australia on a resource order will purchase a fully refundable,
roundtrip airfare to Melbourne, Australia.
Your return date should be booked for 33 days from your departure
date.
The international portion of
the flight must be on a U.S. flagged carrier airlines (United, Delta,
Continental, etc.,). A codeshare
flight is allowed if the ticket is issued by a U.S. flag carrier. Both Carlson and FedTraveler are aware
of this requirement.
Country Clearance from the
State Department:
Obtaining “Country
Clearance” is different than obtaining a Visa. Country Clearance is the permission
given by the U.S. Ambassador to Australia to enter Australia as an official of
the U.S. Government. Ambassadors
have the authority and responsibility to coordinate all official U.S. activities
in their assigned country. The
Country Clearance request explains why the individual is requesting to come into
the country, whom he or she will meet and work with, and specify how long the
individual will be in the country.
NIFC/NICC will coordinate
with the DOI and Forest Service International Offices to obtain Country
Clearance.
The following information is
needed when a Country Clearance request is submitted:
Transportation information, including date of both arrival and departure (estimated);
Point of contact in Australia name, address, and phone number;
Locations where individuals will be staying including address and phone number.
Travel
Authorization:
DOI employees: Each person
needs a separate Travel Authorization which is to be completed at the home unit
for the trip to Australia. Do not
use the annual blanket Travel Authorization. Obtaining the Travel Authorization is
the employee’s responsibility.
USDA employees: All employees will complete a 6500-2 and submit to the ASC. A spreadsheet will be completed at NIFC for all Forest Service employees who will be traveling to Australia. This spreadsheet will begin the process for issuing a travel authorization and insuring your government credit card is activated for international use; however, you will need to submit the 6500-2 form as well.
This ASC website provides instructions for the FS-6500-2 and its routing:
Other Administrative
Information
Pre-Deployment
requirements:
1.
Review and accept (by
signature) the “United States Fire
Personnel Standards of Conduct for International Deployment”. See Appendix
I. This signed document must be
faxed to NICC prior to departure.
Fax to: (208) 387-5414.
Bring the original document with you on the deployment. These documents will become part of the
final documentation package for this deployment.
2.
Before accepting this
assignment, review the “Expectations for
Australian Fire Support 2007” document to ensure your understanding of the
assignment and willingness to accept.
See Appendix II.
Subsistence/Per Diem/Camp
Rate:
DSE will provide you with
lodging and most meals. If for some reason meals are not provided, you can
voucher for those days when you incur expenses for meals. Otherwise you will receive the normal
camp rate of $3 per day. For
overseas per diem rates please see:
http://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/78350.htm
Flying in
Uninspected/Uncarded Aircraft:
Firefighters may find it necessary to fly in Australian aircraft in unpredictable situations. It should be noted that the State of Victoria has a very professional and safe aviation management operation. However, flights fall outside the normal aviation management regulations. Both Department of Interior and Agriculture employees are allowed to fly in foreign aircraft.
DOI Departmental Manual 350
1.2 states that: “The DM350-354
series does not apply international DOI operations. However, DOI employees
should attempt to follow DOI aviation policies to the extent practical. In all cases, DOI employees are expected
to use good judgment and common sense.”
USDA employees should have a
statement attached to their Travel Authorization from the Washington Office or
their Regional Aviation Officer approving flying in Australian aircraft that are
uncarded and uninspected.
Coding your
time:
Code your time to the fire
code identified on your resource order just like any other fire assignment.
Work/Rest
Guidelines:
Work/rest guidelines have
been established by the State of Victoria, seven days on followed by two days of
R&R. Daily hours should be
managed just like on a U.S. fire.
The total deployment will be approximately thirty-three days, including
travel, training, and debriefing.
NOTE: Access to phone service and email will be
quite limited. Do not expect to
have daily access to communication services. Please make family members aware of
this.
DO NOT BRING YOUR GOVERNMENT
CELL PHONE. It probably won’t work
anyway and if it does it is very expensive to use. Obtain/use your Government issued
calling call to call home. Also,
you must activate the card for international access. The same rules apply for calling home
from Australia as they do on any fire assignment. If you cannot obtain a Government issued
calling card or do not/cannot get international access on your Government issued
calling card, purchase a commercial calling card with international
capability. Recoup the cost of the
calling card when you fill out your travel voucher.
If applicable, the traveler
can set up a user account with a no or low-cost subscriber prior to departing
the states. Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail
or AOL can offer free or low-cost solutions. However, access to those accounts from
Australia might only be accessible during R & R days.
Personal Cell
Phones:
If you want to bring your
personal cell phone, do so at your own risk. And remember it won’t work in Australia
unless it has a SIM card for the Australia system. Do not expect reimbursement for call
made from a personal cell phone.
Another option is to rent a phone at the airport upon arrival in
Australia.
Radios:
DO NOT TAKE ANY GOVERNMENT
RADIOS. If you need communications
equipment, it will be issued to you in Australia.
Laptops:
DO NOT BRING LAPTOPS. If you need computer support for your
position, Australia will provide it to you
Medical
Support:
Just like on a U.S. fire
assignment, DSE as the hosting agency, will be responsible for insuring any
immediate medical attention needs and support.
Personal Preparation
Checklist:
The following is a checklist
that each employee who is about to begin an international assignment should
review to insure that the needs/requirements have been identified and
addressed. Employees should be as
individually mobile as possible.
Limit your personal belongings to what you can carry. You will not be
able to haul around roller suitcases.
Pack light and be prepared to carry your gear. A target weight of 65 pounds is
recommended.
Personal Items:
[ ] Valid
passport (Make two copies of picture page, leave one at home, take the second
and put it in a place separate from your passport).
[ ] Two
extra passport photos.
[ ]
Government issued credit card.
NOTE: Government credit cards should work in Australian ATMs. Check with whomever handles your credit
cards to ensure you have international access. If you decide you will get money using a
personal credit card, check with your bank to see if there are extra charges for
using it.
[ ]
Personal health items (see below).
[ ]
Depending on your Government issued credit card, you may also want an
adequate amount of U.S. currency/traveler's checks for length of
assignment.
[ ]
Steel capped boots are a State of Victoria Health and Safety
requirement. The US request for
waiver has been denied. This
safety requirement is not negotiable. DSE will provide these boots upon arrival
in Melbourne.
[ ] Nomex
pants and shirts, hardhat, gloves, line gear ….your normal stuff
[ ]
Sleeping accommodations will be provided throughout deployment and at
incidents. You will not need to
bring a tent or sleeping bag.
[ ]
Fire shelters. If you will
be on a fireline assignment, you must bring a fire shelter with you and carry a
fire shelter on the fireline at all times.
Australia does not stock or require fire shelters, but it is still a
requirement for US firefighters.
[ ]
Casual clothes for weather equivalent to Southern California in the
summer.
[ ]
Toilet articles.
[ ]
Flashlight with spare batteries.
[ ] Alarm
clock.
[ ]
Pocket knife……in checked baggage!
[ ]
Ear plugs.
[ ]
Moleskin.
Optional Items: (Brought at
your own risk)
[ ]
Camera with batteries.
[ ]
Pocket size binoculars.
[ ]
Electrical adapters for appliances (AUS to US).
[ ]
Pocket calculator.
[ ]
Swapping items (pins, patches, buttons, pencils, stickers,
etc.)
Personal Health Items and
Medical Tips:
[ ]
Prescription medicine for expected length of stay, plus an extra 10 days
supply.
[ ]
Medication for colds, allergies, diarrhea, athlete's foot, menstrual
cramps, hemorrhoids, constipation, and headaches.
[ ] Sun
screen (15 or higher).
[ ]
Insect repellent.
[ ]
Antiseptic ointment.
[ ] Lip
salve.
[ ]
Vitamins.
[ ] Small
scissors.
[ ]
Tweezers.
[ ]
Soap/handiwipes.
[ ]
Tobacco products. Cigarettes are
sold in Australia, however, chewing tobacco is not.
Liaison Staff and
Functions
Chief
Liaison:
The Chief Liaison is the
lead representative for the U.S. contingent deployed to the State of Victoria in
support of the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) fire
suppression efforts. He/she reports
to the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) at the National
Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). He/she is located at the DSE Emergency
Coordination Center (ECC), International/Interstate Liaison Unit (ILU) in
Melbourne. He/she is responsible
for the following:
-
Providing coordination,
support, and overall leadership and direction for all U.S.
firefighters
-
Maintaining contact and
coordination with NIFC-NICC
-
Providing situation reports
to NIFC-NICC as required
-
Maintaining contact and
coordination with the U.S. Consulate in Melbourne and the U.S. Embassy in
Canberra
-
Providing primary contact
with DSE
-
Works with DSE in accordance
with the 2002 Wildfire Arrangement and the Arrangement’s Annual Operating
Plan
-
Ensuring that all U.S.
firefighters are properly oriented, trained, and equipped
-
Ensuring that all U.S.
firefighters receive assignments for which they have the required training,
qualifications, and certification
-
Identifying ways in which
U.S. capabilities can be maximized to meet DSE
requirements
-
Coordinating activities with
ECC-ILU staff
-
Ensuring that all deployed
U.S. firefighters adhere to the Code of Conduct
Coordination
Liaison:
The Coordination Liaison is
responsible for assisting the Chief Liaison with issues related to reporting,
tracking, and coordination of U.S. firefighting efforts. He/she is located at
the DSE Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), International/Interstate Liaison
Unit (ILU) in Melbourne. Reports to the Chief Liaison. He/she is responsible for
the following:
-
Gathering information on
issues related to the U.S. deployment
-
Preparing situation reports
and sending them to NICC
-
Coordinating with NICC staff
on issues related to the deployment/demobilization of U.S.
firefighters
-
Using the Resource Ordering
and Statusing System (ROSS) for deployment/demobilization
-
Establishing a tracking
system at the DSE-ECC-ILC
-
Coordinating activities with
appropriate ECC-ILU staff
Regional
Liaison:
The Regional Liaison
provides the primary communications between the Chief Liaison and the field
deployed U.S. firefighters. The Regional Liaison is stationed at the DSE
regional headquarters within which U.S. firefighters are assigned. He/she reports to the Chief
Liaison. He/she is responsible for
the following:
-
Monitoring the work location
and activities of U.S. firefighters
-
Monitoring that all U.S.
firefighters are carrying out assignments for which they have the required
training, qualifications, and certification
-
Monitoring health and
well-being of U.S. firefighters
-
Providing situation reports
to Chief Liaison in Melbourne
-
Receiving and consolidating
information from Field Liaison
-
Preparing and forwarding
situation reports to the Chief Liaison
-
Identifying ways at the
regional level in which U.S. capabilities can be maximized to meet DSE
requirements
Field
Liaison:
The Field Liaison is the
main communications link between field deployed U.S. firefighters and the
Regional Liaison. This link will be
carried out by traveling around the region to incidents where U.S. firefighters
are engaged in fire suppression efforts.
He/she reports to the Regional Liaison. He/she is responsible for the following
issues related to U.S. firefighters:
-
Traveling to work locations
in the field
-
Tracking and updating the
work locations
-
Reporting to the Regional
Liaison on location/activities/assignments
-
Coordinating the
timing/location/transport requirements for R&R
-
Reporting any
injuries/accidents or non-standard issues
-
Assists with the
coordination at the field level for injuries/accidents/emergency
releases
-
Monitoring the adherence to
the Code of Conduct in the field
I
The National Multi-Agency Coordination (NMAC) Group “Standards of Conduct” have been prepared for United States fire personnel who may be deployed internationally...
These Standards establish the obligations of all fire personnel in
relation to this assignment in support of fire suppression efforts for the State
of Victoria, Australia. Fire
personnel will be directly supporting the State of Victoria’s Department of
Sustainability and Environment (DSE) which has fire management responsibilities
on all state lands within Victoria.
The purpose of the Standards is to assist those fire personnel deployed to know and understand their obligations and the behavior expected of them.
Six major principles underpin the Standards of Conduct. Fire personnel are expected to:
(a) Act in accordance with their existing employment arrangements and disciplines;
(b) Act with a spirit of service to DSE, and concern for the interest of the communities they work with;
(c) Act with respect for the safety, health, religions, customs and rights of themselves, their colleagues, DSE and the communities they work with;
(d)
Maintain proper standards of
personal integrity and conduct appropriate to the “best accepted practices”
applicable in the area of deployment;
(e)
Perform their duties as
ambassadors of the United States of America efficiently and effectively, and
with utmost professionalism.
(f)
Participate as a team player for
the benefit of the deployment as a whole.
a)
Personnel who are members of
this international deployment must accept these Standards of Conduct as part of
the selection process. They will be
required to sign the last page of this document to confirm acceptance of the
Standards.
b) A Chief Liaison Officer will be designated for this deployment. He/she will be in charge of all. He/she will provide coordination, support, and overall leadership and direction for all U.S. personnel deployed on this assignment. He/she will be located at DSE’s Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) in Melbourne and work directly with DSE fire managers. He/she works directly for the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) Manager or her designee.
c)
Once in Victoria, all personnel
will be required to attend DSE’s orientation before being deployed to a fire
incident. Personnel assigned to
specialist roles may be required to participate in a further period of training
prior to being deployed. Copies of
relevant documents will be provided.
d) Personnel will be required to carry out their assignment in an efficient and competent manner. Personnel will not seek assignments for which they are not deemed competent. They are to avoid behavior that might impair their fitness for duty.
e) Personnel will be required to follow established shifts as identified in the Incident Action Plan. DSE work/rest guidelines will be followed. DSE guidelines meet or exceed those of the U.S. Rest and recreation (R&R) breaks will be organized and managed through the US Chief Liaison. The Chief Liaison will be supported by Regional and Field Liaisons and a Coordination Liaison.
f)
In addition to direct and
indirect attack fire fighting tasks work could involve mop up, patrol or
rehabilitation. Personnel will be
required to carry out the work as tasked until the position is declared surplus
to requirements and in all cases will accept allocated assignments. NOTE: Day to
day duties may involve being assigned to a field station in preparation for
initial attack.
g) Personnel will be required to be familiar with DSE’s incident management system, fireline terminology and work standards. Relevant reference material will be provided by DSE and the Chief Liaison.
h)
US Team Leaders/Liaisons will be
appointed prior to an international deployment to work with DSE. The roll of these positions will be
clearly defined and communicated to all personnel prior to deployment. Any issues or disputes that cannot be
dealt with by DSE management team must be directed through the Chief
Liaison. Personnel may not deal
directly through their employers in their home country.
i)
Personnel will be required to
attend briefings, including safety, prior to going on shift.
(a) Personnel are expected to maintain appropriate standards of personal behavior while at the workplace, incident camp, or accommodation sites.
(b) Personnel are expected to ensure that their personal behavior outside the workplace and while in transit, on Rest & Recreation does not affect their fitness for duty, or reflect discredit on United States of America.
(c)
Behavior which is considered
unacceptable includes:
(i) Use of illegal drugs while on this deployment.
(ii) Consumption of alcoholic beverage that renders the employee not fit for duty.
(iii) Discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, retaliation (participation and/or opposition), sexual orientation, political beliefs and marital and/or family status.
(iv) Falsifying records and/or giving false information.
(v) Driving while under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or illegal drugs.
(vi) Making statements or gestures to any colleagues that are derogatory, insulting or otherwise abusive. Making inappropriate comments to the media, governing bodies, co-workers or public.
(vii) Refusal or failure to follow reasonable instructions from DSE overhead personnel.
(viii) Unauthorized use or misuse of DSE vehicles.
(ix) Failure to follow the “chain of command” and abide by “reasonable” instructions.
(x) Raucous, aggressive, or destructive behavior.
(a) Personnel will not discuss fireline issues unless they are authorised to do so by the incident commander.
(b) Personnel will not discuss deployment issues with, or provide information to, the media without prior approval of a U.S. Liaison Officer.
The process for managing misconduct will be as follows:
The US Chief
Liaison Officer in coordination and consultation with Regional and Field
Liaisons and DSE fire managers will determine if the information concerning any
misconduct is sufficient to result in the demobilization of any personnel. If an
individual is released for misconduct, every effort will be made to charge the
resulting demobilization travel costs to the individual’s home unit. Any further
action will be at the discretion of the individual’s home unit.
I have read, understand and agree with the Standards of Conduct.
I agree to abide by the Standards throughout this international assignment.
Signed: ________________________________________________
Name:__________________________________________________
Date:___________________________________________________
Employer:_______________________________________________
Street Address:___________________________________________
City:____________________________________________________
APPENDIX
II
Expectations for Australian
Fire Support 2007
Please read this before
accepting an assignment for fire support to Victoria, Australia to insure your
expectations for the assignment are realistic.
The current situation on
January 11, 2007 is over 1 million hectares of forest land, (approximately 2.5
million acres) in the state of Victoria, Australia has burned in 2006-2007 fire
season. The “normal” height of the fire season doesn’t begin until about now and
lasts until March. Hot dry
conditions are expected over the next week and additional lightning storms are
in the forecast. The ongoing large
fires are largely contained at this time with a few areas of the perimeter with
potential to “breakaway” under extremes of temperature and wind.
By the time US firefighting
support arrives in Melbourne the large ongoing fires are likely to be contained
or controlled. US resources may be
placed at various outposts to assist with initial attack of new fires or
otherwise be used in a “severity type” role to bolster the local resources. US personnel should be prepared for the
following possibilities:
·
There is no guarantee that
there will be hotline or active fire assignments for the US firefighters
deployed to Australia.
·
US firefighters are not
guaranteed more than 8-hours/duty day.
Actual hours worked is the rule.
·
All fireline personnel are
required to wear steel capped boots in Victoria. Boots will be issued upon arrival at
Melbourne during the orientation.
This is a legal requirement and is non-negotiable.
·
Smokeless tobacco is NOT
available in Australia. Individuals
who use smokeless tobacco products will need to bring sufficient quantities for
the entire length of the deployment.
Customs rules may limit the quantity of tobacco products brought into the
country.
·
All US personnel will be
required to agree to and sign the Code of Conduct for Deployment to Australia,
which specifies expectations in greater detail.
APPENDIX
III
Talking
Points
·
Victoria, Australia is
engaged in a very severe fire season due to ongoing multi-year drought. Fire activity has been earlier and
higher than normal so far this season. Victoria is receiving assistance from
other Australian States, New Zealand and Canada. Their continued need for assistance has
caused them to request U.S. support.
·
Wildland fire suppression
efforts in Victoria are being directed by two agencies; the Department of
Sustainability and Environment (DSE); and the Country Fire Authority (CFA). DSE is a State of Victoria agency with
responsibility for wildland fire management on approximately 20 million
acres. CFA with over 1200 fire
brigades statewide is responsible for fires (wildland and structure) on all
private lands in Victoria other than metropolitan Melbourne.
·
U.S. support is being
coordinated through the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) at the
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho. NIFC is the U.S. center for wildland
fire suppression providing coordination and support to wildland fires on
federal, state, tribal, and local jurisdictions.
·
To date the U.S. has sent 6
wildland fire personnel to Victoria Australia. Two individuals are infrared specialists
assisting with infrared line-scanning operations. They have been assisting Victoria since
the middle of December. The other
four personnel are wildland fire managers who will work with DSE and CFA to
determine potential requirements for additional U.S. support and serve as U.S.
liaisons if U.S. resources are deployed.
·
Potential requests for U.S.
support include high and mid level incident supervisors and specialists. Exact needs will be refined over the
next 5-7 days and will be dependent on incident resource requirements as well as
on current and predicted weather.
·
The relationship with
Victoria is based on the 2002 Wildfire Arrangement between the U.S. Departments
of Agriculture and Interior and DSE.
The general procedures for implementing the Wildfire Arrangement are
spelled out in the Annual Operating Plan.
·
This is the second time
under the Wildfire Arrangement that U.S.firefighters have been requested by
Victoria. Thirty-six U.S.
firefighters assisted Victoria in 2003.
·
Australian and New Zealand
fire fighters have assisted U.S. wildland fire fighting efforts in 2000, 2002,
2003, and 2006. In 2006 almost 120
Australian and New Zealand fire fighters came to the U.S. to help in fire
suppression efforts.
·
If requested, U.S. fire
personnel will assist Victorian wildland fire incident commanders by providing
skilled specialists in critical areas where resource needs have surfaced during
the course of a lengthy and active Victorian fire season.
·
Australian and U.S. wildland
fire fighters share a common system for managing wildland fires called the
Incident Command System (ICS) along with similar training regimens and physical
fitness requirements. Localized
differences and terminology are being reviewed to insure U.S. firefighters will
be up to speed on those differences.
·
Once in Victoria, U.S.
firefighters will receive an orientation.
Topics will include a briefing on fire behavior in Australian fuel types;
fire weather patterns; regulations specific to Victorian firefighting; fireline
safety; and more.
·
Firefighters in Victoria
encounter some of the most dangerous wildfires in the world. They are highly skilled in meeting many
of the same challenges U.S. firefighters face, including wildland fires in urban
interface areas, fighting fire under difficult terrain and weather conditions,
and integrating aerial and ground resources on fires. U.S. firefighters should fit well into
the Victorian system.
·
U.S. firefighters are
looking forward to the opportunity to reciprocate the assistance they received
from Australia 4 out of the last seven years.
·
U.S. firefighters will be
prepared to assist Victoria for approximately 30 days.
APPENDIX
IV
Glossary of Terms used in Australia
4WD
Operator
Person
who can drive a 4WD vehicle.
.
Accredited
Fire
Skill
A
recognised fire skill that an individual has received accreditation to
perform.
Accreditor
An
individual authorised by a relevant organisation to issue
accreditation.
Advance
Burn
A
prescribed fire that reduces fuel through a forest area before felling
operations. It is intended to improve the safety of timber harvesting operations
and as a silvicultural tool to protect lignotubers and standing
trees.
Aerial
Suppressant
Mixing
and
Loading
Crew
Crew
member who is responsible for the storage and handling of aerial suppressants,
the preparation, operation and maintenance of specific aerial suppressant
mixing/delivery equipment and the loading of aerial suppressants into
firebombing aircraft.
Air
Base Manager
Person
responsible for the management of an airfield or helicopter
base.
Air
Operations
Manager
Person
responsible for overall coordination of air and air support activities and for
ensuring that air operations properly service the fire suppression
strategy.
Aircraft
Officer
Person
responsible for providing the operational and logistic support necessary for a
safe, effective and efficient aircraft operation.
Aircraft
Refuelling
Crew
-
Hot
Crew
members responsible for the storage and handling of aviation turbine fuels, the
preparation, operation and maintenance of specific Departmental aircraft
refuelling equipment and the loading of aviation turbine fuel into
helicopters.
Anabatic
Winds Winds
that occur when the surface of the earth heats during the day by solar
radiation, which leads to the heating of air in contact with the soil. This warm
air has a tendency to rise and continues to warm as it moves over further hot
ground.
Anti-cyclone
(High)
An
area of relatively high atmospheric
pressure. In the southern hemisphere, pressure gradients and the earth’s
rotation will cause air to move in an anti-clockwise direction around the
anti-cyclone.
Appliance
A
firefighting vehicle, usually equipped with a pump and water
supply.
Area
Fire
Coordinator
Person
responsible for coordinating all preparedness and suppression response
activities in an Area. (Applies only to the West area of Victoria and part of
the Port Phillip Region). See also Regional Fire
Coordinator.
Area
Management
Plan
Management
plan prepared by the Department or Parks Victoria for specific areas such as
national parks, state parks, state forests, regional parks and other areas of
public land.
Assembly
Area
A
designated location used for the assembly of emergency affected persons. The
area may also incorporate provision for community welfare and
recovery.
Assessment
The
process of determining if an individual has the prescribed skills, knowledge and
experience needed to acquire a specific capability.
Assets
and
Values
Recognised
features of land that have community value. Includes buildings, infrastructure
(roads, bridges, etc.), regenerating forests, forest produce (sawlogs, pulpwood,
firewood, honey, etc.) conservation values (vegetation types, flora, fauna
habitat, recreational, cultural, historical, archaeological, landscape, water
quality, soil conditions, etc).
Assign
A
resource is allocated to a specific role within a crew or
team.
Australasian
Fire
Authorities
Council
(AFAC)
The
national body representing urban, rural and land management agencies within
Australia and New Zealand with the responsibility for the protection of life and
property from fire and other emergencies.
Australian
Interservice
Incident
Management
System
(AIIMS)
A
nationally adopted structure to formalise a coordinated approach to emergency
incident management. The major sub-system of AIIMS is the Incident Control
System (ICS).
Automatic
Dispatch
The
act of automatically dispatching resources when a predefined trigger is
activated.
Back
(of fire)
The section of the perimeter opposite to and generally upwind (or
downslope) from the head of the fire.
Backburning
A
fire control action, where a fire is ignited along the inner edge of a fire
control line to consume the fuel in the path of a wildfire, producing a burnt
area to expand the depth of the fire control line. As distinct from Burning
Out.
Battleboard
A
visual tool for the management of the status of resources.
Blacking
Out
The
process of extinguishing or removing burning material along or near the fire
control line, felling stags, trenching logs to prevent rolling, and the like, in
order to make the fire safe. See also Mopping Up.
Branch
Same
as nozzle.
Breakaway
The
points at which a fire, after it has been contained, escapes into unburnt areas
across a fire control line or fire edge.
Breeching
A
device used to divide one hose line into two or collect two hose lines into
one.
Brigade
A
unit of personnel, including officers, crews and sub
brigades.
Broad
Area
Burning
A
prescribed burn conducted over a relatively large area (generally in excess of
40 hectares).
Broad
vegetation
Type
A
broad-scale (1:250 000) grouping of vegetation types according to land systems
and assigned on the basis of existing vegetation and other biophysical
parameters, such as geology, rainfall, elevation and soil
type.
Bulk
Water
Carrier
A
large tanker used for replenishing water to firefighting tankers or other
storage.
Buoy
Wall Tank
See
Floating Collar Tank.
Bushfire
No
longer in use, now called Wildfire.
Campaign
Fire
A
fire of a size and/or complexity that requires substantial firefighting
resources, generally requiring several days or possibly weeks, to
suppress.
Candle
The
ignition or flare-up of a tree or small clump of trees that ignites foliage and
elevated fuels, from the bottom to the top.
Capability
A
skill or attribute of a person which is formally
recognised.
Catering
Officer
Coordinates
food and drink for all personnel at the incident, including menu planning.
Ensures food hygiene and OHS standards are adhered to.
Chaining
The
process of clearing or levelling vegetation (usually mallee or scrub) by
dragging a heavy chain or cable between two large
bulldozers.
Chainsaw
Operator-
Cross
Cut
Person
with industry endorsement who is competent to operate a chainsaw with cross cut
skills only.
Chainsaw
Operator
– Faller
Advanced
Person
with industry endorsement who is competent to perform all reasonable chainsaw
operations required of them.
Chainsaw
Operator
– Faller
Basic
Person
with industry endorsement who is competent to perform basic falling and cross
cut chainsaw operations.
Chainsaw
Operator
– Faller
Intermediate
Person
with industry endorsement who is competent to perform cross cut and have up to
an intermediate level of experience in falling.
Chief
Fire Officer
Responsible
for fire planning, prevention and operations within the Country Area of
Victoria.
Chief
Officer
Responsible
for fire planning, prevention and operations on all private land within
Victoria.
Chimney
A
dead, hollow tree (stag) with fire burning on the inside which may cause flames
and embers to be emitted from the top of the tree, depending on the fire
intensity.
Chopper
Roller
Forest
Mulcher, mechanical fuels treatment machinery.
Clear-felling
A
silvicultural system whereby all merchantable trees, apart from those to be
retained for wildlife habitat, are removed.
Coarse
Fuel
Fuel
of large diameter, such as logs and large branchwood, or of a peaty nature, that
ignite and burn more slowly than fine fuels. By default, therefore, coarse fuels
are dead fuels greater than 6mm thick and live fuels greater than 2mm thick. See
also Fine Fuels.
Commenced
(works
status)
Used
of work that has started, and contractors and/or departmental personnel who have
been deployed.
Communications
Logistics
Officer
Person
responsible for installing and maintaining communications equipment and
providing technical advice on communications systems. Also responsible for
distributing and recovering communications equipment.
Communications
Planning
Officer
Person
responsible for preparing plans for an effective incident
communications
network, including links with other agencies involved in the
incident.
Community
Recovery
Committee
A
committee which may be convened after an emergency to provide a management forum
for the recovery process in respect of an affected area or a specific
community.
Contained
(incident
status)
Indicates
that the spread of the fire is halted even though it may still be burning within
the perimeter or control lines. Such a fire may still require continuous
suppression action (eg. completion of fire control lines) before it is “under
control”.
Containment
Time
Time
taken from the report of a fire to the fire being
contained.
Control
The
overall direction of response activities in an emergency situation. Authority
for control is established in legislation or in an emergency response plan, and
carries with it the responsibility for tasking and coordinating other agencies
in accordance with the needs of the situation. Control relates to situations and
operates horizontally across agencies.
Control
Agency/
Authority
The
agency, service, organisation or authority which, by
legislative
authority,
is responsible for the control of an incident.
Control
Point
The
area used as a location for administration and command by the personnel managing
the control, operations, planning and logistics of a type one incident.
Controlled
See
Under Control.
Conventional
Mode
The
operation of radio terminals in a non-trunked mode, so that they are able to
listen to, receive from and transmit to other radios that are operating on the
same conventional channel. Also referred to as simplex mode.
Country
Area of
Victoria
A
legislative term defined by Section 3 of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958, it
includes all that part of the State outside the Metropolitan Fire District that
is not Fire Protected Area.
Country
Fire
Authority
(CFA)
The
agency responsible for fire prevention and suppression in the Country Area of
Victoria.
Country
Fire
Authority
Fire
Incident
Management
Class
Refers
to a fire incident within CFA jurisdiction and where CFA is the combat agency.
Also applies to a fire within NRE jurisdiction where CFA has been designated as
the combat agency under delegation or agreement.
Coupe
A
defined forest area in which timber harvesting takes
place.
Critical
Incident
A
fire scenario based on a likely major fire situation in a planning area which
would fully utilise local resources (people and other) in meeting NRE’s fire
suppression performance criteria.
Crown
Land
Land
which is, or is deemed to be, unalienated land of the Crown. It
includes:
a)
land of the Crown reserved permanently or temporarily or set aside by or under
an Act;
b)
land of the Crown occupied by a person under a lease, licence or other
right;
c)
land of the Crown managed by a public authority other than NRE or the Secretary;
and
d)
land of the Crown which is, or is part of, a national park or a park within a
meaning of the National Parks Act
1975.
Default
A
pre-determined process that applies when no other plan has been
initiated.
Defensive
Strategy
A
firefighting strategy used where a fire is too intense to be safely or
effectively attacked or extinguished, and the protection of lives and assets is
the priority.
Deliberate
Fire
A
fire resulting from a person placing burning material to cause ignition. The
intent of the person may have been to cause harm or destruction to life or
property (arson – criminal offence) or to modify fuels and/or vegetation for
land management purposes (summary offence). See also
Arson.
Delivery
Hose
Hose
made in various diameters of canvas or synthetic construction and used to
deliver water under pressure. Delivery hose may or may not be internally lined
with rubber or plastic. See also Suction Hose
Sustainability
and
Environment
(DSE)
A
Victorian Government Department responsible for balancing the development and
protection of Victoria’s natural and cultural resource base, including resource
and industry development, land identification, and the protection, conservation
and management’ of Victoria’s natural and cultural
environment.
Deploy
Resources
are allocated to command units within an Incident or within a Support
Unit.
Disband
(crew)
A
crew or team is broken up. The act of disbanding a crew also transfers
management of the individual resources back to the NRE line reporting
organisation, or other specified organisation, unless the individuals are
immediately re-formed into a crew, or are dispatched.
Division
A
portion of the fire perimeter, comprising two or more sectors. The number of
sectors grouped in a Division should be such as to ensure effective direction
and control of operations. Divisions are generally identified by a local
geographic name.
Division
Commander
Person
responsible for implementing the Incident Action Plan appropriate to the
division.
Dry
Firefighting
The
suppression of a fire without the use of water. This is normally achieved by
removing the fuel by the use of hand tools or machinery.
Dual
Mode Radio
A
two-way radio capable of operating on both conventional radio frequencies and
the trunk radio network.
Dugout
An
enclosed shelter intended to provide protection from fire, usually constructed
by excavation in the ground.
Edge
Burning
The
perimeter burning of an area. This practice can be used prior to large scale
prescribed burning to strengthen buffers and to reduce mopping-up
operations.
Ember
Attack
Fire
brands spotting ahead of the main fire.
This term is commonly used by media to warn civilians of the potential
for spot fire ignitions around properties ahead of the
fire.
Emergency
Area
May
be declared if the most senior police officer present, acting on the advice of
the control agency, believes it is necessary to exclude the public from an area
due to the size, nature or location of an emergency. This is done to ensure public safety,
the security of evacuated premises or the safety or efficiency of emergency
workers.
Emergency
The
team which enables an incident controller’s response
Management
strategy
to be carried out by support agencies through
Team
their
own commanders. It also assists the emergency
Emergency
response
coordinator to determine resource acquisition
needs,
and to ensure a coordinated response to the emergency. See also State Emergency
Response Plan.
Relief
The
provision of immediate shelter, life support and the necessities of life to
people affected by, or responding to, an emergency. It includes the
establishment, management and provision of services to emergency relief
centres.
Excision
The
changed designation of land that was once Fire Protected Area to Country Area of
Victoria.
Facilities
Officer
Person
responsible for organising, maintaining and demobilising facilities such as the
Base Camp, Control Centre, Operations Point, Staging Area, accommodation,
ablutions, catering facilities and storage sites.
Fall
Back Fire
Control
Line
A
fire control line at a distance from the fire perimeter which is the next
control line should the fire cross the previous fire control
line.
Fingers
Long
narrow slivers of fire which extend beyond the head or flanks.
Fire
Access
Road
A
track constructed and/or maintained for fire management purposes which is
generally of a standard adequate for all-weather use by two wheel drive
vehicles.
Fire
Access
Track
A
track constructed and/or maintained for fire management purposes which is not
generally of a standard adequate for all-weather use by two wheel drive
vehicles.
Fire
Crew
Two
or more firefighters organised to work as a unit with a nominated crew
leader.
Fire
Danger
Index
(FDI)/
Rating
A
relative number denoting an evaluation of rate of spread,
or
suppression
difficulty for specific combinations of fuel, fuel moisture and wind speed. In
general the Mk 5 McArthur Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) is used to calculate
the fire danger index in forest areas.
Fire
Edge
Any
part of the boundary of a fire at a given time. The entire boundary is termed
the Fire Perimeter.
Fire
Ground
The
area in the vicinity of the wildfire and fire suppression operations, and the
area immediately threatened by the fire. It includes burning and burnt areas;
constructed and proposed fire control lines; the area where firefighters,
vehicles, machinery and equipment are located when deployed; roads and access
points under traffic management control; tracks and facilities in the area
surrounding the actual fire; and may extend to adjoining area directly
threatened by the fire.
Fire
Refuge
A
community fire refuge is a building where people may seek shelter from the
danger of wildfire. A building or space constructed or designated as a fire
refuge should have consideration given to its vulnerability to wildfire, parking
for users, availability of water, telephone and electric power, and location and
accessibility in relation to its service area.
Firebombing
The
technique of dropping a suppressant or retardant from specialist aircraft to
suppress a wildfire.
Firebombing
Base
A
facility located at an airfield which provides logistical and operational
support to a fire bombing operation.
Fireline
Sector
A
defined section of the fire control line able to be clearly described in a
Wildfire Control Plan.
First
Attack
The
suppression work undertaken in the initial response to an
incident.
Fixed
Radio
A
two-way radio installed in a permanent location such as an office, depot, fire
tower, visitors centre.
Float
driver
Person
who drives and operates a float vehicle under all road conditions to deliver and collect an item of plant
at the fire ground.
Floating
Collar
Tank
A
flexible, self-supporting, open-top tank used as a portable water or retardant
reservoir or as a dip tank for helitanker operations. See also Gated Relay
Tank.
Fuel
Age
The
period of time lapsed since the fuel, eg. logging slash, was last burnt or
created.
Fuel
Management
Zone
1
An
area managed to provide the highest level of strategic protection to human life,
property and highly-valued public assets and values.
Fuel
Management
Zone
2
An
area managed to provide strategic corridors of sufficient width and continuity
to:
•
achieve
a substantial barrier to the spread of wildfire by reducing its spread,
intensity and the potential for spot fire to develop;
•
to
reduce damage caused by the wildfire; and
•
to
create areas to assist in making fire suppression safer and more
effective.
Fuel
Management
Zone
3
An
area managed to provide an irregular mosaic of areas of fuel reduction
complementing works in Fuel Management Zones 1 and 2 in reducing the severity of
wildfires.
Fuel
Management
Zone
4
An
area managed to provide for the use of prescribed burning in the active
management of flora and/or fauna, particularly for species and/or communities
which have critical fire regime requirements not adequately catered for by the
broadly-defined fuel or ecological management objectives.
Fuel
Management
Zone
5
An
area managed to provide for the exclusion of prescribed burning (other than
post-harvest regeneration burns), for at least the period of the relevant Fire
Protection Plan, from areas of vegetation in which there would be a high
potential for economic, ecological or cultural loss if they were subject to
prescribed burning.
Gated
Relay
Tank
An
open top tank supported by rigid “gates” used as a portable water or retardant
reservoir or as a dip tank for helitanker operations. See also Floating Collar
Tank.
Gazetted
Airshed
An
“Air Quality Control Region” declared by proclamation in the Victoria Government
Gazette.
General
Firefighter
The
minimum level of endorsement under NRE's Fire Training
Management
System for personnel involved in firefighting operations.
Going
Fire
A
fire is expanding in certain directions. There is reasonable evidence (eg a
smoke sighting, a report has been received from the public) to suggest
that a fire exists and is expanding.
Ground
Observer
Person
responsible for providing information from the fire ground to assist with the
planning of suppression operations.
Ground
Support
Officer
Person
who coordinates the provision of transport for personnel, equipment, supplies
and food. Delivers fuel, and provides mechanical maintenance and a traffic
control plan, and ensures plant and vehicle security.
Group
Calls
A
radio call in trunk mode that can be joined by more than two
units.
Gum
Bark
Smooth
bark that is shed from particular eucalypt species each year, often resulting in
firebrands.
Head
Disposal
Burning
Localised
or patch burning of tree tops (heads) resulting from harvesting operations,
without aiming for continuous burn cover. Used for both fire protection and
seedbed creation. Also called tops disposal burning.
Helicopter
Underslung
Waterbag
A
PVC container of approximately 200 litre capacity designed to be slung under a
helicopter that can be use to transport water to a fire
ground.
Hose
Bandage
A
means of affecting a temporary repair to a canvas or synthetic
hose.
Hose
Strangler
A
crimping device for stopping the flow of water in a hose.
Hover
Exit
The
direct transfer of specialist fire personnel and equipment from a hovering
helicopter to the ground. Used where ground vegetation or terrain prevents a
helicopter from conducting a full skid landing.
Hover
Exit Crew
Crew
who performs transfers from hovering helicopters to the ground with
equipment.
Incendiary
Bombardier
Person
responsible for the operation, servicing, handling and storage of aerial
incendiary equipment and materials.
Incendiary
Capsule
A
‘ping pong’ ball sized polystyrene capsule containing potassium permanganate
that ignites after it is injected with ethylene glycol.
Incident
Channel
Network
Open
channel radio system based on 51 strategically located repeater sites. The
network is based on conventional repeaters with trunk and telephone
interconnection.
Incident
Control
Centre
The
location where the Incident Controller and various members of the Incident
Management Team provide overall direction of response
activities.
Incident
Control
System
(ICS)
A
command structure to systematically and logically manage emergency incidents
including wildfires, from small, simple incidents to large, difficult or
multiple situations. It is designed to develop in modular fashion from the top
(Incident Controller) downwards.
Incident
Controller
Person
responsible for the overall management of all fire activities, including the
development and implementation of strategy, and the ordering and release of
resources.
Incident
Type
One
A
small, simple fire (or group of fires) which is controlled with local
resources.
•
May
include other agencies.
•
Incident
Controller probably undertaking more than one function.
•
Second
shift unlikely to be required.
•
Equivalent
to AIIMS ICS Small Incident – 0 to 5 hectares with no complex
problems.
Incident
Type
Two
A
developing, or developed fire of medium size or
complexity.
•
Expected
that the incident will be controlled within 24 hours.
•
Resources
from other locations are involved.
•
Controller
may be undertaking more than one function but will normally have delegated at
least the Operations function.
•
Equivalent
to AIIMS ICS Medium Incident – 5 to 20 hectares (or much larger if there is
little complexity).
Incident
Type
Three
A
large or complex fire where resources from a range of locations are
involved.
•
Normally
but not necessarily involve several agencies.
•
Normally
expected to exceed 24 hours.
•
Equivalent
to AIIMS ICS Large Incident.
Junction
Zone
An
area where two edges (or flanks) meet and interact, generally accompanied by
greatly increased fire intensity.
Katabatic
Winds
Winds
that occur in mountainous areas on cloudless nights when the land surface loses
heat by radiation and the air in contact with the land cools, becomes denser and
is forced downslope by gravity. This colder air drains down hillsides and is
funnelled into gullies and valleys.
Lightning
Activity
Level
A
numerical rating of one to three, keyed to the start of thunderstorms and the
frequency and character of cloud–to–ground lightning forecast or observed on a
rating area during the rating period.
Logistics
Officer
Person
responsible for the management and activities of the Logistics Section of an
Incident Management Team. Coordinates the provision of facilities, services and
materials in support of an incident.
Low
Pressure
System
Atmospheric
circulations that rotate clockwise in
the Southern Hemisphere. Generally associated with stronger winds, unsettled
conditions, cloudiness and rainfall.
Marginal
Mile
See
Marginal 1.5 km
Marginal
1.5 km
Area
of land that is within 1.5 kilometres of State forest, protected public land or
national park which has not been excised from the Fire Protected Area.
Previously called Marginal Mile.
Ministry
of Posts
and
Telegraphs
(MPT)
Numbering
A
10-digit numbering system used to identify a specific radio while in trunked
mode. It consists of a 3-digit prefix, a 4-digit fleet number and a 3-digit unit
number.
Multi
Agency
(CFA)
Fire
Incident
Management
Class
Used
where the fire incident is being managed under NRE/CFA multi agency incident
management agreement, and CFA is the agreed lead agency in overall
control.
Multi
Agency
(NRE)
Fire
Incident
Management
Class
Used
where the fire incident is being managed under NRE/CFA multi agency incident
management agreement, and NRE is the agreed lead agency in overall
control.
Notifiable
Incident
Any
incident resulting in:
•
the
death of a person;
•
a
person requiring medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a
substance;
•
a
person requiring immediate treatment as an in-patient in a
hospital;
•
a
person requiring immediate medical treatment for a serious
injury.
It
is also a dangerous occurrence which poses an immediate risk to a person’s
health and safety.
NRE
Fire
Incident
Management
Class
The
fire incident is within NRE jurisdiction and NRE is the combat agency. Also
applies where the fire is under CFA, MFSEB or other jurisdiction by delegation
or agreement.
Occupied
Crown
Land
Crown
land which is subject to an occupation right, eg. a lease or licence which
affords exclusive use of the Crown land to the licensee.
Operations
Officer
Person
responsible for directing and supervising all work within the Operations section
of an Incident Management Team.
Operations
Point
A
location where the Operations Section of the Incident Control System has
effective access to subordinate fire control line commanders for administration
and command purposes.
Parallel
Attack
A
method of suppression in which a fire control line is constructed approximately
parallel to and just far enough from the fire edge to enable firefighters and
equipment to work effectively and safely. The line may be shortened by cutting
across unburnt fingers. The intervening strip of unburnt fuel is normally burnt
out as the control line proceeds, but may be allowed to burn out unassisted
where this occurs without undue delay or threat to the line.
Plant
Operator
FAD
(D4)
Operates
a first attack dozer (FAD) to construct mineral earth
breaks.
Plant
Operator
_
D4
Operates
a dozer (greater than a D4), generally to construct mineral earth
breaks.
Positioned
Resources
temporarily moved to a location as part of a state of
readiness.
Private
Property
–
‘In’
Private
Property inside the 1.5 km margin of a Fire Protected
Area.
Private
Property
–‘Out’
Private
property outside the 1.5 km margin of a Fire Protected
Area.
Pulsation
Flareup.
Pumper
A
firefighting vehicle equipped with a large capacity pump, small water tank and
hose. Generally intended to be operated when stationary, from reticulated or
static water supplies. (A CFA style appliance not used by
DSE.)
Quick-Fill
Pump
A
high volume water pump used for filling water-holding
apparatus.
Rakehoe
A
hand tool used for dry firefighting consisting of a handle and a metal head with
one pronged edge for raking and one sharpened edge for cutting, chipping and
scraping down to mineral earth.
Rappel
Pack
A
canvas pack designed to be slung under a helicopter that contains predetermined
equipment for a specific task, ie. cutting a helipad or first
attack.
Ration
Pack
Pack
of high energy, light weight, long shelf-life food designed to provide short
term energy to firefighters should other forms of food not be
available.
Recovery
The
post-fire phase where damaged assets are salvaged, repaired or replaced; sites
disturbed by fire suppression operations are
rehabilitated;
the
natural response of the ecosystem is monitored, and managed if necessary; health
and safety issues arising from the fire suppression operation are addressed; and
new information learned from the incident is incorporated into the planning for
future wildfire events.
Redeploy
To
move a resource from one command unit to another within an Incident or Support
Unit
Register
1.
The act of the Incident Controller or Support Unit manager, or their delegate
recording the arrival of resources that have been
dispatched,
and confirming the management of those resources;
2.
The act of the destination management unit recording the arrival of resources
that have been released, and confirming the management of those resources.
Ribbon
Bark
Long
streamers of bark that may peel from some eucalypt species, and that form fire
brands, many of which are conducive to very long distance spotting.
Safe
(incident
status)
The
stage of fire suppression when it is considered that no further suppression
action or patrols are necessary.
Safe
– False
Alarm
Mistaken
or hoax report with clear evidence that the report was in error or
malicious.
Safe
– Not
Found
The
fire has not been located, and it is expected that no further action or patrol
will be required.
Sector
A
specific area of a fire under the control of a Sector Commander who is
supervising a number of crews.
Sector
Commander
Person
responsible for implementing the Wildfire Control Plan for a specific portion of
the fire perimeter. Includes the allocation of resources within the sector,
reporting on progress of command operations, status of resources and management
of all personnel on that sector.
Sector
Deployment
Order
A
document that provides specific instructions and details resources for
operations personnel involved in the combat of an
incident.
Senior
Officer
Person
holding the most senior position in either CFA or NRE attending the
incident.
Situation
Officer
Person
responsible for assembling and analysing data on fire behaviour, including the
preparation of maps, and developing projection and forecasts of future events,
developing tactics and strategies, and documenting the Wildfire Control Plan for
fires. They may require the expertise
of technical specialists.
Slasher
A
handtool used for wildfire fighting consisting of a slightly curved blade fixed
to the end of a wooden handle.
Smoker
An
isolated small burning item such as a log, stump or tree, in an area of fire
otherwise blacked out.
Stag
A
large, old tree, either dead or with significant dead upper branches. Often
hollow with an opening at ground level. Once alight, a stag represents a major
hazard.
Step-up
Method
A
method used by a team of firefighters to construct a firebreak in which each
firefighter completely constructs a section of the firebreak, after which the
entire team ahead of that firefighter ‘steps up’ to the next
section.
Stringybark
A
rough bark tree that produces flaky fragments of bark that may result in massive
amounts of firebrands which can cause long distance
spotting.
Tail
Fire
Backing
Fire.
Tanker
A
mobile firefighting vehicle equipped with a water tank, pump and equipment for
spraying water and/or foam on wildfires. See also Tanker– Heavy; Tanker –
Mid-Range; and Tanker – First Attack Unit.
Tanker
– Heavy
A
firefighting unit often on a 4 x 4 chassis with a large water tank (over 2000
litres), a pump, a number of lengths of hose and a range of equipment to assist
with wildfire suppression.
Tanker
– Mid-
Range
A
vehicle equipped with a tank of capacity 1000 to 1500 litres and pump designed
for rapid initial attack and the patrol of fires.
Tanker
– First
Attack
Unit
A
firefighting unit often on a 4 x 4 tray body vehicle with a small water tank
(400 litres), a pump and length of hose.
Tongues
See
Fingers.
Torch
Flashlight.
Trunked
Mode
The
operating of a radio on the trunk radio network. Using trunked mode, private
calls can be made between radios or to the telephone
network.
Trunk
Telephone
Interconnect
(TACT
UNIT)
Equipment
used to transfer a call to/from a trunk radio into the PSTN network (public
telephone network).
Turn
out Time
See
Response Time.
Ute
Utility vehicle
Under
Control -
1
(incident
status)
The
complete perimeter of the fire is secured, no breakaway is expected and
continuous patrol/blacking out is still required.
Under
Control –
2
(incident
status)
The
complete perimeter of the fire is secured, and no breakaway is expected. Control
line quality or depth is such that only patrol is required. In most
circumstances this status will mean reversion to non – emergency Award
provisions.
Watch
Outs
A
series of predefined situations developed to alert fire ground personnel to potentially hazardous
situations.
Willy
willy
Dust
devil
APPENDIX
V
WILDFIRE ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE AUSTRALIAN PARTICIPATING
AGENCIES
The Department of the
Interior and the Department of Agriculture of the United States of America, on
the one hand, and the Australian Participating Agencies, on the other hand
(hereinafter referred to as the "Participants");
CONSIDERING that through an
ongoing informal relationship, the Participants have had exchanges on
firefighting issues since 1964;
CONSIDERING the authorities
given to the United States Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of
Agriculture to enter into such arrangements by the Emergency Wildfire
Suppression Act as Amended, U.S. Public Law 100-428, 42 USC, Section
1856m;
CONSIDERING that in the
summer of 2000, firefighters from Australia provided able assistance to the U.S.
during its worst fire season in over 50 years, and;
RECOGNIZING that it is
desirable and in the public interest to formalise the provision of mutual
assistance in fighting fires and to share information about suppression and
management of fires;
The
Participants Have Reached the Following Understandings:
I
Purpose
The purpose of
this Arrangement is to provide a framework for one Participant to request and
receive Wildfire Suppression Resources from the other Participant and to
encourage cooperation on other fire management activities.
II
For the
purposes of this Arrangement:
1.
"Australian
Participating Agencies" means the State Governments, Statutory Corporations
and other
corporate entities of Australia who have signed this
Arrangement.
2. "Receiving Participant" means the
Participant receiving Wildfire Suppression Resources.
3. "Sending Participant" means the
Participant furnishing Wildfire Suppression Resources.
4. "Wildfire" means any forest, range
or bush fire.
5.
"Wildfire
Suppression Resources" means personnel, supplies, equipment, and other resources
required for pre-suppression and suppression activities.
III
Understanding
1. A Participant should immediately
consider the request of the other Participant for Wildfire Suppression
Resources, and, to the fullest extent practicable, promptly approve such
request.
2.
The Requesting
Participant should reimburse the Sending Participant in accordance with Part
IV.
3. A Participant may obtain, as
appropriate, the participation of its state, regional, local, private or
tribal/aboriginal fire organisations in the implementation of this Arrangement,
subject to its national or state laws and regulations.
4. The Receiving Participant may
organise, task, and direct the Sending Participant's Wildfire Suppression
Resources as necessary to meet the Receiving Participant's fire suppression
objectives effectively and efficiently.
5. Activities contemplated under this
Arrangement are subject to the availability of funds.
6. The Sending Participant should have
the right to withdraw some or all of its Wildfire Suppression Resources as
necessary at the Sending Participant's discretion. Notice of intent in this respect should
be communicated to the Receiving Participant.
7. The Sending Participant should
provide all the safety equipment required to meet its regulations. Should additional equipment be required
by the Receiving Participant, the Receiving Participant should supply it at the
Receiving Participant's expense.
IV
Reimbursement
1. Except for the costs set forth in
Part V of this Arrangement, the Sending Participant should be reimbursed by the
Receiving Participant for the costs incurred by the Sending Participant in
furnishing Wildfire Suppression Resources for, or on behalf of the Receiving
Participant. The costs may
include the cost of premiums to purchase death and personal injury insurance for
the employees of the Sending Participant, as more fully described in the Annual
Operating Plan provided for in Part VII of this Arrangement. The specific costs and procedures for
reimbursement should be set forth in the Annual Operating Plan, which should be
a binding contract.
V
Cross-Waiver
of Claims and Assumption of Liability
1. In the Annual Operating Plan, the
Receiving and Sending Participants should include provisions by which each
Participant and each component of that Participant intends to waive its claims
against the other Participant and each component of that Participant for
compensation for loss, damage, personal injury, or death occurring as a
consequence of the performance of activities undertaken pursuant to the Annual
Operating Plan.
3.
The Annual
Operating Plan should contain provisions whereby the Receiving Participant
agrees to assume all liability for the tortious acts or omissions of the Sending
Participant's personnel sent to provide wildfire assistance to the Receiving
Participant.
Entry of
Personnel and Equipment
1.
The
Participants intend to work together, with the involved agencies of their
respective governments, to process appropriate legal documentation, within the
applicable laws and regulations of both countries, and to otherwise facilitate
entry to and exit from its territory of all personnel engaged in wildfire
suppression pursuant to this Arrangement.
2.
Each
Participant should undertake all reasonable steps and use its best efforts,
within applicable laws and regulations of both countries, to facilitate the
admission and exit of all supplies, equipment, aircraft, vehicles, specialised
machinery, or other equipment whether owned or contracted, that are used or
intended for use in wildfire suppression or transport of wildfire suppression
equipment or personnel pursuant to this Arrangement without entry fees and
without payment of any duties or taxes imposed by reason of
importation.
VII
Annual
Operating Plan
1. An Annual Operating Plan should be
concluded and executed between the Participants as a binding
contract.
2. The Annual Operating Plan
should:
(a) identify designated points of contact
responsible for fire suppression;
(b) set forth specific criteria and
procedures for approving requests for Wildfire Suppression
Resources;
(c) establish procedures for efficient and
timely communication of relevant information between designated points of
contact;
(d)
identify the
necessary procedures and legal documentation that are to be completed with
agencies of the governments to allow entry into each country of Wildfire
Suppression Resources;
(e) specify the
conditions, costs and procedures for the reimbursement, as deemed appropriate,
of the Sending Participant for the furnishing of Wildfire Suppression
Resources;
(f)
include terms
consistent with Part V, a cross-waiver for compensation for loss, damage,
personal injury or death occurring in consequence of the performance of this
Arrangement or the Annual Operating Plan;
(g) establish
equivalent standards for qualifications, including physical fitness, training
and experience;
(h)
provide for
withdrawal rights of the Sending Participant.
(i)
provide for
the Receiving Participant to assume all liability for the tortious acts or
omissions of the Sending Participant's personnel sent to provide wildfire
assistance to the Receiving Participant.
3. The Participants should use their
best endeavours to complete a review of the Annual Operating Plan by 15 May in
each year. Until the review is
completed, the last Annual Operating Plan should continue to
apply.
VIII
Status of
Personnel
1. Except as provided in clause 3 of this part, any service performed in furtherance of this Arrangement by an employee of a Participant should constitute service performed on behalf of that Participant.
2. Except as provided in clause 3 of
this part, the performance of a service under this Arrangement by any employee,
contractor, subcontractor or agent of one Participant should in no case render
such person an employee, contractor, subcontractor or agent of the other
Participant.
3.
For the purposes of tort
liability any employees, contractors, subcontractors or agents of the Sending
Participant sent to fight fires in a foreign country under this Arrangement are
considered to be employees of the Receiving Participant. The only remedies for acts or omissions
committed while fighting fires shall be that provided under the laws of the host
country and those remedies shall be exclusive remedies for any claim arising out
of fighting fires in a foreign country.
Neither the Sending Participant or any organisation associated with the
firefighter shall be subject to any tort action pertaining to or arising out of
fighting fires.
IX
Other Areas of
Cooperation
1. This Arrangement constitutes a
reaffirmation of the importance of engaging in cooperative fire management
activities. This Arrangement is
intended to encourage and strengthen other cooperative fire management
activities, through the sharing among the Participants of personnel, fire
management techniques, skills, and innovations. The objective of these activities is to
improve the fire fighting capabilities and knowledge of each Participant,
resulting in the provision of more effective fire fighting assistance to one
another when necessary. Each Participant should bear all of its costs and
expenses of participating in these other cooperative activities, unless
otherwise mutually arranged.
1. Through this Arrangement, the
Participants may provide mutual aid in furnishing Wildfire Suppression Resources
for lands and other properties for which the Participants normally provide
Wildfire Suppression Resources.
2. This Arrangement outlines potential
exchanges of wildfire suppression resources between the Participants. The specific terms of an exchange, some
of which are referenced in this Arrangement, should be detailed in the Annual
Operating Plan provided for in Part VII of this Arrangement.
XI
Dispute
Settlement
1. Any differences that arise in the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Arrangement or any Annual Operating Plan concluded pursuant hereto should be resolved by the Participants by means of negotiations and consultations.
XII
General
Provisions
1.
This
Arrangement supersedes any previous arrangement or understanding between the
parties.
2.
Activities
under this Arrangement commence upon signature and continue until 15 May 2010.
After that date this Arrangement continues from year to year until it is
terminated.
3.
This
Arrangement may only be modified by mutual written consent of the Participants.
4.
A Participant
or Participating Agency may withdraw from this Arrangement at any time,
providing reasonable written notice to the other Participants. Withdrawal from this Arrangement should
not affect the implementation by the withdrawing Participant or Participating
Agency of any fire suppression initiated prior to the provision of notice of
that Participant's or Participating Agency's withdrawal. Withdrawal of a Participant does not
terminate this Arrangement as to the remaining
Participants.
5.
This
Arrangement may be terminated with reasonable written notice to the other
participants:
a)
upon the
withdrawal from this Arrangement of both the Department of the Interior and the
Department of Agriculture of the United States of America;
or
b)
upon the
withdrawal of all of the Australian Participating Agencies,
or
c)
with the
mutual consent of all the Participants.
6. The termination of this Arrangement
should not affect the implementation of any fire suppression initiated prior
to such termination.
APPENDIX
VI
Annual Operating
Plan
for the
Wildfire
Arrangement
Between
the
Department of the Interior
and the Department of Agriculture of the United States of
America
and
the
Australian Participating
Agencies
Table of
Contents
I. Purpose
II. Contract
III. Definitions
IV. General Procedures
A.
Requests for Wildfire Assistance
B.
Personnel
C.
Equipment and Supplies
D.
Recall
E
Personal Injury, Death and Public Liability Insurance
Coverage
F.
Billing and Payment
G.
Situation Reporting
H.
Review, Amendment and
Termination
I.
Governing Law and
Jurisdiction
J.
Counterparts
V.
Participating Agencies
Annual Operating
Plan
I.
Purpose
This Annual Operating Plan
is prepared pursuant to Part VII of the United States and Australia Arrangement
signed in 2002 that provides for wildfire suppression assistance and other fire
management activities between Australia and the United States.
II.
Contract
This Annual Operating Plan constitutes a binding contract between the parties made in consideration of the mutual obligations set out in it. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture of the United States of America enter into this contract under the Emergency Wildfire Suppression Act as Amended, U.S. Public Law 100-428, 42 USC, Section 1856m.
III. Definitions
For the purpose
of this Annual Operating Plan:
"Australian Participating Agencies" means the State Governments,
Statutory Corporations and other corporate entities of Australia who have signed
this Annual Operating Plan.
"Plan" means this Annual Operating Plan.
“United States” means those agencies of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Interior involved in wildfire suppression
activities and responsible for receiving Australian Participating Agencies
Wildfire Suppression Resources or sending U.S. Wildfire Suppression Resources to
Australia.
"Receiving Participant" means the Participant receiving Wildfire
Suppression Resources.
.
"Sending Participant" means the Participant furnishing Wildfire
Suppression Resources.
"Wildfire" means any forest, range or bush fire.
"Wildfire Suppression Resources" means personnel, supplies, equipment,
and other resources required for pre-suppression and suppression activities.
IV. General Procedures
A.
Requests for Wildfire
Assistance
1. Requests for wildfire assistance
from the United States will be made by the Chairman of the Forest Fire
Management Group (FFMG) to the Manager, National Interagency Coordination
Center, (NICC) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho,
USA.
2. Requests for wildfire assistance
from the Participating Agencies of Australia will be made by the Manager, at
NICC, to the Chairman of the FFMG.
Such requests will only occur when all U.S. civilian capabilities for the
type of Wildfire Suppression Resources requested have been
exhausted.
3. For billing and reimbursement, or
other correspondence, the designated official for the United States will be the
Manager, NICC, and for Australia, the designated official will be the Chairman
of FFMG or his/her delegate.
4. To minimise delays at points of
entry for Customs and Immigration clearances, NICC or FFMG will, 24 hours prior
to mobilisation, supply to customs at the Point of Entry (PoE) all transport and
arrival information, in the forms specified, containing but not limited to the
following details:
Personnel:
The full name, country of citizenship, date and country of birth,
personal identification number (eg. Social Security Number), passport number,
home base and departure point.
Equipment: The item,
quantity and serial numbers, carrier and bill of lading number, country of
manufacture.
5. Customs Declaration forms will be
completed for presentation to customs at the PoE.
B. Personnel
1. Reimbursement for personnel
expenditures incurred while performing services under the Plan will be on the
following basis:
(a)
The United States sending
wildfire suppression resources to Australia:
(1) All United States salary costs to include overtime and relevant allowances submitted for payment will be reimbursed by the Australian Participating Agency in accordance with salary schedules in existence within the United States.
(2) The costs of
travel, lodging, meals and other expenses normally approved by the United
States, will be reimbursed by the Australian Participating Agency when not
provided by the Australian Participating Agency.
(3) Travel costs (airline tickets, and local
transportation) may be billed separately to the Australian Participating
Agency.
(4) Upon the production of receipts the cost of
travel, lodging, meals, vehicle rentals, communication equipment, and other
approved expenditures shall be reimbursed when the Australian Participating
Agency cannot provide these services through their procurement methods. Lodging
and meals will be reimbursed at the rate provided for in the United States
travel regulations.
(5) Australian Participating Agencies will pay for
all immediate medical treatment and any associated costs resulting from an
injury incurred in the course of firefighting duties whilst on
assignment.
(b) Australian
Participating Agencies sending wildfire suppression resources to the United
States:
(1)
All Australian Participating
Agency salary costs including overtime and any other relevant allowances
submitted for payment by the Australian Participating Agencies will be
reimbursed by the United States in accordance with salary schedules and/or union
contracts in existence within the Australian Participating
Agencies.
(2) At the time of the request for
assistance, the Australian Participating Agencies may be reimbursed at a daily
flat rate agreed to by the Australian Participating Agencies and the United
States that is established and documented prior to the mobilisation of wildfire
suppression personnel by the Australian Participating Agencies. The daily rate
is in lieu of itemised salary costs, overtime and relevant allowances for
wildfire suppression personnel of Australian Participating Agencies.
(3) The costs of travel, lodging, meals and
other expenses normally covered by the Australian Participating Agencies, will
be reimbursed by the United States when not provided by the United
States.
(4) Travel costs
(airline tickets, and local transportation) may be billed separately to the
United States.
(5) Upon the production of receipts
the cost of travel, lodging, meals, vehicle rentals, communication equipment,
and other approved expenditures shall be reimbursed when the United States
cannot provide these services through their procurement methods. Lodging and
meals will be reimbursed at the rate provided for in the Sending Participants
travel regulations.
(6) The United
States pay for all immediate medical treatment and any associated costs
resulting from an injury incurred in the course of firefighting duties whilst on
assignment.
2. The Receiving Participant will
detail any specialised expertise required for fire suppression or fire
management assignments.
3. Prior to mobilisation, the
Participating Agencies either sending or receiving wildfire suppression
resources will agree to equivalent standards, training, fitness levels, and
experience required for each position included in a
request.
4. The United States National Wildfire
Coordinating Group (NWCG) Qualifications Handbook (310-1) will be used as the
basis for establishing equivalent qualifications. For any request for a position not
included in the NWCG 310-1, the Receiving Participant will send documentation
outlining the major requirements of the position requested. NOTE: Because of limitations of
delegating authorities within the U.S. Government, the positions of Incident and
Deputy Incident Commander, Area and Deputy Area Commander will not be filled by
Australian Participating Agencies personnel under this Annual Operating
Plan.
5. All Participating Agencies under
the Plan assigning wildfire suppression personnel to resource requests will
certify that the personnel assigned will meet the requirements of the position
ordered.
6.
Sending Participant
personnel will receive an adequate orientation session from their Participating
Agency prior to deployment and another briefing from the Receiving Participant
upon arrival. The latter will
include a summary of the Receiving Participants operating guidelines. Prior to demobilisation, the Receiving
Participant will debrief Sending Participant personnel.
7. The Sending Participant will
provide all of the safety equipment required to meet its regulations. Should additional equipment be required
by the Receiving Participant the equipment will be supplied at the expense of
the Receiving Participant.
8. The Sending Participant and the
Receiving Participant will provide for adequate liaison for the duration of the
assistance. In making a request for
wildfire suppression resources, the Receiving Participant will allow for the
inclusion of a Team Leader, which the Sending Participant shall provide for the
full duration of the period of assistance.
The Team Leader supplied by the Sending Participant shall be responsible
for:
(a) Operational liaison and coordination functions as required by the Receiving Participant;
(c) Liaison and public relations coordination functions for the Sending Participant
9. Length of deployment, rest and
rotation for personnel shall be identified prior to the commencement of the
deployment to the Sending Participant.
The Sending Participant shall adhere to rest, rotation, and length of
deployment policies of the Receiving Participant (providing they do not conflict
with the Sending Participant’s policies and procedures in which case the Sending
Participant’s policies and procedures shall prevail).
10. All Sending Participant personnel shall carry
with them two examples of identification (at least one of which must be
photographic identification).
11. Any criminal conviction may prohibit
mobilisation to the Receiving Participant’s country. If an individual has been convicted of
minor criminal offences, the individual may, at the discretion of the Receiving
Participant, be required to undergo an interview process with the Receiving
Participant’s immigration office to determine whether the individual may be
mobilised. All costs associated
with the process will be borne by the individual or the Sending
Participant. The Receiving
Participant retains the right to refuse entry to any individual from the Sending
Participant whom the Receiving Participant deems
undesirable.
Nothing in this
clause derogates from any powers of the U.S. or Australian customs and
immigration authorities to refuse entry by any person to either country under
relevant legislation.
12. Prescription drugs must remain
in their original labelled container or be accompanied by a
prescription.
13. Personal cargo weight for incident deployment
shall be a total of 65 lbs. (29.5 kg), which includes a personal or deployment
pack of 45 lbs. (20.4 kg) and a line pack of 20 lbs. (9.1 kg). Additional cargo must be identified and
approved by the Sending Participant and the Receiving
Participant.
C.
Equipment and Supplies
1. Equipment provided to the Sending
Participant by the Receiving Participant remains the property of the Receiving
Participant.
2. Where considered necessary by the
Sending Participant, specialised equipment may be accompanied by trained
technicians and/or operators to ensure safe and efficient set up and operation
of the equipment. All salary costs
including overtime, and any other relevant allowances submitted for payment by
the Sending Participant will be reimbursed by the Receiving Participant in
accordance with salary schedules and/or union contracts in existence within the
Sending Participant Agencies.
3. It is recommended that all
equipment be registered with the respective Sending Participant’s customs
authority prior to mobilisation.
4. The cost of equipment refurbishing
to the Sending Participant’s specification is reimbursable by the Receiving
Participant unless the Sending Participant agrees that the Receiving Participant
will perform the work.
5. All transportation costs of
equipment belonging to the Sending Participant will be reimbursed by the
Receiving Participant.
D.
Recall
The recall of
resources from the Receiving Participant shall be made with a minimum of 24
hours notice. Recall will be in
accordance with the procedures for requesting resources.
E. Personal Injury, Death, Damage to or Loss of Property, and Insurance Coverage
1. (a) All employees, contractors,
sub-contractors or agents of the Sending Participant sent to provide wildfire
assistance to the Receiving Participant pursuant to the Plan are, for the
purposes of tort liability only, considered to be employees and agents of the
Receiving Participant. The only
remedies for acts or omissions committed while fighting fires shall be those
provided under the laws of the jurisdiction in which assistance is provided to
the Receiving Participant and those remedies shall be exclusive remedies for any
claim in tort arising out of fighting fires in a foreign country. Neither the Sending Participant nor any
personnel sent by it to provide wildfire assistance to the Receiving Participant
or any organisation associated with such personnel shall be subject to any
action in tort pertaining to or arising out of fighting
fires.
(b) The Receiving Participant agrees to
assume any and all liability for the tortious acts or omissions of personnel
sent to provide wildfire assistance to the Receiving Participant pursuant to the
Plan including liability for all loss and damage suffered by any person as a
result of such acts or omissions.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Receiving
Participant's assumption of such liability extends to the payment of any damages
or other amounts awarded, whether by a court or other person or body, to any
person who has suffered or claims to have suffered loss and damage as a result
of such acts or omissions, any amount paid or payable to such claimant in
settlement of the claim, and all costs incurred in relation to the
claim.
(c) In the event that the Sending
Participant or any personnel sent by it to provide wildfire assistance to the
Receiving Participant are the subject of any claim by any person arising out of
tortious acts or omissions committed or alleged to have been committed by them
in the course of providing such assistance, the Receiving Participant will
undertake at its cost the defence of such claim on behalf of the Sending
Participant or its personnel, provided always that the Receiving Participant
retains the right to compromise or settle any such claim on behalf of the
Sending Participant or its personnel as in its sole discretion the Receiving
Participant sees fit.
2. Subject to clause 1 of this Part,
each Participant waives any claims against the other Participant and of each
component of that Participant for compensation for loss, damage, personal
injury, or death occurring as a consequence of the performance of activities
undertaken pursuant to the Plan.
3. (a) The U.S. Departments of Interior
and Agriculture, self-insure employees of the United States Government while on
official work assignments and on official travel status. Therefore, employees of
the U.S. Government will not require additional insurance coverage under the
Plan for activities conducted on behalf of an Australian Participating
Agency.
(b) Prior to personnel of any
Australian Participating Agency being deployed to the United States, Australian
Participating Agencies will ensure that appropriate personal injury and death
insurance coverage is in place for each of their personnel deployed in response
to United States wildfire suppression resources requests. Additional personal injury and death
insurance costs necessarily incurred by Australian Participating Agencies by
reason of their deployment will be reimbursed by the United
States.
F.
Billing and payment
Billing
procedures for emergency fire suppression assignments are as
follows:
1. The billing and payment requests
should be submitted directly to the designated official of the Receiving
Participant as identified in IV.A.3.
2. Invoices for goods and services
will be paid in the Receiving Participant’s currency.
3. All interest charges will be
forgiven for over-due accounts on Government-to-Government invoices provided
payment is made within 6 months of the last date of the billing document being
received by the Receiving Participant.
4. Billing will include
the following:
(a) Cover letter with reference to specific
resource request information;
(b)
An original itemised invoice.
5. The Sending Participant will
include backup documentation summarising listing of salary, supplies, travel,
and equipment with dates, hours, and crew, equipment, or aircraft type. This will not be required for flat rate
billing as provided in IV.B.1 (b)(2), except for all travel, supplies and
equipment expenses incurred by the Sending Participant.
G.
Situation Reporting
The NICC Manager and the
FFMG Chairman or his delegate will exchange daily situation reports throughout
the period of the deployment of Australian or U.S. Participating Agency
personnel. The report should
include information on activities undertaken by deployed personnel, fire
situations, problems encountered, and achievements. Monitoring and evaluating the changing
conditions associated with the emergency will be the responsibility of the
Receiving Participant.
1. The Plan shall be reviewed
annually on or before 15 May by the Participating Agencies and updated and
renewed as may be agreed between the Participating
Agencies.
2. Any Participating Agency may
terminate its participation in the Plan upon the expiration of reasonable notice
in writing given to each other Participating Agency, such notice to be not less
than three months.
I.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
1. Subject to clause 2 of this
part, the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the United States of
America.
2. Where wildfire suppression
assistance is provided to a Receiving Participant pursuant to the Plan, all
matters concerning the interpretation or enforcement of the Plan, and all
questions, disputes or claims of whatever nature, arising out of or in relation
to the provision of such assistance will be governed by the laws of the
jurisdiction in which the Receiving Participant receives such assistance. Each Participant submits to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of courts exercising jurisdiction in that place and
waives any right it might have to claim that those courts are an inconvenient
forum.
J.
Counterparts
The Plan may
consist of a number of counterparts each of which when executed shall be an
original and all counterparts together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.