Linking This Program to Formal Leadership Training

Facilitators of the "Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program” can use stories from the “Firefighter Cohesion and Entrapment Avoidance" program as they help train leaders of wildland firefighters. These stories can help students see how formal leadership concepts apply in the world of wildland firefighting, especially when leaders face problems of cohesion and entrapment avoidance.

After students listen to each story, it is important for them to answer the questions in the program to improve their understanding of cohesion and entrapment avoidance.

The facilitator can ask students to discuss related formal leadership concepts. To help facilitators, some links between the stories and the formal leadership topics are provided. These links were drawn from "Leading in the Wildland Fire Service" (LWFS, PMS 494-2 or NFES 2889) and the "Incident Response Pocket Guide" (IRPG PMS 461 or NFES 1077). Facilitators may find additional leadership concepts in the stories that students can discuss.

During discussions, facilitators should encourage students to look into the stories themselves to see how cohesion and the formal leadership concepts have applied during their experiences on fires.

Problem 1: Firefighters Not Getting Along

Story 1: Out To Compete With Everybody

• Command Climate—Communication (LWFS p. 22)
  
  
• Building the Team—Healthy Conflict (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Distraction from Primary Duty—Conflict (IRPG p. x)

Story 2: The Excitement Is Gone

• Respect—Know your subordinates and look out for their well-being—Resolve conflicts between individuals on the team (IRPG p. vii)
  
  
• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities—Discipline (LWFS p. 58)
  
  
• Building the Team—Team Results (LWFS p. 54)
  
  
• Building the Team—Trust (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Distraction from Primary Duty—Conflict (IRPG p. x)

Story 3: He Didn't Get To Be Crew Boss

• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities—Aligning Values (LWFS p. 56)
  
  
• Command Climate (LWFS p. 19)
  
  
• Respect—Know your subordinates and look out for their well-being—Resolve conflicts between individuals on the team (IRPG p. vii)
  
  
• Distraction from Primary Duty—Conflict (IRPG p. x)

Problem 2: Working With Unfamiliar Resources

Story 1: Grab People Off Districts

• Wildland Fire: A High-Risk Operational Environment (LWFS p.10, refer to p. 13 "Rapidly Assembled Temporary Teams")
  
  
• Building the Team (LWFS p. 52–53)
  
  
• Communication Responsibilities (IRPG p. ix)
  
  
• Command Climate—Communication (LWFS p. 22)

Story 2: Resources I Hadn't Worked With Before

• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities (LWFS p. 56; IRPG p. vii)
  
  
• Ensuring Tasks are Understood, Supervised, and Accomplished—Leader's Intent (LWFS p. 33)

Story 3: Crew Straggling In

• Wildland Fire: A High-Risk Operational Environment (LWFS p. 10, refer to p. 13 "Rapidly Assembled Temporary Teams")
  
  
• Communication Responsibilities (IRPG p. ix)
  
  
• Building the Team—Introduction (LWFS p. 52)

Story 4: They Welcomed Us In

• Wildland Fire: A High-Risk Operational Environment (LWFS p. 10, refer to p. 13 "Rapidly Assembled Temporary Teams")
  
  
• Communication Responsibilities (IRPG p. ix)
  
  
• Building the Team—Commitment (LWFS p. 53)

Problem 3: The Fire Gets Hot and Firefighters Get Nervous

Story 1: The Fire Was Really Picking Up

• Keeping Our People Informed (LWFS p. 50)
  
  
• Making Sound and Timely Decisions—Situation Awareness Cycle (LWFS p. 31)
  
  
• Building the Team—Trust (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being (LWFS p. 45)

Story 2: We Had People in a Panic

• Command Climate—Command Presence (LWFS p. 20)
  
  
• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities (LWFS p. 56)

Story 3: We Have Spots All Over the Place

• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being—Leading Up (LWFS p. 48)
  
  
• Know your subordinates and look out for their well-being—Put the safety of your subordinates above all other objectives (IRPG p. vii)
  
  
• Keeping Our People Informed (LWFS p. 50)
  
  
• Employ your subordinates in accordance with their capabilities—Observe human behavior as well as fire behavior (IRPG p. vii)
  
  
• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being—Stress/Fear (LWFS p. 47–48)

Problem 4: Can't Trust Other Firefighters

Story 1: This Person Was Dangerous

• Building the Team—Trust (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Command Climate—Command Presence (LWFS p. 20)
  
  
• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities—Discipline (LWFS p. 58)

Story 2: We Had Spot Fires Behind Us

• Building the Team—Trust (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being—Leading Up (LWFS p. 48)
  
  
• Making Sound and Timely Decisions—Situation Awareness Cycle (LWFS p. 31)

Problem 5: Resources Out of the Loop

Story 1: They Felt Isolated

• Keeping Our People Informed—Five Communication Responsibilities (LWFS p. 50)
  
  
• Building the Team—Trust (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Making Sound and Timely Decisions—Situation Awareness Cycle (LWFS p. 31)

Story 2: He Was Freelancing

• Know your subordinates and look out for their well-being—Put the safety of your subordinates above all other objectives (IRPG p. vii)
  
  
• Command Climate (LWFS p. 19)
  
  
• Command Climate—Command Presence (LWFS p. 20)
  
  
• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities—Performance Feedback (LWFS p. 57)
  
  
• After Action Reviews—(LWFS p. 42 and IRPG p. 19)

Problem 6: Questioning Tactics

Story 1: We're Not Going

• Command Climate (LWFS p. 19)
  
  
• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being—Fear (LWFS p. 48)
  
  
• Ensuring Tasks are Understood, Supervised, and Accomplished—Situational Leadership (LWFS p. 38)

Story 2: Should We Be Here?

• Building the Team—Trust (LWFS p. 53)
  
  
• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being—Our First Priority: Life and Safety (LWFS p. 46)
  
  
• Knowing Our People and Looking Out for Their Well-Being—Fear (LWFS p. 48)
  
  
• Ensuring Tasks are Understood, Supervised, and Accomplished—Situational Leadership (LWFS p. 38)

Problem 7: Lacking Local Knowledge

Story 1: Out of Their Element

• Low Experience Level with Local Factors (IRPG p. x)
  
  
• Ensuring Tasks are Understood, Supervised, and Accomplished—Situational Leadership (LWFS p. 38)
  
  
• Keeping Our People Informed—Situational Communication (LWFS p. 51)
  
  
• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities (LWFS p. 56)
  
  
• Wildland Fire: A High-Risk Operational Environment (LWFS p.10, refer to p. 13 "Rapidly Assembled Temporary Teams")

Story 2: You're on People's Turf

• Low Experience Level with Local Factors (IRPG p. x)
  
  
• Ensuring Tasks are Understood, Supervised, and Accomplished—Situational Leadership (LWFS p. 38)
  
  
• Knowing Ourselves and Seeking Improvement (LWFS p. 59)

Problem 8: Home Unit Loyalties And Cliques

Story 1: Best Friends

• Distraction from Primary Duty—Conflict (IRPG p. x)
  
  
• Employing Our People in Accordance with Their Capabilities—Discipline (LWFS p. 58)

Story 2: We Needed To Bring Them Together

• Building the Team—Introduction (LWFS p. 52)