Control measure
Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

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This control measure should be read in conjunction with Situational awareness

Control measure knowledge

Strategic actions

Fire and rescue services should:

Consider developing wildfire fire plans
Make wildfire fire plans and Site-Specific Risk Information (SSRI) available to attending personnel
Provide an effective communications network - see the LACES safety protocol

Tactical actions

Incident commanders should:

Ensure that all personnel at the incident are situationally aware
Develop, monitor and continually update a tactical plan
Identify and monitor fire – location, size, intensity, direction and rate of firespread
Identify and monitor topography – aspect, slope, the position of fire on the slope, topographical hazards
Identify and monitor fuel – type, condition, moisture, arrangement
Identify and monitor weather – recent, current and predicted temperature, humidity, wind direction/speed
Identify presence and arrangement of ground fuels, smouldering fuels and aerial fuels
Identify any risk to life, property, heritage, ecological assets and livestock
Identify any quarries, bogs, marshes, shooting ranges, disused mines and barbed wire/electric fences
Identify the location of electrical hazards, pylons, wind farms, substations, pipelines and other utilities
Continually assess and review the developing incident
Consider the following sources of information throughout the incident:
- Information as listed in the control measure knowledge for 'Refer to wildfire fire plans'
- Weather forecasts (for example, from the Met Office, Hazard Manager, FireMet or portable weather stations)
- Other agencies (e.g. environmental agencies, forestry organisations, national park authorities, etc.)
- Utility companies
- Local residents
Make contact with land owners, land managers, gamekeepers, countryside and national park rangers
Provide clear, concise and structured briefings to all personnel (refer to LACES safety protocol)
Clearly define access, egress and escape routes to personnel and confirm their understanding
Regularly communicate current situation and predicted fire behaviour and spread to all personnel

TRAINING SPECIFICATION

Knowledge and understanding

Control measure element	Learning outcome
Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires	Understand: The methodology to be used to establish and maintain the situational awareness at wildfire incidents The following sources of information which can be used to establish and maintain situational awareness: Suitable maps and/or mapping systems Direct and/or indirect observation Local fire groups SSRI information Partners and key stakeholders Weather forecasting / reports On site weather readings How to observe the wildfire scene of operations The influence of weather, topography and fuel in the wildfire environment. How to monitor wildfire behaviour The methods used to establishand maintain situational awareness at wildfire incidents, using the LACES safety protocol How WPS can be used to identify potential wildfire behaviour How to disseminate and communicate relevant information to others at wildfire incidents The methods of collating and recording wildfire incident data Refer to Situational awareness – Incident command training specification

Control measure element

Learning outcome

Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

Understand:

The methodology to be used to establish and maintain the situational awareness at wildfire incidents
The following sources of information which can be used to establish and maintain situational awareness:
- Suitable maps and/or mapping systems
- Direct and/or indirect observation
- Local fire groups
- SSRI information
- Partners and key stakeholders
- Weather forecasting / reports
- On site weather readings
How to observe the wildfire scene of operations
The influence of weather, topography and fuel in the wildfire environment.
How to monitor wildfire behaviour
The methods used to establishand maintain situational awareness at wildfire incidents, using the LACES safety protocol
How WPS can be used to identify potential wildfire behaviour
How to disseminate and communicate relevant information to others at wildfire incidents
The methods of collating and recording wildfire incident data
Refer to Situational awareness – Incident command training specification

NOS knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand:
You need to know and understand 3184
K Factors affecting personnel safety and welfare during wildfire response K Safe working practices of your organisation when responding to wildfire incidents K Hazards and risks of wildfire affecting people, property and the environment K How to use risk assessment information to make decisions K Available information to inform your understanding of wildfire incidents and how to access it K How to maintain situational awareness using LACES protocol
Health and safety
K 2 Factors affecting personnel safety and welfare during wildfire response K 3 Safe working practices of your organisation when responding to wildfire incidents K 5 Hazards and risks of wildfire affecting people, property and the environment K 6 How to use risk assessment information to make decisions
Technical
K 16 Available information to inform your understanding of wildfire incidents and how to access it K 22 How to maintain situational awareness using LACES protocol
Health and safety 3112
K Safe working practices of your organisation when responding to wildfire incidents
Health and safety
K 1 Safe working practices of your organisation when responding to wildfire incidents

Practical application

Control measure element	Learning outcome
Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires	Demonstrate the ability to: Gather wildfire information from a number of sources to confirm understanding Clearly communicate wildfire information with others

Control measure element

Learning outcome

Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

Demonstrate the ability to:

Gather wildfire information from a number of sources to confirm understanding
Clearly communicate wildfire information with others

NOS performance criteria

You must be able to:
Attend and control wildfire incidents
P 1 Confirm with others your tasks and duties in relation to wildfire incidents in line with your role, responsibilities, ability and experience P 4 Report any changes in wildfire behaviour to others at wildfire incidents in line with your organisation's communication procedures P 7 Maintain effective communications at wildfire incidents in line with your organisation's communication procedures
You must be able to:
P Monitor information to identify triggers of increased risk of wildfire in line with your organisation's risk assessment procedures P Contribute to risk management plans as required by your organisation P Develop wildfire plans using information gathered in line with your organisation's requirements for operational readiness P Review wildfire plans to respond to changing circumstances in line with your organisation's requirements
Prepare and plan for wildfire incidents
P 7 Monitor information to identify triggers of increased risk of wildfire in line with your organisation's risk assessment procedures P 8 Contribute to risk management plans as required by your organisation P 9 Develop wildfire plans using information gathered in line with your organisation's requirements for operational readiness P 10 Review wildfire plans to respond to changing circumstances in line with your organisation's requirements

Control measure - Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

Control measure Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

Control measure Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

Control measure knowledge

Strategic actions

Tactical actions

TRAINING SPECIFICATION

Knowledge and understanding

NOS knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand 3184

Practical application

NOS performance criteria

Control measure
Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires

Control measure
Establish and maintain situational awareness: Wildfires