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The Path to Fire Suppression Doctrine in the USDA Forest Service

The Path to Fire Suppression Doctrine in the USDA Forest Service. Issues and Consequences . Doctrine did not keep pace with change

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The Path to Fire Suppression Doctrine in the USDA Forest Service

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  1. The Path toFire Suppression Doctrinein theUSDA Forest Service

  2. Issues and Consequences • Doctrine did not keep pace with change • The mission of the Forest Service in earlier days was simpler and better defined. Over time the mission, and physical and political environments changed and increased in complexity, but there was little effort to validate and modify doctrine • Absent clear and shared understanding of operational doctrine, the fundamental context of mission accomplishment is shaped by personal agenda California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  3. Issues and Consequences • Investigations of bad outcomes focused on symptoms, believing bad outcomes could be avoided by asserting more control, by establishing more rules • As control measures are increased, the ability to succeed is confined to an ever shrinking playing field • The layering of prescriptive policy, checklists, and a variety of “dos” and “don’ts” have left the agency more vulnerable to outside criticism with no defense left when a checklist or rule is “violated” California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  4. Issues and Consequences • Leadership became increasingly frustrated with errors in the field, particularly those that lead to bad outcomes • Outcomes were only evaluated against the adherence to or deviation from rules, not the quality of the decisions being made at that time and in that place • Good outcomes, resulting from bad decisions, were never evaluated… leading to down-stream problems California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  5. The Benefit • Overcomes the myth of control • Control of on-the-ground operations is, in reality, in the hands of those on the ground • Effective command and control relies on the expression of clear intent, confidence in subordinate capabilities, acceptance of mutual responsibilities, a specified objective, and freedom to act… all firmly rooted in shared and understood doctrinal principles California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  6. The Benefit • Establishes different measures of success • Within a rules-based organization “success” is measured by the adherence to a set of rules, and the absence of a bad outcome • In a principles-based organization, it is the quality of decisions and behaviors that matter… regardless of outcome California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  7. The Benefit • Risk avoidance is replaced by risk management • There have been numerous examples where initial action was inappropriately timid, and resulted in larger fires and increased exposure to a far greater number of firefighters, higher suppression costs, strained relationships with cooperators, and an unwritten acceptance of risk avoidance • Risk aversion is not complimentary to the agency mission in fire suppression. People must be given the grounding they need to weigh risk vs. gain, and the latitude to act California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  8. The Benefit • Provides realistic core values • Core values represent the reality of the work, the environment, and the intention of the agency to meet its mission within that environment California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  9. The Rub • Given latitude to operate within operational doctrine and leader intent, increased accountability is essential • We must know, not assume, our firefighters are trained, qualified, and capable of performing their job • We must hold each other accountable to make decisions and exercise judgment that are strictly in step with operational doctrine California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  10. The Rub • We cannot accept behaviors that would jeopardize our ability to perform in this manner • We must be consistent and professional in our response to leaders intent • We must be relentless in our review of operational error, swift and direct in our response to it, and committed to learning from it • We must be active and avid in self-assessment and committed to self-improvement California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  11. The Challenge • It can be difficult to move away from a rules-based environment. We have been trained and rewarded for our performance within it. Here is a case-in-point California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  12. Engage with purpose… Pick your battles… Look beyond the immediate… Be realistic in alternative development… Balance risk with gain… California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  13. Maintain force readiness… Maintain a ready reserve… Ensure management flexibility… Waste no effort… Stay engaged… Ensure the viability of every effort… Be cost conscious… California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

  14. Share the responsibility… Help citizens redeem their responsibilities… Speak with one voice… California-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council Presentation - October 19, 2006

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