A compilation of wildland fire guides you should have on your shelf

In my August column ("Page Turners," p. 9), I wrote about two indispensable pocket safety guides that all wildland firefighters should have in their possession: the "Fireline Handbook" and the "Incident Response Pocket Guide." But there are quite few other pocket reference guidebooks for wildland firefighters, emergency responders, supervisors and agency administrators. Following are a few additional safety guides (not in priority order) that you should definitely consider owning.

Wildland Fire Guides
The standard reference guidebook for federal interagency wildland fire agencies is "Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Operations" (NFES No. 2724). This is a must-have publication for everyone in the federal fire agencies and those who interact with them. Note: The guide details overall policy for federal agencies; individual agencies' policies may be more stringent.

Two other references to consider having on your shelf: the "Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide" (called IHOG by most folks; NFES No. 1885) and the National Wildfire Coordinating Group's (NWCG) "Incident Business Management Handbook" OK, you may not consider the business handbook one your first choices as a safety guide, but it does contain a wealth of information on contracts, standards, pay and other safety-related information.

Over the past few years, I have seen the incident command system (ICS) 214 unit log morph into a small booklet with other safety-related topics. Although various formats exist, the two I like best are the "214 Unit Log and Fireline Safety Assessment," by NorthTree Fire International and a similar folding log book by the Texas Forest Service (TFS). NorthTree's log is reduced in size and the booklet is folded, so it can fit in your pocket conveniently, and the Fireline Safety Assessment can help you conduct a safety check. The TFS guide includes key contact numbers, several safety checklists and fire report forms.

All-Hazard Guides
The first edition of the "Florida Incident Field Operations Guide" was printed back in 2003; the most recent edition is January 2006. This all-hazard approach to incident management is put together by the State Working Group for Domestic Preparedness. It was the first guide of its kind in the nation to incorporate all facets of emergency response, containing chapters on everything from common responsibilities to multi-agency coordination system and area command to mass casualty incidents (MCI), law enforcement and terrorism. The folks that put this fabulous guide together assure the reader that it meets federal requirements spelled out by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Presidential Directive 8 and is in compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

The orange 5" x 8" "Emergency Response Guidebook" (ERG) has been a hazardous material staple for emergency responders for years; the most recent edition was printed in 2004. Many agencies require ERGs in their vehicles at all times. OSHA and the EPA also require responders to be trained regarding the use of the ERG. It's an excellent guidebook for emergency responders during the initial phase of a dangerous goods/hazardous materials incident, often encountered during railroad or highway accidents involving the transportation of tanked chemicals. The ERG is used in at least four countries (United States, Canada, Mexico and Columbia) and you can purchase the book from a number of vendors or simply download it free off the Internet at http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/gydebook.htm.

Wildland Fire EMS
Two good, easy-to-read EMS field guides are the "EMS Field Guide" (by Tardiff, Derr and LeSage; 2004; published by InforMed), and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) "EMT-B Field Guide, 2nd Edition." Both guides cost less than $20 and serve as good memory aides. The AAOS booklet includes a helpful section on MCI and ICS, and the InforMed guide has an alphabetical listing of 1,700 prescription medications. More serious students of EMS will enjoy reading the "Combat Medic Field Reference" published by Jones and Bartlett. It covers ALS areas that require medical protocols and oversight.

Specialized Safety Guides
Interesting guides abound for some of our regional and specialized resources, including:

• Smokejumpers: Jumpers have oversight guides and guides for specific regions, for example, the Northern Rockies User Guide
  (http://gacc.nifc.gov/nrcc/dispatch/overhead/Smokejumper_User_Guide_2005.pdf).
• Fire medics: The Alaska Fire Medic program has several must-have guides for fire medics, including the Fire Medic Technician Reference Guide, the Specified List of Kit Contents, the Remote Location Mass Causality Plan, and Standing Orders and Treatment Protocols. The Incident Medical Specialist (IMS) of the Pacific Northwest has similar publications (some are available at:  www.fs.fed.us/r6/ uma/ims/), as does the IMS program of the Northern Rockies Region (www.fs.fed.us/r1/fire/nrcg/Committees/Operations/ims/ims_web_site). 
• Accident investigators: Several good accident investigation reference manuals will help ensure you don't miss anything during an investigation: "Interagency Serious Accident Investigation Guide," (www.nifc.gov/safety_study/accident_invest/inter_accident_invest.htm); the USFS Accident Investigation Guide (www.nifc.gov/safety_study/accident_invest/accident_invest_guide.pdf); and the Bureau of Land Management's Serious Accident Investigation Chief Investigator's Manual (www.nifc.gov/safety_study/accident_invest/BLMChfInvstgtrManual.pdf).

Start Reading
Wildland firefighting is becoming more and more complex and demanding each day. The guides mentioned above can help you deal with the demands and responsibilities of your changing job. But remember: No guide, no matter how helpful, will ever replace good, clear, insightful thinking and decision making on your part.

Gene Madden, an SOFI, is an IOFI and a medical unit leader. E-mail him at gmsof1@comcast.net.