The 2005 Wildland Fire Safety Summit in Missoula represented an important milestone in the pursuit of safety on the fireline.  Eleven years after the South Canyon Fire, and 10 years after the first Human Factors Conference held in Missoula in 1994, the IAWF Safety Conference was both an assessment of how far the development of safety has come, as well as a challenge to take it further. 

In the decade since South Canyon safety concerns in the wildland firefighting agencies have waxed and waned according to external factors including fireline mishaps and disasters, internal factors such as funding, and in response to the “idea champions” who are promoting pieces of a broad safety agenda being advanced within the wildland firefighting realm.  In the years following South Canyon, safety concerns were top agenda items for all firefighting agencies.  Then, as one might expect, interest, funding, and the implementation of changes peaked and then declined.  The IAWF Safety Conference demonstrated that while the concern with safety within the firefighting agencies may have peaked and decreased, there is a vibrant and influential body of people who continue to promote safety as their primary agenda item.  The energy and depth of the presenters and the estimated 400 participants at the IAWF Safety Conference was undeniable.

Presenter after presenter at the University of Montana Ballroom brought strong ideas to the table ranging from fire behavior analysis for the firefighter, to firefighters’ liability for escaped fires,  the use of story telling as a learning tool, the use of meditation to enhance decision making,  comprehensive analyses of fireline tragedies, and much more.

Appropriately the IAWF Safety Conference began with a keynote address by Bob Mutch, entitled “Human factors and wildland firefighter safety, where have we been and where do we need to go?”  Mutch aptly demonstrated how far the firefighting agencies have come in relation to safety, as well as how far they have to go. 

This author, Patrick Withen, gave a presentation on “TEFF: The Ten Essential Factors in Firefighting”  which analyzed the 180+ fireline guidelines such as the 10 Standard Fire Orders and the 18 Situations that Shout Watchout, and demonstrated how they might be consolidated into 10 essential factors in firefighting.  The consolidation of the fire guidelines allows a more focused decision making process, as well as a greater emphasis on previously underplayed factors such as human resources on the fireline. 

One of the most powerful presentations at the conference was given by Dan Northern, Deputy Chief, Novato FD.  Chief Northern offered an insightful analysis of the Cedar Fire.  The Cedar Fire is a tragic example of how things can go wrong in a large fire environment.  In recent years, the most studied fires had been the smaller, Type III incidents. 

Dave Thomas, Regional Fuels Specialist(USFS) discussed the effectiveness of staff rides and story telling in the pursuit of safety.  The theme that we learn in many ways ranging from classroom experiences, proposed scenarios, staff rides, and real life storytelling, was picked up by many presenters and attendees at the conference.  Paul Chamberlain has developed the idea of the “safety portal” where a person, through a significant life experience, travels through a portal and is irrevocably changed.  Paul and several others at the Lessons Learned Center are developing a website which will allow people to post their own safety portal stories in relation to wildland firefighting.  See http://www.wildfirelessons.net/ in June for a chance to post your own portal story. 

Mike Johns, a US Attorney, discussed personal, civil, and criminal liability issues related to wildland fire.  While the use of fire suppression malpractice insurance is increasing, the clarification of laws and rules may make such insurance unnecessary in the future.  As the present time, with several cases in progress, it is unclear as to the exact nature of many of the liabilities that firefighters may face.

One of the more unique and interesting presentations was give by Dr. Jennifer A. Thackaberry of Purdue University.  In many ways the culture of wildland firefighting interprets its rules and regulations not only as a set of rules, but also as a moral code.  The implication being that people learn, follow, and penalize differently for a moral code than they do for a rationalized set of organizational directives.                                                              

While the number of excellent presentations at the IAWF Safety Conference is too numerous to present here, the work of Ted Putnam must be honored.  Ted Putnam was recognized repeatedly as one of the central figures in the birth and development of the study of human factors on the fireline with direct implication to improving wildland firefighter safety.  His own presentation,  “Deep Psychology - Psychological tools for improving firefighter safety,” explored the use of meditation and focused thought for improving decision making on the fireline.  Ted was presented with two significant merit awards including the IAWF Safety Award and the Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award 

The challenge that I took away from the conference was to make safety the number one priority in wildland firefighting.  The work and care of the many noteworthy presenters makes it clear that, indeed, safety is a priority for many members of the wildland firefighting community.  The attendees were equally energized.  But the many issues that were discussed bring to mind that there is still much to do.  A resounding question throughout the IAWF Safety Conference was, ‘what has changed since South Canyon?’  And the answer must be that a lot has changed, but there is still a lot to do.  There are two parts to making safety a priority.  First, is the creation of the safety practices that need to be added or incorporated into our present safety system.  Second is the dissemination of these practices to every corner of the wildland firefighting community.  The presenters & the attendees left Missoula with the sense that safe work will be done.

For all of the proceedings from 2005 Wildland Fire Safety Summit , see http://www.iawfonline.org/