Teams are activated when the logistical/administrative needs of the incident are beyond the capacity of the local unit. A team isn’t activated just because an incident is blowing up and resources are needed.
That’s only half true
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A local unit can request as many resources as they need to but when those resources show up, how do you feed and sleep everyone. How do you resupply all of the equipment they used. Do you you keep track of all of the expenses associated with the incident.
This is where the team come in, with positions to support all of theses needs. Yes these is an operational component to the teams, but more then operations the need is to logistically and administratively supposed the local unit and responding resources.
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Agreed, but teams are comprised of people from the Oregon boarder to the Mexican boarder. They do not mobilize teams without significant activity or potential. When CF teams get activated a lot comes with that immediately out of the gates. That’s $$$$. They are very worried about this fire I can guarantee that.
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Sometimes the teams get activated as a short team to provide logistical support. Team 10 is on the way to the Summit Trail fire in northern Washington for a less than 500 acre fire with less than 20 people (as of 6 hrs. ago) mainly for line supervision and logistical support. Of course they ALL have potential to go big these days. But off we go…
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Very true, CF teams and Fed teams are two different animals though.
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All I can say is woof…
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I do not know who started this Topic, but do thank them or whoevere. All infomartion in this topic is very noteworthy and apprecieated. I just want to thank all the Mods for their dedication and time as well as their expertise…especially in the heat of battle as well as heat of discussions: both good and bad…
I thank you all…and to all that contribute in a positive, professionl manner
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How are Fed and CF Teams different animals??? I’d like to hear an explanation of that.
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Feds staff down to the DIVS level for starters. CF only has the Branch at the Team Level.
CF has crew tech spec & equip tech spec positions as part of the team…neither position exist on a FED team.
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CF also does not do Type 2 teams, only Type 1 at the state level.
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MOTL (Motel Unit Leader) is CF specific. CF runs 24 op period at 0700-0700 with 1 briefing. Fed teams in Cali are starting to run 24 hour op period with one IAP and 2 briefings 0600-0600. Fed uses Planning Ops, CF uses Deputy Ops. I am sure there is more.
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Feds use 2 AG frequency
AG command
AG Tac
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Their overall missions for the fires outcomes are also extremely different.
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Those aren’t any difference in Teams and capabilities, only different agency policies. I coached and coordinated S-420 Command and General Staff for many years with CF, Fed and LG students. Their objectives are the same as well as qualifications. Both are highly qualified and capable of managing incidents inter-agency. The purpose of ICS and training is to adapt to a variety of incidents. Not just wildland.
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Objectives not always the same. In the wildland arena, Manage for resource benefit is not in the CF vernacular. Nobody ever posted that one team is better than another. You asked what the differences are. Also, CF IMT members take 420, then when they get to a Section Chief position, they are going to AAIM now, not S-520 at NAFRI. Some have gone to CIMC, but that doesn’t come to California every year as it is hosted nationwide.
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That doesn’t matter. An ICT or IMT needs to have the capability to adapt to any agency policies and carry out the objectives as defined by the Host agency . Here’s a prime example, the Creek. At the start of the fire the Forest couldn’t get a Type 1 Fed team in a timely manner as they were all committed in NorCal or out of Region so they ordered a CF Team and were in unified command and it worked well. The whole point of ICS is to recognize each others quals. and meet the objectives of the incident. That’s what unified command is all about.
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That’s one thing I noticed last year on MNF-August, the night ops briefing over radio to all the spiked out resources. It was pretty neat, allowed for up-to-the-minute IMET breifings and Ops could direct based on the day’s accomplishments etc.
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There were a whole lot of innovative high tech methods undertaken for briefings by Teams last year with COVID.
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A few fires I went to did the briefing via YouTube live stream which was huge. Over the radio was very helpful as well.
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