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2 Overview  What is the GTG?  Who are the members of GTG?  Accomplishments  Strategic Plan  Being part of the interagency fire GIS team

3 What is the GTG?  Interagency group created in October 1999  Reports to the Information Resource Management Working Team (IRMWT) under the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)

4 Bureau of Indian Affairs Bureau of Land Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Park Service Fire Systems Research, U.S. Forest Service Intertribal Timber Council Source: National Wildfire Coordinating Group USDA Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Fire Administration National Association of State Foresters NWCG Membership

5 National Wildfire Coordinating Group Information Resource Management Geospatial Task GroupSystem Coordination Group Incident OperationsTraining Fire Environment Fire Equipment Fire Use Incident Business Practices Publication Management System Safety and Health Wildland Urban Interface Wildland Fire Investigation Wildland Fire Education Working Teams

6 Goals and Objectives of GTG  Provide a coordinated interagency point of contact for the NWCG IRMWT regarding the use of geospatial technology  Recommend and review interagency standards and processes  Encourage and recommend the development of geospatial data and applications to support interagency fire management

Who are the Members ? AgencyMemberTechnical Advisors USFSJoe FrostKaty Madrid Hipke BLMSusan GoodmanSean Triplett NPSDoug StephenBrian Sorbel FWSBill Leenhouts (Vice Chair) BIALuther ArizanaTed Tower, Richard Moore USGSLiz LileJohn Guthrie Eastern StatesSue McLellan (Chair) Western StatesSkip Edel IRMWT LiaisonAndrea Olson (FWS)

8 Web Site: gis.nwcg.gov

9 GTG Direction  2001 IRMWT gave clear direction to GTG stating that the group was not operational, but a standards organization

10 Standards  Facilitate data sharing  Increase interoperability among geospatial technologies  Standards contribute to making life simpler  Increase the reliability and effectiveness of the GIS products produced.

11 Data Standards  Data layer standards Fire Perimeter Fire history (polygon)  Data item standards NWCG Data Administration Working Group

12 GTG Accomplishments  2002 Presented two issue papers to IRMWT Developing an Interagency Standard for the Transfer and Documentation of GIS Fire Perimeters A Recommended Approach for Simplifying Wildland Fire Occurrence Reporting and Creating GIS Layers from Wildland Fire Occurrence Data

13 GTG Accomplishments  The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Data Administration Working Group has approved: Daily Fire Perimeter Data Layer Standard Fire History Data Layer Standard These standards were developed by the NWCG’s Geospatial Task Group (GTG) and are an agreed upon minimum interagency national standard. Source: Information Bulletin No MAR-2007

14 GTG Accomplishments  The NWCG Geographic Information System (GIS) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Incidents Project (GSTOP) June 2006  Details in another presentation

15 GIS Technical Specialist:  4 Types of Positions ICS positions Wildfire Skill positions Technical Specialist Positions Wildfire Skill Positions  GTG proposed that the GIST be transferred from a Technical Specialist position to an ICS position with a position task book and required / recommended training

16 Geographic Information System Specialist (GISS)  Position was included in the 2006 release of the Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide, PMS  The PMS is available on the NWCG Publication Management System web pagePMS  Information about the GISS position can be found on page 105 of the PMS document.

17 GISS  The GISS position has replaced the GIS Technical Specialist (GIST) position  The GIST position title and code will be made inactive in IQCS.  The GIST position title and code will no longer be used on incident qualification cards or in the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS).

18 GISS  A transition guidance letter has been released from NWCG specifying grandfathering procedures for the GIST to GISS conversion, and is available on the NWCG website. NWCG website  Links to Task Book & information are on the GTG website: gis.nwcg.gov

19 GAO Report on Geospatial Technologies and Wildland Fire

20 GAO Report on Geospatial Technologies and Wildland Fire  Recommendations Develop an interagency geospatial strategy for effectively using geospatial information technologies in all phases of wildland fire management Develop an interagency IRM strategy for wildland fire management Develop an interagency enterprise architecture for wildland fire management

21 NWCG Geospatial Task Group’s Geospatial Strategic Plan  The GTG vision is that geospatial technologies are pervasive and transparent in wildland fire management and that the resulting products and services are integral to and enhance decision making in all phases of wildland fire management.

22 Strategic Plan Goals  DATA: Quality geospatial data is easily accessible and used appropriately.  SYSTEMS: Stable, trusted, effective, and dependable systems that have a geospatial component are available to meet wildland fire needs.  INFRASTRUCTURE: A common interagency infrastructure is in place to meet the business needs of the wildland fire community.

23 Strategic Plan Goals…  STAFFING: Personnel are willing and able to support, maintain, and utilize geospatial technologies as appropriate.  USE OF NEW PRODUCTS: The wildland fire community is using the most appropriate geospatial technology.  COMMUNICATION: Effectively communicate wildland fire interagency geospatial issues, policies and standards.

24 Be part of the team  You can recommend issues by contacting a GTG member or your IRMWT representative 

25 Final thoughts

26 Final Thoughts GTG