NWCG FFT1/FFT2 cheat sheet

LCES = Lookouts, Communications, Escape routes, Safety zones; establish and re-verify LCES whenever the fire, weather, fuels, or tactics change, and before every uphill run or change in wind.

Watch Out Situations are 18 standardized red flags; any one warrants a pause and reassessment, and combinations (e.g., wind plus slope plus unburned fuel between you and the fire) trigger disengagement.

Standard Firefighting Orders are 10; they are mandatory direction, while Watch Outs are cues for situational awareness - both are referenced in serious-accident reviews.

Fire shelter deployment: last resort only. Deploy in a cleared area, face down, feet toward the fire, hands beside the head, breathe through the nose, and stay under the shelter until heat drops.

Safety zone sizing is based on distance from flames, flame height, and heat flux; a rule of thumb is at least 4 times the maximum flame height in an area with no heavy fuels.

Trigger points are pre-set decision thresholds (wind speed, flame length, distance, time of day) that force a pre-planned action; set them before engagement, not during the run.

Entrapment avoidance: never position in chimneys, narrow canyons, saddles, or on slopes with unburned fuel below you; move to black or a wide safety zone early.

Report hazards and near misses immediately; a documented near miss is a free lesson, and withholding one is a safety failure, not a performance issue.

Fire triangle: heat, fuel, oxygen; remove any leg to stop combustion. The fire behavior triangle adds weather, fuels, and topography as the drivers of spread.

Rate of spread roughly doubles for every 10-degree increase in slope on a given fuel bed, and doubles again with a doubling of wind speed up to a threshold.

Fuel models: grass (1), grass-timber (2), tall grass (3), chaparral (4), brush (5), hardwood litter (8), timber litter (10), slash (11-13); each has a standard fuel load and depth.

Extreme fire behavior indicators: crowning, spotting well ahead of the front, firewhirls, column collapse, rapid directional change, and a well-developed convection column.

Relative humidity below 30% and 10-hour fuel moisture below 8% generally signal high fire danger; measure with a belt weather kit and record on the fire behavior worksheet.

Wind shifts: a frontal passage or thunderstorm outflow can turn a flanking fire into a head fire within minutes; watch the column and the sky, not just the wind gauge.

Spot fires start from firebrands; short-range spotting is common in brush, and long-range spotting (over 1/4 mile) means the fire is beyond direct attack.

Aspect matters: south and west slopes dry earlier and burn hotter; north and east slopes hold moisture and are often the escape route side.

Anchor point: start line construction from a barrier (road, black, rock, water) so the fire cannot burn behind you; never build line without one.

Handline width rule of thumb: about 1.5 times the flame length, or at least 1 foot of mineral soil cleared to the fire's edge, with no overhanging fuels inside the line.

Direct attack works when flame length is under about 4 feet and you can work the line safely; above that, use indirect or parallel attack with dozers or aerial support.

Mop-up standard: 100 feet in from the line for most fuels, more on steep slopes or with heavy fuels; cold-trail check for heat with the back of the hand before declaring it out.

Holding: assign a holding force with water and tools on every completed line segment; a line that is not held is not a line.

Spot fires inside the line are attacked immediately by a designated spotter or the nearest crew; if spotting is heavy, fall back to the anchor and rebuild.

Pincer or flanking attack: work both flanks toward the head from anchor points; never work toward the head from below a fire on a slope.

Construct line with the saw out front, then hand crews, then mop-up; keep at least one escape route cleared and marked between the line and the safety zone.

Pulaski: axe on one side, grub hoe on the other; used for cutting and scraping. McLeod: flat rake on one side, hoe on the other; used for scraping and raking.

Shovel and pulaski are the core handline tools; keep handles tight, edges sharpened, and carry tools with the cutting edge down and away from the body.

Chainsaw operation: wear chaps, eye and ear protection, and a hard hat; clear a 2-tree-length escape path before every cut and never cut alone.

Pumps: know the priming procedure, the fuel mix, and the rated flow; a typical wildland pump delivers about 20-50 gpm at 100-200 psi, and pressure drops with elevation gain.

Hose lays: 1-inch or 1.5-inch wildland hose; friction loss rises with length and flow, so add pumps in series or use larger hose on long lays.

Water handling: use a nozzle with a controllable pattern, keep hose off hot ash, and drain and roll hose with couplings protected when breaking down.

Backpack pumps hold about 5 gallons; refill from the nearest water source or engine and log the source, because resupply distance drives the mop-up pace.

Tool maintenance: file and sharpen before each shift, inspect for cracked handles, and report damaged equipment rather than improvising a repair on the line.

Radio protocol: identify yourself, the addressee, and the message; use plain language, avoid codes, and confirm receipt with a read-back for critical traffic.

Program the incident command, tactical, and air-to-ground channels before shift; verify the air-to-ground channel with the incident communications unit.

Priority traffic: emergency traffic (mayday, entrapment, injury) preempts all other transmissions; say "emergency traffic" and keep the channel clear.

Situational awareness reporting: report what you see, where you are, and what you need - location, fire behavior, resources, and requested action.

Battery and antenna discipline: carry spare batteries, keep the radio on the assigned channel, and use a remote speaker mic so the radio stays protected.

Cell phones and satellite messengers are backups, not primary; know the repeater coverage gaps on your division and pre-arrange a check-in schedule.

Status reports: report arrival, line construction progress, and departure; a missed check-in is a trigger for a welfare check by the supervisor.

ICS is a standardized, modular management system; the five functions are Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration.

Span of control: 3 to 7 subordinates per supervisor, with 5 as the target; expand the organization by adding divisions or groups rather than widening spans.

Chain of command: report to one supervisor only; if you must go outside it, notify your supervisor afterward. Unity of command prevents freelancing.

Divisions are geographic (Division A, B, C...) and Groups are functional (e.g., Structure Group, Air Group); both report to Operations.

Type 1-5 incidents: Type 5 is the smallest, handled locally; Type 1 is the largest, with a full IMT and national resources.

Transfer of command is a formal briefing covering situation, resources, tactics, and safety; the incoming IC assumes responsibility only after the briefing.

Delegation of authority and the incident action plan define objectives and constraints; read the IAP at shift brief and know your assignment.

Structure triage categories: defensible and safe to defend, defensible but needs prep, and not defensible - leave. Triage before engagement, not after.

Defensible space: clear fuels within at least 30 feet of the structure, and reduce fuels 30-100 feet out; keep the zone between the structure and the safety zone passable.

Structure defense requires a water supply and an escape route; if either is missing, the structure is not defensible and you do not commit.

Do not enter a structure to fight fire unless trained and equipped for interior attack; wildland crews defend from the outside and stay mobile.

Watch for propane tanks, power lines, and vegetation close to windows; these are the common failure points during a WUI pass.

Evacuation and traffic control: coordinate with law enforcement and the Structure Group; keep the access road clear for engines and dozers.

After the fire front passes, expect spot fires in the WUI and check the structure's roof, gutters, and vents for embers.

Safe approach to a helicopter: approach only when signaled by the pilot or crew, from the side, low and slow, never toward the tail rotor or uphill.

Hand signals: use standard signals (e.g., arms crossed for stop, circular motion for start, pointing for direction); confirm with the pilot before the aircraft moves.

Helicopter landing zone: at least 100 feet by 100 feet, clear of obstacles, marked, with the approach path into the wind and no loose debris.

Spotter duties: the spotter keeps radio contact with the aircraft, clears the drop zone, calls "clear" or "abort," and never turns away during a drop.

Air tanker and helicopter drops: know the target, the retardant line, and the escape route; a drop that lands on you is a serious injury hazard.

Dozer support: establish a safety zone and communication with the operator; stay out of the swing radius and never walk behind a backing dozer.

Hand signals to equipment operators should be given from a position the operator can see, with eye contact confirmed before signaling.

Work/rest ratio: typically 2:1 for arduous duty (e.g., 2 hours work to 1 hour rest), adjusted for heat, elevation, and PPE; fatigue is a recognized accident cause.

Hydration: drink water steadily, roughly 1 quart per hour during heavy work in heat; use electrolyte replacement on long shifts and avoid alcohol.

Heat illness: cramps, dizziness, nausea, and confusion are red flags; move to shade, cool, and hydrate, and report to the medical unit.

Sleep: aim for 7-8 hours per 24-hour period; cumulative sleep debt degrades judgment and reaction time as much as alcohol.

Fitness standard: the pack test (3 miles with 45 lb in 45 minutes) is the arduous-duty benchmark; maintain aerobic and strength conditioning year-round.

Shift length: 12-16 hour operational periods are common; know your rest plan and report fatigue to your supervisor before it becomes a safety issue.

Nutrition: eat regular meals with carbohydrates and protein; skipping meals on shift accelerates fatigue and impairs decision-making.

Task books list the required performance standards for a position; each task is signed off by a qualified evaluator after observed performance.

The trainee initiates the task book, the supervisor assigns evaluators, and the completed book goes to the certifying official for review and approval.

Documentation must be contemporaneous and specific: date, incident, task, and observed behavior; vague entries are returned for correction.

Position performance evaluation: the evaluator observes, documents, and recommends; the trainee can respond in writing to an evaluation.

Maintain a personal training record (classes, pack test, red card) and keep copies; lost records delay qualification.

After sign-off, the task book is retained per agency policy; the qualification is entered in the incident qualification system (e.g., IQCS) and drives dispatch.

Evaluators must be qualified in the position they evaluate and free of a conflict of interest with the trainee.