Unit 2 Personnel Qualifications and Responsibilities

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Unit 2Personnel Qualifications and
Responsibilities
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Objectives

• Become familiar with
• Initial Training/Certification and Currency
• Prescribed and Wildfire Organization structure
• Qualifications Responsibilities
• Annual re-certification requirements

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• Training Requirements
• Organization and communication
• Special safety procedures and concerns
• Dealing with hazardous materials
• Equipment testing, troubleshooting, and
  maintenance
• Briefing and checklist requirements

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• Training Requirements
• Operational procedures and requirements
• Live-run exercise to consist of
• Briefing burn boss and all personnel
• Mixing
• Torch test procedures
• Dropping gel
• (dropping gel can be on training exercise or
  actual burn project)

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Re-Certified annually Helitorch
Manager Helitorch Mixmaster Helitorch Parking
Tender
Re-certification is the delegated responsibility
of the applicable Regional Helicopter Operations
Specialist or designee. For DOI Bureaus, this is
accomplished through Bureau/Agency authority at
the State or Area office level or as otherwise
established by the individual bureau/agency.
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RE-CERTIFICATION

• 1.      Each helitorch module member shall review
  the applicable sections of the Interagency Aerial
  Ignition Guide, as well as agency-specific
  guidance and direction and
• 2.      A re-certification training session
  consisting of items 1-6 in Chapter II.IV.A.
• 3.      Must be documented on the Interagency
  Helitorch Module Annual Re-currency Training form
  identified in the IAIG.

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Currency Requirements

• Must perform in the position at least once every
  three years to maintain currency and remain
  eligible for re-certification training
• If individual does not meet the currency
  requirement, must complete the initial
  certification and training.

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Prescribed Fire and Wildfire Helitorch
OrganizationChart

• Reference Interagency Aerial Ignition Guide
  Appendix B

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Qualifications and Responsibilities
Training and experience qualified
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Helitorch Positions
Pilot
Burn Boss/Ignition Specialist Helitorch Mgr
Helitorch Mixing Crew
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Pilot - Carding Criteria

• Both pilot and aircraft must be carded by Agency
  Helicopter Inspector for Helitorch Operations.

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Pilots Qualifications Card
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Pilot
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Pilot Responsibilities

• Basic knowledge of wildland prescribed fire
  operations
• Communication and Coordination with Burn Boss
  Parking Tender
• Knows limitation section of flight manual
• Helitorch operation installation

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Pilot Responsibilities (cont)

• Maintain constant airspeed elevation
• Maintains reserve power
• Explains how winds and topography effect flight
  patterns
• Pilot is responsible for all helicopter
  operations and flight safety

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Burn Boss
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Burn Boss Qualifications

• Prescribed Fire Burn Boss
• Received helicopter safety training
• Knowledgeable of ICS organization and concepts
  and is familiar with aerial ignition operations
• Can interpret weather fire behavior

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Burn Boss Responsibilities

• Complete authority for directs firing
  operation, develops firing plan
• Performs the initial briefing and covers
  assignments
• Instructs pilot as to the plan firing sequence
• Keeps pilot informed throughout entire operation
• May be in another aircraft or at other vantage
  point.
• Cannot conduct operations from the Helitorch
  Helicopter

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Ignition Specialist
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Ignition Specialist Qualifications

• Qualified as Ignition Specialist
• Received helicopter safety training
• Knowledgeable of ICS organization and concepts
  and is familiar with aerial ignition operations

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Ignition Specialist Responsibilities

• As requested by Burn Boss, directs the aerial
  firing operation
• Instructs the pilot Helitorch Mgr... to the
  plan firing sequence
• Keeps pilot informed throughout the operation.
• Cannot conduct operations from the Helitorch
  Helicopter

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Helitorch Manager
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Helitorch Manager Qualifications

• Helicopter Manager (Exclusive-use fire,CWN, or
  Project), HTMM qualified, and Aerial Ignition
  Annual Re-certification
• Minimum HEB2(T)

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Helitorch Manager Responsibilities

• On operations utilizing only one helitorch
  helicopter, the Helitorch Manager may have
  collateral duties as the Helicopter Manager as
  well as either (not both) the HTMM or HTPT. On
  operations utilizing more than one helitorch
  helicopter, the Helitorch Manager may have
  collateral duties as the Helibase Manager
  providing that they do not assume duties as the
  HTMM or HTPT.
• Provides technical assistance to Burn
  Boss/Ignition Specialist
• Supervises all Helitorch operations and assigns
  qualified personnel to positions
• Assures all required equipment is on site and
  operational
• Briefs pilots and Helibase Personnel
• Identifies hazards and safety requirements at
  operations briefing

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Helitorch Manager Responsibilities (cont)

• Monitors overall helitorch operation
• Provides technical info on helibase location and
  operation
• Ensures safety precautions have been completed
  prior to mixing
• Assures Aerial Ignition Safety Plan and go/no go
  Checklist is approved/posted followed
• Assures commo link between Helitorch
  base/Dispatch and/or Operations

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Mixmaster
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Helitorch Mixmaster Qualifications

• Helicopter Crewmember
• HTMM qualified, and Aerial Ignition Annual
  Re-certification

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Helitorch Mixmaster Responsibilities

• Reports to the Helitorch Manager, (may have
  collateral duties as HCWN/HTMG on single aircraft
  project burn)
• Attends briefings
• Supervise mixing/filling operation, manages time
  frames to maintain availability of gel
• Places equipment and assures it is operational
• Hook helitorch to helicopter

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Helitorch Mixmaster Responsibilities (cont)

• Assure bonding procedures are followed
• Perform preflight tests of helitorch with pilot
• Conduct drills prior to operations to assure
  mixing and filling operations are coordinated
  between all personnel
• Perform maintenance and cleaning of all helitorch
  equipment
• Supervise helibase fire protection

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Helitorch Mixmaster Responsibilities (cont)

• Conduct drills and assure coordination prior to
  operation
• Perform preventative maintenance
• Insure all equipment cleaned and operational at
  end of each shift

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Parking Tender
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Helitorch Parking Tender Qualifications

• Helicopter Crewmember
• Aerial Ignition Annual Re-certification

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Helitorch Parking Tender Duties

• Reports to the Helitorch Manager (may also serve
  as HCWN)
• Attend briefing
• Directs helicopter during take-off and landings
• Directs all movements of personnel and equipment
  around the helicopter
• Must use a radio in conjunction with a
  headset/hardhat or flight helmet (sph 4/5)

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Helitorch Parking Tender Duties (cont)

• Has fire protection responsibility for the
  primary helitorch helipad (all fueling/filling
  operations and takeoff landing)
• Needs as minimum, 40-BC dry-chemical fire
  extinguisher
• Know and understand helicopter crash/rescue
  procedures
• Attend to pilots needs at landing pad
• Ensure electrical switches are on prior to
  takeoff, off after landing

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Helitorch Parking Tender Duties (cont)

• Inspect discharge valve, propane pressure, cam
  lock, drum hardware and suspension cables prior
  to takeoff
• Assure all personnel/equipment are clear of
  safety circle during takeoff/landing
• Check hook-up of helitorch to helicopter
• Maintain commo with helicopter while within the
  area of Helitorch base
• Turn communication over to burn boss when
  helicopter departs Helitorch base area

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Mixing Crew Member
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Mixing Crew Qualifications

• Initial Training and Re-currency to include
• A-101 Aviation Safety
• A-105 Aviation Life Support Equipment
• A-106 Aviation Mishap Reporting
• A-107 Aviation Policy and regulations
• A-108 Preflight Briefing/Debriefing
• A-109 Aviation Radio Use
• A-113 Crash Survival
• Or S-271
• OJT Helitorch operation instruction (Dry Run)
  must be performed annually or can be accomplished
  as part of live burn operation

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Mixing Crew Duties

• Report to Mixmaster
• Attend briefings
• Assist mixmaster with operation of mixing plant
• Assists with the filling of the helitorch and
  fire protection
• Perform any other miscellaneous tasks during
  helitorch operation

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Helitorch Base Radio Operator Qualifications

• For complex burns or on multiple aircraft
  helibase use qualified aircraft base radio
  operator (ABRO)

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Radio Operator Duties

• Reports to Helitorch Manager
• Attends briefings
• Receive orders from burn boss/Ignition Specialist
  and relays to helitorch manager
• Maintain communication with appropriate aircraft
• Provide communication between H/T Manager,
  Parking Tender, Helicopter Pilot, Burn
  Boss/Ignition Specialist and Dispatch and/or
  Operations
• Maintain an Flight Following log

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Helitorch Fire Protection Personnel Duties

• Reports to HTMM
• Attend briefings
• Staffed engine with Class B foam capability, or a
  minimum of 2, 3 gallon class B portable
  Compressed Air Foam extinguishers on-site
• Familiar with crash/rescue operations
• Familiar with fire extinguisher operation
• Charge hoses and attend nozzles during operations

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Transfer System
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Batchmixer
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Helitorches
Isolair
Spec 2000
Simplex 5400