FEMA Principal Advisor for Fires
Overview
The Principal Advisor provides technical assistance to FEMA regarding the uncontrolled fire or fire complex for which the State is submitting a declaration request. Specifically, the Principal Advisor assesses the threat to life and improved property (homes, critical facilities, and infrastructure), as well as fire weather, fire behavior, and fire prognosis. The Principal Advisor’s Report is used to verify the information submitted by the State on their declaration request form (FEMA Form 90-58). The Principal Advisor’s Report does not recommend whether to approve or deny a State’s declaration request.
The Principal Advisor completes the Principal Advisor’s Report (FEMA Form 90-32) and provides it to the FEMA Regional Fire Duty Liaison. To expedite the declaration request process, the Principal Advisor may report his or her findings to FEMA by telephone and follow up with a written Principal Advisor’s Report.”
The following is a more detailed and expanded list of roles, responsibilities and duties as developed by the Southern Region, USFS. The list is not in order of importance or priority. The core duties are contained in the first paragraph, however Principal Advisors are frequently asked, and should be fully prepared, to provide all requests for assistance as identified below.
1. Provides technical assistance to FEMA regarding the uncontrolled fire or fire complex for which the state submits a Request for Fire Management Assistance Declaration, Form 90-58. Such technical assistance is provided in the form of a written assessment, the Principal Advisor’s Report, Form 90-32. In addition, a verbal assessment is sometimes requested. The report is used to verify the information contained in the State’s request and provide a fire prognosis. The principal Advisor does not recommend whether to approve or deny a State’s declaration request. Tasks required to meet this responsibility include:
a) Identify and maintain information sources at the field and state levels.
b) Collect time-sensitive information needed to analyze and verify the State’s request.
c) Prepare a report to reflect the assessment of the fire situation and validity of the State’s request. (The report must be prepared in a manner that can be clearly understood by officials with very little wildfire management knowledge or experience.)
d) Be prepared to orally report the assessment and conclusions to FEMA officials.
2. Provides review and critique of state requests for resource pre-positioning costs.
3. Provides review and critique of state plans and cost estimates for proposed actions related to emergency work and temporary repairs.
4. Provides assessment and recommendations regarding incident periods for declared fires.
5. Provides written or oral situation reports and prognosis assessments to FEMA regarding the general wildfire and response situation.
6. Provides informal situations status reports to the Forest Service’s Regional Office.
7. Prepares special reports and briefing papers as requested.
8. Principal Advisors serving during a Major Disaster Declaration incident may become part of FEMA’s Joint Field Office organization and acquire additional duties and responsibilities such as:
a) Participate as a member of the Federal Coordinating Officers Staff in the management of the response to the Major Disaster Declaration and the administration of the Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program. This includes participation in staff and planning meetings, conference calls with FEMA Regional Office and Headquarters officials, and special assignments as requested.
b) Routinely provides informal orientation and training on a variety of subjects related to wildfire behavior, response, and management; and the incident command system.
c) Provides wildfire situation briefings to various Joint Field Office personnel as requested.
d) Reviews and provide critique of damage assessment reports.
e) Prepares for, and participates in VIP visits.