National Interagency Fire Center
Encyclopedia
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, is the physical facility that is home to the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC), and the National Multi-Agency Coordination group (NMAC or MAC).
The center works closely with and is an arm of the National Fire and Aviation Executive Board (NFAEB), which provides unified guidance for fire agencies in the United States, and handbooks and guidelines to provide common procedures. It was created to implement the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. The NFAEB has created the Federal Fire Policy Directives Task Group, which coordinates with state agencies in order to implement cooperative agreements.
The center's mission is the complex interagency co-ordination of wildland firefighting resources in the United States. Although NIFC was founded to manage firefighting resources throughout the western states, the center is now designated as an "all-risk" co-ordination center and thus provides support in response to other emergencies such as floods, hurricanes and earthquakes for the entire United States. it helps to establish the National preparedness level
National preparedness level
The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group establishes National Preparedness Levels throughout the calendar year to help assure that wildland firefighting resources are ready to respond to new incidents...
, to help establish priorities and allocate some resources.
Tier 3 - Local Control
A wildland fire is initially managed by the local agency that has fire protection responsibility for that area. Engines, ground crews, hotshots, smokejumpers, helicopters with water buckets, and airtankers may all be used for initial suppression. Various local agencies may work together, sharing personnel and equipment, to fight both new fires and those not contained by the initial response.Tier 2 - Geographic Area Coordination Center(s)
The United States is divided into 11 geographic areas. If a wildland fire grows to the point where local personnel and equipment are insufficient, the responsible agency contacts the Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) for help. The GACC will dispatch a Type 2 Incident Management TeamIncident Management Team
In the United States, there are predominantly five types of incident management teams . An incident such as a wildland fire is initially managed by local fire departments or fire agencies, but if the fire becomes complex additional resources are called in to address the emergency, and higher...
(IMT) and they will locate and dispatch additional firefighters and support personnel throughout the geographic area at risk.
When the emergency exceeds the resources of the GACC, a call is then made to the National Interagency Coordination Center at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).
Tier 1 - National Interagency Coordination Center
NIFC is the home of the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC). If a fire exceeds the level of local control and all the resources in its geographic area, NICC will call dispatch a type 1 Incident Management Team and additional national resources from multiple agencies as required.National Multi-Agency Coordination Group
The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group (NMAC or MAC) also resides at the NIFC; it is used to allocate and prioritize personnel and equipment if several simultaneous national emergencies are straining the support system.MAC also establishes the National Preparedness Level
National preparedness level
The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group establishes National Preparedness Levels throughout the calendar year to help assure that wildland firefighting resources are ready to respond to new incidents...
s throughout the calendar year in order to help assure that firefighting resources are ready and able to respond to probable new incidents (a form of risk management
Risk management
Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
). Preparedness Levels are dictated by burning conditions, fire activity, and (especially) resource availability.
Participating agencies
Several national and state assets are involved at NIFC:- U.S. Department of Agriculture and related...
- United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest ServiceThe United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
(USFS)
- United States Forest Service
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. National Weather ServiceNational Weather ServiceThe National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
(NWS) - U.S. Department of Homeland Security and related...
- Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management AgencyThe Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) - United States Fire AdministrationUnited States Fire AdministrationThe United States Fire Administration is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency which in turn is managed by the Department of Homeland Security located in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Emmitsburg.-History:...
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- U.S. Department of the Interior, and related...
- Bureau of Indian AffairsBureau of Indian AffairsThe Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
(BIA) - Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land ManagementThe Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
(BLM) - Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
- National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
(NPS) - Office of Aircraft Services (OAS)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
And the non-profit organization:
- National Association of State ForestersNational Association of State ForestersThe National Association of State Foresters is a non-profit organization that represents the directors of all 50 State Forestry agencies, the eight United States territories, and the District of Columbia...
(NASF)
Location
National Interagency Coordination CenterOR
National Interagency Fire Center
3833 S. Development Ave., Boise, Idaho, 83705
Aircraft Management Directorate