Air Support Group Supervisor

Duties

• May also perform duties of Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD), especially on Type 2 incidents.
• Gathers and identifies initial information:
  • Identifies the number and type of aircraft assigned, enroute, and available.
  • Determines fire size.
  • Identifies Agency Administrator objectives, and coordinate with the Resource Advisor and the Local Aviation Officer.
  • Strategy as it affects air operations.
  • Identifies fueling requirements.
  • Identifies military training routes (MTRs) and/or military operation areas (MOAs) near incident.
  • Determines need for retardant support.
  • Fixed wing permanent base.
  • Portable retardant plant at helibase or at an airport.
  • Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs).
• Identifies existing organization/structure on incident:
  • Positions presently filled.
  • Qualified helibase, helispot, and airport managers, mixmasters, and other personnel.
  • Orders additional personnel if needed.
  • Personnel training needs.
• Determines need for or validate TFR (91.137):
  • Initiates request through local dispatch, if not ordered.
  • Verifies location, size, and type.
  • Updates or recommend revision.
  • Releases if not needed.
• Identifies business management contracts and agreements:
  • Identifies need for agreements if private land is used.
  • Provides for fiscal accountability by monitoring:
    • Daily cost for aircraft and equipment.
    • Water trucks, rental fuel tenders, and other rental equipment.
    • Portable airtanker bases and mobile retardant base.
• Ensures compliance with agency and contract requirements:
  • Monitors pilot flight/duty hour limitations.
  • Implements work/rest guidelines.
  • Checks for accurate completion of helicopter load calculations.
  • Ensures power checks are performed and documented.
  • Carding procedures (aircraft, pilot, and helitack).
  • Hazardous materials regulations.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements (flight crew and passengers).
  • Contract and rental provisions.
  • Accident/incident reporting procedures.
  • Flight invoice summary preparation and submissions.
  • Helicopter operations checklist.
• Assists in the development of an Aviation Communications Plan to include:
  • VHF-AM air-to-air.
  • VHF-AM air-to-ground.
  • VHF-FM air-to-ground (traffic control).
  • VHF-FM air-to-ground (helibase deck management and logistics net).
  • Identifies frequencies and order as necessary.
• Assists in development of medical plan:
  • Validates latitude and longitude to hospitals.
  • Radios frequencies of hospitals if appropriate.
  • Provides orientation and procedural briefing to medical, operations, aviation, and communications personnel.
  • Provides list of emergency medical technician (EMT) personnel available at helibases.
  • Provides list of medevac equipment available at helibases.
  • Identify primary medevac aircraft and crew.
• Assists and/or requests safety review of air operations:
  • Crash rescue plan.
  • Medevac plan.
  • General safety briefing.
  • General operations.
  • Ensures briefing boards are complete.
  • Identifies evacuation plan.
• Coordinates with local dispatch:
  • Provides for initial attack (air) if requested.
  • Obtains ETAs of aircraft, crews, and equipment.
  • Arranges for flight following of aircraft inbound and outbound from incident.
  • Obtains or develops flight hazard maps.
  • Inputs accident/incident reports for processing.
  • Checks on status of TFR (91.137).
  • Obtains MTR and MOA information and requests notification of scheduling authority.
  • Arranges for fuel.
  • Contacts fixed-base operator (FBO) for support.
  • Arranges for technical inspections of operation, aircraft, and flight crews.
  • Arranges for maintenance inspections to get aircraft back in service.
  • Discuses and obtains information concerning retardant:
    • Ordering retardant.
    • Gallons dropped per day.
    • Aircraft costs per day.
    • Aircraft availability per day (days off and maintenance).
• Conducts s inspections and procedural reviews:
  • Helibase, air bases, and areas of operation.
  • Dust abatement procedures.
  • Carded and qualified personnel.
  • Fuel sites (grounding/bonding, fuel spill containment, etc.).
  • Inventory of equipment on hand (chase trucks).
• Assists in development of Air Operations Plan:
  • Aircraft and crew availability and status.
  • Capabilities and limitations for logistical and tactical missions.
• Identifies need for additional operational bases:
  • Helibases.
  • Helitorch site.
  • Retardant operations.
  • Water dipping or pumping sites.
  • Medevac site (to meet ambulance).
  • Very important person (VIP)/media site.
  • Helispots.
  • Airport space needs.
  • Mobilization area, initial attack personnel, paracargo, etc.
• Facilitates debriefings/after action reviews (AARs):
  • Appraisal of capabilities.
  • Estimate of time frames for mission accomplishment.
  • Lessons learned.
• Identifies aircraft, crews, and equipment for demobilization:
  • Time when surplus.
  • Arrange for closeout inspection of equipment.
  • Complete task books and performance evaluations, and discuss with subordinates.
• Supports and manages helibase and helispots operations including: 1) fuel and other supplies, 2) maintenance and repair of helicopters, 3) retardant mixing and loading, 4) maintaining records of helicopter activity, and 5) providing enforcement of safety regulations.
• Coordinates with finance section on rental agreements, daily cost, etc.
• Coordinates with supply section on ordering/delivery of supplies, labeling cargo destinations.
• Coordinates with ground support on water tenders/fuel tenders, other vehicle needs.
• Arranges for security at operational areas.
• Provides medevac information for incident.
• Obtains support services for communications equipment.
• Obtains/develops flight hazard maps.
• Coordinates with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on obtaining portable towers and controllers.
• Identifies helibases and helispots.
• Identifies need for additional operational bases (dip sites, helispots, helibases, airport space needs, etc.).

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

• Qualified Helibase Manager Type 1 (HEB1).
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely.