Skip to main content

Destruction Date Calendar

Notice to Users

We are now offering the Destruct Date Calendar in two versions, including a new simplified version purpose-built for incident management records. We are also continuing to provide an all records version, which can be used to calculate disposition dates for any federal records.

Incident Records Calendar

Set at December (12)
Year must be in the format yyyy.

All Records Calendar

Select a Month
Year must be in the format yyyy.
Enter the number of years the records must be maintained.

Directions

The IPSC Destruction Date Calendar calculates the disposition date of records.

For incident management records

All incident management records are closed (or "cut off") at the end of the Calendar Year in which the incident occurred.

  • Enter the cut-off or closing year of incident's records in the "Ending Date, Year" box (note:  month is always "12" for December).  Use the form the form yyyy (for example "2016") for year.
  • Choose either permanent or temporary retention from the "Retention Schedule" drop down. This is always 7 years for temporary records (Incident Administrative Files) and 20 years for permanent records (Incident History Files).
  • Click the Calculate Date button to compute the records disposition date. The disposition date is calculated by applying the retention period to the closing date of the records.  The disposition date will always be the first month of the calendar year produced by this calculation.

For the all records calendar

  • Follow the instructions in your agency records schedule to determine the appropriate ending (or "cutoff") month.  For example, many federal records are cut off at the end of the Fiscal Year in which they are closed. 
  • If this is the case, enter September in the “Ending Date, Month” field, and the year the records closed in the “Ending Date, Year” field, using the form YYYY (for example “2016”) for year.
  • Enter the number of years of the retention period for the records specified in your agency's records schedule.
  • Click the Calculate Date button to compute the records disposition date. The disposition date is calculated by applying the retention period to the closing date of the records.  If the records are closed at the end of the Fiscal Year, the disposition date will always be October, the first month of the Fiscal Year produced by this calculation.

NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters

Date: January 15, 2025
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters. Non-specification fire shelters claiming to meet Forest Service (FS) fire shelter specification 5100-606 were first found in February of 2023. As of September 2024, non-specification shelters are again being advertised and sold on the open market.

This Safety Warning outlines details and recommended procedures to purchase FS specification shelters made with materials and components that meet performance criteria and toxicity testing requirements outlined in FS Specification 5100-606. 

For additional information on identifying non-specification shelters, please view ETC Safety Warning 23-01.

References:

ETC Safety Warning 25-001: Non-specification fire shelters

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee

ETC Safety Warning 23-01

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Awards

Date: January 14, 2025
Contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee has awarded the 2023 Paul Gleason “Lead By Example” awards to individuals in the categories of Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Sam Bowen, Superintendent of the Mark Twain Veteran Crew with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Greg Titus, Zone Fire Management Officer for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Renae Crippen, Manager of the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Eric Carlson, Instructor with OMNA International.

References:

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Interview with Paul Gleason

Updated NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Water Scooper Operations Unit

The NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating water scooping aircraft on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, and any local, state, or geographic/regional water scooping plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Updated NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee

The Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505. PMS 505 establishes standards for aerial supervision operations for national interagency wildland fire operations. 

References:

NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505