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1.2 Addition

ADDITION: ADDING TO A SUM OR TOTAL

Addition is used when combining items, or putting items together to obtain a total. It helps answer questions such as "How many?" "How much?" or "How far?" Let's look at different ways that addition can be used. Some words used often to refer to addition are "plus", "and", "the sum of", "total", or "added to".

Example 1 - Pedro's crew has 4 pulaskis. Jane's crew has 6 pulaskis. How many pulaskis do they have together?

Addition Chart

As shown the the figure above, the addition needed to answer this question is: 4 + 6 = 10.
 

ADDITION IS USED IN COMBINING DISTANCES OR LENGTHS.

Example 2 - Crew 1 constructs 14 chains of handline on the day shift. Crew 2 constructs 11 chains of handline on the night shift. How many chains did crew 1 and 2 construct altogether?

14 chains + 11 chains = 25 chains

 

ADDITION IS USED TO FIND THE DISTANCE AROUND AN OBJECT.

The total distance around an object is called the perimeter.

Example 3 - The Division Supervisor (DIVS) used two dozers to construct a line. The dozers cleared a line of the following shape. How many chains of dozer line were constructed?
 

Addition Chart

45 chains + 36 chains + 28 chains + 29 chains + 110 chains = 248 chains

 

ADDITION IS USED IN COMBINING AREAS.

Example 4 - The day shift had two spot fires that were contained at 6 acres and 8 acres each. What was the total area of the spot fires that burned during the day shift?

6 acres + 8 acres = 14 acres

 

ADDITION IS USED IN COMBINING VOLUMES.

Example 5 - Herman pumped 30 gallons of fuel into one tank, 25 gallons into the next tank, and 27 gallons into the last tank. How many gallons of fuel did Herman pump?

30 gallons + 25 gallons + 27 gallons = 82 gallons

 

ADDITION IS USED IN COMBINING LARGER NUMBERS.

When adding several numbers, especially large numbers, add the ones (1s) first, then the tens (10s), then the hundreds (100s), and so on.

Example 6 - Add: 548 + 365
First, add the ones. There are 13 ones, or 1 ten and 3 ones. Write 3 in the ones column and "carry over" the 1 above the tens.
Next, add the tens. There are 11 tens, or 1 hundred and 1 ten. Write 1 in the tens column and the 1 above the hundreds.
Now, add the hundreds. There are 9 hundreds.addition of large numbers
The answer to 548 + 365 is 913.

ADDING POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMBERS

Numbers can be positive or negative. Positive numbers are indicated with a + sign, or have no sign. If a number is written without a sign, the sign is assumed to be positive. Negative numbers are indicated with a - sign. For example, a negative pressure may be indicated as -25 inches of Hg, or as a vacuum of 25 inches of Hg. 

Signs are important in adding numbers. Here are some easy rules to help determine the sign of a sum: 
image tag sign rules for addition

Example 7 - Adding numbers with like signs.
5 + 5 = 10
3 + 3 = 6
-5 + (-5) = -10
-3 + (-3) = -6
 

Example 8 - Adding numbers with unlike signs. Notice that the sign of the larger number is the sign that the answer will have.
5 + (-3) = 2
3 + (-3) = 0
3 + (-5) = -2
2 + (-3) = -1

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