Area Command Aviation Coordinator

ACAC Incident Position Description

The Area Command Aviation Coordinator (ACAC) allocates air and ground-based aviation resources among multiple Incident Management Teams (IMT) in an assigned area or on single, large-scale incidents/events, based upon Area Command priorities and objectives. Area Command may be established when oversight direction is required to ensure that resource allocation conflicts do not arise among the IMTs. The ACAC reports to the Area Commander (ACDR) and works in the Air Operations functional area.

An Area Command organization is normally small with personnel assigned to the Command, Planning, and Logistics functions. Depending on the complexity of the interface between the incidents, specialists in other areas, such as aviation, hazardous materials, environment, and finance, may also be assigned to Area Command.

Prepare and Mobilize

• Ensure individual readiness.
• Gather critical information pertinent to the assignment.
• Travel to and check in at the assignment.
• Check in with the incident supervisor and/or dispatch when arriving at the incident.
• Obtain initial briefing from Area Commander on expectations, concerns, and constraints.
• Obtain initial briefings from Assistant Area Commanders, Logistics (ACLC) and Planning (ACPC) on expectations, concerns, and constraints.

Build The Team

• Assemble and validate readiness of assigned personnel and equipment.
• Establish and communicate chain of command, reporting procedures, risk management processes, and radio frequency management.
• Establish a common operating picture with supervisors and subordinates.
• Participate in operational briefings as directed.
• Brief assigned personnel.
• Identify assigned resources and maintain accountability.

Supervise and Direct Work Assignments

• Establish and communicate objectives, priorities, work assignments, and performance expectations.
• Identify, analyze, and use relevant situational information to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions.
• Adjust actions based on changing information and evolving situation awareness. Develop and implement contingency plans. Communicate changing conditions to assigned resources and supervisor.
• Ensure incident objectives and performance standards are met.
• Monitor performance and provide immediate and regular feedback to assigned personnel.

Perform Area Command Aviation Coordinator-Specific Duties

• Allocate air and ground-based aviation resources according to Area Command and Agency Administrator’s (AA) priorities and objectives.
• Coordinate and manage aviation program and operations of aviation assets assigned to Area Command.
• Coordinate with incidents, dispatch, and coordination centers to determine availability and status of committed and uncommitted aviation resources.
• Receive and deliver situational appraisals of the status and expected needs of aviation assets and resources.
• Determine availability and status of committed and uncommitted aviation resources on a daily basis from the coordination system and individual incident reports.
• Develop aviation procedural plans, including the Area Command daily aviation plan, for: aircraft inventory, allocation of incoming resources, initial attack protocols, Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) management, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporary towers, and frequency management.
• Provide incidents, local initial attack forces, and other interested parties with an area aviation plan outlining Area Command aviation procedures and specifics of the area aviation operation.
• Coordinate with geographic and local area agency aviation managers and coordination centers to identify local aviation assets and personnel not currently accounted for in dispatch systems.
• Identify historical helibase sites for possible super/shared helibase.
• Ensure inter-incident movement of aircraft is planned, coordinated, and communicated to the affected incidents and their dispatch centers.
• Work within the coordination system to ensure potential risks of operating on, near, or within military training routes (MTR) and special-use airspace (SUA) have been mitigated by the aircraft desk.
• Coordinate with the embedded Area Command military liaison concerning the assignment, utilization, status, and disposition of military aviation assets assigned to Area Command.
• Monitor incident aviation costs, efficiency, and effectiveness, and document for display or electronic dissemination as requested by AAs.
• Visit aviation bases and remote incident locations to provide oversight and resolve issues.
• Ensure a process is in place for timely transmittal of SAFECOM/incident reports and monitor the corrective action taken by the aviation manager(s).
• Assist incidents by coordinating with Contracting Officers (CORs), local aviation managers, and vendors concerning contractual and operational issues as they arise (fueling, contract modifications, contract extensions, etc.).
• TFR Management
  • Coordinate with incidents to ensure TFRs are in place and being managed in accordance with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505.
  • Ensure flight following procedures, entry/exit routes and corridors, hazards, frequencies, and incident air space are documented and known to those affected.
  • Coordinate with local and adjacent initial attack aircraft bases and dispatch centers to ensure procedures for transiting the incident area and corridors are in place and are posted at local airfields, helibases, airbases, and airtanker bases.
• Frequency Management
  • Coordinate with incident Air Operations Branch Directors (AOBD), Communication Unit Leaders (COML), frequency coordinators, coordination centers, and initial attack dispatch centers to establish coordinated aviation communications plans to ensure aviation frequency management.
  • Review Air Operations Summary Worksheets (ICS-220) to ensure proper frequencies are published and that no conflicts exist.
  • Ensure aviation frequency management plans are being disseminated to the field.

Communicate and Coordinate

• Follow established processes and chain of command for collecting, producing, and distributing information.
• Ensure clear understanding of expectations and timely communication within and across Incident Command System (ICS) functional areas and chain of command.
• Attend the daily Area Command stand up meeting and communicate aviation operational goals, expectations, and concerns.
• Establish and facilitate a daily aviation call to communicate expectations and coordinate aviation resources and personnel within the Area Command.
• Electronically distribute the Daily Aviation Plan to the field to ensure uniform coordination and expectations for the allocation and reallocation of assets and personnel and to disseminate critical operational information.
• Establish communications and exchange necessary briefings/information with the following:
  • Cooperating and assisting resources
  • Adjacent incidents
  • AA
  • Dispatch and coordinating centers/agencies

Manage Risk

• Apply the Risk Management Process as stated in the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide IRPG, PMS 461:
  • Identify Hazards
  • Assess Hazards
  • Develop Controls and Make Risk Decisions
  • Implement Controls
  • Supervise and Evaluate
• Ensure potential risks of aviation operations are mitigated through coordination with all personnel throughout the Area Command.
• Ensure an aviation risk management process is established, documented, and maintained.
• Monitor for signs and symptoms of fatigue, illness, or injury. Mitigate appropriately.
• Account for location, health, safety, and welfare of assigned personnel.
• Coordinate the in- and out-briefings, scheduling, and movement of aviation safety assistance teams among incidents.
• Ensure aviation safety oversight based on agency policy and procedures and FAA regulations.
• Provide for the safety and welfare of assigned resources.
• Ensure agency policies, regulations, and safety procedures are followed.
• Submit accident/incident reports with pertinent forms (SAFECOM, SAFENET, agency-specific forms) through established chain of command.

Document

• Maintain a log of strategic decisions and significant events for inclusion in Area Command final package.
• Complete, authorize, ensure timeliness of, and route as required:
  • Air Operations Summary Worksheet (ICS-220)
  • SAFECOM
  • Crew Time Report (CTR), SF-261 (Watch: How to correctly fill out a CTR) and/or Incident Time Report, OF-288 (Watch: How to Correctly fill out an Incident Time Report)
  • General Message (ICS 213)
  • Activity Log (ICS 214)
  • Incident Personnel Performance Rating (ICS 225 WF)
  • Agency-specific forms

Demobilize

• Plan for demobilization. Brief assigned resources on demobilization procedures and responsibilities. Ensure incident and agency demobilization procedures are followed.
• Coordinate the demobilization of individual aviation resources based on overall Area Command prioritization and needs.
• Brief assigned resources on demobilization procedures and responsibilities. Ensure incident and agency demobilization procedures and work/rest driving standards are followed.