Liaison Officer

LOFR Incident Position Description

The Liaison Officer (LOFR) takes the lead and is the point of contact for assisting cooperating Agency Representatives, including Agency Representatives from other federal, state, municipal, local government, and non-government organizations, on wildland fire incidents. They may be assigned to Type 1, 2, or 3 incidents and can activate assistants as needed. The LOFR reports to the Incident Commander (IC) or Deputy Incident Commander and works in the Command functional area.

Prepare and Mobilize

• Ensure individual readiness.
• Gather critical information pertinent to the assignment.
• Check in with the incident supervisor and/or dispatch when arriving at the incident.
• Review Incident Action Plan (IAP) and obtain briefing, objectives, and intent from supervisor.
• Obtain briefing from the current LOFR or the assigned Agency Administrator’s (AA) Representative.

Build the Team

• Identify assigned resources and maintain accountability. Order additional assistants and staff as needed.
• Assemble and validate the readiness of assigned personnel.
• Establish and communicate the chain of command, reporting procedures, risk
  management processes. 
• Establish a common operating picture with supervisors and subordinates.
• Participate in operational briefings as directed.
• Attend Planning meeting and Command and General Staff (C&G) meetings.
• Brief assigned personnel.

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 Command and General Staff (C&G) Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain LOFR roster and pre-order.
• Interact, coordinate, and establish cohesiveness with all C&G personnel.
• Negotiate roles and responsibilities between the AA Representative or AA and the Agency Public Affairs Officer on an incident in coordination with the Public Information Officer (PIO).
• Establish, plan for, and coordinate Incident within an Incident (IWI) activities.
• Work with IC, PIO, and other C&G to determine roles/responsibilities regarding coordination with elected officials, stakeholders, and cooperators.
• Represent LOFR issues at Planning, Cooperator, C&G, and other meetings.
• Coordinate, implement and facilitate the Cooperators’ Meeting.
• Gather and communicate C&G, cooperators’/stakeholders’ issues, and action points pertinent to the incident.
• Identify jurisdictional boundaries and which authorities/agencies should be involved.
• Participate in Incident Management Team (IMT) in-brief and closeout.

Perform Liaison Officer-Specific Duties

• Perform LOFR duties commensurate with incident complexity as referenced in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book).
• Establish and adjust outreach strategies to meet diverse cooperators and demographic needs.
• Assess the need for a cooperators’/ stakeholders’ meeting or conference call. Coordinate with IC, AA, and other team members regarding this meeting.
• Communicate incident objectives and concerns to cooperators.
• Ensure coordination with cooperators and appropriate members of IMT takes place to accomplish incident objectives, efficiently resolve issues, and share issues and concerns.
• Inform IMT members of any potential issues involving the cooperators and stakeholders.
• Coordinate with IC, appropriate members of C&G, and cooperators to assess, evaluate the need for, and plan evacuations.
• Accomplish assigned tasks within deadlines and take action to clarify if necessary.
• Provide immediate and regular feedback to the IC.
• Conduct LOFR staff briefings regularly covering cooperators’ issues and daily staff assignments.
• Supervise effective community relations in coordination with the local unit.
• Assume the role of information lead for special situations (e.g., IWI).
• Submit orders for personnel and supplies to meet immediate and long-term needs.
• Identify and investigate rumors, controversial issues, and take appropriate actions.
• Coordinate with the local unit to perform effective cooperators’ relations.
• Ensure staff members or cooperators have the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and meet agency standards for visits to the fireline or incident.
• Coordinate with Operations and or Safety before visiting the fireline.

Communicate and Coordinate

• Follow established processes and chain of command for collecting, producing, and distributing information. 
• Ensure a clear understanding of expectations and timely communication within and across Incident Command Systems (ICS) functional areas and chain of command.
• Establish communications and exchange necessary briefings/information with the following:
  • C&G.
  • LOFRs on adjacent incidents.
  • IC.
  • Other ICS functional areas.
  • Cooperators and stakeholders.
• Use plain language and ICS terminology.
• Establish contact with cooperators, including potential cooperators, as an expanding incident may dictate.
• Initiate or continue a cooperators’ conference call or cooperators’ meeting. Initial meetings and frequency of meetings depend on the need and complexity of the incident.
• Conduct and/or participate in After Action Reviews (AAR).

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
• Plan for medical emergencies within the LOFR section. Ensure assigned resources are prepared to execute the Medical Plan (ICS 206 WF). Ensure familiarity with medical responders, communication procedures, and the transportation plan. Manage the medical emergency based on procedures stated in the IAP, Medical Incident Report, or other relevant guidelines.
• Monitor for signs and symptoms of fatigue, illness, or injury. Mitigate appropriately.
• Account for location, health, safety, and welfare of assigned personnel.
• Submit accident/incident reports with pertinent forms (SAFECOM, SAFENET, agency-specific forms) through the established chain of command.

Document

• Complete, authorize, ensure timeliness of, and route as required:
  • Activity Log (ICS 214)
  • General Message (ICS 213)
  • Incident Personnel Performance Rating (ICS 225 WF)
  • Crew Time Report (CTR), SF-261 (Watch: How to correctly fill out a CTR).
  • Cooperators/stakeholders contact list
  • Cooperators/stakeholders issue log

Demobilize

• Anticipate demobilization, identify excess resources, and communicate with IC.
• Plan for demobilization. Brief assigned resources on demobilization procedures and responsibilities.
• Ensure incident and agency demobilization procedures and work/rest driving standards are followed.
• Complete performance ratings and trainee evaluations.
• Return equipment and supplies to appropriate units. 
• During the transfer of command:
  • Share a list of contacts and issues with incoming LOFR.
  • Complete LOFR portion of Transfer of Command Plan.
  • Ensure continuity of operations.
  • Exchange critical safety information.
  • Communicate the transfer of authority through the established chain of command.
• Complete demobilization checkout process before being released from the incident.
• Upon demobilization, report status to the home unit including reassignment or estimated time of arrival (ETA) to the home unit.