Skip to main content

Planning Section Chief Type 3

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flow Chart, PMS 308

PSC3 Qualification Requirements

Required Training

Required Experience

  • Satisfactory performance as a Situation Unit Leader (SITL)

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Resources Unit Leader (RESL)

​OR

  • Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander Type 3 (ICT3)

OR

  • Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Type 3 (PSC3) Position Task Book, PMS 311-55 (see note)

Physical Fitness Level: None Required

Position does not require a physical fitness level.

These Positions Maintain Currency For PSC3

  • Demobilization Unit Leader (DMOB)
  • Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC)
  • Planning Section Chief Type 2 (PSC2)
  • Resources Unit Leader (RESL)
  • Situation Unit Leader (SITL)
  • Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN)

PSC3 Maintains Currency For These Positions

  • Demobilization Unit Leader (DMOB)
  • Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL)
  • Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC)
  • Planning Section Chief Type 2 (PSC2)
  • Resources Unit Leader (RESL)
  • Situation Unit Leader (SITL)
  • Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN)

Other Training Which Supports Development Of Knowledge And Skills

Note

Once qualified as SITL, RESL, or ICT3, the PSC3 qualification may be granted by the certifying official. Certification must be documented on a “verification/certification” page of the PSC3 PTB.

This is an inherently wildland fire position and has no endorsement. All-hazards Planning Section Chief Type 3 will need to meet the wildland fire position qualification requirements.

Alternative Pathways to NWCG Qualification

 

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Print PDF

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552

Date: July 10, 2024
Contact: Incident Medical Unit Subcommittee 

A new publication from the Incident Medical Unit Subcommittee is now available. The NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552 will be used as a guide and as an opportunity to begin to build out Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) modules for the remainder of Fire Year 2024. These standards will be fully implemented as the minimum standard starting in January 2025.

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support outlines the roles, duties, qualifications, and equipment pertinent to REMS. A REMS team, strategically stationed at wildland fires, plays a pivotal role in prioritizing swift access and medical treatment to injured or ill firefighters for safe and efficient egress off the fireline. This ensures their rapid transport to definitive medical care in cases of emergency during firefighting operations, highlighting the invaluable contribution of the REMS team to firefighter safety and well-being.

References:

NWCG Standards for Rapid Extraction Module Support, PMS 552

National Wildland Firefighter Day

Date: July 2, 2024
Contact: National Interagency Fire Center 

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) would like to recognize July 2, 2024, as National Wildland Firefighter Day (NWFFD). Established in 2022, NWFFD honors the dedication of wildland firefighters and support personnel. This day falls within the 2024 Week of Remembrance (June 30 - July 6), providing an opportunity to renew our commitment to wildland firefighter safety while remembering those who have fallen in the line of duty.

NWCG continues to provide leadership to enable interoperable wildland fire operations among federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners. NWCG standards and training establish common practices to contribute to safe, effective, and coordinated national interagency wildland fire operations.

References:

NWCG.gov

Week of Remembrance

National Wildland Firefighter Day

2024 Week of Remembrance

Date: June 27, 2024
Contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee 

As we approach the 2024 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30 to July 6, we dedicate this time to thoughtfully reviewing and recognizing the events of the 2018 Mendocino Complex. As such, this year’s theme of “Learning From the Mendocino Complex” embodies a longstanding hallmark of WOR, honoring through learning.

Throughout the week, our energy will be directed toward fostering generative conversations in briefing rooms and at tailgates.

References:

6 Minutes for Safety - 2024 Week of Remembrance

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Updated NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Date: June 24, 2024
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee 

The June 2024 update of the NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236, is now available to meet the current needs for incident management typing.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment should be used to evaluate firefighter safety issues, assess risk, and identify the appropriate incident management organization based on incident complexity. Assessing risk, determining incident complexity, and identifying an appropriate incident management organization is a subjective process based on examining a combination of indicators or factors, which can change over time.

References:

NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236