National Department of the Interior National Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams

The Department of the Interior maintains two standing National Interagency BAER teams to assist field units develop plans to address emergency stabilization issues on wildfire where post-wildfire impacts pose immediate and significant threats to human life and property.

Field units considering ordering National Interagency BAER teams should be aware that they require significant support (e.g., workspace, spatial data, local unit personnel resource advisors, briefings and information on local conditions and issues, etc.) from the field unit and/or incident management team in order to take full advantage of their unique skills. Also National Interagency BAER teams are planning teams. Local units need to be prepared and have the capability to implement what may be a complex and difficult plan which usually includes the integration of local unit resources with contract services.

Teams availability is on a two week rotational basis. Ordering procedures are found in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide. Team members are ordered and released through established ordering channels.

2012 Team Rotation Schedule

May 6 - 19	Gasser
May 22 - June 2	Clifford/Holbeck
June 3 - 16	Gasser
June 17 - 30	Clifford/Holbeck
July 1 - 14	Gasser
July 15 - 28	Clifford/Holbeck
July 29 - Aug 11	Gasser
Aug. 12 - 25	Clifford/Holbeck
Aug. 26 - Sept 8	Gasser
Sept. 9 - 22	Clifford/Holbeck
Sept. 23 - Oct 6	Gasser
Oct 7 - 20	Clifford/Holbeck
Oct 21 - Nov 3	Gasser
Nov 4 - 17	Clifford/Holbeck
Nov 18 - Dec 1	Gasser
Dec 2 - 15	Clifford/Holbeck
Dec 16 - 29	Gasser

The initial call out of a National Interagency BAER Team will consist of no more than 13 people filling the following positions:

The National Interagency BAER teams are mobilized through the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS) only for the most complex incidents when post-wildfire impacts pose immediate and significant threats to human life and property. Less complex situations should use Regional/State ad hoc BAER teams or resources from other agencies/regions. National Interagency BAER Team Dispatch Prioritization Criteria are available in determining the appropriate team.

National DOI Burned Area Emergency Response Teams operate according to the National Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Team Standard Operations Guide and will comply with the guidance found in the Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Guidebook, and Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook.

Vacant positions are open to all interested, permanent federal employees who meet the required training and experience prerequisites and physical fitness standards. Nominations must be made in the form of a memorandum from the employee's supervisor, forwarded to the Burned Area Response Team Leader no later than February 14 of each year. Nomination memorandums should specify the vacancy of interest and must address the nominee's professional and technical qualifications for the position. All nominee contact information should be included. The minimum commitment to either team is for a period of not less than two full fire seasons. Team members and their supervisors must also commit to the potential for two assignments each year. After three years each team member must be re-nominated.

Each Burned Area Response Team Leader with the concurrence of the Department of the Interior National BAER Coordinators (IBAER) will fill existing vacancies and all nominees notified of selection results no later than March 1 of each year. This will ensure the involvement of selected individuals in the pre-season team meeting scheduled to be held in March or April of each year.

Nominations for the Burned Area Response Team Leader position are forwarded to the IBAER for selection.

National Interagency BAER team positions conform to Incident Qualification Certification System (IQCS) standards. All team members maintain their qualifications in IQCS and availability in the ROSS. National Interagency BAER team members are qualified as a IQCS BAER Technical Specialist or GIS Specialist (PMS 310-1).