NWCG TWT

Course Equivalency Questions
On Line and Course CD Questions

Other Questions

Question: Is the NIMS IS-702 MAC courses the equivalent to our I-401?

Answer: In August of 2005 the Training Working Team (Issue Paper #75) approved the absorption of I-401, Multi-Agency Coordination into I-400, Advanced ICS, and to delete
I-401 from the NWCG curriculum. IS-702 was not developed with NWCG using the guidelines for Interchangeable Courses listed in the Field Managers Course Guide. Course Equivalency is an agency specific determination – not an NWCG responsibility. See the Course Equivalency page under the Course Coordinators and Instructors Guidance on our web page.

Question: Are the online self-study USDA ICS 100 through 300 classes equivalent to NWCG I-100 through 300 classes?

Answer: No, the US Department of Agriculture’s ICS 100 through 300 classes were not developed with NWCG using the guidelines for Interchangeable Courses listed in the Field Managers Course Guide. Course Equivalency is an agency specific determination – not an NWCG responsibility. The courses were reviewed by Forest Service training experts and deemed insufficient in meeting the equivalency evaluation criteria identified in FSH 5109.17. See the Course Equivalency page under the Course Coordinators and Instructors Guidance on our web page.

Question: Are the courses IS-200 from FEMA and the I-200 from NWCG the same?

Answer: The courses were developed in conjunction with the US Fire Administration (Q-463) and the Emergency Management Institute (IS-200). These courses were developed using the same lesson objectives and content as the NWCG I-200 course and are interchangeable; they are all National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliant. See the Field Manager’s Course Guide for a complete listing of all interchangeable courses.

Question: Does the Q-618 course (Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Operations for the Structural Firefighter Self-Study) meet the S-205 or S-215 requirement for Crew Boss? The National Fire Academy has the course listed as self-study in coordination with NWCG. They do not mention what requirement if any is fulfilled.

Answer: Q-618 is an 8 hour self-study course that was a joint effort of NWCG and the USFA. The NWCG’s S-215 course is a 28 to 32 hour classroom course. Q-618 was not developed using the guidelines for Interchangeable Courses listed in the Field Manager’s Course Guide. Course Equivalency is an agency specific determination – not an NWCG responsibility. See the Course Equivalency page under the Course Coordinators and Instructors Guidance on our web page.

Online and Course CD Questions

Question: Do you offer S-290 (Intermediate Fire Behavior) as an online course? If so, how can I sign up for the course.

Answer: The Training Working Team is pursuing several avenues to develop a web-based version of the new S-290 course but no target date has been set. The 1997 S-290 CD-ROM course has been removed from publication and is no longer distributed. The Field Manager's Course Guide (p. 1 - Introduction) states, "Old versions may only be taught for six months after a new version is available for order through the Publications Management System,” so the old CD version cannot be used.

Question: Is S-390, “Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations,” available online or through a CD? If so please direct me to where I can find them.

Answer: The S-390, “Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations,” course was revised in 2006 and is a 32 hour classroom course that includes required pre-work. There is no recognized on-line or CD version of this course.

Question: I am interested in taking the on line courses I-100 and S-110. Can I obtain college credit for these courses and if so how many units?

Answer: NWCG has not worked with any colleges to provide college credit for taking the on-line versions of the courses. However, many colleges do provide credit for those types of courses. Contact the local college of your choice to see if they offer credit for successful completion of the courses.

Question: I am looking for the S-248 (Status/Check-in Recorder) class. I have been told it may be available on-line, but I cannot find it anywhere on-line or otherwise. Can you let me know if this course is still offered and what options I have to get it?

Answer: Prior to 2006 the course was presented in a self-study format. In 2006 the course was updated and revised. Due to the increased complexity of the position duties and the increased use of computer based management programs it was converted from a self-paced course to a 16 hour classroom course.

Question: Is the 1997 S-290 CD-ROM version of the course still valid? Will the CD-ROM version be updated based on the 2007 classroom course?

Answer: The 1997 S-290 CD-ROM course has been removed from publication and will no longer be distributed to the field. Per the Field Manager's Course Guide (p. 1 - Introduction) "Old versions may only be taught for six months after a new version is available for order through the Publications Management System." Therefore, six months after the 2007 classroom course was available for order, both versions (1994 classroom course and 1997 CD-ROM course) were no longer valid for presentation. The Training Working Team is pursuing several avenues to develop a web-based version of the new course but no target date has been set.

NIMS and NWCG Questions

Question: NIMS requires all emergency response personnel to complete IS-700 and for emergency management personnel to complete the latest version of IS-800. What is NWCG’s or the Training Working Team’s policy on completion of IS-700, IS-800, and other courses required by the NIC?

Answer: The President directed Federal agencies to adopt NIMS and encouraged adoption of NIMS by all stakeholders—Federal, State, territorial, tribal, sub-state regional, and local governments, and private sector organizations involved in emergency management and/or incident response. However, compliance with the NIMS directives are an individual agency policy. The TWT or NWCG do not set standards on NIMS compliance. Contact your agency’s NIMS compliance coordinator to determine how your agency is handling NIMS compliance.

Question: Are NWCG courses approved for Office of Domestic grant funding under the Department of Homeland Security grant programs?

Answer: As of September, 2007, several broad categories of courses were automatically included in the list of eligible federal courses. “All NIMS training approved by the NIMS Integration Center (NIC) is eligible for ODP funds. Incident Command System Training offered through the National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Institute is eligible for use with ODP funds. This guidance applies to resident training, train-the-trainer, and field delivery of courses”

This means that ICS training that is provided by NFA, EMI, and NWCG that is intended to meet NIMS compliance requirements is eligible for funding through Homeland Security grant funds. Even though the individual courses may not be listed on the website, the courses have been approved by the NIMS Integration Center and therefore are eligible for Homeland Security fund reimbursement, as allowed by the State Administrative Agency. As the DHS continues to develop the curriculum for the NIMS under the National Training Program, this eligibility may not continue to be granted for all courses. Individuals and agencies should consult the NIMS website at www.fema.gov/emergency.nims.gov, email the NIC at NIMS-Integration-Center@dhs.gov, or call the Grants & Training information desk at 800-368-6498 for specific course questions.

Question: I took a train the trainer course to become an instructor of ICS under NWCG. Can you tell me if these credentials meet the requirements of FEMA's NIMS ICS courses or does one have to take the coursework over again?

Answer: There is no current reciprocity agreement between NWCG and any other entity on instructor qualifications. Individuals have to accept the decision of the agency of jurisdiction on whether or not they will accept NWCG instructors. Certain courses have been deemed to be interchangeable.

Other FAQs

Question: I am hoping to become a seasonal firefighter during the summer. Is there a class or something I can take to do this?

Answer: See the Seasonal Firefighter section of our web page under the How to Become a Firefighter tab.