Program Overview

The Wildland program’s purpose is to enhance the knowledge, training and efficiency for personnel in wildland operations. This program increases resource versatility within the District’s response area and during California Office of Emergency Services requests to wildland incidents. 

Management Oversight

The wildland program is directed by the Division Chief of Training with oversight authority delegated to the Battalion Chiefs. This program does not have any full-time equivalent employees. This program contains the expenses pertaining to general supplies and equipment purchases, contract services, and overtime for training and program administration.

Goals and Objectives

• Provide all personnel with the necessary training to develop effective and efficient tactics for operating in the unique wildland fire environment.
• Train or facilitate training opportunities for District members within the allocated program budget to ensure continuous professional development.
• Continuously research and evaluate tools, equipment, and personal protective gear suitable for the wildland fire environment, ensuring their effectiveness and practicality.
• Ensure personnel are outfitted with the best and most practical tools and equipment, while providing training on their effective use in wildland fire operations.
• Work toward the development and implementation of a Rapid Extrication Module Support Team (REMS) to enhance emergency response capabilities.

FY 2023-24 Accomplishments

• Acquired 4 new fire-line packs specifically designed for paramedics to enhance their capabilities in wildland fire operations.
• Contributed to the completion of wildland fire training for the South Zone, ensuring personnel are equipped with the necessary skills.
• Equipped all frontl-ine personnel with chest harnesses and headlamps to improve safety and operational efficiency in the field.
• Appointed an internal instructor to deliver S230, S231, S290, and S223 courses, enhancing in-house training capacity for wildland fire operations.

FY 2024-25 Program Initiatives

• Bring in an external expert to conduct one S-series class, providing specialized training to enhance the District’s wildland firefighting capabilities.
• Outfit all personnel at Station 4, along with any new hires, with the latest web gear to ensure safety, comfort, and efficiency during operations.
• Investigate the requirements and logistics for establishing a Rapid Extrication Module Support (REMS) Type I team within the MPFD, and develop a proposal for the necessary resources, training, and staffing.
• Align the primary engine cache with the secondary out-of-county cache to ensure consistent equipment and ease of use during mutual aid deployments, improving operational efficiency in multi-agency responses.