Pelletier on Three Distractions of 2022

Three Distractions of 2022
e. L. Pelletier (04/2022)

It's that time of year again, crews, modules, and engines coming together, sniffing butts, and forming cohesive teams. At least in the wildland fire world, that's what is happening on the ground level. No doubt there will be talk, questions, and rumors about a new job classification, higher pay, and whether we need to suppress every fire start immediately. Depending on where you fall in your organization's food chain, these things are just a distraction for most of us.

The Sticky Truth About Crew Cohesion

 

Image by Elena Mullagaleeva from Pixabay

The Sticky Truth About Crew Cohesion

e. L. Pelletier – February 1, 2021

 

“Yup, I’m Sure of It. I Hate Him!”

~ Doc Holiday, Tombstone (1993)

 

In case you didn’t notice, the world has changed. January 2020 friends new and old greet each other with handshakes, fist bumps, and hugs; today, we cover our faces with masks and keep six feet distance between ourselves. It’s not an easy adjustment for anyone, but it’s one we have to work within. The new normal presents new and possibly deadly obstacles for leaders to overcome in wildland fire service, communications, interpretations, and crew cohesion.

"We Will Rebuild"

Our most powerful stories come from the field. With permission we share Josie Woodbridge's story. Josie and Josh, a former Asheville hotshot now working for Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, lost their home in Talent, OR, to the Almeda fire.

We send our condolences to all those affected by the devastating impacts of wildland fire. No one is immune from wildfire. May we all take a moment to reflect upon Josie's story and seek for understanding the resilience expressed in her words. 

Challenge 30: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 30: Fire leaders never stop learning.

Familiarize yourself with the WFLDP Toolbox.

• Professional Reading Program
• Leadership Media (www.fireleadership.gov)

Journalize how you have utilized these two tools in the past and how you can utilize them moving forward.

Be Better

As I've struggled with the events of the last few weeks, I find myself returning to the legacy of one of our fallen—Andrew Ashcroft, member of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. Six months before his death Andrew began wearing a simple white band marked "BE BETTER."

When Andrew Ashcraft put on his Be Better Band in January of 2013, he vowed to wear it until the day he died as a constant reminder and emblem of his commitment to being better each day than he was the day before. He taught by word and example that we should treat each other better in our home, treat others that we come into contact with better each and every day...simply, BE better.

True to his word, Andrew wore that band until the day he died. 

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge: Digging a Little Deeper

• Honor Andrew's memory by reading his story on the Spread the Better blog. 
• Vow to take Andrew's challenge to be better each day.
• Participate in the Dignity and Respect Campaign.

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Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee. The expressions are those of the author.

IGNITE: From the Field for the Field Campaign Challenge

2018 WILDLAND FIRE LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN CHALLENGE
Time for a bigger challenge for our annual campaign. This one may stretch you a bit. As a team, select another team with whom you can develop a common purpose (beyond a fireline task) and accomplish that task. You can also choose to help another team develop their leadership. Here are some ideas:

• Challenge another team to a team building activity. 
• Team with another group to do something for your community (could be fire camp). 
• Start a roving leadership library. Pass books on to another team. 
• Conduct a preplanning exercise with another team.

We would love to hear other ideas and see the fruits of your action.

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership and SHARE through your spheres of influence.

Leadership Lunch: A Pet Rock That’s Not Gathering Moss

(Devanath/Pixabay)

My name is Ted Adams, and I’m just a little guy in the grand scheme of things. My job title says I’m an assistant supervisor to a 10-person crew. But, where I think it matters, I’m a friend, I’m a mentor, and I’m a leader. I started a little project called Leadership Lunch last year, and over the last 12 months people began to take notice. I still don’t know why, but I’m tickled with the all attention my pet rock has been given.

Living the Passion

Living the Passion from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

Gina Papke is passionate about her career in wildland firefighting. Do you have the same level of engagement with and passion for your job?

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Where are you located on Integro Leadership Institute's The Passion Pyramid™?
• Where would you like to be and how do you intend to get to that location on the pyramid?

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What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project for her master's thesis. All members of the wildland fire service, not just hotshots, can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Blacksheep VFD Makes an International Impact

(Training on Lake Ladoga, located on the Finnish border with Russia. Photo credit: Maria Vasilieva.)

Background

• In 2015, the area around the city of Chita suffered what they call a "firestorm" that consumed 110,000 acres and 400 homes. 
• The local government in the region often denies and under reports the size of fires.
• The federal forest service is underfunded and understaffed; so they cannot fight all fires that pop up, especially in Siberia.
• In 2016, the Irkutsk region experienced timber fires that consumed over 2,000,000 acres unchecked.

IGNITING Beyond Borders

Mentoring and sharing knowledge, skills and abilities is part of being a mission-driven culture. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) is leading by example and sharing their service for the common good. In the video below, the common good stretches international boundaries to the firefighting brotherhood of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia.



Service for the Common Good
Service for the common good is at the heart of the Mission-Driven Culture; it is the core value that motivates people to dedicate their time, talent, and energy to become members of incident organizations.

Although staff members consistently voice a strong motivation to serve the public, individuals express this commitment differently, and the resulting differences in behavior and attitude can generate friction and thwart concentric action.

At the core of this value is a commitment to ensuring that all actions and decisions promote the desired team result, which is the staff’s collective interpretation of how to serve the common good.

© Mission-Centered Solutions. Used with permission.

BREAKING NEWS: The IGNITE Contest is BACK!

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest – From the Field for the Field

Throughout the nation, leaders are building teams and developing their people using tools they have found or developed themselves. Imagine if our leaders and their subordinates shared their experiences and successes with each other. Consider the possibility of going to a website and having a ready-made palette of leadership development tools from which to choose—items from the field for the field.

Using the spirit of healthy competition, the IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest is intended to be one of the mechanisms used to collect innovative leadership development efforts to be shared across disciplines.

The IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest is an optional component of the annual Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge and is limited to entities with a tie to the wildland fire service. Your application should include:

• Written summary of contest activities not to exceed ten (10) pages. (See “Judging” section for what to address.)
• Support materials not to exceed thirty (30) pages or pieces. May include, but is not limited to, photos, videos, and outreach materials, agendas, social media journal.

Send your challenge documentation to:

• Mail:
  NWCG Leadership Subcommittee
  Attention: Pam McDonald
  3833 South Development Avenue
  Boise, ID 83705 

• Electronically: [email protected]

Judging
All entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Local unit information:
• Name of participating unit/team
• Point of contact (POC) name
• POC contact information (telephone, physical address, and e-mail)
• Quality of application (written summary and supplementary documentation, and outreach materials)
• Local unit campaign involvement
• Percentage of local unit personnel involved (provide actual numbers, if known)
• Leadership levels of local unit personnel presenting campaign activities
• Description of campaign activities
• Developed locally or used from another source (credit given)
• Longevity/sustainability of program/activities(temporary/one-time event, long-term product/activity, etc.)
• Connection with the current WFLDP leadership campaign theme
• Innovation and creativity of campaign activities versus activities presented in the Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign Reference Guide
• Connection to the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP)
• Inclusion of WFLDP values and principles 
• Inclusion of Leading in the Wildland Fire Service publication
• Interdisciplinary impact (beyond self)
• Activities targeted to those outside the local unit
• Usability/adaptability of tools and activities beyond the local unit/area
• Lessons learned for others

Winner Recognition
The NWCG Leadership Subcommittee will determine how award winner(s) will be recognized (e.g., plaque, trophy) on a yearly basis. Winner(s) and those recognized for honorable mention will also be featured on and through various media sites and publications.

Entry Deadline
November 30, 2016

From the Field for the Field: Dan Pickard on Positive Influence and Leadership

Positive Influence and Leadership from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE FOR THE FUTURE 

Fire leaders are committed to building a high level of competence in team members. Their satisfaction depends on it as does the future of the organization. Some of today’s team members are the leaders of tomorrow; it is the leader’s responsibility to mentor and help them cultivate the right tools and skills that they will need to face the challenges of the future.

Setting and Achieving Standards

Leaders set standards as a means of clearly stating the leader’s expectations as well as those of the organization. Standards define acceptable performance, and holding people accountable is contingent on clearly defined standards. Fire leaders step up to the responsibility of establishing reasonable standards, training to those standards, and providing the resources necessary to achieve the standard. With standards in place, leaders help people develop technical and personal competency, enabling them to grow as individuals.

Mentoring

Leaders also help their people grow by mentoring and sharing experiences. Mentoring them begins their journey from followership to leadership. Fire leaders coach and then step back to allow people to take on new responsibilities. Providing the opportunity to test new waters and try new behaviors is important in developing people for the future.

We consider the individual skill levels and developmental needs when delegating tasks, making sure people have appropriate challenges that press them to grow and expand their skills.

[Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, pp. 40 and 41]

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What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project with hotshots. All members of the wildland fire service can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. 

Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Thanks, Bethany Hannah for your vision and leadership to capture our history. 

What is Wisdom and How Can It Be Attained

(Photo credit: Photodisc)

By Cameron Cota

Most think of wisdom as interchangeable with the word knowledge. It is not. Knowledge is to know something; wisdom is to put it to practice. These two go hand-in-hand, yet they are not the same.

Knowledge can be obtained through study, but to gain wisdom a second element must be added: hard work. Wisdom must be gained through personal experience. Ben Franklin once said, “The doors of wisdom are never closed.” Wisdom must always be sought out, practiced; else it be tucked away, never to be used. Wisdom is also ever abounding. With each new scenario, new wisdom is gained. Once a person thinks to himself, “I have learned all there is to know.” All his wisdom has been lost, for that thought is merely another way of saying, “I don’t want to learn any more.” Personal experience and a passion for wisdom are the key ingredients for a wise mind.

In reading this essay, I hope your eyes have been opened to wisdom, it’s definition, and it’s attainability. My hope for you is that the fire of the pursuit of wisdom will be fueled and that you will never again confuse knowledge with wisdom.

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Cameron Cota is the 15-year old daughter of Heath Cota, Sawtooth National Forest - Minidoka District FMO and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee. All expressions are those of the author. "Do Great Leaders or Ordinary People Make History" was an in-class essay for Cameron's history class. This is the first of two essays.

Today's blog entry is a testament to the power of influence. Leadership is an art that transcends boundaries. As Heath told me when he shared Cameron's essays, "It speaks of a lifelong study of leadership; and if you think that your subordinates see and hear all, even more so do our children." 

Are you influencing beyond the fireline? We would love to share your stories.

Wesley Fire Staff Ride

(Jason Greenway, PAF, leading the emergency consultations that were put into place during suppression operations on the 2012 Wesley Fire; credit: Dana Skelly)

Wesley Fire Staff Ride Overview

September 2015

In July 2014, the Payette National Forest (PAF) was contacted by Dana Skelly, Fuels Program Manager for the Malheur National Forest, inquiring about the potential for conducting a resource advisor (READ) staff ride for the Wesley Fire. Dana was a task force leader (TFLD) on the rehab/recovery division of the Wesley Fire and was impressed by the READ program on the PAF. The Malheur experienced a busy fire season in 2014, with multiple “project” fires and a need for an extensive group of READs. The majority of the READs on the Malheur were fairly new and their program was not as well developed as the one on the PAF.

On September 30, 2014, a group of approximately 15 from the Malheur made a 1-day visit to the PAF. The day was led by J. Greenway, an experienced PAF READ and member of the PAF READ cadre and line/duty officers were represented by G. Lesch and C. Ramirez respectively.

The Preliminary Study

The group convened at the Council Ranger District, where they were presented an overview of the PAF READ program in general, followed by an overview of the Wesley Fire and the resource issues that arose during that incident. 

Main topics discussed included:

• Overview of the PAF READ program and the tools we have developed, including our READ maps, READ guidelines, and fireline-friendly pocket guides
• Overview of the Wesley Fire chronology and the resource concerns that arose during the incident
• Use of heavy equipment in bull trout critical habitat: consultation procedures and mitigation measures
• Discussion of implementing a rehab division as part of the IMT, and the benefits to the Forest and the incident READs

The Field Study

The group visited the Bear Creek portion of the Wesley Fire, with stops at the Bear Workcenter and the fire area in the upper part of the Bear Creek subwatershed to discuss specific resource concerns that developed during the incident. Greg Lesch and Christian Ramirez also provided insight to the incident, and large incidents in general, from the line/duty officer perspective.

The Integration Phase

Personnel from the Malheur were eager to learn from our READ program and began developing their own READ resources and guidelines when they returned to their respective home units. All involved were very appreciative of the time we spent to share our information and experiences with them. The staff ride was a great opportunity to build relationships across forests/regions and to share information, knowledge, and challenges that are associated with the READ position. This may also lead to cross-forest assignments that would provide off-forest experience and training for READs from both forests.

LEADERSHIP: A Train Ride

(A couple stands holding their luggage as they prepare to travel on a train; the train operator and another man stand behind them in the wintry scene. 1942. Photo credit: Thinkstock)

Over 25 years ago a friend of mine, Bob Haynes, retired from the Los Angeles Fire Department. When he left he wrote this article about his career. I rediscovered the article in my archives. As I read “A Train Ride,” two thoughts came to mind. First, Bob hit the nail on the head regarding fire department careers, and second, nothing has changed. I took the liberty of updating some of the article terms, but the article is Bob’s creation. I hope you enjoy reading “A Train Ride by Bob” as much as I did.

When I first came on the job, I met a very well-respected firefighter. He seemed to be good at everything he undertook. I found, however, that he was not as happy as I thought he should be. He told me that he was going to retire. Having just come on the job, I was flabbergasted at anyone wanting to leave such a great job. He told me that it was time for him to leave because he was tired of all the “bull.” He didn’t want to stay too long and start disliking everything…and he was gone!

Now that I have gone down that road also, I reflect on the larger picture. I liken it to a train ride.

The train stops at the station and a very tired man gets off. As he leaves, a warm seat is open on the train, and you—a young and energetic man—are waiting to board. You have stars in your eyes and are eager to get going. You board the train and take the only seat available. It is warm and comfortable. You look around and notice men of all ages and sizes. They all seem to have one thing in common: they love this train ride. As the train gathers speed, all aboard seem to pull together. You, the rookie, look up and discover the beautiful scenery on each side of the train. My God, you think, What a wonderful ride! Why would that man have gotten off? But I’m glad he did, because I was able to take his seat. The train speeds down the tracks with an enjoyable hum.

As the years go by, you continue to bathe in the thoughts of all the wonderful things this train ride has to offer. You are trained well in everything, you can imagine. You are very confident in your abilities to keep this train going: up steep grades, around tight corners, but always on track toward the goal. At times you feel weary because of the workload, but you’re always ready for the challenge of what is around the next bend. As you become more involved in the ride, you begin to notice that you are surrounded by some of the highest quality people that you have ever known. These people would lay down their life for anyone on this train. Obviously you become closer and closer to them. You find yourself enjoying leisure time with them. You are involved in all phases of their personal lives. These people truly are your life.

When you had been on the train for many years, you start to notice the smoke from the engine. It isn’t bad, but you don’t like it. Each day you notice the clickity clack of those damn tracks. It isn’t too bad, though. The chief engineer is barking orders at everyone on the train, and the captain of each car tries gallantly to carry out those orders. Since you are an old timer, you can tell the difference between a good order and the “bull.” You often wonder how the poor captain can keep a straight face when relaying some of that fodder. They are generally pretty good at sifting through and keeping only the good stuff.

Each time the train stops at a station, some old timers get off. Almost immediately, their seat are filled with strong, smiling, and smart young men who begin to really enjoy this ride. It doesn’t take long for them to soak up the good stuff necessary to really be an asset to this train. But as you sit back in your seat, you notice that damn clickity clack. The smoke from that struggling engine is really beginning to annoy you. About this time, we take a real sharp curve, which throws you out of your seat. At that point, you decide that your ride is almost over. All these great people around you haven’t changed; you have. So, yes, at the next station, you get off that wonderful ride and leave your seat open for a wide-eyed, pink-cheeked young rookie to enjoy. You only hope that your peers have as much respect for you as you do for them.

Your wonderful ride is over. You hope that you leave the train a little better than you found it. You look away from the station and see a big beautiful world out there. You walk off the platform and into the rest of your life. From time to time you see that big train charging down the tracks and wave at those on board. You really miss the passengers on that train, but you don’t miss the clickity clack and the smoke belching from that monster you call the train.

Once again, thank you Bob. As I said in my beginning thoughts, he hit the nail right on the head. Most of us loved our fire department careers. We contributed our skills, experience, labor, and knowledge to the department. We entered buildings where people were running out of and sometimes we wished we could go with them. Our entire careers revolved around helping people. Our courage was tested on the fire ground and our character was tested in the fire house. We are proud of our careers and have made lifelong friends. However, over the years, things, conditions, and people change. Like most of us, Bob knew it was time to get off the train. 

Stay Safe
Paul Stein (Happily Retired)

VIVI BENE- LIVE WELL RIDI SPESSO- LAUGH OFTEN E AMA MOLTO- LOVE MUCH

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Paul Stein retired as chief officer from California’s Santa Monica Fire Department. After retirement he served as interim fire chief for the Lakeside Fire Department in California. He holds an A.S. degree in fire technology and a B.A. degree in management. Chief Stein is a master instructor for the California Department of Education. 

All expressions are those of the author(s).

Thanks to Straight Tip and Paul Stein for permission to reprint this article from the April - June 2015 issue.

From the Field for the Field: Adam Hernandez on Examples of Good and Bad Leadership

Examples of Good and Bad Leadership from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

Leadership is the art of influencing people in order to achieve a result. The most essential element for success in the wildland fire service is good leadership. - Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 1

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge
Post your own leadership video message on The Smokey Generation website. Here are a few questions for inspiration:

1. What makes you want to follow someone?
2. Who do you think is a leadership role model and why?
3. If you were to pick the three most important character traits for an effective leader, what would those be?
4. Are leaders born or made…explain?
5. Regarding leadership, what quote comes to mind?
6. Who are some of the individuals that had a significant influence on your life?
7. Thinking back to your youth, what other influences in helped you become a leader? 
8. What do you consider your strengths to be?
9. What do you consider your weaknesses to be?
10. Since you started your career with the wildland fire service, what are the biggest improvements you have witnessed?
11. What do you consider the worst changes you have seen in the wildland fire service?
12. Describe a few of the toughest decisions or dilemmas you have faced? 
13. What helped to guide you through those situations? 
14. Why do think people follow you?
15. When did you realize that you had a significant influence on others?
16. What handful of “lessons learned” would you offer to a young leader today?
17. What is a book you have read recently that you would recommend to others?
18. What ideas or projects are currently working on?
19. How do you go about initiating a new idea in order to put it into practice?
20. Do you think a legacy is important and if so, what do want your legacy to be?

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What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project with hotshots. All members of the wildland fire service can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. 

Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Thanks, Bethany Hannah for your vision and leadership to capture our history. 

IGNITE: Character is a Choice

Talent is a gift, but character is a choice. – John C Maxwell

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership and SHARE throughout your networks. ‪#‎fireleadership‬ ‪#‎fireminis‬

Do Great Leaders or Ordinary People Make History

(Photo credit: Brand X Pictures)

By Cameron Cota

Do great leaders or ordinary people make history? It is my personal belief that it is the ordinary people that change history.

Great leaders have been influential throughout history, but most started out as common people. General George Washington for instance came from a poor family but proved to be a splendid commander-in-chief. Washington convinced the majority of the Continental army to re-enlist after their term was over. The Rebels, tired, weak and worn to the thread, only wanted to be home after enduring almost unimaginable hardships, yet they re-enlisted because of Washington. Because of that instance in history we were able to live in this dear country.

Ordinary people too are capable of becoming extraordinary. Every one starts small to some degree, then are given the opportunity to become great. Benjamin Franklin was an apprentice to a printer, nothing special, yet he made history as one of the greatest minds ever. A printer in those days was scorned by everyone. Franklin saw this as a challenge to overcome. From posing as the widow, “Silence Dogood” and writing articles to sway the public opinion, to becoming an inventor, Benjamin Franklin showed us that ordinary people could be great.

People, ordinary or otherwise, have made history throughout the ages. Some are born great some are destined to be. Everyone has greatness in them. Anyone can sway history. People can be ordinary or extraordinary and still shake the world.

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Cameron Cota is the 15-year old daughter of Heath Cota, Sawtooth National Forest - Minidoka Ranger District FMO and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee. All expressions are those of the author. "Do Great Leaders or Ordinary People Make History" was an in-class essay for Cameron's history class. This is the first of two essays.

Today's blog entry is a testament to the power of influence. Leadership is an art that transcends boundaries. As Heath told me when he shared Cameron's essays, "It speaks of a lifelong study of leadership; and if you think that your subordinates see and hear all, even more so do our children." 

Are you influencing beyond the fireline? We would love to share your stories.

Stay tuned for another blog 

IGNITE: The Conscious Choice of a Follower

Being a follower is a conscious choice, one rooted in managing from the mind and leading from the heart. – Jane Perdue

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership and SHARE throughout your networks.#fireleadership #fireminis

From the Field for the Field - Inspiring Greatness through Good Leader's Intent

(Theatrical movie poster. Source: Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures via Wikipedia)

We challenged students of fire and leadership to share their practices with others in "From the Field for the field," and Washington State Department of Natural Resource - South Puget Sound Region responded. As part of their annual refresher, they incorporated leadership development into their program.

INSPIRING GREATNESS THROUGH GOOD LEADER'S INTENT

Audience: 
FFT2 to ICT2

Timeframe:
40 - 50 minutes

Factilator Action:
Show students David Marquet's "Greatness" speech (about 10 minutes) as a primer on intent and means of getting students into the leadership mindset.



Facilitator Statement: 
We're good at telling people what they can and can't do on and off the fireline. We do this in spite of the fact that each of our actions on a fire happen in a very dynamic environment and the plan doesn't always fit nicely into what we "can" do. That's the reason we have this concept of leader's intent.

Student Practice: 

• Discuss the three parts of leader's intent: 
• Task
• Purpose
• End state

Facilitator Statement:
The reason we have leader's intent is so our subordinates are able and willing to make decisions on their own while understanding and contributing to the overall objective. If they have the understanding of what needs to be accomplished and they have the technical ability to complete the task, then they should be empowered to make decisions that produce the desired outcome.

Unfortunately, we often spend too much time telling people HOW to do things instead. When the situations start changing, they become afraid to make decisions because the change is not something they have been told how to deal with. 

Leadership Challenge: 

Challenge students to think about leader's intent when they give out assignments on an incident.

Facilitator Action:

• Show students the following Apollo 13 clip (about 10 minutes):
• Start: "Houston, we have a problem." 
• End: After they move to the LEM and the scene switches to Johnny Carson on TV.

Student Practice:

• While watching the Apollo 13 movie clip, use your IRPG to consider how leader's intent is used in the movie clip as well as how the leadership values (duty, respect, integrity) and their underlying principles are applied. 
• After viewing the clip, discuss with other students what the students observed.

Facilitator Action:

Group discussions will vary. Consider asking conceptual questions to complement group discussion (about 20-30 minutes). Questions may include:

• Who is in charge? Does that change? (Discussed if it's Lovell or Kranz before the incident, and how Kranz takes charge once the incident occurs.)
• Who was empowered to make decisions? What happened when they did? (The decision by ECON to shut down the reactant valves and abort the moon landing generated the most discussion on this topic.)
• When was trust and cohesion apparent? When was it not? What influences trust and cohesion and how do you change that? (Our emphasis here was about Swigert not being completely trusted yet despite being technically competent--a common challenge in our world when working with someone new on an incident.)
• What values and principles did you observe and how were they applied? 

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Thanks to Brian Looper (Fire Forester North, South Puget Region, WA State DNR) for this contribution.