Salmon River Fire Safe Council Community Liaison Program� Trial By Fire

“They listened and did what they said they would do,” a formula for success in any relationship; building trust with communication and follow-up action.

- - Cohesive Strategy Success Story on the SR FSC CLP

Photo: Scott Harding

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• History and Inception

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• Purpose and Need

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• Nuts and Bolts

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• Successes

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• Lessons Learned

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• Barriers to Success

Karuna Greenberg

Restoration Director

Salmon River Restoration Council

(530)462-4665

karuna@srrc.org

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Community Liaison Program (CLP)

Photo: Scott Harding

Community Liaison Program (CLP)

History and Inception

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• Salmon River Fire History – very active
• major fire events 1977, 1987, 1994, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014

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• SR is one of the highest risk fire areas in the Klamath and has the greatest concentration of fires in Siskiyou County

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• Community familiar and knowledgeable with fire and terrain - often more so than fire teams from different regions

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• Not always a good working relationship between USFS, Incident Management Teams, and community

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• SR Fire Safe Council - extensive community planning and fuels reduction – CWPP (called for creation of Liaison Program)

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• 2008 fire season debacle – poor communications

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• After Action Review

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• CLP Initiated in 2009 after the hectic fire season of 2008

Photo: Scott Harding

Community Liaison Program

Purpose and Need

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The purpose of the Community Liaison Program is to facilitate timely and transparent communication between Managing Agencies (in this case USFS), Fire Suppression Incident Management Teams, and local community members and organizations during a wildfire* event.

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• Establish modes of communication between the USFS, Incident Management Team (IMT), Fire Safe Council, and the Community…

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• Platform for sharing of local knowledge and information

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• Re-establish trust and mutual respect

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• Keep community up to date with reliable, current information

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• Reduce the number of people interacting with IMT

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• Increase local qualifications and fire knowledge

Photo: Scott Harding

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

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CLP Binder Contents

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• Clear Program Description

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• Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

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• Liaison Contact Information

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• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

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• Local Data Layers and Information

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Managing Agency Commitment

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• Clear Line Officer Support

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• Inclusion in Pre-season Forest Fire Information Plan

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• Inclusion in Letter of Designation to Incoming IMT

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• Mention and Participation in IMT In-briefing and Transition

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• Inclusion in IMT Briefings and Meetings

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• Inclusion in Early Evacuation Planning Sessions

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Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

Salmon River Community Liaison Team - Coordination Flow Chart

* Denotes Liaisons Basic 32 and Fire Refresher

Local US Forest Service

Incident Management Team

Tier I Community Liaison

Primary Contact *

Secondary Contacts *

Alternates *

Tier II Liaison

Somes Bar

Primary *

Secondary

Tier II Liaison

Bear Country

Primary *

Alternates

Tier II Liaison

Forks of Salmon

Primary *

Secondary

Tier II Liaison

Cecilville

Primary *

Secondary

Tier II Liaison

Sawyers Bar

Primary *

Secondary

Tier III

Somes Bar

Neighborhoods

Tier III

Forks

Neighborhoods

Tier III

Cecilville

Neighborhoods

Tier III

Sawyers

Neighborhoods

Tier III

Bear Country

Neighborhoods

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

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CLP Binder Contents

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• Clear Program Description

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• Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

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• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

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• Liaison Contact Information

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• Local GIS Data Layers
• Private Land and Structures
• Emergency Ingress Egress Routes
• Recent Fuels Reduction Treatment Areas
• WUI Areas
• Tanker Fill Sites & Hydrants –site conditions & needs
• Helispots & Coordinates – plus site conditions
• Existing/Historic Firelines & Fuelbreaks
• Fire History
• Trails & Trailheads
• Fire Camps, Staging Areas
• Local Infrastructure
• Invasive Species
• Managed History

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Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

​

• Clear Program Description

​

• CLP Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

​

• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

​

• Local GIS Data Layers
• Private Land and Structures
• Emergency Ingress Egress Routes
• Recent Fuels Reduction Treatment Areas
• WUI Areas
• Tanker Fill Sites & Hydrants –site conditions & needs
• Helispots & Coordinates – plus site conditions
• Existing/Historic Firelines & Fuelbreaks
• Fire History
• Trails & Trailheads
• Fire Camps, Staging Areas
• Local Infrastructure
• Managed Stands Layers
• Invasive Species

Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

​

• Clear Program Description

​

• CLP Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

​

• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

​

• Local GIS Data Layers
• Private Land and Structures
• Emergency Ingress Egress Routes
• Recent Fuels Reduction Treatment Areas
• WUI Areas
• Tanker Fill Sites & Hydrants –site conditions & needs
• Helispots & Coordinates – plus site conditions
• Existing/Historic Firelines & Fuelbreaks
• Fire History
• Trails & Trailheads
• Fire Camps, Staging Areas
• Local Infrastructure
• Managed Stands Layers
• Invasive Species

Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

​

• Clear Program Description

​

• CLP Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

​

• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

​

• Local GIS Data Layers
• Private Land and Structures
• Emergency Ingress Egress Routes
• Recent Fuels Reduction Treatment Areas
• WUI Areas
• Tanker Fill Sites & Hydrants –site conditions & needs
• Helispots & Coordinates – plus site conditions
• Existing/Historic Firelines & Fuelbreaks
• Fire History
• Trails & Trailheads
• Fire Camps, Staging Areas
• Local Infrastructure
• Managed Stands Layers
• Invasive Species

Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

​

• Clear Program Description

​

• CLP Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

​

• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

​

• Local GIS Data Layers
• Private Land and Structures
• Emergency Ingress Egress Routes
• Recent Fuels Reduction Treatment Areas
• WUI Areas
• Tanker Fill Sites & Hydrants –site conditions & needs
• Helispots & Coordinates – plus site conditions
• Existing/Historic Firelines & Fuelbreaks
• Fire History
• Trails & Trailheads
• Fire Camps, Staging Areas
• Local Infrastructure
• Managed Stands Layers
• Invasive Species

Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

​

• Clear Program Description

​

• CLP Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

​

• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

​

• Local GIS Data Layers
• Private Land and Structures
• Emergency Ingress Egress Routes
• Recent Fuels Reduction Treatment Areas
• WUI Areas
• Tanker Fill Sites & Hydrants –site conditions & needs
• Helispots & Coordinates – plus site conditions
• Existing/Historic Firelines & Fuelbreaks
• Fire History
• Trails & Trailheads
• Fire Camps, Staging Areas
• Local Infrastructure
• Managed Stands Layers
• Invasive Species

Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

CLP – Nuts and Bolts

Sarah Hugdahl

​

• Clear Program Description

​

• CLP Coordination Flow Chart and Chain of Command

​

• Liaison Contact Information

​

• Liaison Duties and Responsibilities

​

• Local GIS Data Layers

​

Other Important Elements

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• Program ownership & Autonomy – Community Control

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• Privacy & Sensitive Information
• Sensitive information not shared in the general Binder, but supplied as necessary throughout the fire

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• Pre-Incident Coordination with USFS & Community
• General Information passed on to incoming IMT and included in initial briefings, letters,

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Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

Agency Support

Sarah Hugdahl

​

Managing Agency Commitment

​

• Clear Line Officer Support

​

• Inclusion in Pre-season Forest Fire Information Plan

​

• Inclusion in Letter of Designation to Incoming IMT

​

• Mention and Participation in IMT In-briefing and Transition

​

• Inclusion in IMT Briefings and Meetings

​

• Inclusion in Early Evacuation Planning Sessions

​

​

Photo: Scott Harding

Photo: Will Harling

Agency Support

Sarah Hugdahl

Photo: Scott Harding

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KNF Incident Information Guidance

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Letter of Designation, signed by incoming IC from IMT

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CLP – Trial By Fire – Success

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• Communication Greatly Improved
• Open honest communication throughout

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• Excellent USFS KNF Leadership
• Patty Grantham’s daily letters were Frank & Informative
• Introduced CLP to new teams
• Managers learned from 2008 – improved strategies

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• CLP involved in Incident from the beginning
• Immediate call from District Ranger
• Liaisons involved in planning – local knowledge

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• Frequent Community Meetings – CLP does not replace public meetings but assists in facilitating them

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• Structure Protection & Infrastructure

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• Evacuation Plan Example – Salmon vs. Butler complex

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• Restraint in fire fighting techniques for the most part
• Much fewer backburns & burnouts

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• First FaceBook Fires – immediate information dissemination

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• Prior Investments Paid Off! – existing CLP
• Community Awareness & Fuels Reduction

Social Media During Wildfires

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Fear

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• Rapid rumor conveyance
• Lack of control of the message
• No vetting of content
• Could lead to irrational response

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Reality

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• Social Media exists
• It will be used
• Embrace it
• Set the table
• Real time information
• Eases fears
• Leads to better outcomes
• Informed public
• Replaces rumors w/ real information
• Communication Greatly Improved

Social Media During Wildfires

​

Fear

​

• Rapid rumor conveyance
• Lack of control of the message
• No vetting of content
• Could lead to irrational response

​

Reality

​

• Social Media exists
• It will be used
• Embrace it
• Set the table
• Real time information
• Eases fears
• Leads to better outcomes
• Informed public
• Replaces rumors w/ real information
• Communication Greatly Improved

Community Liaison Program Successes

Community Liaison Program Successes

Communication in Difficult Times

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• Helps community Process
• Trusted translator
• Real information
• Leads to better outcomes

Community Liaison Program Successes

Lessons Learned

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• Managing agency support is critical to success

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• Autonomy & community ownership of program is also needed

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• Early inclusion leads to long term success
• Liaisons should be in the loop right away

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• Good Communication is key
• Success is built on trust

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• Build knowledge within Community & IMT

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• Single Point of Contact – doesn’t really work
• Liaison TEAM needed
• Diverse skills required
• Too much for any one person
• Burnout is real

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• Compensation
• A lot to ask of volunteers
• Need to find way to compensate Liaisons without jeopardizing autonomy/authority

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• Lack of Official Identity - ID placards?

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Photo: Sarah Colvig

Barriers to Widespread Success

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• Tension between community driven program & legitimacy in the eyes of managers
• non acceptance of the lay person

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• Funding
• CLP has been mostly volunteer - not sustainable
• How do we fund this periodic intensive work without losing autonomy of a community driven program

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• Training and qualifications and fire knowledge
• What qualifications do liaisons need to have
• Trusted community leaders may not have qualifications

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• Flexibility
• Needs to be enough flexibility to meet needs of local community
• Cookie cutter program won’t work everywhere

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Photo: Sarah Colvig

Salmon River Fire Safe Council Community Liaison Program�Trial By Fire

Photo: Scott Harding

“Communication used to be adversarial, but has improved much in last 10 years (i.e. the last couple fires). This fire was night and day compared to 2008, we did not feel talked down to, and felt informed… Patty’s humanness of being able to communicate with the community was astounding and appreciated. ” Creek Hanauer

“Folks living in the Salmon River have seen as much firefighting in their lives as seasonal Incident Commanders. Residents know the winds and microclimates, and have done a lot to fire safe their homes and property. They are true partners when it comes to community protection from fire.” KNF Supervisor, Patty Grantham

“This was the best communication during fire ever, from public meetings to Barry Snyder at the lookout, Patty’s emails, liaisons and public information officers out and about…”

Lori Connelly

“They listened and did what they said they would do.” Duffy

“There was a feeling of true mutual respect. We felt informed and listened to!... Division supervisors assigned near our property on the Butler Fire would meet with homeowners informally every night, which was much appreciated.” Sue Terence