MINNESOTA / WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AVIATION DISPATCH & OPERATIONS PROCEDURES

Transcription

1 MINNESOTA / WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AVIATION DISPATCH & OPERATIONS PROCEDURES A Cooperative Firefighting Agreement for the MN / WI Border Area enables a quick response and sharing of firefighting resources between the neighboring states. Requests for aircraft that are stationed in Minnesota to assist with fires in Wisconsin will be made with the Minnesota Interagency Coordination Center (MNCC) Aviation Dispatcher or 4558 ( mnccaviation@gmail.com / fax ). Helicopters / Initial Attack Dispatch Zones in Wisconsin The closest available helicopter to the incident will be mobilized to the areas listed below. These areas can call direct to MNCC. Outside of these areas Madison should be informed before calling. WI Fire Response Areas: Spooner Douglas County - four western Townships (Range 12 and west) Washburn County four northwestern Townships (T41-13; T41-12; T42-13; T42-12) Burnett County entire County Polk County northern two tiers of Townships (Twp 36 and north) Burnett County southern portion of the County (Twp 40 and south) (See attached maps of the areas described below) Dispatch Type of aircraft needed Fire name Incident Commander or Ground Contact Fuels Values Threatened Frequencies (Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground) Location Legal Description and Latitude/Longitude in Decimal Minutes Other aircraft on scene Hazards Requesting person and phone number MNCC Airdesk will assemble the following information to share with the requesting agency: o Name of pilot o Number of AC / Type / Color / Registration(Tail) Numbers o Approximate arrival time at the incident Cumberland dispatch will call MNCC Dispatch to inform them: o The AC are returning and an approximate ETA The requesting Wisconsin DNR dispatch office should fax or (mnccaviation@gmail.com) a copy of the Tactical Aircraft Request form to the MNCC Aviation Desk and the Fire Suppression Specialist in Madison before the end of shift on the day that the aircraft is requested. Aerial Suppression Operations in Wisconsin As a member of the Great Lakes Fire Compact, aerial suppression aircraft from other Compact members may be ordered to assist on larger fires in Wisconsin. To ensure consistent and safe aerial operations the following protocol should be followed.

2 Crossing Minnesota Border As a courtesy, pilots from both Minnesota and Wisconsin will report smokes spotted near the border in each other s state. Since both states utilize aerial detection the possibility of aircraft from both states approaching smokes near the border exists. In order to prevent a possible hazardous situation all pilots must receive clearance from their dispatcher prior to crossing the State border. Each State s Dispatcher will be responsible to contact the neighboring dispatch and confirm that no other aircraft is enroute to the smoke. Once cleared by dispatch a pilot may cross the border and supply a size up of the situation to dispatch who will forward it to the neighboring state. Detection in Wisconsin Detection aircraft call sign is Patrol. The normal patrol altitude is 1,000 1,500' AGL. When Patrol locates or is requested to respond to a fire they transition into a tactical role and their call sign changes to Air Attack. Patrol will resume their detection route when MN Air Attack is on-scene. Air Attack Procedures Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ontario Fire Traffic Area (FTA) guidelines will be followed. In the absence of a MN Air Attack or ON Bird Dog, Wisconsin Air Attack pilots will use 500 foot increments of vertical separation when giving altitude assignments for the FTA. Arriving suppression aircraft can expect to be assigned an altitude giving them a minimum of 500 feet clearance above the canopy of surrounding terrain rounded up to the next 500 foot MSL altitude. If multiple aircraft are on scene without a MN Air Attack or ON Bird Dog, the WI Air Attack Pilot should coordinate the airspace. Wisconsin Air Attack Pilots will normally use the call sign (fire name or dispatch group) Air Attack. i.e. Mallard Air Attack or Brule Air Attack. Minnesota air attacks will use the call sign Minnesota Air Attack (number). i.e. Minnesota Air Attack 3. Ontario Air Attack Officers will normally use the call sign Bird Dog (number). i.e. Bird Dog 4. Once airborne and established enroute, Minnesota and Ontario air attacks should relay an updated ETA to their respective flight desks and have the ETA forwarded to those in Wisconsin who ordered the aircraft. Duties and Responsibilities Air Attack is responsible for communicating with ground personnel to develop and coordinate air and ground attack plans, evaluating effectiveness of the air attack plan and ensuring safe operations over the fire. Minnesota Air Attacks and Ontario Bird Dogs are responsible for clearing in, coordination, and separation of all suppression aircraft on the fire. Communication Plan Incoming aviation resources from Minnesota and Ontario should attempt to contact the WI Air Attack Pilot as soon as practical on AM frequency The primary AM (Victor) Air-Air frequency is The secondary AM (Victor) Air-Air frequency is

3 Primary Ground-Ground tactical frequency is (DNR Red) Tone This frequency may also be used for Air-Ground communications on initial attack operations. Extended attack - Air-Ground frequency-dnr Brown ( Tone 146.2), DNR Purple ( Tone 71.9) or Wisc. DNR Air/Ground ( Tone 156.7) may be used. Helicopters should contact the Air Attack on the Air-Air or ground firefighters on the assigned Air-Ground frequencies to coordinate drops. If the MN helicopter arrives on the fire before the WI Air Attack the HMGB should contact the IC directly while enroute N Tx tone 85.4 (referred to as Fire Ground Blue by Wisconsin DNR) may be used to communicate between ground units. Note that in Minnesota this is VFIRE 23 and is the same frequency but has a Tx tone of The frequency should work for mutual aid as long as the RX side is not guarded with a tone. Operations Plan Helicopters In the absence of a MN Air Attack or ON Bird Dog the HMGB should contact the WI Air Attack to receive direction and tactical assignments: o Parallel Attack, Direct Attack, Indirect Attack, burnout, equipment, ground crews HMGB should relay size up information and confirm water source, helispot location and tactics with the WI Air Attack Helicopter lands, configures for bucket operations and HMGB and crew establishes faceface contact with the IC. The HMGB will likely stay with the IC. The helitack crewmembers may be assigned to each flank to work with the person in charge of that flank or Division (Line Construction Group Supervisor). The helitack crew should engage in firefighting operations only as per instructions from the IC or other WI fire ground supervisors. This could include monitoring holding action and/or burning out the line behind the tractor plows. Helitack crew should not place themselves between the head of the fire and any heavy equipment that is constructing fireline unless directed by the IC, they have established communication with equipment operators and have established safety protocols. Helicopter operations will normally be at or below 500' AGL. Operations Plan SEATs and FireBoss When MN-based SEAT s, FireBoss or airtankers are responding to the State of Wisconsin, they will be ordered with and accompanied by a qualified MN Air Attack. The following items will be addressed for ground based loading of MN SEAT s or Fireboss aircraft before loading the aircraft: Positive ground contact with a SEAT Manager or Fire Dept. representative is needed before any loading of the aircraft. MN aircraft must shutdown when being loaded by a Fire Department until a qualified SEAT Manager arrives and assumes control of the ramp and loading operations, this applies to designated bases or satellite base locations. When loading at a designated SEAT Base with SEAT Manager present, MN aircraft will shutdown for the first load, after that the aircraft may be hotloaded at the pilot s discretion. Retardants or Suppressants will only be loaded by qualified mixmasters or contractor/vendor support personnel.

4 MN SEAT s and Fireboss have fittings to adapt from 1 1/2 NH, 2 1/2 NH male fire hose to 3 camlock for loading the aircraft. Wisconsin DNR Contact Information Spooner Dispatch: Phone Number Douglas County -four western Townships (Range 12 and west) o Primary Frequency DNR Bennet RX NAC IN D59 TX NAC OUT--825 Washburn County four northwestern Townships (T41-13; T41-12; T42-13; T42-12) Burnett County North o Primary Frequency DNR Lampson RX NAC IN E02 o GLFFC Radio Card Ch 71TX NAC OUT 825 Burnett County South Polk County northern two tiers of Townships (Twp 36 and north) o Primary Frequency DNR Frederic RX NAC IN D60 TX NAC OUT 825 PRIORITIES FOR MN AIRCRAFT INITIAL ATTACK DISPATCH ZONE Partnerships are a great way for firefighting agencies to share resources. Each partner has an obligation to provide assets for the welfare of their state. There may be days when potential for extreme fire behavior exists and approval to send aviation resources out of state are made on a statewide basis. On such days, requests from Wisconsin will need to be approved by aviation managers at MIFC. DECISION MATRIX FOR MNCC AVIATION DESK Request Priorities Considerations Decision WI requests aircraft from 1. MN Life 2. WI Life Consult with aviation managers regarding: 1. Send closest available MN 3. MN Property Priorities resource(s) 4. WI Property 5. MN Resources Current fire activity in MN and WI 2. Notify WI if no resource(s) are 6. WI Resources Aircraft already committed available Other locations of IA aircraft Current and forecasted weather Fire indices and fire behavior Time of day

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