NWCG Qualifications
Become a Firefighter 2
In coordination with the Washington Contract Firefighters Association and the The Nature Conservancy, Cascadia PBA is pleased to offer opportunities for online or in person Basic Wildland Firefighter Training in accordance with National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards. When completed you will be qualified as a Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) for agencies that follow NWCG standards, which include most federal, state, and local government fire agencies. FFT2 is the entry-level position in a wildland fire organization. This qualification is not necessary to participate in PBA events but being qualified helps you be a valuable resource to the PBA and will lead to more burn opportunities for you when the PBA is burning with partner organizations that require this qualification.
Step 1
Email the PBA and inform us that you want to pursue the FFT2 qualification, let us know why you are getting the certification. We understand that navigating this process as an individual can be challenging and hopefully our tips and tricks make it less daunting.
Step 2
Create an account on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal
Step 3
Through the online portal or in person through the PBAs partner organizations, complete the following 5 courses and two tests:
S-130 Firefighter Training Online/In person
S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior
L-180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service
IS-100 Intro to the Incident Command System
IS-700 Intro to Nat’l Incident Mgmt System
Arduous Work Capacity Test “Pack Test” and Practice Shelter Deployment must be done In Person.
Why should I take this class?
People interested in this class might be landowners interested in using fire on their properties, people interested in a career in fire or natural resources management, or anyone interested in understanding the basics of wildland fire operations.
In addition, this qualification allows people to attend burn opportunities beyond what the PBA offers.
What topics are covered?
S-130 covers the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watchout Situations, the LCES system, tools used in the wildland fire profession, basic firefighting tactics, and more.
S-190 covers basic terminology, the fire triangle (heat, fuel, oxygen), wildland fire environment components (fuels, weather, topography), critical factors that contribute to extreme fire behavior, and more.
L-180 covers peer-to-peer communication, situational awareness, decision making, crew cohesion, and other topics.
Is this a “red card”?
An Incident Qualification Card, a.k.a a “red card” is granted by public agencies and some private organizations to its employees or affiliated people. Through the PBAs membership with the WCFA we can manage print and issue red cards to our members after they have completed all of the courses.