Below is the original memo with the deadline date of November 7. Please note that this deadline has been extended to November 28, 2008. Please contact Jim Shultz with questions. _________
MEMORANDUM
TO: Regional Fire Management Officers FROM: Acting Chief, Division of Fire and Aviation Management SUBJECT: Servicewide Recruitment Notice - Fire Management Mentoring
The National Park Service is committed to developing our personnel by providing the competencies required to manage our wildland fire and aviation programs. To assist in this, the Fire Management Mentoring Program was established in 1999. An updated version of this program has been significantly revised to meet the current needs of the Service.
The upcoming two-year program is designed to assist in developing some of the competencies necessary to function as a fire management officer. The target audience for this opportunity includes module leaders, fuels or operations specialist and new fire management officers.
The basis of the mentoring program is the mentor/mentee relationship. Each mentee will be paired with a mentor that will help guide the mentee through the program and aid in facilitating developmental opportunities.
The training and experience portion of this program will consist of a core curriculum focused on several key areas of fire management. The subject areas include:
Budget, Fiscal and Procurement policy and procedures
Reporting and database management
Aviation Management
Employee development and personnel management
Park staff interaction overview.
Each area has a number of competency elements that can be met through training and/or experience. An IDP will be developed by the mentor/mentee pair and will serve as the action plan to meet these competencies. This IDP will be approved by the steering committee and supervisor of record.
The training will commence March 24th, 2009 with 5 mentors and 5 mentees. The expected timeline for this program is as follows:
Application deadline to RFMO for Mentor & Mentee applications.
November 7th, 2008
Prioritized list of mentors/mentees due to FMPC
November 14th, 2008
Selection letter to mentee with mentor profiles
December 19th, 2009
Mentee selection of mentor
January 16th, 2009
Formal training for mentee/mentor (3 day session, Seattle, WA.)
March 24th, 2009
The remainder of the two-year program will be described in detail during the first formal training session. Specific events that are required include an early visit by the mentor to the menteeâs work place, as well as mid-cycle and closeout workshops. Other activities will vary, depending on an individual menteeâs developmental needs.
Costs of the Program, other than salary or backfill, will be borne by the Fire Management Program Center.
Note: Participation in this program will require a significant time commitment from the mentees and mentors. Mentees should anticipate six to nine months of time spent attending training, completing trainee assignments, shadow assignments and/or details. Mentors should anticipate several weeks of travel as well as time required for regular contact with respective mentees. It should also be noted that this program is not intended to provide training required to meet the positive education requirements of the GS-0401 series.
Potential mentors and mentees should apply to their respective RFMOâs by November 7th, 2008. Nomination forms are attached.
For further information on the NPS Fire Management Mentoring Program contact:
Jim Shultz Fire Management Mentoring Coordinator Fire Management Program Center - NIFC 3833 S. Development Ave. Boise, Idaho 83705-5354 (208) 387-5215 jim_shultz@nps.gov
Ruby: 1.8.7, Rails: 1.1.6