Equipment and Technology

Each agency, whether a state or province as full members, or federal or city agencies as associate members, have one seat on the Equipment and Technology Working Team. The Equipment and Technology Working Team reports to the Operations Committee and is responsible to formulate equipment plans and ensure that the work plans are carried out.

They work very closely with the Executive Director to oversee and manage their grant allocations and carry out their business. They are assigned a liaison from the Operations Committee in order to form good communications and guidance from the Operations Committee.

The ETWT meets or has a conference call once every quarter in order to coordinate, manage, monitor and conduct their business. They are responsible for developing, coordinating, and managing the vendors at the Annual Winter meeting conducted in January/February.

They also develop, schedule, and manage field testing of equipment, check and/or resolve equipment compatibility issues amongst the member agencies, track agency equipment inventories, and set equipment exchange standards.

In addition, the ETWT keeps track of new innovations in equipment and technology that can be used for wildland fire management. They stay informed of new information from national technology and development centers and from vendors. Occasionally the ETWT will conduct mini mobilizations amongst the agencies to test equipment compatibility and to exercise crossing equipment between the U.S. and Canada.

They also assimilate and post annual agency and contractor aircraft cost rates for use amongst the agencies when mutual is needed. The ETWT also plans and conducts pump mechanic training courses and sends members to wildlfire equipment development tours in order to capture and share information throughout the U.S. and Canada.