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Background
Obtaining a Red Card
Work Capacity Test (Pack Test)

“By forces seemingly antagonistic and destructive Nature accomplishes her beneficent designs — now a flood of fire… again in the fullness of time an outburst of organic life…” John Muir

John of the Mountains, (1938), page 438

INCIDENT QUALIFICATIONS
Background Information.

The Incident Qualification Card in the Incident Command System (ICS) is commonly called a Red Card. It is an accepted interagency certification that a person is qualified to do the required job when arriving on an incident.

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group sets minimum training, experience and physical fitness standards for wild fire positions. Incident Qualification Cards are issued by the firefighting agencies, that are members of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, to individuals who successfully complete the required training, experience and physical fitness (Work Capacity) test.

In place of Incident Qualification Cards, local and rural firefighting agencies may issue letters of certification that state the individuals have met the appropriate physical fitness, experience and training standards.

Qualifications for federal employees are maintained in the Incident Qualifications and Certification System (IQCS). State employee qualifications are maintained in each state's Incident Qualification System (IQS). Both systems transfer this information to the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS).

Transition to the NWCG Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) is taking place during the spring of 2004. Training is being provided for account managers in the National Park Service. Information on available training can be found on the IQCS Website.
Firefighters constructing a fireline.

Wildland Fire Training
Web site that enables access to Local Area, Geographic Area, National, and other related Interagency Wildland Fire Training information.

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program
Web site provides information which allows individuals to strive for a higher performance level as a leader through self-directed learning opportunities.

Refresher Training
The web site, updated annually, offers guidance, agency policies, emerging issues, training materials and topics to assist instructors in preparing to teach annual refresher training.

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