L-380 and L-381 - A Word from our CMLs

L-380, Fireline Leadership

L-380 is targeted at leaders whose decisions have immediate consequences in dynamic, high-risk environments. The intent is to provide small unit supervisors with the tools to build and maintain effective and cohesive crews/teams. Beyond a set of tools and techniques, this training experience should be designed to make an emotional and lasting impact. Essential guiding principles for achieving this impact include: enhancing the students’ understanding of the human dimension when leading others in dynamic work environments; utilizing experiential training techniques that will engage students in ways that challenge them to perform under realistic and high-stress situations; and motivating students to examine their role, strengths, and weaknesses as a leader.

Selected course material should address these topics:

• Application of leadership styles
• Communicating vision and intent
• Team building
• Detecting operational error
• Managing stress

Some changes to look for in the next iteration:

• Target audience change to personnel desiring to be qualified as single resource boss.
• Remove case study-specific book requirement pre-work for L-380 limited to the PRP.
• Demonstrate/discuss responding appropriately to stressful incidents.
• Discuss how the situational awareness (SA) cycle and decision making-cycle evolve with experience and increases in scope with responsibility, and the importance of gathering and sharing information.
• Incorporate the generic term "debrief." The AAR format would become just one of several ways to conduct a debriefing. 

L-381, Incident Leadership

This course is targeted at leaders of divisions, groups, or Type 3 incidents. The intent of the course is to provide these individuals with the leadership tools to effectively exert command and control over a quickly-assembled team in a time-constrained and rapidly-changing incident environment. Beyond a set of tools and techniques, this training experience is designed to make an emotional and lasting impact. Essential guiding principles for achieving this impact include: enhancing the understanding of the human dimension when leading others in dynamic work environments; utilizing experiential training techniques that will engage students in ways that challenge them to perform under realistic and high-stress situations; and motivating students to examine their role, strengths, and weaknesses in that role.

Some changes to look for in the next iteration:

• Students will focus more on command presence and climate, and demonstrate ability to adjust presence and climate to changing personnel and environments. 
• Communication tools will include facilitation techniques needed to effectively lead at different stages of a rapidly changing incident. 
• The course will incorporate a formalized process for peer review, allowing students opportunities to practice giving and receiving feedback.

---

For more information regarding L-380 and L-381, contact the one of our Curriculum Management Leads (CMLs): Click here for the Leadership Curriculum Management Subcommittee (LCSC) roster.

• Matt Lynde, L-380 CML
• Joe Williams, L-380 CML
• LJ Brown, L-381 CML