COPY OF MEMORANDUM
From Associate Directors

P1815(2653)

June 24, 1999

Memorandum

To:            Directorate, Field Directorate, and Superintendents
                 Attn: Park Superintendents


From         Associate Director, Administration
                                                 /s/ Sue Masica

                 Associate Director, Park Operations and Education
                                                 /s/  Robert Yearout (Acting)

Subject:      Implementation of RM-57 for Fire Management Personnel

Reference Manual, "Occupational Medical Standards and Physical Fitness", Part 1
was issued April 26, 1999.  Subsequent questions have arisen which require clarification
regarding wildland fire management implementation.

Director's Order 57, referencing maximum entry and mandatory seperation dates, state
"....the mandatory seperation age is applicable to all appointments, no applicant may
receive a temporary, term, or seasonal appointment at or after.......age 55 for designated
firefighter positions."  While this direction is clear regarding employees covered under
special fire and law enforcement retirement (commonly referred to as "6c"), confusion
exists as to its applicability to collateral duty fire positions.

The term "designated firefighter positions" in this context includes all positions covered
under enhanced annuity fire retirement and those collateral duty, non-6c covered
employees who acually fight fire on the fireline.  As defined by the National Wildfire
Coordinating Group's "Wildland Fire Qualification Subsystem Guide, PMS 310-1",
these employees assigned "arduous" physical fitness positions, such as Firefighter
(FFT2), Crew Boss (CRWB), and Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS).  "Arduous" duty
positions require successful completion of the Pack Test component of the Work
Capacity Test Series.  Other collateral duty wildland firefighting positions having
"moderate", "low" or "none" physical fitness requirements are not included in this
directive.

Recognizing that this may cause a hardship on some individuals and park fire programs
this fire season, implementation of this directive is deferred until January 1, 2000;
collateral duty employees older than 55 who have previously been assigned arduous
firefighting duties may continue to be assigned those duties until January 1, 2000,
assuming they meet Pack Test and medical examination standards.

RM-57 outlines an approved medical examination program "whenever specific,
approved medical standards for such work exist", and specifically spells out the
procedures to be followed for the NPS law enforcement examination program.  RM-18,
"Wildland Fire Management, Chapter 3, Safety" indicates that interagency wildland fire
medical standards are currently under development, and that long-existing NPS fire
medical standards (using the SF-78 form) and periodicity of examinations should
continue to be utilized, pending the completion and adoption of the interagency medical
standards.

This has led to potential confusion: Which examination program to follow for employees who have both law enforcement AND arduous firefighter duties?  Do such employees
have to take two seperate medical exams?

Only one medical examination is required.  To facilitate the one examination for multi-
functional employees, the new law enforcement medical examination form is being
modified to address key firefighter considerations, as identified in the existing SF-78.
This revised form will be distributed to the field as soon as possible.  Additionally, the
periodicity of exams for multi-functional employees should follow the most restrictive
guidelines (law enforcement, in this example).

For those employees requiring only firefighter examinatioins, the existing SF-78 form and
process as outlined in RM-18 will continue to be utilized, until revised with new
interagebcy medical standards.  These new standards will be included in RM-57 when
appropriate.

Costs of medical examinations for multi-functioinal positions will be born by that
function having primacy in the employee's position description.  In other words, if the
position is established primarily for fire management duties (and the position requires
maintenance of arduous duty fire qualifications), and the employee is required to
maintain a lawenforcement commission.  FIREPRO will pay the medical examination
costs.  Conversely, if the employee is a law enforcement ranger who is also required to
maintain a Red Card for arduous duty fire qualifications, Ranger Activities Division in
the Headquarters Office will fund the examination costs.

If you have further questions, contact your Regional Fire Management Officer;  Terrie
Fajaro, Chief Staffing and Compensation, 202-208-6288; or Paul Broyles, Nationa; Fire
Operations, 208-387-5226.

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