S-230 Crew Boss (Single Resource)

Funding for this project provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Business and Workforce Development Grants as part of the California Climate Investments Program

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01-08-2027 8:00 am - 01-10-2027 6:00 pm
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NWCG Training • Single Resource Leadership

S-230

Crew Boss (Single Resource)

Develop the leadership, supervision, planning, and operational decision-making skills needed to lead a wildland fire handcrew safely and effectively.

Lead the Crew. Maintain Accountability. Manage Risk.

CourseNWCG S-230

FormatInstructor-Led + Scenarios

ScheduleSample 2-Day Plan

FocusHandcrew Leadership

Course Information

Develop the judgment and leadership needed to supervise a single handcrew.

NWCG S-230, Crew Boss (Single Resource), prepares developing crew leaders to organize, brief, supervise, and account for personnel assigned to wildland fire operations. Training emphasizes crew boss responsibilities, tactical assignments, communication, operational planning, and firefighter safety.

Students explore how to translate incident objectives into crew-level assignments, evaluate fireline conditions, select tactics within assigned objectives, manage fatigue and exposure, and recognize when changing conditions require reassessment or disengagement.

Instructor-led discussions and realistic scenarios emphasize handcrew operations such as line construction, holding, mop-up, patrol, and coordination with adjacent resources.

Qualification note: Completion of S-230 does not itself qualify a student as Crew Boss (CRWB). Position task books, experience, additional training, and agency certification are separate requirements.

Course Topics

Crew boss roles and responsibilities
Leadership, supervision, and accountability
Incident objectives and assignment briefings
Operational planning and tactical priorities
Fire behavior and changing conditions
LCES and operational risk management
Handcrew deployment and work organization
Fireline construction and holding operations
Mop-up, patrol, and rehabilitation
Radio communications and situation reports
Coordination with other resources
Contingency planning and disengagement
Crew demobilization and documentation

Prerequisites & Student Preparation

Designed for firefighters progressing toward handcrew supervisory assignments.

Previous Fireline ExperienceStudents should have practical experience in wildland fire or prescribed fire crew operations and understand fundamental firefighter safety practices.

Required TrainingConfirm the current NWCG S-230 course prerequisites and any host-specific enrollment requirements before registering.

Pre-Course WorkComplete assigned reading, online materials, or case-study preparation before attending.

Leadership ParticipationBe ready to deliver briefings, work through operational scenarios, make tactical recommendations, and participate in group discussions.

IMPORTANT: This course is training toward crew leadership, not automatic CRWB certification. Consult the current NWCG course package and PMS 310-1 for applicable requirements.

Two-Day Course Itinerary

Illustrative schedule for an expanded instructor-led delivery; verify against the current approved course package.

Day 1 — Crew Leadership & Tactical Assignments

Leadership • Briefings • LCES • Fireline Tactics

8:00 AM

Introductions, learning objectives, and course safety briefing.

8:45 AM

Crew boss duties, leadership expectations, chain of command, and crew accountability.

9:45 AM

Receiving an assignment: incident objectives, briefing information, resources, and constraints.

11:00 AM

LCES, risk assessment, fire behavior indicators, and maintaining situational awareness.

12:00 PM

Lunch.

1:00 PM

Crew organization, personnel assignments, span of control, and communicating expectations.

2:15 PM

Handcrew tactics: line construction, direct and indirect approaches, holding, and coordinating with adjacent resources.

3:15 PM

Scenario exercise: develop and deliver a crew briefing and assign work safely.

4:15 PM

Scenario debrief, feedback, and day-one review.

Day 2 — Crew Operations & Decision-Making

Accountability • Communications • Contingencies • Demobilization

8:00 AM

Safety review, operational briefing, and crew readiness assessment.

8:45 AM

Managing work pace, fatigue, heat exposure, crew welfare, and personnel accountability.

9:45 AM

Radio traffic, progress updates, resource requests, and communicating changes in conditions.

11:00 AM

Mop-up, patrol, securing line, and maintaining standards for completed work.

12:00 PM

Lunch.

1:00 PM

Contingency planning, trigger points, emergency actions, and disengagement decisions.

2:00 PM

Evolving handcrew scenario: revise tactics, coordinate resources, and manage a changing assignment.

3:30 PM

Crew transition, demobilization, documentation, and after-action review.

4:15 PM

Course review, student feedback, and completion documentation as applicable.

SCHEDULE NOTICE: This two-day agenda is a planning example, not a statement of NWCG-required course length. Instruction and timing must follow the current approved S-230 materials.

Required Materials & Equipment

Prepare for classroom discussions and crew leadership simulations.

Classroom Materials

Notebook and pen
Course materials and assigned pre-work
Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), if requested

Scenario Materials

Maps and operational worksheets, as assigned
Radio or simulated communications, if provided
Crew assignment and briefing forms, if assigned

Personal Items

Water and lunch
Weather-appropriate clothing
Personal medications
Wildland PPE only if field exercises are scheduled

EQUIPMENT NOTICE: Follow the host’s specific equipment list. Full wildland PPE may be required if practical field exercises are included.

Operational Safety & Crew Accountability

Effective crew leadership keeps safety and clear communication at the center of every assignment.

Students practice recognizing hazards, maintaining LCES, delivering clear briefings, tracking crew locations and assignments, and reassessing tactics as weather, fuels, fire behavior, or available resources change.

Scenarios reinforce the authority to stop unsafe work, communicate emerging risks, request assistance, and disengage when conditions exceed the crew’s capabilities.

Who Should Attend?

For experienced firefighters preparing to supervise a single handcrew.

Aspiring Crew BossesFirefighters preparing for future CRWB training and evaluation opportunities.

Senior Firefighters & Squad LeadersExperienced crew members moving into expanded leadership responsibilities.

Prescribed Fire Crew LeadersPractitioners who supervise crews during burn preparation, holding, mop-up, or contingency operations.

Wildland Fire SupervisorsPersonnel seeking stronger crew-level communication, planning, and risk management skills.