Forest Fire Control Institutional Framework

 1 Organization
The legitimate organization undertaking forest fire control activities is the Forest Fire Control Division under the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. This Division is composed of

- Strategy and Planning Sub-division.
- Information and Research Sub-division.
- Training and Development Sub-division.
- Special Operation Sub-division.
- Foreign Collaboration Sub-division.
- 15 Forest Fire Control Coordinating Centers (FFCC)
- 4 Forest Fire Control Training and Development Centers (FFTC)
- 1 Forest Fire Control Research Center (FFRC)
- 64 Forest Fire Control Stations (FFCS)

  2 Functions
   2.1 Strategy and Planning Sub-division.
Responsible for :
- Transform the policy into implementation.
- Strategic Planning and budgeting.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
- Coordinate with concerned organizations domestically and internationally.

  2.2 Information and Research Sub-division.
Responsible for :
- Fire statistics.
- Information need for fire control planing.
- Fire research.

  2.3 Training and Development Sub-division.
Responsible for :
- Training for Fire Boss, Crew Boss, Fire Crew, Fire Tiger Special Force and Fire Volunteer.
- Develop fire equipment, fire campaign materials, techniques and tactics in fire prevention as well as fire suppression.


 2.4. Special Operation Sub-division.
- Establish Ad hoc Fire Command Post when needed.
- Execute Mobilization Plan to combat large fires.
- Rescue operation in forested areas.


  2.5 Foreign Collaboration Sub-division.
- Act as National Fire Monitoring Centre as well as Competent Agency
under the ASEAN Agreement on Haze Transboundary Pollution.
- Collaborate with concerned agencies worldwide.


 2.6. Forest Fire Control Coordination Center.
- Supervise and coordinate fire control stations in its respective areas.
- Support the operation of fire control station
- Coordinate with all agencies concerned in order to obtain public
participation in fire management.
- Command and maintain the Fire Fighting Special Task Force
( Fire Tiger Units ).


 2.7. Forest fire control station

  It is the executing unit. Each station has subordinate units called Forest Fire Suppression Mobile Unit. The number of Forest Fire Suppression Mobile units of each Fire Station varies depending on amount of responsible area of each Station. It carries out 2 main tasks include :
- Forest fire prevention campaign. This campaign is carried out throughout the year, and comprises these following activities :
- Mobile campaign unit (direct contact)
- Campaign via mass media
- Billboard and printed materials
- Education programme
- Exhibition
- Forest fire suppression. This task is carried out by the Forest Fire Suppression Mobile Units. There are about 330 units nationwide. Each unit is composed of 15 fire crew and generally responsible for suppression operation within 10,000 hectares of forest. Due to budget limitation, only 4.68 million hectares or equivalent to 35.7 % of total forest land are placed under fire suppression programme. The suppression activities include :
- Training of fire crew as well as fire volunteer brigades
- Fuel management (fire break, control burning etc.)
- Fire detection and report
- Pre-suppression
- Fire suppression
- evaluation
- Train and support the activities of fire volunteer brigade.

2.8. Forest Fire Control Training and Development Centers.
   They are the executing units of the Training and Development Sub-division. They handle 6 current training courses namely:
- Fire Crew training course.
- Crew Boss training course.
- Fire Boss training course.
- Fire Tiger training course.
- Fire Prevention Campaign training course.
- Design and Produce of Campaign Materials training course.

2.9. Forest Fire Control Research Center
Conducting research and study on forest fire.

Figure 4. Latest Forest Fire Control Organization (since Oct,2002)