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Gathering around the tailgate of a brush truck is often the best opportunity for firefighters to discuss best practices and lessons learned about safety. With that in mind, Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) has developed the Oklahoma Wildland Tailgate Series, a compilation of brief, topic-driven training opportunities available to fire departments and wildland agencies to facilitate safety discussions.

???Wildfires have become increasingly more frequent and complex,??? said State Forester George Geissler. ???We're offering this tool to promote firefighter safety, increase resource effectiveness and provide a consistent training tool across Oklahoma.???

As Oklahoma's lead agency for wildland fire suppression, OFS believes it is critical for all firefighters to develop knowledge of initial and extended attack operations in both the wildland and wildland-urban interface in order to greatly enhance their safety and effectiveness. OFS personnel receive extensive training on these operations utilizing methodology outlined by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. The Tailgate Series is part of their on-going effort to provide training information and opportunities to fire departments throughout the state.

OFS recently launched the series with its first issue, ???Back to Basics,??? which is the foundation for the series. The quarterly series will maintain a consistent format, with each issue focusing on a specific element of wildland firefighting. Future topics include engine tactics, wildland-urban interface, bulldozer operations, aerial firefighting and more. Each issue concludes with an ???On the Fireground??? scenario to apply the lessons learned.