Let's hope you never need them, but if the call comes, they will be ready to go. Like other emergency personnel, they train together and hone their skills in preparation for the day a disaster strikes; in this case, a wildfire that has the potential to spread quickly.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has five incident command teams, commonly known as short teams, located strategically around the state. Each member of these teams is a specialist in what they do and each is trained in the Incident Command System (ICS), which is a nationally recognized emergency response system to help organize response to large-scale incidents.

When those famous Smokey Bear signs around the state indicate that fire danger is high to extreme, the DNR short teams are on alert, bags packed, ready to go if needed.

The teams, which are made up of DNR personnel who often have other job duties outside of fire season, generally go on "standby" at strategically located DNR offices in high fire danger areas such as Grayling and Marquette.

This allows team members to continue getting their other work done while waiting to be called.

The short team is comprised of fire officers, naturally, but also foresters, administrative staff and specialists in other resources fields, such as communications, heavy equipment maintenance and computer technology.

Many of these highly trained people have served outside of Michigan on fire assignments in locations like Florida, Texas and California, and have cross-trained in numerous specialties, making them better prepared to respond to fires in Michigan.

One short team was sent to a nationally accredited training called "Critical Incident Management" where the Michigan DNR team scored highly among other Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces attending the training.

"Having a short team on standby during critical fire danger periods is an essential component of our state's ability to effectively respond to large fires in a timely manner," said Scott Heather, DNR state wildfire supervisor.

When a wildfire breaks out, the goal of an initial attack is to stop it as soon as possible. If the fire appears to be growing too rapidly for an initial attack, the short teams are called in and the resources begin to roll.

Team members assess the situation and call in people and firefighting equipment suited to the task ahead. An incident command center is set up, usually at the nearest DNR office or other local community building and a staging area is established, close to the fire, where equipment can be safely located, within easy reach of the fire lines.

The basic short team it is comprised of an incident commander who is responsible for the overall management of the incident; a safety officer who makes sure safety procedures are strictly adhered to; the operations chief who works closely with the on-the-ground forces to determine firefighting tactics; a plans chief who collects, evaluates and disseminates information, such as maps and contact lists; and a logistics chief who is responsible for ordering additional resources and ensuring the firefighters are fed and housed, the trucks have fuel and the mechanics have parts to fix fire trucks.

On larger fires, there also will be an information officer who keeps the media and public informed about the current status of the fire as well as a financial administrator who oversees purchasing, billing, time sheets and other administrative duties.

Daily action plans are formulated, weather is studied carefully, tactical decisions are made in a team setting and specific tasks are assigned.

"These and many other decisions are discussed at mandatory daily meetings, usually in the early morning, involving everyone associated with the fire," said Heather. "Each member of the short team reports on their observations and plans, so the entire team is appraised on all aspects of the firefighting effort, from air support and conditions on the ground, right down to the lunch menu."

As the size and complexity of the fire grows, where multiple land owners may be affected, and evacuations and road closures may be necessary, the team can delegate tasks to other authorities, such as the Michigan State Police, local sheriff's departments and even National Guard military support units.

Last year's 18,000-acre Sleeper Lake Fire in the eastern Upper Peninsula put the Incident Command System to the full test.

The DNR short team grew rapidly to about 20 specialists, who coordinated all aspects of the fire response, kept track of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of pieces of equipment, and allowed the DNR to take advantage of helicopters from the Michigan National Guard, trucks and tractors from Wisconsin and air tankers from Minnesota.

Local volunteer organizations, such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, also are trained in ICS so they knew how to work effectively within that structure the moment they arrived on scene.

So when wildfire strikes, know that all the pieces of the firefighting puzzle are poised and ready to jump into action to minimize the severity of the situation as best they can.

"It can be a heavy burden to be a short team member, but it also is a position of pride," Heather said. "The people of Michigan can be assured that these key, qualified personnel have the right skills to take on a raging wildfire and help relieve terror in such critical times."

For more information on wildfire prevention and safety, visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr-fire.