The National Interagency Fire Center has launched a Web site to assist with implementation of the Federal Interagency Wildland Firefighter Medical Qualification Standards in the United States.

The program, developed by the Interagency Medical Standards Team under the direction of the National Fire and Aviation Executive Board, seeks to bring all federal wildland firefighters participating in arduous duty under the same physical examination process. Before 2002, practices in the five federal agencies employing wildland firefighters varied widely, and “none of these practices were viewed as acceptable, neither from a good medical practice standpoint, nor from a legal standpoint, considering changes in federal disability employment regulations brought about by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,” according to an introduction of the new medical standards NIFC provides on the Web site.

The Department of the Interior bureaus began a geographic implementation of the new medical standards program for wildland firefighters in fiscal year 2002, with full implementation to be completed in five years. The Forest Service began implementation at seven co-located Bureau of Land Management — Forest Service units in the Pacific Northwest in FY 2003, with full Region 6 implementation scheduled in FY 2005. The Forest Service is expected to reach a decision on continued implementation nationwide in July 2005.

Wildland managers and firefighters visit www.nifc.gov/medical_standards to check the status on implementation of the medical qualification standards in their region for the firefighters employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, National Park Service and the Forest Service.

The site also has links to key documents, frequently asked questions, contact information and other resources, such as examination forms from the Client Access System. As of Oct. 1, all medical examination forms (annual, baseline, periodic or exit) are available only through the CAS Web site (cas.chsmedical.com), according to NIFC.

FY 2005 exam forms are markedly different from the previous three years; forms from past year's training manuals or the old Web site should not be used for current medical exams.

When fully implemented nationwide, all federal personnel participating in arduous-level wildland firefighting will be required to receive the same medical exams or screenings. Current agency programs will be in effect until the program reaches your geographic area.