EVOC

Does your department require you to complete Emergency Vehicle Operations Course in order to start driving? I have been hearing as of late that not every department does. What are your thoughts about this and how do you feel about the EVOC course? What needs to be improved with it, where does it stive?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by roy yoder on July 9, 2008 at 11:00am

in Ga. the academy has evoc but it stops at a one ton truck for the skid pad or driving course. they have a friction loss class and a pump service test class but no pump operators class. we have to have a class b non commercial liscene to drive anything with air brakes and over 26001 lbs. not cdl and the excemption is for farmers 150 miles hauling farm product, recreation vehicles, military, and fire depts. these can be obtained by simply taking a 20 question test. there is no way at 18 years this means they know how to drive much less how to pump the truck. lets forget the truck and talk about the pov first. this is what is used more than the engine in getting to a fire. on another thread here they talk about responding everything including the engine without lights and siren and when they get to the scene the turn on the lights when stopped. it takes away the rush and makes a safer response. might be something to think about.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Randy on July 9, 2008 at 4:40pm

here in my dept it is mandatory it helps, but they still wreck the trucks......you do good on the test but still have no clue...... one of the kinks I am still trying to work out..... pump opps is mandatory to if you want to drive it you should know how to run it

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chad King on August 19, 2008 at 9:32am

Our department requires us to have Evoc or refresher every two years to maintain your status on the drivers list.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Michael Germaine on January 17, 2009 at 10:17pm

Not to start driving, We must pass a in-house traing class with a driver trainer, which includes pump operations and 10 hours of on road driving. We are just starting a EVOC program starting in late Febuary. All new fire App. grants must have an approved driver training in place for federal grants such as EVOC so thats why lots of departments are doing it now.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chief 29 on January 18, 2009 at 4:55pm

It is not a requirement as of yet but things are changing. Fortunately the majority of our drivers have had EVOC within the past couple of years.
We are in the process of creating a drivers list to be able to be a driver. the requirements to be on the list will be:
1: Be 21 years of age or older.
2- Evoc Certification, Certification to be updated every three years to start off with. Recert time might change.
3-To drive an engine you will need a minimum of pump ops 1
4- to drive the tanker you will need to be certified in rural water movement
5- Have a minimum of 5 hours of drive time in the truck you are being certified on. To be done with an officer.
6- All the above must be in place before you will be able to drive for a call. you will have to drive under emergency circumstances and be approved by an officer that you completed the task safely before making it onto "The List". Driving under an emergency situation sometimes shows a quality or qualities of a driver that you would never see under normal circumstances.